can a clown eat a nem?

[dotdfan]

hello to all. i have a maroon clown that i've kept for a year and a half and two days ago i bought a lta for the tank. the first day the clown would swim up to the nem, but wouldn't touch touch it. today though, i've seen the clown bite the tips of the nem. does this clown see the nem as food or do you think he's just trying to figure the nem out? is this normal for clowns? should i separate the two or wait to see if the clown stops and hosts the nem? i don't want to lose either, but i will find a home for one of them if necessary.

 

[alabama reefer]

It is normal for clowns to put the tip of the anemone tentacles in it's mouth. It is a way of sensitizing or acclimating if you will to the anemone. Maroon's can be rough on the anemones so make sure your LTA is a good bit larger than your clown. If you notice your maroon tearing off the tentacles or causing the anemone to retreat or stay deflated you will have to step in and seperate otherwise sitback and enjoy the hosting process.

 

[dotdfan]

thanks for the info! the clown is about 4 inches and the lta is about 8 inches. i will TRY to relax and keep a close eye on them. again, many thanks for the info.