Clown Bonding

I have had a 14G nano setup now since January, and for the last 2 weeks 1 of my clowns has been trying to bond with my hammer coral. It doesn't look like it's working he keeps sucking on the coral but then he can close his mouth as well as having white around it... A few days later he looks fine and then he does it again...

How long does this usually take? because when his mouth is stuck open after he can't eat

Is this normal? will he eventually bond with it?

Thanks in advance for the help

Matt

 

LOL.. Yes clowns aren't to smart at times.. If you can it maybe time to get it an anemone for it. Either a bubble tip or carpet anemone. Since most all clowns are farm raised, having one host is not cast in stone.. I have seen weeks & I have seen never. Mine took 6 months to host, but when one did it, the other did as well.

 

I thought a 14G was way to small for a nem? I know my lighting is good enought as it is all LED's

 

Size of the tank can be an issues. I'm sure others with knowledge of small tanks can chime in, but if your hammer is doing great, your lighting should be enough for an anemone as well. Again, others on here that are very knowledgable of small tanks can give your great input on it.

 

how many watts do your leds have? i have many hammers and believe it or not this genus of coral doesn't require a lot of light it will withdraw if placed under intense light. if you have enough light a nem will live in a nano as long as water quality is kept and your bio load is not to high for your filter system to handle, you may have to do more water changes to keep it in check. good luck

 

What nem would you recommend for a tank this small? Below is some info on my lights and what's currently in my tank.

Here is the link to Reef Brite ReefBrite Lighting but they don't seem to have the 12 inch bars online.

Seeing as my tank is only a 14 gallon nano I can use these as main lights. I am running a 12 inch Full Spectrum and a 12 inch Actinic as well as a 12 inch 50/50 they have 6, 3 watt LED's each that are being driven at 1.5 watts

As for what's in the tank I have birds nest, finger leather, Ricordea, candy cane, GSP, various hermit crabs, emerald crab, snails, Ocellaris clownfish

 

ok i believe you can keep a nem try to pick one out that your clown will have the best chance to host. different clowns like different nems.

 

Magnificent Sea Anemone (Heteractis magnifica

i believe this is a great match for your fish and one of the most beauitful of all nems



(Entacmaea quadricolor)
also may adapt to this fantastic nem