Bubble Tip Anemone and Percula/Ocellaris Clownfish?

[smhow]

I know this is a question probably asked a lot but I’ll ask again anyway sorry I’m new here. I have a 125 gallon tank and my clownfish haven’t been interested in my BTA’s at all. Doing everything to avoid them actually and just beg lol. Maybe it’s because my biggest BTA split and now I have 3 small anemone’s. From what I’ve researched it’s common for clownfish to disregard the anemone at first or forever. So I guess I have multiple questions, is it bad practice to kind of force them into a BTA for example can I put the clownfish and anemone into breeder box/acclimation box with the anemone? Is that considered cruel? Does the anemone have to be a certain size? Do they get more territorial when they are hosted? Should I just be patient and let them continue to let the magnet glass cleaner host them? For now that’s my plan to just let them do their thing but it would be cool to see them in the anemones

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I don't know the answer, but personally I just leave things alone and whatever happens happens.

 

[afboundguy]

@smhow you could try netting/capturing your clowns and then put them back in the tank through a large pipe directly into the BTA.

While BTAs aren't their natural anemone, I've had success with percula clowns and BTA/RBTAs. One day when I get a larger tank I plan to get a carpet anemone or magnificent anemone that they use in the wild.

 

[smhow]

@afboundguy I’ll try being patient for a little bit longer and if they don’t figure it out I’ll try that thanks. I had a green haddoni carpet anemone in the tank but after waking up to it eating my baby blue tang I had to move it to its own tank with a clarkii who loves it. If I was just keeping clownfish I would have kept it in the main display but too many disappearances of other fish unfortunately.

 

[dvgyfresh]

iPad against aquarium with clownfish and anemones for 2-3 days has always worked for me in a pinch

 

[afboundguy]

@afboundguy I’ll try being patient for a little bit longer and if they don’t figure it out I’ll try that thanks. I had a green haddoni carpet anemone in the tank but after waking up to it eating my baby blue tang I had to move it to its own tank with a clarkii who loves it. If I was just keeping clownfish I would have kept it in the main display but too many disappearances of other fish unfortunately.

That's my fear of getting one when I upgrade my tank to 200+ and it eating other fish...

 

[StartingATank]

I would let things happen naturally and its not entirely the clowns aren't interested in the anemone, the anemone could be keeping the clowns away and not wanting them to host it.

 

[Uncle99]

These dummy’s went 9 months, then in overnight.
Have never left.
Sometimes right away, sometimes very slow.
Just let them be. They’ll figure it out.

 

[painter1982]

iPad against aquarium with clownfish and anemones for 2-3 days has always worked for me in a pinch

What happens when they get addicted to the iPad like kids do?

 

[Reef Jedi]

It took my clowns about 10 months of being in the tank with 20+ anemones before they realized they could go in. Took them about a week of discovery for them to get use to the sting. Now there’s 40+ anemones in my tank and they never leave them and have claimed them all.

Patience is key here and it’s really up to the clowns when and if they will go in them.

I tried multiple times printing out pictures of clowns in anemones to see if they would get the hint. Didn’t have much success with that. But I know some others do.

 

[Wonkabar]

I don’t have any advice since I have failed at this numerous times. But I came to wish you luck. The symbiotic relationship is what brought me to reefkeeping!!!

 

[smhow]

That's my fear of getting one when I upgrade my tank to 200+ and it eating other fish...

@afboundguy I have a 125 and I think I got pretty lucky because the carpet anemone didn’t move at all once it found a nice rock. Fish just kept wondering too close. They weren’t the healthiest to be honest (petco) but I think anything it can fit in its mouth is a meal for it. My guess and to be clear this is just a guess but the clarkii seems to be defensive of the anemone. If you have a clownfish that’s territorial and keeps the other fish away from it your odds are better. I learned my lesson though. I think it’s always a risk with the carpets the bubble tips just don’t seem to have the same grab.

 

[smhow]

iPad against aquarium with clownfish and anemones for 2-3 days has always worked for me in a pinch

I’ve tried with my iPhone for a couple hours and they did seem interested but eventually just went back to begging lol.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I’ve tried with my iPhone for a couple hours and they did seem interested but eventually just went back to begging lol.

I currently have some hosting all my anemones by doing nothing just patience , although there aren’t many options lol I think if you are patient they will eventually figure it out

 

[afboundguy]

@afboundguy I have a 125 and I think I got pretty lucky because the carpet anemone didn’t move at all once it found a nice rock. Fish just kept wondering too close. They weren’t the healthiest to be honest (petco) but I think anything it can fit in its mouth is a meal for it. My guess and to be clear this is just a guess but the clarkii seems to be defensive of the anemone. If you have a clownfish that’s territorial and keeps the other fish away from it your odds are better. I learned my lesson though. I think it’s always a risk with the carpets the bubble tips just don’t seem to have the same grab.

That is a good point. My two percula's were ungodly defensive of the RBTA they hosted when I still had them in my tank!

 

[Gustavo Gruner]

My aquarium is only 80L and I have two HUGE BTAs. I’ve had them and a pair of clownfish for almost 3 years now.

They never even touched the anemones, even though they take up a big portion of the aquarium.
I gave up on the iPad thing — tried way too many times.

I just accepted nature as it is: weird.

 

[smhow]

My aquarium is only 80L and I have two HUGE BTAs. I’ve had them and a pair of clownfish for almost 3 years now.

They never even touched the anemones, even though they take up a big portion of the aquarium.
I gave up on the iPad thing — tried way too many times.

I just accepted nature as it is: weird.

Honestly that might be for the best and I’ve decided to do the same. Just accept it as is for now. If I end up buying another larger BTA, that I really want to see them in, I will try some of the tricks others have suggested. I thought about it and they just seem to get more mean, skittish, and territorial when they get in the anemone. They’re pretty nice right now and swim from end to end.

 

[PhishEDELIC]

Print out 1 or 2 picture of your type of clowns and anemone and tape them to the sides of the tank. Use to do this all the time back in the day and it always worked.

 

[BasementBox]

I know this is a question probably asked a lot but I’ll ask again anyway sorry I’m new here. I have a 125 gallon tank and my clownfish haven’t been interested in my BTA’s at all. Doing everything to avoid them actually and just beg lol. Maybe it’s because my biggest BTA split and now I have 3 small anemone’s. From what I’ve researched it’s common for clownfish to disregard the anemone at first or forever. So I guess I have multiple questions, is it bad practice to kind of force them into a BTA for example can I put the clownfish and anemone into breeder box/acclimation box with the anemone? Is that considered cruel? Does the anemone have to be a certain size? Do they get more territorial when they are hosted? Should I just be patient and let them continue to let the magnet glass cleaner host them? For now that’s my plan to just let them do their thing but it would be cool to see them in the anemones

I don’t know but I randomly had my bta nem host my clowns after two years. Clownfish are weird.