Clowns won't host anemone?

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by Geofrog

Did a google search of the anemone, it is actually a H. crispa. I was told at the LFS that it would host my ocellaris. Is this true? Also just wondering if my lighting is sufficient for it (2X96Watt 10,000K and 2X96Watt Actinic).

Hmm,, well H. Crispa is quite a bit harder to care for than E. Quadricolor. The LFS is correct in saying the clowns will host the anemone. This is a natural host in the wild... but are your clowns tank bred, or wild caught? If they are tank bred, it may take a little longer, depending...

Your lighting is not sufficient for this species unfortunately. H. Crispa really should have metal halide lighting. I don't think it will thrive in that tank.... what size tank is it in by the way??

[Geofrog]

1. Clowns are tank raised.
2. Tank size is 95gal.

I do have a 1000Watt 14,000K MH buld and socket but no ballast. Trying to find a ballast for it. How long can I keep the anemone under the PCs before it's a goner. The anemone is ~6" across.

[OCDP]

Originally Posted by Geofrog

1. Clowns are tank raised.
2. Tank size is 95gal.

I do have a 1000Watt 14,000K MH buld and socket but no ballast. Trying to find a ballast for it. How long can I keep the anemone under the PCs before it's a goner. The anemone is ~6" across.

Yeah, tank raised clowns will take a little longer (whose to say how long) to start hosting.. they aren't wild caught so they aren't as familiar. They all have the same hosting instincts though.. I am sure they will host it, just give it time.

95g with the PC lighting for the Sebae (H. Crispa) won't be enough I'm afraid. 1000w MH is going to cook everything in your tank. I think the higest wattage used is 400w MH.

I don't think its a question of how long will it last ... it will slowly decline in health and start bleaching, and losing zooaxenthelle (i wont even bother trying to spell it correctly) .. By the time it's all said and done , it will bleach out and once they start to bleach they are hard to save... so I would just get it under MH's ASAP .

Good luck, sorry for all the bad news . But better you know than have it die and so on...

[Squiddy]

I had two Perculas that never went near either of my anemomes. A few weeks ago, one of the clowns died and ever since, the remaining one won't leave the anenome. It sucks that I lost a clown, but I love watching the interaction between the remaining one and the anenome.

[Beverly]

Our tank bred ocellaris pair hosted in our GBTA right away. The key to our success was having the GBTA settle in first, then introduce the clowns by hand right in the area of the anemone.

Currently have three GBTA clones (not four as I originally thought) as well as an RBTA positioned above the GBTAS in the same rock pile. During the GBTA split over the last three days, the ocellaris pair stayed pretty close to the GBTAs. It must have freaked them out when there was not one GBTA to host in but three of them. Today I've noticed the clowns swimming up into the RBTA, so now they have four BTAs to host in

[Geofrog]

Just an update. Upgraded lights to 250 watt MH. The anemone still looks the same tan colour with the purple tips, but I did notice some tentacles were withered and green, assuming this is normal while it is adjusting to the new lights.