clown fish & coral instead of a anemone

[koolaid]

I am sure this question has been asked before. I have been looking for a couple of days on this subject and I have seen recommendations on Sarcophyton, Lobophytum, and shrooms as an easy to care for coral and that clown have hosted. I do not want an anemone because i am a newbie and for there average life expectancy in an aquarium. I have a 30 gallon with two false percs with 30lbs of LR and 96w of PC. Does anyone have any recommendations on what I can add. I do know there is still a chance the clowns will not host but if they dont I can still enjoy the addition. If I have to add more light, I could but prefer not to. I am already planning a 75 gallon.

 

[aarone]

I was wanting to get a coral as well for my Clown in my 30 gallon.

 

[koolaid]

Have you had any luck with your research? What type of lights do you have?

 

[aarone]

I havent researched at all, because you just gave me the idea. I wanted to get an anemone, but with my experiences with them in the past, i dont want to kill another one. So i just thought you had a good idea. All i have for lighting RIGHT NOW is a 33 watt NO and two 15 watt actinics. Not enough.

 

[spanish dancer]

I think there is a person that has a clown hosting to frogspawn(I don't know how to spell it)...

 

[spanish dancer]

It was KRISHj39.

 

[koolaid]

I have read that there care is moderate and they are agressive and there light needed is moderate. OK acouple of questions:
When a coral is agressive is it only agressive towards other corals? Are they safe with other fish?
How much is moderate light?
When it says the care factor is moderate, what kind of care do I need to do? Now this is besides prestine water condition, frequent water changes ( 5% twice weekly with aerated RODI salt water).

 

[flamingkingofhe]

i have a maroon clown that hosts with my frogspawn
i wouldnt recommend putting a frog. in anything less than vho but that is jmo some people keep them under pc
frogs. have a vary strong sting and will harm other corals severely depending on what type of coral they need moderate to strong light and i have never seen mine sting my clown but have talked to people who claim it can happen
i have also seen clowns host with large shrooms

 

[crazy4reefs]

this is probably unusual but my maroon clown is hosting my bubble coral.. i guess you never really know what they will host..

 

[reefnut]

My Tomato clowns host in my Xenia's...

 

[nm reef]

I don't think its a good idea to select corals specifically with the intention/hope of a clown hosting with them. Personally I think a clown will attempt to take up with whatever is available(if it is inclined to do so) and there is little we can do to encourage the activity.Any clown attempting to host with a coral can sometimes cause stress and decline in the coral. A clown can cause problems for a coral by its attentions and the coral may suffer or even perish because of it. I do have a tomato clown that origionally had a very nice BTA to host with but after 8 months or so I lost the BTA...in time the clown took up residence with my short tentacle plate(still sleeps with it every night) and it will often snuggle with an assortment of LPS type corals. It has attempted to bond with my hammer/frogspawn/alveopora and my hairy 'shrooms with no major problems. I'd suggest that you simply add the corals you wish to keep and let nature take its course. If the coral and clown are agreeable then it will happen with the possibility of damage/stress to the slected coral... if the attentions of the clown cause stress/damage then steps will need to be taken to either remove the clown or continue to keep corals that it has stressed. Basically it is a risky somewhat unpredictable situation that should be carefully monitored...not a procedure that can be pre-arranged with any certainty.

 

[koolaid]

A Good Point to consider.
Thank You

 

[jumpfrog]

One of the interesting aspects of this hobby is that the animals will do what they please. I have a perc clown that moves from a hammer to my alveopora to my torch and even hangs out at the bottom of a large colt. I have no control of where the perc goes and I just hope the corals are ok with it.

 

[beth]

Clown with toadstool

 

[terminus est]

I have a perc who has camped out in my zoos for about 4 months now. He just started doing it one day, no idea why, the zoos were there about 3 months prior without the clown taking notice. Zoos by the way are a colorful lower light coral, I have mine about midway in the tank under a 55w PC and it grows pretty fast.

 

[beth]

Toadstool after clown "harrassment"

 

[beth]

Toadstool after Clown was EVICTED out [after a rather drastic disease treatment which I gave it]

 

[beth]

Clown finds new home with real hardy colony of Fla giant ricordia.

 

[beth]

This same clown killed my anthelia. However, she also has hosted with a large colony of zoos with no ill effects to the zoos.

 

[koolaid]

Beautiful pictures. I really appreciate the advise and pictures. What else can you tell me about the zoos. Would you recommend them for a newbe? I have 96w pc for a 30 gallon.