getting ocellaris clownfish to host rbta

[chazertis]

i've got a pair of ocellaris tank bred clownfish with a nice BIG rbta. problem is, they totally ignore it. i know patience is KEY but its been several months and still nothing. 2 weekends ago i printed out a couple nice pictures of clownfish hosting rbtas and taped them to the glass in an effort to try to get them to host. (i've read on nano-reef that this sometimes helps) but still nothing. the only other thing i've read is getting one of those clownfish seaweed sheet clips and suspending it near or in the rbta. so....

1. does anyone have one of these plastic clownfish seaweed clips that i can borrow for a bit?
2. can anyone think of anything else? any other stories of experience? should i just chase them into the rbta with a net? :smile:

thanks!

 

[deelucky]

this is not an easy task as most of these clown host carpets.i have an rbta and mine totally ignore it and chose to host a big colony of anthellia that i have.i gave up on trying to get them in there.i've seened them hosting rbtas but it never worked for me.good luck.those clown fish clips you can pick one up at petland for like 3 bucks.

 

[junglebase]

There is no sure fire way that anything will host clownfishes.. it is almost always trial and error.. my clownfishes never hosted and after more than a year, they all hosted on different corals in my tank.. and they move around from coral to coral.. but the favorite is the hammer as you can see in my avatar...

 

[JHOV2324]

i forced my clownfish in...i put the fish and the anemone in the same container and it went right in.....you can try that.....it worked for me...but if it doesnt want to host it...it wont

 

[deelucky]

i forced my clownfish in...i put the fish and the anemone in the same container and it went right in.....you can try that.....it worked for me...but if it doesnt want to host it...it wont

your a bully.

 

[JHOV2324]

:biggrin: no i iz smart......

 

[chazertis]

thanks for all the info...keep the stories coming! i think i'm going to try to chase them into the rbta with a net tonight haha. the kiddie gloves are coming off

 

[Savager]

My ocellaris never hosted my RBTA for long time. And my friend took my ocellaris and I bought very small tomato clown fish and he took my RBTA as soon as I put him in the tank. I think it's all depend on the fish. But it's good chance that your clown fish won't host your RBTA.

 

[Deanos]

:scratch: I've always wondered if a clownfish will get stung/eaten by an anemone it had no intent of hosting...

 

[Savager]

:scratch: I've always wondered if a clownfish will get stung/eaten by an anemone it had no intent of hosting...

I think I remember I saw a picture of carpet anemone was eating one healthy clown fish. I just can't find the picture.

 

[JHOV2324]

I've seen clownfish kill anemones....

 

[chazertis]

well when the clownfish first starts to host, it gets stung and thus the usual transient black spots that disappear shortly afterwards. i doubt that an rbta could kill a healthy clownfish. the fish would just swim away. the anemone isn't that strong.

back on topic, i feed my rbta and i just threw some mysis in there and one of the clownfish swam in there, stayed for about a split second (believe me i was holding my breath) and grabbed the mysis and swam right back out.

oh they're getting the net tonight haha

 

[digitalreefer]

How would you like it if someone netted you in to a new apartment!? Even if you net them in, there's no guarantee that they'll stay if they don't want to. Mine hosted a powerhead for months and one day decided to move into the anemone. Not sure if they got a job transfer to the other side of the tank or just wanted a change of scenery, but one day they just moved in. I do like the idea of taping the photos to the tank! :lol:

 

[JHOV2324]

yeah i dont think the net will work...for one they will be stressed out in the net and probably not think of hosting more like getting out....try the container idea....if your RBTA is not attached to a rock yet then put it in a fish holder then catch the fish and put it in as well...wait for like 5 min. it might go inside the anemone for protection and then decide to want to stay once you put it back in the tank....

 

[chazertis]

is the new apartment larger, spacious, safer? haha. i've heard once people tape the pictures to the tank the clownfish in the tank at first charge at the glass (makes sense since they think theres another clownfish in their territory) but mine didn't even do that. what pacifists haha

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

:scratch: I've always wondered if a clownfish will get stung/eaten by an anemone it had no intent of hosting...

Im sure this happens all the time. IMHO the clown and anemonie have to communicate and respond the eachother otherwise either the clown wont go near it, or it can end up being dinner.

this reminds me of the odd couple anemonie clown that have paired up recently on the board.


oh and dont use a net you will scare the hell out of them. they might just end up hosting your carpet on the floor.

 

[chazertis]

Im sure this happens all the time. IMHO the clown and anemonie have to communicate and respond the eachother otherwise either the clown wont go near it, or it can end up being dinner.

this reminds me of the odd couple anemonie clown that have paired up recently on the board.


oh and dont use a net you will scare the hell out of them. they might just end up hosting your carpet on the floor.

i must admit that is pretty hilarious

 

[cb747]

The clowns will go to the RBTA when there good and ready. I dont see any useful purpose for chasing them in other than to make the "owner" feel better Leave them be, they dont need any additional stress!

 

[bad coffee]

my clowns hosted in my frogspawn for almost a year AFTER I had my RBTA. One day I didn't see my clown, went looking behind the tank, in the overflwo, sump.

It was hanigng out in the anenome. It's been there ever since.

So just wait and see if it will host.

 

[chazertis]

sigh, so i guess most likely just more patience. suuuuuuuuuuucks haha. i'll try that seaweed clip trick for $3 though =)