Clowns

[1460sun]

I have a pair of True Percula Clownfish and my lights (coralife 260w) are not sufficient for an anemone. At least from what I've read. So far they don't interact with my reef. Is there another coral that can add that they might call home? Has anyone tried one of the plastic anemones? Hate to see them swimming in the corner all night.

[Tim Marvin]

Hammer, frogspawn, leather, torch, and many more. Just put in some things that will do well in your lighting and the clowns will eventually find a home.

[Ram_Puppy]

I noticed you live in spring branch, you should stop by CB Pets, they have some INCREDIBLY affordable T-5 fixtures that could easily bump you up to anemone acceptable light ranges.

[Reef69]

Ive seen clowns host in a ball of rubberbands, some are pickier than others...

[OldSalty]

mine host in a riceordia

[matt]

You might be careful in your anemone search. The natural host anemones for those clowns are VERY difficult to keep alive in aquariums. Your best bet would be to get a tank raised bubble tip anemone and hope for the best, as it's not their host in nature, but many people have had luck matching true percs with BTAs. Actually, they (the green or brown varieties) don;t need intense light, but they do need a specific habitat, excellent water quality, and lots of food; their natural diet is crustaceans; you can feed them krill and they'll do well.

[CD]

Has anyone tried one of the plastic anemones?


These "tank decorations" are made purely for asthetics. Clowns "host" anemones...meaning there is a symbiotic (sp?) relationship - the Clowns will feed the anemone, and in turn, the anemone protects the Clown from harm in the wild. I don't know your level of experience, but if you are just breaking in to the hobby, personally I would wait until your tank is well established and water params and lighting are acceptable for an anemone addition. There is also a pretty good chance that you will go through all the expense and trouble to set up conditions to add an anemone, and your clowns will totally ignore it and host a Xenia or something that catches their eye in your tank...it happens. Don't worry about them swimming in the corner all night...they really don't "need" an anemone in captive situations, unless you are putting aggressive tankmates in there with them (which you really shouldn't be doing anyway).

HTHs
Wendy

[Andrew]

You could use one of those Koosh Balls. I've read of breeders doing that before, but have no idea if it's feasible or not.

I wanted to try that but can't find them anywhere

[cailan]

i have a tomato that switches from a big green star colony, to a frogspawn, and to a couple of bubble corals. i saw a clown, it might have been a perc, at alamo aquatics hosting in a plasitc anemone- it was pretty strange.