zizmans Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 This might be a beginners question, I wasn't sure. Planning my tank I really wanted to get 2 small Perculas and a purple tipped Sabae. After doing a search and reading about Anenomes I'm worried about going that route. Sort of mixed reviews, but most people seem to think the bad out-wieghts the good. I really like the symbiotic relationship between clownanenome, but I'm more than happy for the appearance. I've been told they will host with just about anything. But can you recommend some kind of soft coral or something that will give me the C&A sorta look, as well I don't want to irritate anything as I checked out frogspawn and was told they don't like clowns swimming in them. Link to comment
CRG Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 That's strange about the Frogspawn. I've heard of several people keeping Percs and Frogspawn together without incident. Perhaps you could try some other members of the Euphyllia family, such as a Torch coral. Ultimately, I think it will be up to the fish...they may host and they may not. Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Leathers, Torch, Colt, Hammer, Frogspawn, Powerheads, Plate (l. Tentacled) Link to comment
Acoustic Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 For shizzle the two corals that most look like a anenome are a torch coral or a heliofungia. Here's some pics to help: Torch coral: Link to comment
zizmans Posted March 23, 2003 Author Share Posted March 23, 2003 Hey Acoustic, thank you ! That's exactly what I'm talking about! By the way, have you heard about frogspawn not into getting hosted? Will a perc host with a torch possibly? (I sound like I'm doing reef porn) I'm just really hesitant to do an anenome. hehe. Dude, that torch coral is cool! I'm going to try to research it, but any experience you have would be appreciated. Bye whores.LOL Link to comment
Satchmo Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 The problem with using corals as hosts is that clowns tend to get a little intimate. They rub themselves up against them (much like ESPI does to random girls on the street). In a coral with soft tissue and a hard and jagged skeleton, this can cause a good deal of irritation and damage. A lot of corals won't take this abuse. They'll begin to recede and die. A friend of mine lost a beautiful and very large hammer to a group of randy clowns. But like everything else, there are exceptions and things vary from individual to individual. I have an ocellaris who happily frolics in a frogspawn. This unholy union has been going on for close to a year with no ill effects. Some tips from my experience and from talking to other reefers about theirs: Frogspawns seem to take the abuse better than most other Euphylia corals. Branching varieties are better than... um, whatever the other kind is called. And the further apart the branches, the better. If the polyp heads are further apart, the clown can swim through the tentacles and in between the branches. This seems to cut down on the clown rubbing into the actual polyp head, causing damage. In my case, I've had two frogspawns used as hosts (both E. paradivisa). In the unsuccessful pairing, the frog's polyps were closely bundled, and the hosting clown bothered the hell out of it. Eventually, the coral would remain partially retracted all day, and I finally had to move it to another tank or I'm sure it would have croaked. The other frog (the happy one) has well-spread branches, and the clown pokes his head in and out of the waving tentacles all day. Also, keep in mind- you could put a clown and a potential host together and they'll ignore eachother. It may not happen. My two were together for a couple months before the clown just dove in one joyous day. Give it a try, can't hurt. Just be ready to pull the clown or the coral should the two not get along Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Heliofungia make BAD host. Also I can't believe some asshat has that one sitting on eggcrate. its a gonner. RTN is going to do that one in. Talk about reef'tards even working for transhippers... I hate that ######. they need to be on the sand. Satch... See my sig.. you can rubb wift me. Link to comment
technoshaman Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 My clown had a LTA that sustained some damage by getting a partially caught in a uptake pipe. The anemone was recovering but the clown kept bothering it incessantly and it pretty much shriveled up. To try and save it I removed the clown to my nano to give the anemone time to heal without the clown's affections. In my nano the clown quickly took up residence in my Trachyphyllia geoffryoi brain. He's the same pest here to the point of bothering it to where it's started to move (yes it's moving somehow) across the sand trying to escape the clown I'm guessing. Here's a pic , percula is in lower right corner in brain coral: He sleeps in it at night and tries to feed it but he almost gives it too much attention. Ditto on heliofungia being bad choice for host. Do not do well at all long term and clowns harassing them will only hasten their demise - food and light requirements are still sketchy on these I don't know many people who have had one last more than 5-6 months. I would not reccomend hammers either, out of the euphyllia species they 'seem' to be the most delicate and not forgiving of a lot of contact. Link to comment
