Clown - Anemone Relations

doch · #1 01-11-2010, 05:42 PM

Waking up a dead thread... but it's my own, so I'd say it's OK!

Anybody have opinions about maroon clowns in LTA's? I was at the LFS the other day looking for my next fish, saw a pair of maroons in a BTA, got to talking to the staff there and decided that I was ready for an anemone... and the clowns to go with it. While talking I was told that the maroons will take to either the BTA that they were in, or the LTA that was beside it... so I picked the LTA which had a little more colour. Got them home, acclimated them, put them in the tank, and.... no dice. Clowns don't even look at the LTA. Not very happy. Is this a lost cause... should I be looking for a nice BTA, or is there some way that I can assist? Does this relationship take time sometimes, or instant (like my last BTA/maroon)?

Any help would certainly be appreciated... thanks all!

mike31154 · #2 01-11-2010, 11:26 PM

Don't know about LTA but I have a Maroon pair that's been hosting in a BTA for some time now. IIRC it did take a week or so for my first Maroon to dive in and call it home. I added the second (Maroon clown) a few months later and went through the harrowing pairing process. Again that took a few weeks. Anyhow, if it's only been a few days, I suggest waiting at least a week or two to see what happens, no hurry, be patient. I've read some folks have had success sticking a picture of a clown hosting an anemone to the tank, so you could give that a shot. Other than that, as mentioned somewhere in this thread already, a BTA is the Maroon's natural hosting anemone, so you may have better luck trying one of those.

doch · #3 01-12-2010, 01:30 AM

LOL... so... are you actually serious about the picture beside the tank? Or are you trying to make me feel like an idiot in a few weeks??

I'm not the best at being patient, but I plan in trying... just figured I'd ask a question or 2 while waiting.

mike31154 · #4 01-12-2010, 03:22 AM

Yes, picture, serious. I haven't tried this personally, didn't need to, but have read this advice many times on threads at RC, the forum south of the border. Might work, might not, but in today's digital age, it won't take a lot of effort to give it a try, nothing to lose really.