Getting clownfish to recognise bubble tip anemone as host

Our clowns were 12 months old and we thought they'd never ever go into our bubble tip anemone so.... we thought we'd try something...... we took them out of the tank and put them into a small container with their anemone and an air stone and kept the temperature a constant 26 degrees so they wouldn't fret too much. After about 5 minutes they started to go in tail first and swim into it!! Did a little dance and finally!!! (about an hour later) A Breakthrough!!! They were in!!! Slowly put the whole container back into the aquarium (so they did't know they were moving) then very carefully put the anemone down on rock. One of the clownfish is very possessive now and never really goes far from it except to feed, then she's straight back in. Make sure you see my other video of her in the bubble tip called "She's in!"

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• clown
• fish
• host
• anemone

[starfishpeople]

That happened to us once so we kept them in a smaller container like a strainer for a couple of hours and really really slowly take the container out so they dont even notice you're taking it away. Soon they won't go further than a few second swim away from it! Try again.

Good luck

[wifeofnerd1]

@SuperSteveeeeee On the reef, clownfish locate anemones by smell when they have just metamorphosed from a larval stage. They are very small - you could fit several of them on a dime at this point in their lives. If they do not find an anemone host they will die - most likely by being eaten by the numerous reef inhabitants that dine on small fish. So for them it is a race against time - find an anemone or die. You cannot find clownfish on a reef NOT in an anemone.

[SuperSteveeeeee]

@wifeofnerd1 ah yes, very true. I didn't think of it from that perspective

[wifeofnerd1]

@SuperSteveeeeee These are captive raised clowns. The point in their lives at which they would normally locate and be hosted by anemones in the wild is long passed. They have since learned and adopted other behaviors that are not natural. "Teaching" them to find an anemone host later in life is more difficult. Not impossible, just more difficult. It has nothing to do with feeling threatened - it has everything to do with timing and presence of a natural environment.

[PHEARVII]

be careful. there is a reason clown fish dont get along with some anemones. The anemone could eat the fish if it isnt clown safe

[SuperSteveeeeee]

@MrScottlawson14284 an anemone is meant to be a home or safe spot for the clowns, maybe they just do not feel threatened in your aquarium. Maybe you just need to try the technique several times in order to see results

[SuperSteveeeeee]

@Kimhuynhful Use a powerhead/pump to blow the anemone off the rock, so you do not damage it. Use a clear container to catch them instead of a net, but dont swing it around too fast cause you may stress them out or even damage corals! clowns may not host the anemone if it is too small :O and sir, if your clowfishes are running around in your aquarium, i think you may need more water :P

[Kimhuynhful]

I want to try this method also! would i damage my anemone if i try to take it off a bigg rock ? and i can't get my clowns out my tank! they run everywhere! and i don't want to stress the other fishes out ! hep ? i have a ros bubblee tip btw

[BowHunt1229]

i just chased my cinnamon clown around the tank towards my anem until he hosted and now he loves it and hardly leaves it

[princelogmein]

Dude it looks like u have false percular clown fish or ocellerics plz get ritteri anemone and they will go right into it.