Question about clowns and Seabae

[Tmm87]

I've had my pair of snowflakes for about a year now with no issues, not aggressive towards my hand or any of their tank mates. They've been with my anemones for about 8 months. Prior to my move they had decided to host in my BTA and it was thriving. I never had to feed it as they took care of it but I still gave it small pieces of food every now and then. The clowns never cared. In the process of the move my BTA didn't make it. Clowns were lost after that. Completely ignored the two LTAs I have and decided to live in a little rock cave together.

About a month ago I was given a small sebae by somebody who came into the store I work at. He was breaking down his tank and getting rid of stuff and tried to give it to the store for free. Owner didn't want it so I took it as he said he was just going to throw it away if he couldn't find a home. Anyway, about 3 days ago the clowns decided they liked the sebae and moved in. Since then they've removed any of the food that has managed to get to the nem and have gone so far as to remove the pieces that I've specifically given it and started nipping at my hand. I know the hand nipping is standard procedure for most clown and their chosen host.

It came to me pretty pale but has started to darken up a bit. Turning a light tan/cream color and the tips are getting a nice purple to them. They're not feeding it like they did the BTA. Should I be concerned? It was eating like a pig before they decided to host.

 

[Amoo]

I wouldn't be unless you're trying to accelerate the growth of the Sebae. If that's the case just get some type of plastic divider you can just hold or ziptie into your tank for a few minutes while your baeby (cwutididthur?) eats.

 

[Tmm87]

Ok. I'd definitely like it to grow at least a little bit. Right now only one can fit in at a time so they take turns.

 

[Lance M.]

I wouldn't be unless you're trying to accelerate the growth of the Sebae. If that's the case just get some type of plastic divider you can just hold or ziptie into your tank for a few minutes while your baeby (cwutididthur?) eats.

I agree. If it has enough light (sounds like it does by regaining color), then you do not need to target feed.

You may want to consider a divider as you mentioned the clowns are bigger than the anemone; however, your clowns are not the most aggressive so it may be ok. I would watch how it does. Sounds like it will be ok.

You could give it a couple weeks/months and once it regains health try to feed it again. Once my bta's became acclimated to my tank, they were able to accept food and draw it in making it disappear in less than ten seconds. If there is something bothering them or they are not healthy, it can take longer to pull food in.

Pictures?

 

[Tmm87]

https://imgur.com/gallery/GEoNz

Can't get them to upload normally so here's an imgur.

Difficult to see in the picture but the sebae is coloring up. The camera makes it look more white than it is.

Fully open he's about 4 inches across. Doesn't seem to be bothered by either of the clowns. I've actually noticed his tentacles extending more now that they're in him.

 

[Lance M.]

What kind of lighting do you have?

The lta's are bleached as well. They all look ok otherwise.

I am surprised the powerheads, overflow, back wall, rocks, etc. look so clean. Almost looks like a new tank. Low nutrient system?

 

[Tmm87]

What kind of lighting do you have?

The lta's are bleached as well. They all look ok otherwise.

I am surprised the powerheads, overflow, back wall, rocks, etc. look so clean. Almost looks like a new tank. Low nutrient system?

I run T5s. 6 bulbs right now. 4 are 48" 54w, the other two are 36" bulbs. 48" are a mix of 2 actinic, 1 purple and 1 10,000k white. The 36" are just the stock actinic and 10,000k.

Both LTAs eat regularly, both grabbing food out of the water column and when I feed them.

As far as the tank, I don't know why it's so clean. I don't scrub the back, never cleaned my power heads or returns. Some of the rock is new, added it within the last 4 months after I moved across the state. I've got 4 mexican turbos, some margaritas, nessarius snails and two different algae blennies (large Starry and a Lawnmower) who both are quite fat. I feed multiple times a day and don't skimp on the quantity. End up emptying the skimmer cup 2-3 times a week and change my filter socks about the same. Parameters are all stable. Ammonia and Nitrites 0, Nitrates are almost always under 5ppm unless I slack on swapping out my filter socks.

Everyone but my GSP seems happy. I've seen some nice growth from my hammer, leather (don't know what kind it is), candy cane, zoas and kenya trees since I swapped everyone over to the bigger tank. The GSP come out sometimes, other times they stay closed. Right now about half of them are out, the other closed up.

 

[Lance M.]

I run T5s. 6 bulbs right now. 4 are 48" 54w, the other two are 36" bulbs. 48" are a mix of 2 actinic, 1 purple and 1 10,000k white. The 36" are just the stock actinic and 10,000k.

Both LTAs eat regularly, both grabbing food out of the water column and when I feed them.

