Will my BTA ever host my clowns?

[Sophie"s mom]

Clarkii is like the STD of anemones. They use any anemones as hosts, even Atlantic Condydactis anemones have been known to host Clarkii. Maroon are much more selective. They just use BTA and Magnifica.
On the flip side Magnifica host a lot of clowns naturally

My 2 clowns are a true percula and a picasso, any idea what type of anemone they might like best?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

This thread benefits me as well, so I'm following along!

 

[MECOMI]

I hope some of the methods provided in this thread work out for you and ill be interested to read how the progress goes.

The only thing i will add is one of my ocellaris clowns (Wyoming White, Male) took almost a year before he started rubbing up against my RBTA, then a few more months before they actually bonded. I have a 32 gallon cube and the anemone split twice in this time. So i had three sad vacant anemone's to choose from occupying a third of the tank and it still took them forever.

The female (Mocha) has just started the 'rubbing' process, so in a few months she may be in there too. For now she is bonded to the bryopsis on my overflow...

So dont give up hope for them to bond, sometimes its just a matter of time.

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[OrionN]

My 2 clowns are a true percula and a picasso, any idea what type of anemone they might like best?

The only natural host of Percula are Magnifica and Gigantea. They often will use Mertensii, Haddoni, Malu and Crispa

 

[KrisReef]

I'm aware that it's a loaded question, and that anemones and clowns are going to do what they want to do no matter how hard I try to get them to be besties. But every day that passes that my anemone isn't hosting my clowns makes me sad!

Has anyone ever experimented with trying to encourage and successfully cultivate this symbiotic relationship?

I haven't tried really much of anything except bringing my feeding pipette near the anemone to attract the clowns to it. They'll get close, but as soon as the food is gone, so are the clowns. They definitely know the BTA is there, but are not showing any interest. Both the clowns and BTA were added roughly two months ago. Any advice helps!

A watched clown pair will never enter an anemone.

 

[Swede's Reef]

Put your most precious corals in the tank they will likely pester them at least in my case. Never fails for me. They are also spawning under them...

My clowns came from a tank with a BTA and would never go near it. I moved them to my LPS tank and now they love gonis. They used to like hammers. Now mainly red and green gonis...

 

[NemLoverSA]

My tank is 3 months old - a Biocube 32. I have two aquacultured Ocellaris clowns, a lawnmower Blenny, one Sapphire Damselfish, and two Banggai Cardinalfish, and one large rainbow BTA. My clowns hang on the back wall and totally ignore the BTA. My Banggai Cardinalfish were added last week and they swim around and through the BTA. They are careful to not touch the tentacles, although I have seen a few times when one jerks away very quickly. Has anyone seen Banggais messing around in an anemone????

So now, I don't think my Ocellaris will ever go to the BTA. Yesterday, I netted one Ocellaris and placed the net on the BTA and the fish swam through the BTA and out the other side. I may try this again if I can catch both Ocellaris. If I can net both, I might just take them to my LFS and then order me a Maroon or Clarkii. I got this tank to be a showcase for a BTA and clownfish after all.

 

[reefpanda]

I have been showing instagram reels on other clowns hosting anemones to my pair. No luck so far

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Maybe put the nem and clowns in a large breeding box

This works, or at least in my case it did. Black and white ocellaris green BTA. Breeder box for 3 days. She forgot all about her cristata and follows that nem everywhere it goes.

Recently the nem got a little chopped up by a power head. I put the nem in the breeder box to let.it heal without her wallowing in it. She snuggled up to the breeder box.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Put your most precious corals in the tank they will likely pester them at least in my case. Never fails for me. They are also spawning under them...

My clowns came from a tank with a BTA and would never go near it. I moved them to my LPS tank and now they love gonis. They used to like hammers. Now mainly red and green gonis...

What type of clown is that in this picture?

 

[OrionN]

What type of clown is that in this picture?

It is an Ocellaris (Snowflakes Ocellaris)

 

[Sophie"s mom]

It is an Ocellaris (Snowflakes Ocellaris)

Thank you, I am having a hard time determining what one of mine is. One is a Picasso for sure, which to my understanding is a percolator hybrid. But the other, larger one I am not sure. I know the eye, and the black lines are a good indicator, but I am just not sure. If I get a good pic, do you mind identifying it for me?

 

[OrionN]

Thank you, I am having a hard time determining what one of mine is. One is a Picasso for sure, which to my understanding is a percolator hybrid. But the other, larger one I am not sure. I know the eye, and the black lines are a good indicator, but I am just not sure. If I get a good pic, do you mind identifying it for me?

I will try my best

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I will try my best

Okay thank you. Here are a couple pictures of her

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

I found that my captive bred clowns only started to host the anemone as soon as I had larger fish in the tank...

If they are feeling secure they won't feel the need to go to the anemone.

I would put them on a very small acclimation box with the anemone. It's very likely that it will speed things up.

Just you netting them will already make them feel insecure and seek refuge.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Mine never cared for it. I believe it’s truly hit or miss and also most will have much better luck if the anemone is added before the clownfish from what I heard but usually the opposite happens. But because most clownfish are captive they don’t have that instinct/need like their wild counterparts do. I’ve heard of people putting photos up of clownfish in anemones to try and convince them lol. Clownfish have better chances of hosting other types of anemones too and rbta are the lesser likely. But ultimately it’s up to the clownfish and sadly you can’t force them too. And to the people who have gotten their clownfish to host other corals which is also common I’m jealous lol.

 

[OrionN]

Okay thank you. Here are a couple pictures of her

That is a normal wild type Ocellaris. No deformity or abnormal coloration intentional or otherwise.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

That is a normal wild type Ocellaris. No deformity or abnormal coloration intentional or otherwise.

Ahh, thank you so much. Her and my Picasso get along very well. But neither will go anywhere near my BTA at all. But it has only been in the tank for about 4 months

 

[OrionN]

Picasso is a Percula. This one is Ocellaris. They interbreed fine.

 

[Swede's Reef]

What type of clown is that in this picture?

An Ocellaris pair I believe. Bought at petco years ago as "clown fish"