Clown commiting death by zoas?

Seafan · #1 09-18-2010, 12:04 AM

In the last couple of days, my clown has decided to try to take up residence in my zoas. A couple of days ago I first noticed fairly big black marks all over his body. First thought, OMG what horrible disease is gonna wipe out the tank, looked at other fish, nobody else affected. Quickly googled to find photos of other clowns with same marks, zoa stings! I mean REALLY! I just got rid of 3 anemone's a couple of weeks ago as no interest was shown what so ever. Still have one gbta, but no interest. Have many other things clowns use as alternative torch, frogspawn (2 varieties), but no he is in love with the pretty little flower patch.
Has anyone else's clowns ever done this? Anybody know if it actually can kill him? Will the sudden infatuation wear off? I mean he is starting to look seriously bad.
If this keeps up I will have to change his name to Jacques, as he now looks like a waiter sporting a sexy little black mustache.

Lampshade · #2 09-18-2010, 01:23 AM

My clowns do the same thing. I have a 12" GBTA and the clowns still live in the zoa's. They've been there for 6 months or more now, seem to be doing well, other than the black spots. They even look like they may be breeding, the male used to stay close with the female roaming, but recently the females been laying right in the zoa's with the male getting food. My zoa's have grown used to it too, they no longer close when the clowns touch them. I'd say not to worry about it. I think I have pics posted of my clowns on an old thread here, I'll take a look.

Seafan · #3 09-18-2010, 01:33 AM

Thank you, good to know he'll be alright. Have been concerned for him (or her, him out of habit). I had just presumed he wasn't going to host, thought he was tank bred and have had him over a year and this is the first he has thought about hosting anything besides a rock, lol. Also good to know my zoas may get used to their new found friend, so far they are not amused.
Thanks again.

intarsiabox · #4 09-18-2010, 04:06 AM

My 2 perc clowns have been doing the same thing for over 2 years and both are doing fine. For awhile one was almost completely black and a fellow reefer asked what kind of clown I had as he had never seen one that color. The other clown is a little smarter than the other and only has a few blemishes.

Seafan · #5 09-18-2010, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

My 2 perc clowns have been doing the same thing for over 2 years and both are doing fine. For awhile one was almost completely black and a fellow reefer asked what kind of clown I had as he had never seen one that color. The other clown is a little smarter than the other and only has a few blemishes.

Wow, more common then than I would have guessed, kinda thought they had a little more smarts than that, you'd think it's gotta hurt to leave that kind of a mark.
Thanks good to know.

.

fishytime · #6 09-18-2010, 02:32 PM

the best thing really for them is to host in a nem.....generally speaking clown/coral relationships dont usually work out so well.....either for the clowns (in your case) or sometimes its the coral that suffers....

what kind of clowns and what kind of nem do you have?...hosting is a learned behavior....try putting a mirror by your remaining nem to encourage the clown over to the nems spot...or, and this is gonna sound silly but, print off a picture of a clown hosting in a nem and tape that to the side of your tank.....Ive read that this can sometimes work....