R
rcreations
Guest
I have a BTA anemone with 2 maroon clowns hosting it. My question is, do I still need to feed it if the maroons are hosting it, or do they provide all the food it needs? Thanks.
kirkland
Member
i would recommend watching and see if they are bringing it food during feeding time. our gsm won't feed the gbta if we feed them thawed mysis shrimp because they are tiny, but will bring it chunks of the homemade food they get. there is a debate over whether clowns are actually feeding the anemones intentionally or are just stupid and think they are storing food for later. it should be pretty noticeable if they are feeding the anemone as the tentacles will shrink and withdraw if they've caught food. if the clowns aren't feeding it, i'd say maybe 1-2x/week, give it some food.
perfectdark
Active Member
There is very little need to feed an anemone if your conditions are ideal for them. The need to feed becomes essential if you tank is lacking proper lighting for one and trace elements. That doesnt mean it wont benifit from being spot fed it just means that its not life threatining if you go a week or 2 or even a month without offering it food.
o2ngk
Member
The behavior of clownfish bringing in food to the anenome seems like feeding it .. but, if you look closely to the clown, it is not actually feeding it .. the anenome is the clown home and simply going home with the food to eat it too .. but anenome will try to grab the food from the clown with its tentacles .. so that situation is what it seems like the clown is feeding the anenome on "purpose" .. but after a few observation, IMO, the clown is not feeding the anenome. It is more the anenome steal the food from the clown if it can.
R
rcreations
Guest
I read on another site that the excrement of the Clownfish also helps feed the anemone. Don't know how true that is. I think I read it in an Anemone FAQ somewhere.
reefmate75
Member
Originally Posted by o2ngk
The behavior of clownfish bringing in food to the anenome seems like feeding it .. but, if you look closely to the clown, it is not actually feeding it .. the anenome is the clown home and simply going home with the food to eat it too .. but anenome will try to grab the food from the clown with its tentacles .. so that situation is what it seems like the clown is feeding the anenome on "purpose" .. but after a few observation, IMO, the clown is not feeding the anenome. It is more the anenome steal the food from the clown if it can.
i dont know about your clowns, mine sticks the food to the BTAs that it lives in then picks it out when its ready to eat more, but for the smaller ones, it dose force feed them, it will take food and jam it down its mouth i have maroons and false percs in the same tanks they both do it. the maroons are a bit more forcefull about it though
The behavior of clownfish bringing in food to the anenome seems like feeding it .. but, if you look closely to the clown, it is not actually feeding it .. the anenome is the clown home and simply going home with the food to eat it too .. but anenome will try to grab the food from the clown with its tentacles .. so that situation is what it seems like the clown is feeding the anenome on "purpose" .. but after a few observation, IMO, the clown is not feeding the anenome. It is more the anenome steal the food from the clown if it can.
i dont know about your clowns, mine sticks the food to the BTAs that it lives in then picks it out when its ready to eat more, but for the smaller ones, it dose force feed them, it will take food and jam it down its mouth i have maroons and false percs in the same tanks they both do it. the maroons are a bit more forcefull about it though
reefmate75
Member
i bought a RBTAs from a local provider for 40 bucks, he had had it a year and it had never split for him and he dosent care for any anemones, i had it for maybe 6 months now and i have 5 RBT anemones, i feed mine DAYLY and my clowns will also feed them, the guy i got mine from never feed it at all but it was quite large and when you feed them they grow fast, and split readly...i reccomend feeding if your looking to sell them... if you just wanted one for your clown fish dont feed, or it will eather grow or split, and if you have other corals in the tank getting alot of them isnt ideal anyhow.... proper light is all they need to live and even grow slowly, so the answer to your question would have to be with another question...do you want more of them/or larger, then yes, if you just want the one then dont feed it
reefmate75
Member
Originally Posted by reefmate75
i bought a RBTAs from a local provider for 40 bucks, he had had it a year and it had never split for him and he dosent care for any anemones, i had it for maybe 6 months now and i have 5 RBT anemones, i feed mine DAYLY and my clowns will also feed them, the guy i got mine from never feed it at all but it was quite large and when you feed them they grow fast, and split readly...i reccomend feeding if your looking to sell them... if you just wanted one for your clown fish dont feed, or it will eather grow or split, and if you have other corals in the tank getting alot of them isnt ideal anyhow.... proper light is all they need to live and even grow slowly, so the answer to your question would have to be with another question...do you want more of them/or larger, then yes, if you just want the one then dont feed it
i said local provider i should have said coral farmer...i work with the guy at his day job thats how i met him...hes a good guy, i offered to give him the frist split back sence he sold it to me for so cheap and he gave me 4 corals for it...
i bought a RBTAs from a local provider for 40 bucks, he had had it a year and it had never split for him and he dosent care for any anemones, i had it for maybe 6 months now and i have 5 RBT anemones, i feed mine DAYLY and my clowns will also feed them, the guy i got mine from never feed it at all but it was quite large and when you feed them they grow fast, and split readly...i reccomend feeding if your looking to sell them... if you just wanted one for your clown fish dont feed, or it will eather grow or split, and if you have other corals in the tank getting alot of them isnt ideal anyhow.... proper light is all they need to live and even grow slowly, so the answer to your question would have to be with another question...do you want more of them/or larger, then yes, if you just want the one then dont feed it
i said local provider i should have said coral farmer...i work with the guy at his day job thats how i met him...hes a good guy, i offered to give him the frist split back sence he sold it to me for so cheap and he gave me 4 corals for it...
