clown is not hosting. help!

[asmi5652]

i have had my 2 clowns and my bta for over 6 mo. amd the clowns are still not hosting. can i do anything to help? :help:

 

[ice4ice]

Nothing you can do really. They'll host when they're ready. Why the hurry ?

 

[bigarn]

it's really all up to the clowns, however I've heard that people have had success with tapeing a pic of clowns hosting in an anemone to the side of the tank. sometimes they get the message and try it for themselves.

 

[asmi5652]

lol, thanks. i was just woundering about it.

 

[1journeyman]

Don't give up hope, mine took 6 months to notice my BTA.
They may never host; nothing you can do about it. Especially since I'm still not entirely sure if anyone understands how a fish "hosts" in a deadly anemone anyway. If we don't fully understand it, no way we can properly influence in.

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Don't give up hope, mine took 6 months to notice my BTA.
They may never host; nothing you can do about it. Especially since I'm still not entirely sure if anyone understands how a fish "hosts" in a deadly anemone anyway. If we don't fully understand it, no way we can properly influence in.
I always thought it was a protective slime or such over the body...I have seen plenty of clowns that were scarred from anemones...

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by NigerBang
I always thought it was a protective slime or such over the body...I have seen plenty of clowns that were scarred from anemones...
I've heard that too, then I started seeing Damsels hosting in Caribbean Clowns and began re-thinking it.
I was sick the week my Clowns decided to host and fortunately got to watch a lot of it. They used to avoid the BTA, but I noticed one day they started hanging out near it.
They just kept getting closer and closer; It really looked like they were studying it. There was definitely some sort of sensory/chemical communication going on. After a few days they started very lightly brushing the very tips... then a couple fo days later the were wallowing in it.

 

[monalisa]

Also, how big are your clowns? Can you tell yet if they've decided who will be whom?? That is...are they old (big) enough to know who gets lucky enough to be the dominant female? :cheer: That might be another factor that your clowns are waiting to establish...IDK

Lisa :happyfish

 

[dina12]

I put a picture up on my tank and my clown started hosting after about 3 days of looking at the picture. My Husband thought is was great that I "trained" the fish....I never told him I read about this trick here....let him think I am a brilliant

 

[payton 350]

i got two false percs since they were juvi's. i obvoiusly always wanted them to host but all they did was stay by the powerheads....they have plenty of things to host but no anemone..(not up to the task of caring for one)...well it;s almost a year now...so i let my tank go for awhile....let my tank have a slight hair algae outbreak and lo and behold my damn clown took to the hair....so now i've decided to keep the hair algae in the tank ..it gives it a nice natural feel to it (and it's not overwhelming) and now the other clown is hosting too.....it almost seems like the female is in the maturation stages and getting ready to lay eggs (i think she's still a little young though) but anyways she did it and it's great

 

[perfectdark]

Its always a toss up weather or not they will host. I hope mine do too but I am prepared to accept it if they dont. The explanation I was given about how they host was this.They do indeed get stung by the anenomie at first. The slowly and carfully rub the anenomie more and more. Their slime coat then adapts to accept the stings of the anenomie and not let it effect the clown. After that they create a symbiotic relationship with each other and its not uncommon to see a clown feeding an anenomie. :joy: