does my clownfish NEED an anemone?

[widdlebiddy]

I purchased a small percula and an anemone. My clownfish is doing great, but the same thing cannot be said of my anemone. It passed (boo-hoo). Right now my clarkii has been without an anemone for 3 days and seems okay. He swims around with my engineer goby and eats flake and makes himself home either around the filter or in my caulerpa. DO i need to get another anemone or do you think he'll be okay without one. I heard they would be happier with a anemone. what do you all think. And if he does need one what type is relatively easy to keep for a beginner. Tanks a bunch!

 

[alyssia]

They don't have to have an anemone, and many clowns host other things. Mine host feather dusters.

 

[chipmaker]

NO they do not. They wil a lot of times host some other coral or critter. I have had them host feather dusters, frogspawm. mushrooms zenia etc, and if nothing is suitable then they may even wallow out a hole in the sand bed. They can however buffet or beat a shroom or other coral to pieces and destroy it in their host process. I had one clown that ingored every coral in my tank for close to two and a half years, then all of a sudden took up an interest in my feather dusters. Proceeeded to batter them to the pint they got killed, then started on my zenia and shrooms and starated ot batter them up bad too. The my other clowns in the other tanks started to follow suit.......for no apparaent reason. I am now clown fish free.

 

[reef diver]

They are happier, by the fact that a millionare is happier with a nother 100 dollars, its not necessary, and I advise that you research anemone care before perchasing another/