Clown Hosting Behavior?

[Dryland]

I have recently noticed my clown hovering in the vicinity of my trachy brain and nipping at it from time to time. Is this a precursor to hosting?

[lkoechle]

If it sleeps there, I would say it's hosting.

[Dryland]

If it sleeps there, I would say it's hosting.

He sleeps on the other side of the tank between the rock and the wall but he spends a good part of the day checking out the brain. He definitely seems a little defensive when my goby comes out and sits on it.

 

IMG_3226 by dryland970, on Flickr

[Arkayology]

Clowns do not host anything. They are the guest

[Dryland]

Clowns do not host anything. They are the guest

That is a fair point. So should I have asked if my clownfish is guesting the trachy? I've never heard the word 'guest' conjugated as a verb.

[D Z]

It may be attempting to host the trachy. My clown used to do this with my duncans. I have read that clowns with sometimes nip at coral that they want to host before actually hosting so that they can get a taste for the poisens and build up a tollerance. Only time will tell whether it actually decides to continue to host it.

[Dryland]

It may be attempting to host the trachy. My clown used to do this with my duncans. I have read that clowns with sometimes nip at coral that they want to host before actually hosting so that they can get a taste for the poisens and build up a tollerance. Only time will tell whether it actually decides to continue to host it.

Thanks for the input, good to know. Since posting he has started rubbing up against the brain and keeps trying to look underneath. It's looking hopeful.

[Arkayology]

That is a fair point. So should I have asked if my clownfish is guesting the trachy? I've never heard the word 'guest' conjugated as a verb.

A better way to say it is that the trachy is hosting the clown, while the clown is hosted. You could also say that the trachy hosts and the clown is received.

[Mariaface]

It does sound like the clown's trying to make a new home. Be careful, because clowns can get pretty tough on the hosting coral. It'll attempt to clean it, it'll nip at whatever parts of it sting in order to acclimate its slime coat accordingly (and if you see your clown swimming around with a swollen mouth or you see black spots, it went a bit too far), and it'll swim up against it and basically annoy it. It'll probably also steal food or try to give the coral food, at its own discretion. Some corals adjust, some corals get too stressed, stop growing, possibly die, etc. Brains are probably hardy though, right?

[Dryland]

It does sound like the clown's trying to make a new home. Be careful, because clowns can get pretty tough on the hosting coral. It'll attempt to clean it, it'll nip at whatever parts of it sting in order to acclimate its slime coat accordingly (and if you see your clown swimming around with a swollen mouth or you see black spots, it went a bit too far), and it'll swim up against it and basically annoy it. It'll probably also steal food or try to give the coral food, at its own discretion. Some corals adjust, some corals get too stressed, stop growing, possibly die, etc. Brains are probably hardy though, right?

Hopefully, if Chancho does end up choosing the brain it will be to both of their benefit. I have only owned the trachy for a little while but it seems pretty tough -it tried to steamroll my fungia the other day.