How to get anemone to host a clown?

[FishyLovers]

I bought a long tentacled anemone a few days ago, and it seems to be acclimating well. It found itself a place to anchor to, is eating. I have 4 aqua-cultured oscellaris clownfish and I don't know what to do to get them to pair with the anemone. The thing is, the anemone was hosting a clown like mine in the store, so I know that the species isn't the issue. Any advice?

 

[theMeat]

Sometimes it happens right quick, sometimes not so much. Try moving the rock with the nem on it to the clown's hang out spot

 

[Dre]

Show the clown a pic of clowns hosting anemones or put both clown and anemone in a small container for a while.

 

[Spartanwarrior]

while the above comment is hilarious, its not entirely helpful haha.

what I have seen done actually, if your clowns can be caught, get one or 2, try to get the largest. use a large tube, pvc or similar and have the clown almost slide down the tube that is aimed at the anemone. sometimes all they need is to touch and feel the stinging sensation. don't do this repeatedly of course, if it doesn't work, as it will cause undue stress. don't laugh. I have heard of this working.

 

[Dre]

while the above comment is hilarious, its not entirely helpful haha.

Speak for yourself, I've been keeping clown fish much longer than you.:biggrin:

 

[ecvernon]

When my clowns was introduced into my tank I put them in a clear in tank breeder box. I got a small RBTA from a friend and after 1 night the clowns were in the Rbta.

 

[trinimaddness]

what worked for me. Left them in for the night 2yrs later they're still in there.

 

[Z06-Hec]

what worked for me. Left them in for the night 2yrs later they're still in there.

THIS WORKS !!!!

I had 2 pairs of clown in my 150 gal 6 foot long, each pair stood one opposite sides of tank and i had about 7 BTA at the time, NONE hosted for 3 years...

I lost 1 clown and wanted to get more. I bought a few babies put them in a 2 gal jug in the tank with holes all over, put a BTA in there with them. IMMEDIATELY (1 day) hosted...
When i let the babies free into the tank the other clowns started hosting IMMEDIATE as well....


I tried that picture thing for a long time, had them all over the tank and nothing...
It may work for others but didnt for me...

 

[Z06-Hec]

Also if you dont have the enclosure, get a 2 gallon polland spring bottle round and clear, drill holes all over for flow throw the BTA in and clowns where they cannot swim out. I used a magnet to keep the bottle against the glass where they could not swim out the opening...

 

[FishyLovers]

Catching my clowns is going to be impossible

 

[Z06-Hec]

It can be hard but clowns are not the smartest....
scare them with a net to a corner and scoop them with your hand instead of the net...
Keep the net shown to them to keep them away from it and in the corner...

 

[trinimaddness]

I feed my fish with a long clear 3inch inner diameter tube so I can target feed slower fish or feed corals. I put the tube in the tank then squirt food in from the top. Most of my smaller fish swim up the tube for the food. I can easily catch them if I wanted to. They have to get used to it first so try feeding that way for about a week. I use tubes that comes with florescent light blubs but you can use any tube.

 

[FishyLovers]

Ok so I caught the clownfish and put it in a 2-gallon container together with the anemone, the container is at the bottom of my tank. But it feels so cruel! And all the clownfish are doing is ramming into the walls of the container!

 

[JustAnt]

Ok so I caught the clownfish and put it in a 2-gallon container together with the anemone, the container is at the bottom of my tank. But it feels so cruel! And all the clownfish are doing is ramming into the walls of the container!

It should work. I put my bta with 2 clowns together in a fishstore bag. Set a drip line for acclimation let them sit for 90 mins and then they hosted with Anenome even when placed back in the tank

It not cruel. U r teaching them.

 

[Z06-Hec]

The 2 gallon container is bigger than any acclimation box you can buy. If you think about it whenever someone introduces a potentially troublesome fish into their tank it is put into an acclimation box where it can barely swim in...
your 2 gallon jug should be more than enough space for a clown fish.
or think about people that have a pico tank.... 5-10 gallon tanks with rocks and all with more than just a clown fish in there... Its not cruel.
Give it a few days and let it rub in then nem. Once you see it actually in the nem for a while you should be good... I would def leave it there for at min 10 days to be safe, it may be much faster.
On another note, i didnt leave mine in the bottom of the tank, i had a magnet and held it at the top of the tank so i can drop food into the container.

 

[Z06-Hec]

updates?
Pictures?

 

[Lenny718]

A LTA is not there natural host. Get the correct anemone for you're clowns and you won't need to do anything. Patience is also very important in this hobby.

 

[Lenny718]

Ok so I caught the clownfish and put it in a 2-gallon container together with the anemone, the container is at the bottom of my tank. But it feels so cruel! And all the clownfish are doing is ramming into the walls of the container!

That's horrible and shouldn't be done, you're only stressing out the fish and if they are not ready to host the sting can injure or even kill them. Terrible advice on this thread

 

[FraggerJohn]

most clowns wont go into anemones from the atlantic ocean especially the small ones with 6-7 tentacales cause there stingers are very strong and offer little coating protection. now that you have caught the clowns you can wait to see if they host or add a bubble tip anemone in the container they are the best hosts . than the clowns should get the hint

 

[theMeat]

Pacific, Atlantic, don't matter. Have seen clowns host leathers, zenia, even a Haitian anemone that's supposed to have such a strong sting that supposedly no clown will host them. The fish has to get used to the host, and maybe the host has to get used to the fish. Maybe some of both.
Clowns usually have a spot in the tank they like to hang. Put the nem in that spot and let nature take it's course.
Agree that there's a possibility that putting the fish and the nem in a small container together could end badly.