How too Get my Clowns to host
 

I have just bought a beautiful RBTA and my Black & White Ocellaris Clownfish won't even give it the time of day any suggestions?

find a picture of the nem you have hosting the clown you have and tape it to the side of the tank , sometimes they just need a hint .

Okay ha ha

Hmmm. Never had this issue personally (my clownfish fought over the nem when I had it). Apparently the easiest way to get it going is to put the nem and the clownfish in a bucket with absolutely nothing but the two of them. Soon after, you'll have a hosted nem! :)

I just tried that, ha ha two hours nothin. Maybe they clowns are just too young right now?

Most clown fish are tank raised and have no clue what a nem is, they may be too young although I was told by a reliable person that sometimes they just don't host at all. I have a pair of Ocellaris that are hosting a big pulsating exenia. I also have a pair of true perks that don't host anything, go figure! :surprise:

I wouldn't say they are too young - my maroon was just a youngin' when he hosted the GBTA. If the bucket technique didn't work, I'd suggest just giving them some time. I think mine hosted so fast because of the other fish that were in the tank - they got nipped at every once in a while. The nem provided a safety house for them.

That's cool that the clowns hosted the xenia. Now that my nem has died, I'd love to see the clowns in my tank host something (because now adays, apparently they'll host anything!). Be neat to see! :lol:

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I think some clowns just don't host, or it may take time together before the start. I have one pair that host in a torch and another in a yellow polyp colony...
Clowns are clowns

Also, a heads up. A clown that hosts a new too soon after the nem has been introduced to the tank can stress the nem out and result in death. Best to keep clowns away from the nem for awhile, especially since it can take awhile for the nem to find where it likes to anchor. It may like one spot for a few days, then the next it'll move to the other side of your tank. I hear it's also a good idea to have your power head(s) off during this time as it may get caught in your power head. Happened to me once... good thing I was there to get it out quickly.

Personally never had luck getting captive clowns to host anything.

Mine seem to think that hosting a powerhead is the safest thing to do....buggers..lol

Yeah I agree. A lot of clowns are now captive bred and don't understand hosting. Mine will not host in my RBTAs at all. I guess there will now be an influx of people wanting wild caught. :)

To add to the theory on captivity vs non-captivity, I would also theorize that hosting is an instinctive defence mechanism. It helps them feel safe and secure to be near a 'nem. However, if they already feel safe and secure then there really is no need for them to hang out in a 'nem.

I really doesn't help that my nem is putting on some miles in my tank. when i first got it stayed put for 3 weeks to a month, then bin on the move since.

What kind of lights are you running on your tank? If the nem is moving, something is not to its liking. Flow, lights etc.

My nem moved for the first couple of days in the tank, then settled approx 4 inches from where I originally placed it. My clown jumped in it within a week and is now quite protective of it. My male tries sneaking in when the female is out, then she drives him scurrying across the tank when caught. I'd give both the clowns and nem a chance to settle before worrying if they'll host.

2 24' ecoxotic Panorama marine LED's

Be careful what you ask for my clowns have been hosting an open brain coral that they are killing. Wish they did not host anything. just my two cents. They are also starting to host a frogspawn between the open brain. It is a real PITA.

my cb maroon clown "loved" my new gbta right into a big barnacle. eventually the thing came out, in pieces... poor thing. she hosts my yellow polyps now.

Bought 2 small clowns and an RBTA to add to our existing tank that had 1 slightly bigger clown in it. Put the anemone in first and then the new small clowns and they immediatly went straight for it. After a few days the original clown started hanging around in it and chased the others away. Sadly that anemone did not make it but we bought a new neon pink and speckled bubble tip and they paid no interest for the week it was in the tank. I came home last night and one of the small clown was curled up sleeping in. Now they are all interested again. Who knows...

I did this.. It didn't really work. haha

It did take a few weeks.. it will happen in time I think

the picture thing did not work for me either. At the end I sold those clownfishs and bought 2 black ice and the 2 black ice hosted the sebae anemone within a day. This is now their home and they defend that anemone with all their strength.

My captive bred clown randomly decided that after 9months in the tank my Torch was a pretty cool place to hang out. Now it's buried in there almost 24/7

I have the same issue, when I first go them my feather duster hosted them which this stressed out the feather duster. I then bought a nem to get them away from the feather duster and they instantly took over that but the nem got to big for my tank so I had to get rid of it. As soon as I took it out they went straight for my open brain. They are stressing it out cuz it doesn't inflate anynore, feeder tentacles never come out either so I have to figure out how to get them away from it. Darn little buggers constantly bite my hand every time I put it in the tank :twised: