I may have a solution to clowns who won't host an anenome?

I have a theory that I came to when I observed some tank raised clown fish and some natural clown fish.

I know people have trouble getting tank raised clown fish to host an anenome. Well, while I was at the LFS I noticed that thier were some wild black clowns mixed in with some tank raised clowns. Thier was an anemome in he corner and the black clowns were going over and rubbing on it. I then noticed that a little tank raised went over and starting eating out of the anenome. Not to much longer later he was rubbing the bubble tip all over homself.

My theory is to place a natural clown fish in with your tank raised clowns and let him watch the natural clown basically show him through example the sybiotic relationship between an anenome and a clown. This is only temperary. Once the clown hosts the ananome you can/should remove the natural clown from the tank.

Just like when another animal sees his mother feeding and joins in, I thinkt he tank raised clown is following a sinilar phenomenon in the animal world.

Thoughts?

 

I have heard of people taping a picture of a clown hosting to the glass next closest to the anenome. Same principle, just cheaper. I like cheap.

 

Very true, it sves you nearly 20 bucks that way.

Sorry if there are gamatical errors, I was in a hurry and didn't proof read this.

 

another way is to isolate the clown and the anemone in a divider of some sort, keep them within a very short distance away from each other and it may start to form a relationship with the anemone

 

I tape the clowns to the anemone.

 

staples work better....

 

I tape the clowns to the anemone

THAT I can't belive..!!!! Everyone knows you tape the ANEMONE to the CLOWN ..

staples work better VERY good idea..
BUT.... Back to the same problem..
Would you staple the clown to the anemone OR other way around..??

People look at our beautiful tanks, and don't know what we have to go thru. !!!!

We need PharmrJohn on this one.. !!

Good Luck, Larry

 

Clowns hosting in an anemone isn’t something they learn by seeing, its an inherent desire for safety and the knowledge is coded in their DNA. The instinctual behavior of hosting in an anemone will always be there. If you have a tank raised anemone that doesn’t host, check on him at 2 am…..I bet he’s all snuggled up in an anemone, hairy mushroom, toadstool etc.

Look at it this way, non-hosting tank raised fish would be stung left and right under the “see to learn” theory.

Well Fsukum, it’s your theory and you asked for thoughts….as I sit here this morning sipping my coffee typing back to you, I have wonderful images of my tank and scuba diving experiences…thanks !

 

You people are so cruel. I prefer hot glue, it has better sticking power! But back to the original thread, I believe there is a certain learned behavior to all things, but instinct does rule the natural world. I think "hosting" has a protective purpose. My two cents...

 

You think you have issues, I have a clown that left the comfort of it's carpet anenome to host my open brain coral...go figure