anemone ate my clownfish?

[emmylou]

I came home last night and found my small false-percula clown missing...gone. The nitrates were a bit high (don't remember the number) but not outrageous. It is a tank raised clown and never touched the anemone. It just swam in the open water and never through the rock. I just fed my anemome shrimp the night before. When I did a water change/cleaning, I couldn't find the fish. So I think the anemone ate it! Any thoughts? I even fed the anemone 2 pieces of shrimp last night and he ate it. I feed him about every 2-3 days, so I don't thing the anemone is starving. Thanks.

 

[maroonclownfan]

Could happen......Condis are not natural hosts for clownfish, although there are reports of them being acceptable in the home aquarium if no other host is available.
The condi's sting is stronger than other anenome's. Your clown could have darted into the anenome in freight or whatever reason and well, without the symbiotic relationship. Just another meal for the condi.
Its been noted that tank-raised clowns may not take to an anenome because they lack the instinct to do so. It is hit or miss.
Very sorry about your loss....that really sucks....
This is just a possibility, it is hard to know for sure.....
MCF

 

[buzz]

Condy's aren't known as the best of host anemone's.
Here is a link with a compatibility chart:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dyn...%2F032698.html

 

[emmylou]

Thanks for the info, I didn't know the condi's sting is uncommonly strong. Now that I think if it, I once saw it scare off a mexican turbo snail when it got too close. But wouldn't the clown be resistant to the sting?

 

[maroonclownfan]

Not neccessarily.....
Clownfish "resist" anenome stings because the anenome does not sense them as food. Forgive if I am wrong, but I believe it has to do with the slime coat on the clown giving off chemicals which tells the anenome not to attack it.
Like it has been said, Condi's are not natural hosts for clowns....therefore, it might not recognize this chemical. Meaning, just another fish to it.
Since clowns and damsels are related, it has even been noted that sometimes damsels, domino damsel in this instance, can be hosted by an anenome at times.
Its a strange relationship and many studies have been done trying to figure out exactly how it works.
HTH....MCF