plastic plants

[greatgman]

hi all
got a question
does any one out there know
if clownfish will host an artificial coral
(plastic anemone)
some of them look very lifelike
soft rubber/silicone/etc

 

[malkore]

I've not heard of anyone having success with fake anemone's.
Also, many tank raised, captive bred clowns won't even host a live anemone.
A clown doesn't need an anemone host to be happy and healthy.

But it might be an interesting experiment IF the fake one is really cheap.

 

[austinsdad]

The only issue I have with fake stuff, is the cleaning needed to keep'm looking good.

Otherwise, think of the clown's broken little heart when the fake anenome doesn't take his food offering.

If you do try it, let us know how they make out.

 

[malkore]

I've also never seen a fake anemone that looked remotely realistic. then again I live in the mid-west, in a conservative, land-locked state (i.e. I lead a semi-sheltered existence)

 

[greatgman]

i might try this out
money permiting
car broke down(wont start)

 

[midiman]

Also, many tank raised, captive bred clowns won't even host a live anemone.
A clown doesn't need an anemone host to be happy and healthy.

Actually, this raises a question. Who is hosting whom? Isn't it the anemone that is "hosting" the clownfish? Why does the jargon have the clownfish "hosting" the anemone?

I mean, if someone comes to MY house, I'm the host, right? My guests don't host me, I host them.

Anyone care to explain this? :|

 

[austinsdad]

Do your guests feed you and defend you (answer the door and turn away anyone else) when they come to your house? Ok, so I'm not the one to explain it, but just throwing that question into the mix.

 

[DaveBeaty]

I had an Ocellerus Clownfish take up residence in a fake cup coral(I agree, the anemone hosts the clownfish). I currently have a fake bubble tip anemone from Nature's Image in my fish only tank. When it finishes cycling (day 5, I've got an ammonia reading of .5 and a nitrite reading of .1) I'll let y'all know where or if the clownfish takes up residence.

 

[greatgman]

sweet
be waiting

 

[RocketSeason]

My TR clowns have started to try to host all sorts of things, rocks, heaters, sand, etc. I am going to try putting in a silk ocean plant for now and see how they take to that. Untill I can afford the lighting upgrade, there isnt much more i can do.

I think clowns like the softness of an anenome as much as the looks. A TR Clown has never seen an anemoe, so they may respond very well to the softness.

we will see.

 

[Tito2491]

Lol that would be unbelievable. if it does happen then we can all save
alot of money

 

[RocketSeason]

Well the silk plant has been in the tank since tuesday and there has been no takers yet. they pretty much ignore it....

...but it does make my tank look pretty! I can't wait to get some real corals in there!!!

 

[lando]

Correct, the anemone hosts the clown, not the other way around. I have been told that the anemone needs to "invite" the clown to come on in. I have not heard of any success with fake anemones. A LFS by me has tried it for a long time and failed. The clowns just ignored it. Let us know what happens.

 

[mle421]

my clownfish hosts, or rather is hosted by my power head. the other day after i was doing some water changes, i forgot to plug back in the power head and my clown just kept looking at it and sticking his little head inside the hole the water comes out of like he couldnt figure out what happened to his beloved machine. but he adores it. he rubs all over the top and nuzzles the sides all day, and even bit me once when i tried to take it out to move it. i almost wish he wasnt hosting or again being hosted by it, because he spends all day by the stupid thing, and never ventures more than a few inches away from it. nonetheless, its cute

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

Otherwise, think of the clown's broken little heart when the fake anenome doesn't take his food offering.

Actually, from my experience, clown fish usually do not want to feed their anemones. In the wild, it is actually very unlikely that a clownfish will feed the anemone. Because clownfish are so small and such poor swimmers, anytime they stray from their anemone could mean death. If a clownfish has to travel, for example, 3 feet from its host to catch a passing tidbit of food, it is highly unlikely that it will offer it to the anemone (it wants the food for itself). Anemones, however, have several methods of obtaining nutrition. They feed continuously on planktonic organisms in the water column. They are nourished by zooanthellae algae within their cells. They have the ability to catch and consume an unassuming fish or crustacean. They are also nourished by the nitrogeneous wastes produced by the clownfish.
In captivity, however, a well fed clownfish MAY bring food back to the anemone. However, I have never witnessed this. On the other hand, I have seen clownfish actually take food away from their host. Some hobbyists have also reported their clownfish dropping chunks of food (too large too fit into their mouths) into the anemone. However, they believe this was accidental and the clownfish was not intending to feed the anemone. JMHO.

 

[RocketSeason]

oop! they were playing around with the silk plant a bit today...hopefully something happens soon!!!