Clown suggestions needed (1 Viewer)

[aqua-nut]

OK, I am now fully fed up with the fact that I have a platter sized green carpet anenome in my cube and can't get a clown to go into it without being eaten alive or ignoring it.

I have tried a mated pair of gold stripe maroons (knew they probably wouldn't, but thought it was worth a try since a maroon I had previously was so into rubbing in anything that remotely looked like an anemone, and successfully hosted a condy, believe it or not!)

I have also tried a pair of true perculas, which were evidently tank raised... but one of them kept nipping at the anemone after a month or so in the tank and then he dissappeared. No carcass, bones, etc. I think he was eaten... the anemone looked very, very large and happy just after the clown went missing!

Anyone want to make a suggestion as to what kind of clown I should try next? Tomato?

Oh yes, know that this is a 20 gallon cube with great filtration and lighting and no other fish will be in the tank, so aggression is not a concern.

I must say I do not like skunk clowns as they are the ugly stepchildren in the family IMO, but doggonnit, I'm gonna get something to host in this anenome if it kills me, and I'll try one if I absolutely have to. That's my last choice though.

 

[DonnieKim]

I have a Large domino damsel that hosts my carpet!

You might try the tomato because mine hosts a couple of different condy's and like you say, "anything that remotely resembles an anemone", hell he even hosted a hairy mushroom about the size of a dollar piece!

I also cruised the lfs's and watched for a true perc that was hosting in the lfs.

Good Luck!

 

[MarkieB]

Best of luck.
I have had a RBA and GBA for about a month. I too wanted a clown but was looking for the right one. (In my opinion)

I was at PF ealier this week. There was a skunk having a wonderful time in a RBA. He would barely even look out. Perfect pair.
I bought it, added it to my tank, and he wont go no where near my RBA. IT's like it does not even exist.

 

[KarenHorn]

Go with the saddleback. That's their natural host, I believe.

 

[Guest]

Its just chance, some clowns will host in any anenome, some won't.

I'd say choose the clown you like and just keep trying till you get one that will host it, then find it a mate.

 

[KarenHorn]

If you look on reefcentral they have a list of what the natural host is of each clown. If you match them up you have the best bet.

 

[incysor]

Best of luck.
I have had a RBA and GBA for about a month. I too wanted a clown but was looking for the right one. (In my opinion)

I was at PF ealier this week. There was a skunk having a wonderful time in a RBA. He would barely even look out. Perfect pair.
I bought it, added it to my tank, and he wont go no where near my RBA. IT's like it does not even exist.

I had this exact same experience with a black occellaris. It was in a tank at the LFS with a green BTA and wouldn't hardly come out of it. I put it in my tank with my green BTA that was nearly the exact same size/color, and it never went near it. It tried hosting some pink polyps instead. They obviously use other criteria to judge what the host should be.

B

 

[AggieBrandon]

I have a mated pair of GSM clowns that didn't want anything to do with my carpet anemones. After a month or two though, the female is starting to venture into the neon green one The male won't go near them yet.

Brandon

 

[MarkieB]

It tried hosting some pink polyps instead. They obviously use other criteria to judge what the host should be.

B

Yeah mine decided my Xenia are much softer to sleep in than that old anemone.

 

[Guest]

Mine hosted a saddleback for a long time, then when she died, my clarkiis took residence.

 

[Guest]

My mated GSM's lost their home this week.... now they have to sleep in the guest house (medium rose bta), I'm sure they'll miss the luxury suite of the large green bta..

 

[FireEater]

It just seems to be a hit and miss with clowns. My true percs hosted a feather duster for awhile. It drove the duster crazy at first, then he got used to them and stayed open.

Due to some unfortunate mishap in the old 58g tank I had setup I lost the duster. They then moved over into the green hairy mushrooms.

Even when I moved both tanks into the new 125g system they stayed with the mushrooms. The have a spot right in the middle of the mushrooms on the rock that they keep clean for egg laying.

When they lay thier eggs, the mushrooms never expand fully enough to cover them up. After the eggs are gone, the mushrooms around that spot expand again.

I recently placed a green atlantic carpet next to the mushrooms to see what the clowns would do. They ignored it and now it has moved all the way across the tank to a happy spot. If it moves around again though it will be a goner. It basically plowed over everything moving.

It did take about 6 months before the clowns decided to host anything though when I first got them.

Mark