How to encourage clowns to host?

[Trex]

My understanding is that captive bred clowns will not go readily to an anemone. I just lost my female maroon of 12 years and went looking for another pair. My LFS has a few great people and what he is going to do, is put an anemone in a bucket or container and introduce the captive bred clowns that way. They will "discover" the anemone that way. He has been doing this kind of stuff for years and is an expert with clown fish.

That isn't the case.

The issue is that most captive breed clowns are either Percs, or Ocellaris. They are most often paired with E. quadricolor, which is not a natural host anemone for either species.

Years ago I picked up a pair of captive breed A. polymnus (( saddleback clowns )), when I introduced them into the tank, they were hosted by an S. haddoni (( natural host )) within seconds of being released.

As for forcing the clowns to be hosted, IMO that is a very bad idea. At best they won't be hosted, at worst you will end up with eaten clowns. Just let nature take its course.

 

[gidenski]

Mine host in the sand :/

 

[Krull]

Certain clowns prefer certain anemones - this might help symbiotic_map_clowns-anemones.jpg -- Good luck!!

 

[schooncw]

s said, I have someone who Is a Clown "expert"....the classics as well as many other variations and he has great success with Introducing captive bred to anemones. I, however, am holding out for 2 wild caught Maroons.

 

[waterskiguy]

Time is the key. I waited for a year for my last clownfish pair to host. They went in their Nem the first time at almost exactly one year and have not left since. Sometimes its quick, sometimes its a slow process.