Pairing clownfish with BTA via an isolation box

[JollyReefer]

Hi y'all,

I have a 210 gallon display. I have 1 rainbow BTA and 4 Ocellaris clownfish (none are fully matured yet). The clowns have all but ignored the BTA since I introduced it to the tank about 2 weeks ago. I've tried various tactics to goad the clowns into the BTA without success. For example, I netted them and covered them above the anemone. I used a PVC tube to guide them into the anemone. No luck.

My LFS advised me to put a BTA and a clown into a small breeder isolation box. So I did that. The clown is now at least touching the BTA and seems to be fine with it, but the clown isn't embedded in the BTA yet, and it hasn't shown the signs of really enjoying the BTA at all. Granted, they've only been in the box for a couple hours.

Here's my question: how do you know that the clown has paired with the BTA? I'm guessing that the clown will be squirming in it. Will they have paired if the clown is only seen kind of flicking the BTA with its tail, etc., but not really jumping into the BTA?

Thanks in advance,
Jon

 

[davocean]

BTA is not really natural to occs, takes em longer to recognize.
Confining before adapting to sting cells could harm or even kill them
Patience.