Clown Fish Host

[spuds]

I currently have a Percula Clown in a 40 gallon tank. I am looking for something for it to host. I have heard that there are types of mushrooms that the clown fish will actually host. Does anyone have any sugestions for a tank with a PC fixture running at 192w (one atinict and one 10,000k).

 

[bang guy]

Hey Spuds!
Thank you for considering an alternative host for your Clownfish. I'm a very strong advocate against using Anemone to host Clownfish for various reasons.
I use Green Hairy Mushrooms. They are easy to propogate, live in almost ANY condition and I find them to be quite attractive.
If you need more information feel free to post more questions or e-mail me.
Guy

 

[spuds]

Thanks Bang Guy, I appreciate it.

 

[dattong]

I love to see my mated pair percula clown swiming around not hosting anything but the DSB at nite. I have 2 large hairy mushroom colonies but the clowns never host them.

 

[kiddow]

my little clown (false perc) host to one of my xienas lfs said it is ok and they had had one do that even with an anommie(sp) in the same tank

 

[smarls]

Bang Guy,
Why are you against an anenome? I was considering adding one to my tank with a true perc, but I would be interested in understanding the down sides to an anenome host instead of a coral host.

 

[ty_05_f]

My false hosts in his bubble coral

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by smarls
Bang Guy,
Why are you against an anenome? I was considering adding one to my tank with a true perc, but I would be interested in understanding the down sides to an anenome host instead of a coral host.
1 - The survival rate for most Anemone in captivity is dismal. There is still so much mis-information around that hobbiests have a difficult time sorting fact from myth.
2 - The wild populations of most Anemone species are dropping rapidly.
3 - Many Anemone occationally go for a "walk-about" killing all of the corals in their wake.
So.. my opinion is if you must have an anemone please purchase a Captive propogated animal and not one from the wild ... and FEED IT!!!!

 

[melissa v.]

ever think about star polyps?
Melissa V.

 

[dpdiver]

I just took my water to my LFS. Apparently my NH3/NH4 Test kit was bad and reading way off. After 7 weeks I was stil reading 2ppm I had him test it twice and prove to me that it was 0 with 2 seperate test kits. LOL I'm going to put my first fish in this weekend and I was thinking of a mushroom frag to start. I want a hairy mushroon and a Perc to start off with. Any suggestions from you vets!
Thanks,
Milt

 

[bang guy]

Sounds great... but if you're getting a Perc get a pair... sooooo much better IMO.

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
1 - The survival rate for most Anemone in captivity is dismal. There is still so much mis-information around that hobbiests have a difficult time sorting fact from myth.
2 - The wild populations of most Anemone species are dropping rapidly.
3 - Many Anemone occationally go for a "walk-about" killing all of the corals in their wake.
So.. my opinion is if you must have an anemone please purchase a Captive propogated animal and not one from the wild ... and FEED IT!!!!
The other thing to take into consideration - if you are being conscientious and trying to conserve the reef environments then taking away an anemone to use as a host in your aquarium is taking away the home for a wild clownfish. A clownfish fry has roughly a 1 in a million chance of survival in a flourishing reef tank. As we take away these wild anemone's we are removing homes for wild clowns. You should be using aquacultured clowns and there is no guarantee that the aquacultured clown will take to an anemone ....

 

[smarls]

Everyone,
Thanks for the info...makes me think long and hard about buying an anemone.
I do a lot of diving, so the last thing I want to do is to build a great tank at the cost of harming the ocean.
I think I will try Melissa V. suggestion and go for some star polyps.

 

[melissa v.]

Smart thinking
Melissa V.

 

[wrassecal]

Like the others I don't advocate buying anenome's but I am in love with my tank raised tomato clown that hosts in a bubble tip that is a clone from my original bubble tip which I gave to a friend. No reefs robbed

 

[melissa v.]

Thanks melody, i have finally figured that camera out and my pics are coming out nice and clear, thank god they are no longer blurry.
Melissa V.

 

[twflint]

I have some really cool pictures somewhere of my ocellaris pair hosting in my goniopora. =)

 

[broncofish]

Originally posted by twflint
I have some really cool pictures somewhere of my ocellaris pair hosting in my goniopora. =)
Goniopora probably have a worse survival rate than anemones. Be careful they can die rather quickly without warning. I believe we don't understand enough about their eating habbits. I also have a warning about false percs and anemones. They have two natural hosts. Carpet, and Ritteri. Both require an amazing amount of care and research, and both are tank wandering anemones. I have a tank bred BTA, and my clowns won't even consider it as a host. They nipped at it, started toget in to it, and then just ignored it. Therefore I have a beautiful Rose Tipped BTA with no clowns, but luckily it was tank bred. If it was not than I would have just pulled an anemone out of the ocean for no reason.

 

[mistylab]

My clowns go for my leaf mushroom, but they get HUGE!