Acoustic Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 For the record I just pulled some pics from the web for the guy relax. Link to comment
Xavier Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Techno.. glad to see my clown isn't the only freak.. my perc loves to sleep in my Trachyphyllia geoffryoi, but could care less about it during the day.. first day I saw that, I thought it was being eaten.. heh heh Link to comment
lizbeth Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 My question is why doesn't someone invent a fake anenome? One that really looks good, not one made of monofilament. With all the inert materials today someone should come up with one. Link to comment
Xavier Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 I'm sure those adult toy manufacturers could put something together.. seriously.. they know how to make all of that realistic inert stuff... Link to comment
technoshaman Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 There is a company that makes them. One of the same that makes the fake corals etc. I saw a post on I think reefaquariumguide or on wetwebfotos last week from a woman who bought one. Looks decent but I can't see a clown picking it over a live coral. If you are interested I'll dig the link up but I think it's on wetwebmedia under their forums - they have a section on clowns/anemones. Link to comment
tinyreef Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 i thought they did make fake ones like the fake corals i see advertised in fama. i think seahorse peeps use them sometimes. i don't think they're flexible tho. maybe a bunch of cropped air hoses or something. Link to comment
zizmans Posted March 24, 2003 Author Share Posted March 24, 2003 I have to agree teh, by the way, like the new avatar. I figure if I get a fake one the clown will choose a soft coral over it. I'm going to try to get some feedback on those from people who use 0r used them. Link to comment
NanoReefer53 Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 need is say more ? LiLo having some fun: Link to comment
JJshiv Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 If you go the LPS route, I would go with a hammer. Make sure its a branched larger one though. My clown chose the hammer over the torch after trying both within the first day. The hammer actually seems to have grown since the clown has hosted and hasnt retracted at all. My clown doesnt seem to over harrass the hammer and I think the hammer is liking the extra food it gets from the clown. HTH. Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Liz, I have been trying to find a silicone that I can Blow Mold that will be thin enough yet still have the appeal to the clown and yet still be salt water safe. To this point in time it has eluded me. I don't have 14 grand to have Rhone Poulance labs do some "experemental blending for me, so for now its out of my reach, but if a company can make them and simulate the essence of anemones, it is a MULTI Multi-million dollar revenue item. Link to comment
BustytheSnowMaam Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 FWIW, I read somewhere (Wilkerson's book?) that if you put one of those little clownfish feeder clips near a would-be host a clown will think it's another clown and will be more likely to take to it. I've never tried it, so I don't know if it works. Tasha Link to comment
zizmans Posted March 25, 2003 Author Share Posted March 25, 2003 The thing is, I don't want a clown to host with somet=- (been out tonight) something that doesn't want to be fish f*cked. I know a clown will host with just about anything, and there have been many success stories. But I don't want to take the chance of killing a soft coral just because I think it looks tight. tight = good. I'm doooing all the research I can on BTA's , I'm partial, I think I can do it , but I want to do the responsible thing. HEY ESPI, I'm making some calls right now about synthetics that might mimic an anenomes movement in water. I'll give you a call and let you know whqat I find........................Alcohol=yum Link to comment
sonic Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 I've heard of someone using those stringy ruberband balls that they sell at toy stores, I think it would be ok, I mean they are just like rubber bands... Link to comment
Satchmo Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Koosh balls. Yeah I heard that too. But who the hell wants a Koosh ball in their tank? I mean the bubbling treasure chest and the rising, falling scuba diver, sure. But a Koosh ball? Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Kooshanemone... LOLZ. thats just #####. although they would work for baby Cardinal fish as they seek refuge in ball and diadema Urchins while growing in the first stages. needs more reefsearching. Link to comment
freakaccident Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 My Clarky clown hates those clownfish feeder clips. He knocked it off the glass whenever I stuck it up there. Link to comment
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