Caught her doing it finally

It's been a few months my clowns started to play and sleep in the RBTA, and Id noticed that the female clown has been "munching" on the nem's tentacles. I finally caught her doing it today, I thought Id share:







Clowns are clowns after all..

 

Ha, nice shot. Seems like your other fish are perplexed as to why she's doing that.

 

Great job and beautiful shots

 

Nice camera work! That's pretty crazy. Any theories on why she would do that?

 

Thanks Chris. I think she does it all the time. When I first saw it, I couldnt believe it.

Thanks John

Thank you, EW! I have no idea why they do that, but noone seem to have any theory/answer at all.

 

Cheryl might pop in on why. I believe it is part of the acclimation process.

 

Well isn't it obvious? Your clown is from Italy....What Italian can reisist a big bowl of spaghetti??;D

 

Yes that is the prevailing theory that it is part of the clown maintaining that protective mucous coating that prevents the anemone from stinging the clown. The anemone either does not interpret the clown fish as a fish, or the anemone is fooled into not sensing the fish as food but rather an anemone.

You would think that in this advanced world of research and technology we would have fully explained the reason why anemones do not release nematocyst in the presence of a clown acclimated to certain types of anemones.

 

Thanks again John. It makes sense tho if she is trying to get used to it.

ROFL, Vinnie!

 

Thanks Cheryl!! I am in total agreement on both accounts