Clowns without an anemone?

[twenty12]

I am just starting my tank and researching fish and corals. As my tank will start out as a stock Biocube 29 my lighting is not sufficient for anemone and most other corals (except for maybe some mushrooms, zoas, possibly frogspawn). But my question is, will clown fish be happy (ie: healthy, social, etc) without an anemone to host? I may stay away from the fish if I can't provide it a happy home.

 

[rykna]

Hosting isn't that simple. It's just like a friendship for you and me. Not every gets along, and sometimes it takes awhile to find a good friend. And clowns do not aways pick hosts that you think they would/should. I had 2 bubble tip anemones in the tank. My pair took up residency in my daisy gonipora. Fortunately the daisy got used to the aggressive grooming.
Percs will do fine with out a host, and who knows~you might find them moving into one of your ricordea mushrooms

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by twenty12
I am just starting my tank and researching fish and corals. As my tank will start out as a stock Biocube 29 my lighting is not sufficient for anemone and most other corals (except for maybe some mushrooms, zoas, possibly frogspawn). But my question is, will clown fish be happy (ie: healthy, social, etc) without an anemone to host? I may stay away from the fish if I can't provide it a happy home.
Also your lighting is sufficient for just about every soft coral there is and a number of LPS corals too. Check out the nano tank section most of them have the stock lighting. They are quite colorful and have a number of different corals in them.

 

[twenty12]

Thanks...
The forums have been great! I really like the idea of the clown fish in the tank (pair) but wanted to make sure without their Anemone that it would still be ok. I plan on starting with some basic corals after the cycle is complete and system is stable and work my way up from there.

 

[1journeyman]

Twenty, another thing to note;
The healthiest clowns (and the ones' most apt to feed well in captivity) are captive bred clowns. These have probably never even seen an anemone. In fact, a large percentage of them will never host even if provided with an anemone (although they can... mine took to my anemone after 6 months of ignoring it completely).

 

[kingfish8302]

I agree with 1journeyman. I have two captive bred clowns for 3 years and they never go near thier anemone. I have had the anemone for over 5 months
and tired every trick in the book to get them to host. After 3 months i gave up.
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Twenty, another thing to note;
The healthiest clowns (and the ones' most apt to feed well in captivity) are captive bred clowns. These have probably never even seen an anemone. In fact, a large percentage of them will never host even if provided with an anemone (although they can... mine took to my anemone after 6 months of ignoring it completely).

 

[radiofish]

Why are my Maroon clowns so interested in rubbing and nuzzling my dog face puffer?
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Twenty, another thing to note;
The healthiest clowns (and the ones' most apt to feed well in captivity) are captive bred clowns. These have probably never even seen an anemone. In fact, a large percentage of them will never host even if provided with an anemone (although they can... mine took to my anemone after 6 months of ignoring it completely).

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by radiofish
Why are my Maroon clowns so interested in rubbing and nuzzling my dog face puffer?
They dont call them clownfish for no reason...

There are cases where some have hosted powerheads, go figure. Although hosting a fish IMO is odd...

 

[kingfish8302]

Your clownfish is in looovveee

Anyways that is odd to host another fish. Do you live near powerlines..hahaha
Originally Posted by radiofish
Why are my Maroon clowns so interested in rubbing and nuzzling my dog face puffer?

 

[debbie]

My orange and white clown loves love loves the mushrooms and the toadstool leather while the black and white clown loves the anemone. So if you have some mushrooms and leathers they would be very happy I think.

 

[ljevans50]

Did not know what it was called because I am new to the reef tank. I believe it was the Clownfish disease. In any event, besides a full tank change what can I do to make sure that my anenome, scooter blenny, clam and starfish stay healthy in the tank? Also, wanted to ask if vacuuming my carpet too close to the tank (used carpetfresh) could have caused all the white cloudiness on the fish and they succumbed. All water levels are normal?Hmmm..

 

[wangotango]

^ You should probably start your own thread if you have a question that does not pertain to this post.
Personally I wouldn't use any cleaning chemicals near the tank, but the white spots and cloudiness on your fish is most likely ick.
-Justin

 

[ketill]

my Clarkii has done well without an Anemone, for over 2 years now, one has even started sleaning the rock in a Cave, what I supposed to be preperation for egg laying.