[gramesy777]

I got a bubble tip anemone three days ago and my clowns still havent gone into it. Will they eventually host it and its just taking them a long time or is there a chance they wont ever host it.

[Taras1]

What species of clowns? It may take a while for them to host. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. How long have you had the clowns? It's hard to predict. Some people say that tank bred don't host as easily as wild caught. I disagree, especially if you get juveniles and introduce the anemone and clowns together. There are also places that sell hosted sets of anemones and clowns.

Here's a link to a chart which talks about which species host to which anemone:

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/marin...mbioticMap.htm

[gramesy777]

they are ocellaris clowns....i got them from a friend a month ago and she had them for a long time. I introduced the bubble tip anemone to them this week. I actually like 5 minutes ago saved my anemone lol he was stuck to the filter intake.

[Taras1]

That's a problem with Anemones, Nudibranchs, and other small, soft creatures; they love to get into intake ports. One of my tiger tail cukes ended up in the skimmer chamber of my sump. It survived.

I haven't had any experience with Ocellaris clowns, but according to the chart I sent you, it doesn't look like they host with BTA's. Saying that, however, you never can really predict what's going to happen. I was told you couldn't put several juvenile Maroons in a tank with a BTA and have them grow up peacefully. Well, 8 mos later, the trio hosted successfully in my BTA, one is a dominant female, one - a dominant male and one - subdominant male (see my Avatar that's them) lol

[reefnoob1991]

I have 2 Ocellaris clowns and they host in BTA's...you'll come to learn clowns will host in just about anything (even a flowerpot!). Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't, kinda a hit and miss situation. Tank Raised and Wild Clownfish will both host but since anemones are its only protection in the wild it may be more willing to host than a tank raised clownfish...who has only seen a big glass box saying FOR SALE: $22.99 on the front his whole life.

[gimmito]

My main concern is how long has your tank been set up ? An anemone should not be introduced in a tank less than 6 months old. Aside from that, ocellaris clowns will host in a bta. I have two and they started hosted immediately. A trick you can try is to get some live brine shrimp from your lfs, add some garlic extract (kent or seachem), and shoot some near your bta's tentacles. Your clowns will soon learn to associate your bta with food and hopefully call it home ! Happy Reefkeeping !

[gramesy777]

the tank has been up for over 6 months....thanks for the trick advice I'll try that this week

[sean]

hi there i also have a bubble tip it took my clownsabout a week and half before they would dare venture. only problem now when i put my hand anywhere near it when feeding the little buggers attack

[gramesy777]

okay thanks....im hoping they are just taking their time

[ilovemash]

u may want to try a ritteri or carpet anemone.

[reefcouple]

a bubble and maroon looks great, however anytime u want your bubble to look its best, dont add a clown, but it is a benificial relationship...

if you feed your anenomie misis, add a drop of ZOE, if they split only give the 2nd one a week or two before removing it from your tank, you can use the multiples for trade items with your local fish supplier... too many anenomies will produce alot of watse in your tank... Anenomies are a heavy load for any tank especially smaller tanks..

Good luck....

Randy

[gimmito]

I would'nt try a carpet in a small tank, they can easily reach 20+ inches ! Also, ritteri's are notoriously hard to keep. Your best bet is to stick with a tank raised bta.

[gramesy777]

Can I put more than one bta in a 45

[ilovemash]

For ocellarus clowns though a ritteri would be best, I believe that that is there natural host

[pogodzib]

I never had any problems keeping 3 BTA in a 45 gal tank. And yes, BTA aren't natural hosts for percs, but they are by far the best anemone for anybody looking to keep their first anemone. Stay away from the ritteri and carpet in your tank - they are much tougher to keep, grow larger, eat fish, etc... I've had plenty of percs host in BTA, sometime it can take them a long time before they find the anemone, but there as some tricks that can help. I like taping a picture of a perc hosting in a BTA to the glass next to the anemone to help the perc find the host BTA. It usually works within 10 days with getting the perc to host. People think it's crazy until they see it work. If you search around, you'll see that many other people have used the same method with a good success rate.

[jipo123]

it depends, sometimes when they clowns are born in captivity they do not like the anemonies so much.... but I have had the same problems with my bubble tips and clowns. my clowns prefer a tentacle leather in the middle of the tank to a large bubble tip in the side. but in the last couple months one of the clowns has moved his way over to the bubble tip.
Just give it some time... fish pretty much do what they want, not what we want

[reefnoob1991]

I tried the picture thing until I noticed that the reflection of the glass didnt allow the picture to be seen from inside...when I got my old anemone and new clown I ushered it into the anemone by hand, well scooted it over near it, and it just took to it. When I got my new clown to pair with it I came home 2 hours after acclimating it and they both were inside. My BTA died due to toxins from flatworms when I removed them but I got a new one and by the next day they were back in it