Which coral for my clownfish?

tirtza

tirtza

Member
After thought and research, I've recently decided that I just don't want to take a chance and accidentally 'nuke' my 29 gallon tank by getting a nem. Although I know that clown fish don't need a nem, I'd still like to provide them a place to host and I've read that they will sometimes take up residence in certain corals.
Which corals are they more likely to host?
I've also read that if a clown fish takes up residence in certain corals that they will inevitably die. Is this true? If it is true, which corals will this not happen to??
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Any coral with a big enough mouth that is hungry will eat a clownfish. Goes for mushroom anemones, brain corals, and other meat eating coral. If you keep your coral well fed, it shouldn't happen.
A really good choice of coral for a clownfish to artificially host is a hammer coral, or a frogspawn. Branching or anchora. Looks pretty cool, and very close to looking like an anemone.
Read up on their care requirements before purchasing, of course.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I've never seen a clown host Xenia. lol.
I've seen clowns host:
frogspawn
hammers
mushroom anemones
large welsi's
some leather corals = mainly toadstools
It's really up to the fish to decide what they are going to host. There is absolutely no guarantee that a clownfish will host anything other then the anemone that they were designed to host in the wild.
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Thanks! I was already planning to get some mushroom anemones (they are one of the few types of coral that I can keep with my lighting limitations) I have 2 Compact 36 watt Fluorescent bulbs (one white and one blue actinic). So with only 72 Watts....my coral choices are majorly limited. Aside from some mushroom anemones I was also hoping to go with some candy cane coral, what do you think?
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Lol..... I've seen clowns host a powerhead. Lol. I would start with the hammers or pink tipped frogspawn (for color) ehehehehee
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389505/which-coral-for-my-clownfish#post_3442941
I've never seen a clown host Xenia. lol.
I've seen clowns host:
frogspawn
hammers
mushroom anemones
large welsi's
some leather corals = mainly toadstools
It's really up to the fish to decide what they are going to host. There is absolutely no guarantee that a clownfish will host anything other then the anemone that they were designed to host in the wild.
+1. My clowns have been hosted by torch, frogspawn, toadstool, and duncans, in addition to their anemone.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
My old clowns hosted my red mushrooms. My new clowns have a fondness for my yellow colony polyps even though they have two anemones to choose from lol.
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Awesome - thanks for the suggestions guys! It sounds like clowns aren't that picky which is great. I can't wait to start adding coral when I get back from vacation. I'd add it now, but I want to wait until I get back rather than add something new and then go out of town for a week.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Where is Florida Joe when I need him? Clownfish do not host, it is the coral/anemone that does the hosting.....
Certain corals will host a clownfish and allow the abuse, but it really all depends on the individual coral. This can be true of anemones too. Some just can't handle the abuse. If your clowns are rough with it, it could be an issue.
That being said, I've seen Xenia, GSP, Frogspawn, Torch, Hammer, Bubble Coral and Goniopora. Some are more common such as the torch, hammer and frogspawn. My female ocellairs is currently being hosted by frogspawn. I took her bubble tip anemone away after she decided to kill her mate a few months ago. When my Ocellaris clowns were small, my candy cane colony hosted them.
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
ooops! Thanks for the correction (the coral/anemone host the clownfish...the clownfish don't host the coral/anemone). That makes much more sense....lol.
Quote:
My female ocellairs is currently being hosted by frogspawn. I took her bubble tip anemone away after she decided to kill her mate a few months ago.
I knew that clowns of different species don't often do well together, but I was surprised to read that your female ocellaris killed her mate! Any idea of what might have caused it?
Quote:
my bubble coral hosts my clowns
I just finished reading about bubble tip coral, now I'm really torn between adding Bubble Tip Coral, Frogspawn, or Candy Cane Coral......it's a small tank so I need to add things very slowly. So many choices! I just don't know what to add first. What ever it is, it'll be my first coral....yippee!!!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
My female was mad at her mate for looking at two babies on the other side of a divider in their tank. She got jealous, lol ... Honestly, I have no idea how they even could see each other, you could barely see through the divider, but yeah, she ripped his tail off.
The problem with most of the typical corals that will host clowns is that they need a lot of room. Their tentacles, especially their feeding tentacles are strong and will sting nearby corals. In this respect, they need to be treated like anemones.
There is no guarantee that the clowns will even take up a coral host. While its really neat to watch, I wouldn't stews on providing them a host. Stock your tank how you'd like and maybe they'll take to something.
 
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