clownfish hosting my anemone?

[lbaskball]

Hi,
I have a bubble tip anemone and my clownfish just ran into it and plays with it. But whenever I put food, it doesnt feed the anemone. Isnt it suppose to feed the anemone if the clown has already hosted in it? My clownfish seems to just sleep inside the anemone. Does anyone know how long until it will feed bits of food that I give to the anemone?

 

[hagfish]

It depends on what food you give it. If I put krill in the tank my fish will feed it to the anemone, especially bigger pieces. The clown will also feed the anemone cocktail shrimp pieces.

 

[thomas712]

Some clown fish will bring food back to the anemone, some will not. Those that actually bring food to it are really being selfish cause they are trying to hide the food for later. The anemone itself will get some food and also eat the excrement from the fish. Just feed the BTA once in a while by using a turkey baster, just thaw some meaty food out like Mysis shrimp.
Thomas

 

[lbaskball]

Thanks for the replies. I will do that. I have mysis shrimp that I will feed. When I got it at the local fish store, it was small..and it has been 1 day since I have put it..and it has gotten twice as big. It is 6-7inchs in diamater. At the fish store it was only about 2 or 3inchs. My local fish store guy told me anemones are filter feeders and that in nature they are filter feeders although they can use the light as well to feed on. Because..at his store he has a 12gal DX JBJ nano cube. He said he has 2 watts pers gallon. And I asked how he has had it for so long (almost 8months) with that kinda lighting..and thats what he said.

 

[thomas712]

Anemone's can catch plankton and zooplankton from the water, but its not like they can fully survive from simple filter feeding like with Phytoplankton. They definatly need the light as they are photosynthetic animals, they simply can not live without it. They get nutrients from the zooanthellae that lives within them. In captivity I'm sure that we feed them more than they get in the wild. With my BTA's I have gone up to 2 months without feeding them directly. Good water and plenty of lights and mine do fine.
Thomas

 

[lbaskball]

Originally Posted by Thomas712
Anemone's can catch plankton and zooplankton from the water, but its not like they can fully survive from simple filter feeding like with Phytoplankton. They definatly need the light as they are photosynthetic animals, they simply can not live without it. They get nutrients from the zooanthellae that lives within them. In captivity I'm sure that we feed them more than they get in the wild. With my BTA's I have gone up to 2 months without feeding them directly. Good water and plenty of lights and mine do fine.
Thomas
Thanks for your advice!