what anemone do clown fish perfer?

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thomas712

Guest
Subject to change: experience may vary
Entacmaea quadricolor, Bulb, Bubble-Tip or Maroon Anemone, RBTA - Tentacles inflated at tips, with white band and pink tip (usually). Red or pink form called Rose Anemone. Attaches to hard surface. In nature hosts Maroon and Bluestrip clownfishes. In aquarium will also host Bubble tip Anemones are the natural host for many popular clownfish species including clarki, tomato, saddleback, skunk, melanopus, bicinctus, ephippium, rubrocinctus, and maroon clowns ocassionally ocellaris, percula, and other clownfish in captivity. Can be propagated in captivity. The best choice for hobbyist aquariums.
Macrodactyla doreensis, Long Tentacle Anemone - Column always red or salmon pink, with veruccae underneath oral disk. Buries column in substrate. Seldom confused. Natural symbionts are Clark's and Pink Skunk clownfishes; in aquarium often accepted by Maroon, Bluestripe and Tomato clowns, as well.
Heteractis crispa, Purple Long Tentacle Anemone, Leathery Anemone - Column tough, leathery, and buried in substrate. Tentalces long and pointed, often bright purple in color. Not common in trade. Hosts Clark's, Bluestripe, True Percula, Pink Skunk and Saddleback clownfishes.
Heteractis malu, Sebae Anemone, Singapore Sebae, Hawaiian Sand Anemone - Column and oral disk uniform pale color, with stubby tentacles usually tipped in magenta. Column buried in substrate. Seldom confused. Hosts only Clark's clownfish in nature, and may host Tomato and Bluestripe clowns in the aquarium. Only host available from within the USA.
Heteractis aurora, Beaded Anemone, Aurora Anemone - Not common in aquarium trade. Buries column in substrate; tentacles with raised, white ridges unmistakable. Only common aquarium clown hosted is Clark's.
Heteractis magnifica, Magnificent Anemone, Ritteri Anemone, Red Radianthus Anemone - Seldom mistaken. Attaches to hard surfaces in good current and bright light; may wander. Column smooth, often colorful; tentacles always slightly inflated, with yellow or white pigment at tips. Hosts Clark's, Bluestripe, Ocellaris ("Percula"), True Percula, and Pink Skunk clowns. Not for beginners, difficult.
Carpet Anemones:
Stichodactyla gigantea, Giant Carpet Anemone - Tentacles longer than other carpet anemones, and slightly pointed at tips. May be blue, turquoise or purple in color. Hosts Clark's, Ocellaris, and True Percula clowns.
S. haddoni, Haddon's Carpet, Saddle Carpet Anemone - Tentacles almost always two colors, imparting a mottled appearance. Hosts Saddleback and Clark's clownfishes.
S. mertensi, Merten's Carpet, Sri Lanka Carpet - Tentacles stubby, knob-like, uniform brown or occassionally bright green in color. Hosts Clark's and Ocellaris clownfishes.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Tommy is now trying to get mod status here, right? :D Good info.
People have written chapters in books detailing which clowns go with which anemones, and now, which clowns will host in which coral. And there are even some anemones that don't host clowns at all.
 
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thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by Beth
Tommy is now trying to get mod status here, right? :D Good info.

I just noticed and am still trying to figure out how I got to be an Aquarium mod :confused: Thats extra duty with no extra pay right?
Shoot me for trying to get things rolling Beth, sheeze
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Tommy, I'm sure you were promoted to Aquarium mod for good reasons.

Just playin' with ya.
 

fishking

Active Member
my percula clown just started to host my hatian, i guess after seeing my dominos constantly go in
 

ecook

Member
First of all....the anemone "hosts" not the clownfish. :)
Thats not true at all. No clownfish is guaranteed to host in ANYTHING. Anemone, coral, ect. Some never will in captivity, so if your LFS is smart they will never promise you that they will.
There are COUNTLESS accounts of clowns hosting in corals. Fuzzy mushrooms, goniopora's, ect. No one could encourage them, they just did it. Luck of the draw, I guess.
Some clowns are picky about their host and want a particular one. What is it? You don't know, as they don't talk. Others don't care and will host in a haitian, even though they are not symbiotic with clownfish in the wild.
Many books address the subject, my favorite for many clownfish topics is Clownfishes my Joyce Wilkerson.
**Please note that most anemones require pristine water conditions and metal halide level lighting. If you do not have MH lighting, consider the BTA or RBTA, as they thrive under the light of power compacts. PLEASE DO NOT PUT ANEMONES UNDER NO LIGHTING**
 

sweetdawn

Active Member
my clownfish hosted in his anemone before it hit the bottom of the tank. he was being picked on my a damsel fish (which i got rid of as soon as I could catch it) he still only leaves his anemone to grab a bite of food and swims back to hide
 

vicmoconre

New Member
:notsure: good answers but, which anemone do clowns like best. This is a question I was going to ask. Lets say I want a host that is eye pleasing yet as effective as possible. In plain english please I am after all a newbie :happyfish Thanxx
 

Originally posted by vicmoconre
:notsure: good answers but, which anemone do clowns like best. This is a question I was going to ask. Lets say I want a host that is eye pleasing yet as effective as possible. In plain english please I am after all a newbie :happyfish Thanxx

I think what I have seen posted so far is, there is no right or wrong answer. Some clowns will accept a host and some won't.
WE have a maroon with a LTA. Bought separtely and they clicked. I have seen freinds' tanks that have RBTA and true percs. If you are really concered about them bonding, you might just keep an eye open on the trading/sale section of this forum. There are so many formulas. Which clown with which anemone. Just remember that no two people like the same suit.
 
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