Coral/Anemone Hosting

[drfu]

I have posted this here as well as in the invertebrates forum as i think this will be more suited here than there.

 

I will be moving my clowns from my 8g to my 15g soon as they are starting to grow and one is becoming the female. I would either like to get them an anemone or a coral to host.

 

First i do know their is no guarantee that will host an anemone or a coral and might just host one of my powerheads, heater, magfloat, etc but i would like to offer them a choice.

 

Next is my concern on getting an anemone for the size of my tank, is there one that will fit/be happy in this small of a tank & host a pair of clowns? If so which kind?

 

Last is some coral types that a clown will host, i have heard/read of many but would like some higher chance types vs "mine hosted" as we all know they will host everything. I do have a small frogspawn about half way down my tank, i also have a small torch at the bottom as well as a tiny devils hand, toadstool & xenia close to the bottom that some have said have worked.

 

Sorry if i seem a bit sceptical in the ones that i have, but in their current home i have most of these corals and they like the corners; powerheads, none of my corals.

 

Their current home, then new home

[zooman72]

Well, your clowns are either ocellaris or perculas, and they are not as quick to host non-native nems as tomato or clarki clowns are, but I have had ocellaris host frogspawns, hammers, leathers, green star polyps, xenia, anthelia, mushrooms, and deresa clams, as well as long-tentacle and bubble-tip anemones. All items hosted were at least twice the size of the clownfish - anecdotal, but interesting nonetheless.

 

Depending on your tank parameters and lighting, you could try a bubble-tip anemone, but just cover any potentially dangerous intakes.

[Horerczy]

My Black misbar ocellaris hosts a toadstool leather coral.

My dad's clarki hosts a colt finger leather.

My dad's ocellaris hosts the glass wall under the return line but is otherwise a free swimmer.

My saddleback hosts two bubbletip nems.

[drfu]

Well, your clowns are either ocellaris or perculas, and they are not as quick to host non-native nems as tomato or clarki clowns are, but I have had ocellaris host frogspawns, hammers, leathers, green star polyps, xenia, anthelia, mushrooms, and deresa clams, as well as long-tentacle and bubble-tip anemones. All items hosted were at least twice the size of the clownfish - anecdotal, but interesting nonetheless.

 

Depending on your tank parameters and lighting, you could try a bubble-tip anemone, but just cover any potentially dangerous intakes.

 

The more i read the more i dont think an anemone is the way to go. Thice the size makes sence, good tip!

[kush.]

to be honest, i would offer them an anemone. My clowns eventually lead to the death of a torch and a frogspawn because of how aggressive they were in those corals. Now with the anemone, both the fish and corals are happy.

[drfu]

to be honest, i would offer them an anemone. My clowns eventually lead to the death of a torch and a frogspawn because of how aggressive they were in those corals. Now with the anemone, both the fish and corals are happy.

 

What you say makes sense but the size of my tank & the fact they can get so big concerns me.

[zooman72]

Bubble tips tend to grow with feeding, and if they are not fed they grow slowly if at all...

 

I do not feed my bubble tips to cut down on growth and splitting...

[frankdontsurf]

You're concern is appropriate. The anemone will outgrow your tank. I would also consider a carpet anemone since even though they get big they grown slow and don't mess with too much once they are in their preferred zone.

 

I wouldn't bother. My maroon killed a condy and a bubble tip. I assume he was very rough and wouldn't let them digest properly. Anyway now he has nothing and hosts my nano koralia and ignores the multiple frogspawns and rock flowers and mushrooms.

[jestep]

You're concern is appropriate. The anemone will outgrow your tank. I would also consider a carpet anemone since even though they get big they grown slow and don't mess with too much once they are in their preferred zone.

 

I wouldn't bother. My maroon killed a condy and a bubble tip. I assume he was very rough and wouldn't let them digest properly. Anyway now he has nothing and hosts my nano koralia and ignores the multiple frogspawns and rock flowers and mushrooms.

 

I have to strongly disagree with the carpet suggestion for 99% of nano tank owners. Disregarding that even a haddoni gets to 36", they aren't in the same ballpark as a BTAs or LTAs for care and stability requirements. Just getting one in the tank is a trick in itself. They are super sticky, and moving them around is like transporting a huge stinging ball of snot. They can produce cups of slime when being moved or stressed. They are extremely aggressive and require many degrees better and more stable tank conditions. Any fish in the tank will likely end up as food and that includes the clowns if the nem doesn't allow them to host it. When you stress a BTA, it splits on you and you have 2 of them. When you stress a carpet, it nukes your tank. Not saying that people don't do it successfully, but a tank should be planned around one IMO. I wouldn't even consider one in less than 50 gallons, with 90 being much more ideal from a tank stability standpoint.

[Boggers]

My clowns host my Zoas/Payls over the BTA I put in there for them. Each one is just fickle IMO