As far as the tank, I don't know why it's so clean. I don't scrub the back, never cleaned my power heads or returns. Some of the rock is new, added it within the last 4 months after I moved across the state. I've got 4 mexican turbos, some margaritas, nessarius snails and two different algae blennies (large Starry and a Lawnmower) who both are quite fat. I feed multiple times a day and don't skimp on the quantity. End up emptying the skimmer cup 2-3 times a week and change my filter socks about the same. Parameters are all stable. Ammonia and Nitrites 0, Nitrates are almost always under 5ppm unless I slack on swapping out my filter socks.

Everyone but my GSP seems happy. I've seen some nice growth from my hammer, leather (don't know what kind it is), candy cane, zoas and kenya trees since I swapped everyone over to the bigger tank. The GSP come out sometimes, other times they stay closed. Right now about half of them are out, the other closed up.

Yes. Oddly clean. Alk/Ca/Mg? My mp40 wet side has coralline algae specks all over it, have it ~3-4 months and clean it with a tooth brush once a month.

I run 4 bulb T5- 2 ati blue+, 1 ati coral plus, 1 kz purple with HEP ballasts (swapped out the workhorse ballasts in my TEK light). I'm thinking about going 1 actinic, 1 blue+, 1 coral+, and 1 aquablue when I change out the bulbs in a couple months though.

GSP is odd some times like that. Years ago I had about a 12"x6" patch that went "dormant". Didn't come out for like two months and then just randomly opened again. I currently have two different gsp's. Nice extension in the random flow and not growing quickly, which is good. I don't want everything covered in gsp. The leather in the top center looks like a toadstool.

Back to your anemones, just give them time and they should color back up.

 

[Tmm87]

Yes. Oddly clean. Alk/Ca/Mg? My mp40 wet side has coralline algae specks all over it, have it ~3-4 months and clean it with a tooth brush once a month.

I run 4 bulb T5- 2 ati blue+, 1 ati coral plus, 1 kz purple with HEP ballasts (swapped out the workhorse ballasts in my TEK light). I'm thinking about going 1 actinic, 1 blue+, 1 coral+, and 1 aquablue when I change out the bulbs in a couple months though.

GSP is odd some times like that. Years ago I had about a 12"x6" patch that went "dormant". Didn't come out for like two months and then just randomly opened again. I currently have two different gsp's. Nice extension in the random flow and not growing quickly, which is good. I don't want everything covered in gsp. The leather in the top center looks like a toadstool.

Back to your anemones, just give them time and they should color back up.

Calcium sits around 420ppm, Alk stays around 9-10 dkh and mag sits around 1300. I need to get new test kits for the alk and mag. My old power heads in the smaller tank do have some coraline growing on them. The ones in the big tank are all new and haven't had any start yet.

All 6 bulbs need to be replaced in the near future, planning on going with ATI blue plus, actinic and purple plus (as recommended by a few people I've spoken with and ATI). Fixture will be getting upgraded down the road when funds allow as well.

The corals all started small and have taken off. All 3 zoas started as 2-3 polyps on a plug and vary in size. The leather started as a dime size piece a friend gave me and is now the size of a half dollar give or take. Candy cane was a single head, has split into 3 and looks to be splitting into 2 more heads. Kenya tree is doing it's thing and dropping things all over the tank. I've got them popping up in different areas now (which I don't mind, I like the way it looks).

 

[Tmm87]

Apparently they've decided within the last 15 minutes or so that the LTA is a far better home than the Sebae. They've both started swimming in and out of it, the LTA has opened up even more it seems or at least pushed itself farther out of the little cave it's in and they're actively defending the nem. Ocassionally one of them will swim around to the other side of the rock where the Sebae is and roll around in it a bit then heads back to the LTA.

Will they host both of them or just pick one? I've never seen them do this before.

Edit: Still curious if anyone knows why they're pulling food out of the nems. Hasn't been digested yet and it's not inside the nem. Just pieces that they've grabbed as it floats by. Pellets, frozen (thawed) krill, mysis, etc. Doesn't seem to matter what it is, they pull it out and drop it on the sand.

 

[Lance M.]

Apparently they've decided within the last 15 minutes or so that the LTA is a far better home than the Sebae. They've both started swimming in and out of it, the LTA has opened up even more it seems or at least pushed itself farther out of the little cave it's in and they're actively defending the nem. Ocassionally one of them will swim around to the other side of the rock where the Sebae is and roll around in it a bit then heads back to the LTA.

Will they host both of them or just pick one? I've never seen them do this before.

Edit: Still curious if anyone knows why they're pulling food out of the nems. Hasn't been digested yet and it's not inside the nem. Just pieces that they've grabbed as it floats by. Pellets, frozen (thawed) krill, mysis, etc. Doesn't seem to matter what it is, they pull it out and drop it on the sand.

They can go to both or one, or go back and forth between the anemones.

Clowns don't actually feed anemones. Typically bring food to them by mistake, or save for later then the anemone will eat it. So they will steal food from anemones if they are hungry.