Two "Hosting" questions

[sueandherzoo]

My gold striped maroon clown just loves the two new anemones I put in the tank (pink tip Haitians) and I wonder if she loves them TOO much. The first few days I had the anemones in the tank they did really well and were big and beautiful and vibrant and hungry. Then the clown discovered them and spends all his time in either one or the other and the anemones are closed up tight. Are they dying or are they just trying to give the clown the hint that they would like to be left alone?
The second question I have probably requires a long answer and I will go do a search on the web for it but I am fascinated and curious about this hosting relationship. WHY doesn't the anemone hurt the clown when I've seen other fish run like heck from it and have seen my feeder fish get eaten by the anemones? And what is the attraction for the clown - why do they like it so much? Who needs who in this relationship? Fascinating.....

 

[gmann1139]

Maroons are hard on anemones. Especially since you have an Atlantic anemone, which isn't used to a clown being hosted, keep an eye on it. Your maroon may be a little too much for it.
As explained in Finding Nemo (

) clowns develop a tolerance on their mucus coating to anemone stings. That's not to say they can't be stung, its just more difficult.

 

[sueandherzoo]

But what is the attraction to the anemone? When there's a big huge tank to swim around in and explore with lots of rock caves, why stay in the same small area amongst stinging tentacles?
Sue

 

[happitylogan]

bc in the ocean the anemone is its protection against alot of predators. Its the equivalence of you getting shot at every time you went out of your houe. Would you ever leave?

 

[sueandherzoo]

Good point.