Maroon Clown & Plate Coral:

[REBridges]

So strangest thing I've seen.

Recently I moved my sea anemone to another part of my tank. He had moved to underneath a rock where he bleached out. Seems to be slightly healthier in the new location a placed him.

Anyhow, this past week I purchased a short tentacle orange & purple plate coral. My maroon clown has taken refuge/home to the plate since I've moved the aneome. The plate coral seems to like his presence b/c he has expanded his size and doesnt shrink back down when the clown rubs up against him. The clown also keeps away other fish, emarld and hermit crabs from it.

Has anybody else experienced this? I would understand if it was a different type of coral that is much more wavy/aneome like such as frogspawn, hammerhead, flowerpot, etc...Just strikes me that out of everything I have he has chosen it. Does anybody think the clown could injure the plate coral? I know their tissue can be easily damaged.

[Third Coast Tropical]

Not as abnormal as you might think.....

As far as the fish damaging the coral....it is possible, depending on the species and temperment of the fish, and just time in general.....A maroon is commonly considered to be one of the most aggresive clownfish....If they are anything like any of my 3 pairs, then yes, over time, chances are they will injure/kill it, if not by physically abusing it, then by constantly kicking up sand and other debris into the coral.....

I recently moved all my corals, (except some GSP that was on one of the rocks) out of my maroon tanks and into my other tanks....

Best advice, just watch them.....if it gets too crazy, pull one of them out or place the anemone back near its old spot.....

[REBridges]

Thanks for the heads up. I am aware that the maroon clowns are the most aggressive. However he has never poked a fight at any of the other fish. Heck even my panther grouper and him will swim together. I imagine b/c they have the same swimming pattern.

As far as the anemone, I cant place him back where he was b/c I re-arranged my rock work to prevent anything else purging underneath the rock that caused the bleachout in the first place. No solid lighting was there.

I'll keep an eye out. Only issue is that I dont have another established tank, etc... to move anything to. Besides, my maroon has been the most hardiest fish I've had. I just may move the plate coral to the other side of the tank.

[Third Coast Tropical]

Good luck....if your Maroon has a more laid back attitude, then you might be okay....definitely just keep an eye out

[Europhyllia]

I think clowns just like to attach themselves to something. Over the years mine have made a home in/near various things including odd stuff like overflow boxes, etc.
They currently call a regulr hairy mushroom their home (even though they also have the pick of a hammer or a torch hybrid):
http://www.dominopads.com/926_6.jpg

[MeteorFlower]

My female Ocellaris tried out all my LPS corals before settling on her Torch coral. She really irritated a lot of them, including my favorite open brain coral, which I eventually had to take back to the LFS because she was pestering it to death... she also tried a Trumpet and a Duncanops (all while ignoring the anemone). Funny little guys. Based on my own experience, I'd second watching the coral for signs of stress.

[REBridges]

He left it alone for the most part since i moved it....however he will ocassionally go back to pay a visit...now he is a little into my big red and green striped mushroom. Its funny how my panther grouper and him love to swim together (maybe bc of the similar swim pattern). The grouper is smaller than him, for now at least...He is probably eyeing the clown until he gets bigger and eats him. But I wont let that happen.