Clown Fish

[mg82]

This is my first post, but I have been reading the archives avidly and have gotten some good ideas. I'm not sure if I have a problem, but I have an LTA and two tank raise false clown fish. I bought all three together and they seemed to already have a bond. It's now three weeks later and the clowns hang off to the side a lot and don't seem to eat with the other fish. Am I worried for nothing or is this the sign of a problem.

[tims]

HI welcome to TRT ( or rather your first post!)
What other fish are in there? usally clowns will hold there own agianst anyone trying to out do them.
how does everything else look in the tank? parameters?

as long as they eat then it shoudl not be too much of a problem. there is no garintee that they will bond to the anenome.

what part of del are you in?

[Dani]

Ya know, I was talking to my lfs about my clownfish not hosting in my anemone (they're tank raised too) and he said to tape a pic of a clown in an anemone up to the tank so the fish can see it. It sounds ridiculous, but he said they learn behavior by example, it's not just in their nature. Haven't gotten a chance to try it yet, but it would be cool if it worked!! Has anyone else heard this or is my lfs feeding me a line of crap?

About your clowns being a bit shy....are the other fish much larger/quicker? I have a damsel that can be pretty intimidating. Maybe they are just trying to stake out their own territory. Just some ideas, I'm not an expert.

[mg82]

I'm from Newark. I have five damsels all pretty small, a cleaner shrimp, button polyp coral and a blue hermit crab. The parameters all are o.k. the only thing I can't check for are phosphates. I have had fw tanks before, but this is my first reef. It's a 55gal with a coralife lunar light lamp. I also have 30lbs of liverock and the substrate is crushed coral.

[tims]

well that woudl be interesting if it does happen!
Mine hosted with my star polyps!, had one host with a flower pot years ago. it may be a " you can take a camel to the water but he still may not drink" thing

[VWD]

I think alot of time if You want a clown to host, Buy one that is already hosting with an anenome. Buy the two of them.

[tims]

well you need to keep that CC really clean. it is known to trap detrius pretty bad. you really dont want hair algae.
unless you only want damesls ever, you need to get them out and back to the store whenyou can, they become rather nasty with everyone.

lets see some pics!

[tims]

oh you can up the amount of LR to 60 pounds with no problem. the only thng i hate about 55 gallons is the are narrow.

[mg82]

Thanks for all the replies. I do have quite a bit of algae, but it seems to be slowing down. I will probably post some pics in a day or so. I will probably get rid of the damsels later, but I am focusing on building up the rock and coral right now, slow process. I figured the damsels are at least harmless while I build an established reef. I don't plan on getting any big fish, just the clowns and some gobies or a blennies.

[suzstephens]

Originally Posted by mg82

T I have an LTA and two tank raise false clown fish. I bought all three together and they seemed to already have a bond.

I'm a little unclear what you're trying to say. Do you mean that the LTA and the clowns appeared to be bonded when you bought them but are not now?

The problem could be your choice of species. By "false" clown, I'm assuming you mean "false Percula" aka Ocellaris, right? Joyce Wilkerson's Clownfish book does not
list Ocellaris as among those hosted by LTAs in nature and mentions that Maroon clownfish may host in it in captivity.

She lists Ocellaris as hosting in Magnificent (Ritteri), Giant Carpet, Haddon's Saddle Carpet and Merten's Carpet.

While it's not uncommon for clownfishes to host in other anemone species (especially BTA anemones) in captivity, yours may be being very finicky.

If you're saying that the clownfishes keep to themselves and don't mingle with the other fish, that's probably normal. Clowns tend to obsess on their anemones, rarely leaving them.