Corals / Anemones for my clowns

[hclaveria]

I need some advice regarding my clowns as this is very new to me.

I bought these clowns together, about 2 months ago. I have three Ocellaris Clownfish, a Snowflake, a Misbar and a regular one. The snowflake is larger (about 2") than the other two (1") and it has paired up with the Misbar. They are always together.

About two weeks ago their behavior changed in that they started going into crevices of my rocks, similar to how triggers try to lodged themselves.

Yesterday, i tried to rework my rock and the Snowflake would not leave my hand alone, biting the $#!% of it. No matter how much a tried to wave him away, he kept coming at me.

Now, this morning, I find both the Snowflake and the Misbar in my Anthelia. Snowflake moved away when I turned on the lights, but here is my Misbar:



Well, I feel bad for them, especially if they have actually paired up and are trying to mate.

So, what do I do? I don't think I have the skills to maintain the conditions of a tank needed to actually mate clowns, unless someone tells me otherwise. I don't even know if they are actually attempting to mate.

I am actually more concerned in providing them with the proper Coral / Anemone for them to host. It looks pretty sad, as much as I like my Anthelia, its just not a proper home for them.

Other than the Anthelia, I have small frags of Green Button Polyps, Duncans, Hammerheads, a Pipe Coral and the Green Star polyp that is also in the picture. Nothing remotely larger than a big frag. The Anthelia is the largest coral that I have.

So the questions is (after my very long explanation), do I go out and get a RBTA for them to host and deal with its affect on the corals, or do I go and get a larger coral (what kind?) that the clowns will like but also fit in better with a tank with corals?

Or, am I over thinking this and the clowns are fine with what I have

Thanks in advance.

 

[ruha456]

I think they haven't been together long enough to be mating already not within two months of having them together. And usually clowns will host whatever they feel comfortable in. Just because u get an Anemone doesn't mean they will host it.

 

[Zeroevox]

I agree. My clown hosts my frogspawn. And my buddies hosts his hairy mushroom coral. They're pretty undpredictable. I've even seen some host return nozzles.

 

[basiab]

I would agree "Or, am I over thinking this and the clowns are fine with what I have "
Don't worry about them mating and not being able to care for the fry. They just become food for the tank. As far as what coral they host that is up to them and if they like the anthellia there is not much chance you will change their mind. Sometimes they won't host anything.

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

As everyone said there is no garuntee that they will host an anemone especially if they are captive bred fish.

Captive bred fish dont need to seek shelter in an anemone when they are young so they dont really have the instinct to seek shelter.

Wild caugh clownfish, 9 times out of 10 will seek out shelter because they dont know otherwise.

Clownfish are never found in the ocean without anemone. There is not one without the other. On the other hand you can find anemones without clowns.

I would also recommend doing a once over on your tank and check your equipment to make sure its safe for anemones.

Exposed pumps are a blender waiting to happen.

 

[cody0709]

My anemone died last week, my pair is lost without it.
On another note my fox face is hosting my toad stool... Weird !

 

[hclaveria]

Thanks everyone for the advice...I will leave it alone for now and see how they adjust.

I really didn't want to add the Anemone and have to deal with its interaction with the corals.