Maroon clown biting anemone

[kimkromann]

I have a new maroon clown which seems to have bonded with one of my rose anemones. I have had perculas in my others so pretty used to their odd behavior with their anemone. However, my new clown keeps biting the anemones tentacles. I guess it is more like sucking on it as he never bites any pieces off. He will get a tentacle in his mouth and swim around with it in there. Then he spits it out and moves to another tentacle. Is this normal???

 

[cpbirds407]

I posted a similar tread earlier this week. A new marroon clown I just bought almost killed my rose anemone! Be careful. If the anemone looks irritated or starts moving around, remove it from the fish! Sometimes the clown might peck at it for a few days and then they stop and everything will be fine.
But please keep an eye out for the anemone.
Hope this helps.
Charlie.

 

[dawman]

Maroons are known for being very rough to their anemones . It`s hit and miss as to how they will act towards them , but make sure your nem is at least 2-3 times the size of your maroon as it will have a better chance handling the abuse .

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by kimkromann
I have a new maroon clown which seems to have bonded with one of my rose anemones. I have had perculas in my others so pretty used to their odd behavior with their anemone. However, my new clown keeps biting the anemones tentacles. I guess it is more like sucking on it as he never bites any pieces off. He will get a tentacle in his mouth and swim around with it in there. Then he spits it out and moves to another tentacle. Is this normal???
yes its normal. its kind of like if youre allergic to some food but you slowly introduce into your body and you slowly become immune. i think thats what they do

 

[reefmate75]

its very normal for them to put a bubble in there mouth, mine do it all the time, they will put it in their mouth and squize it till it stings them then they will dart off but they do it so they can get in and waller haha they are funny guys, they will rub it with their mouth, sleep in it, and feed it, as for the size of the clown VS. the anemone ive never had a problem with mine when they split, i normally get 1 little guy, about 1" in diamater and the other isnt much smaller then befor the split and my clowns arnt any gentler on the small ones and they grow just fine

 

[rod buehle]

I have seen a maroon bit the tentacles off of a LTA until all of the tentacles were gone. The anemone eventually perished.
Dawman: I thought that I would have seen you at the BNARC frag swap yesterday in Bloomington/Normal. Some yayhoo was giving a presentation on clown breeding

 

[dawman]

Originally Posted by Rod Buehle
I have seen a maroon bit the tentacles off of a LTA until all of the tentacles were gone. The anemone eventually perished.
Dawman: I thought that I would have seen you at the BNARC frag swap yesterday in Bloomington/Normal. Some yayhoo was giving a presentation on clown breeding

I was hoping to go , but I`m on work comp and they are screwing me around and $$ is tight right now . I also had planned to come up and buy some babies and stuff but that didn`t happen either .

 

[nietzsche]

its not biting them off, its "sucking" on them
just make sure it doesnt bite them off, as a previous poster mentioned his/her clownfish hasnt caused damage either

 

[orbitdancer]

I've heard that clowns will do this when they are building up an immunity to a particular anemone's sting. Something about it helping them to produce a thicker slime coat....