How do you "entice" clownfishes into anemone?

[iusetablesalt]

I have 2 clownfish in my 30 gallon nano (2 percula and 1 black & white) the 2 percula ive owned before this nano and the new black and white. The anemone from my old thank (w/ the clowns) is still in the new tank (it is a Pink Tip Haitan), I have jsut recently bought a BTA anemone with hopes of getting them to host it. The person at my LFS told me a trick to get clownfishes to host in anemones: tape a picture of a clownfish in an anemone on the glass so they get their "instinct" back. But, as you can read that came to no avail. I now seek help in the message boards.
You may ask why Iusetablesalt, do you want your clowns to host so badly? well as you can see from my icon i own a restuarant with that tank in it. People really enjoy it but when they see clown fish and anemones the think of them to "stereotypical" host. So... I want to cut back on cheap excuses to the customers on why they don't host and get them to finally host!))

 

[skipperdz]

my saddlebacks took over a month to host...they will eventually, although some just dont seem to host ever. just have to let them run their course. no real trick.

 

[bigpete]

try the picture method! google an image of a "similar looking" clownfish with a host anmone. print it out and slap that sucker on your tank, preferably by the desired host anemone. got my percula into frogspawn!

 

[thomas712]

Yes the picture method does really work, but not for everyone. Try to match type of anemone and clown fish photo if possible, if you can't then try any clown/anemone photo.
Factors for success include tank raised vs. wild caught.
Thomas

 

[iusetablesalt]

Thanks hopefully the picture method will work (take 2) yeah but if not the anemone its always my frogspawn