RBTA and Black Ocellaris

[Der]

Looking to see if anyone can explain this behavior or provide any insight.... I have a 13.5 gallon tank that's been running for 15 months. I've had a pair of black Ocellaris from nearly the beginning and RBTA for ~8 months. My Ocellaris have always been explorers but mainly stick to the back corner of the tank, underneath the return nozzle. I've tried taping pictures to the tank in order to coerce them into the anemone but it has not worked. Here recently, I read about someone using a flashlight at night to make the fish curious...well I tried this and huzzah, the fish slowly but surely began rubbing themselves on the anemone. But if I turn off the flashlight or wait long enough (30 minutes), they leave the area. I've been doing this method for 4 nights now and get the same results... I've always thought that as soon as the fish become interested and understand what they're working with, the bond would occur. They don't show this behavior with any other coral so it seems like they know what the anemone is, and they even enjoy it but they will not let it host it. During the daytime, they won't even hardly touch the RBTA, no matter how much I try and herd them towards it.... Attached is a video of them loving the anemone with the flashlight on. Anyone have any input on this behavior? Or what I can do to take this relationship to the next level lol

 

[lubeck]

Can’t see the video but if it’s easy to remove the rock the anemone is on then put in a small bucket with enough water to cover the rock. Put the clowns in and move them into the nem. Let them hang out for 10-20 minutes. Put them back in the tank.

 

[Der]

Can’t see the video but if it’s easy to remove the rock the anemone is on then put in a small bucket with enough water to cover the rock. Put the clowns in and move them into the nem. Let them hang out for 10-20 minutes. Put them back in the tank.

thanks for the heads up on the video...stupid iphone. I'm going to try and attach it as an .MP4 now and see if that works

 

[winxp_man]

Still no video mobile site wise. But try a tablet of sorts with a video of clowns in nems. Time frame I would 30-60min a day. Maybe even more?

 

[sfin52]

Looking to see if anyone can explain this behavior or provide any insight.... I have a 13.5 gallon tank that's been running for 15 months. I've had a pair of black Ocellaris from nearly the beginning and RBTA for ~8 months. My Ocellaris have always been explorers but mainly stick to the back corner of the tank, underneath the return nozzle. I've tried taping pictures to the tank in order to coerce them into the anemone but it has not worked. Here recently, I read about someone using a flashlight at night to make the fish curious...well I tried this and huzzah, the fish slowly but surely began rubbing themselves on the anemone. But if I turn off the flashlight or wait long enough (30 minutes), they leave the area. I've been doing this method for 4 nights now and get the same results... I've always thought that as soon as the fish become interested and understand what they're working with, the bond would occur. They don't show this behavior with any other coral so it seems like they know what the anemone is, and they even enjoy it but they will not let it host it. During the daytime, they won't even hardly touch the RBTA, no matter how much I try and herd them towards it.... Attached is a video of them loving the anemone with the flashlight on. Anyone have any input on this behavior? Or what I can do to take this relationship to the next level lol

Bta are not the ocellaris preferred anemone. They will host but it usually takes time.

Thats an interesting idea with the flashlight, I've always used the video method.

https://www.tfhmagazine.com/article...irs#:~:text=In the wild, bubble-tip,clarkii).
https://www.thesprucepets.com/clown...iprion ocellaris,Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (S.

 

[Der]

Still no video mobile site wise. But try a tablet of sorts with a video of clowns in nems. Time frame I would 30-60min a day. Maybe even more?

Dang I noticed it works on PC but now mobile. That's frustrating lol but....UPDATE!

The ocellaris will pretty much 100% make the nems their beds during the night time. Sometimes, I have to persuade them with a flashlight/nudge but they quickly run to their beds and snuggle in for the nights. They now will even sleep there all night without moving.

Now, even though they sleep in the nems, they pretty much want nothing to do with them during the daytime. I've noticed they tend to hang out in spots that are shaded. Is this normal? Shouldn't they be hanging in the nem all the time? I just love the nem/clown relationship so I want it to be there all the time! Not just during lights out.

 

[Uncle99]

If there’s no other fish in the 13.5g, no surprise.
Nem is safety but they own the whole tank.

Even in large tanks, the clown rarely strays more than a foot from the nem.

The exception is eggs.
Then it’s like Fort Knox.

 

[Der]

If there’s no other fish in the 13.5g, no surprise.
Nem is safety but they own the whole tank.

Even in large tanks, the clown rarely strays more than a foot from the nem.

The exception is eggs.
Then it’s like Fort Knox.

That makes...a lot of sense! They do own the whole tank lol I have a Two Spot Goby in there but obviously he just hangs on the bottom and they all get along. Thanks for your input. I guess the next is for one of them to lay eggs.... That leads me to another question though. I've had these clowns for ~15 months and I can't noticeably see a size difference. I do see some bickering back and forth but I don't see any clear indication of either fish being dominate/female. Is this surprising or normal?

 

[Uncle99]

That makes...a lot of sense! They do own the whole tank lol I have a Two Spot Goby in there but obviously he just hangs on the bottom and they all get along. Thanks for your input. I guess the next is for one of them to lay eggs.... That leads me to another question though. I've had these clowns for ~15 months and I can't noticeably see a size difference. I do see some bickering back and forth but I don't see any clear indication of either fish being dominate/female. Is this surprising or normal?

Seems normal to me.

 

[Der]

Bta are not the ocellaris preferred anemone. They will host but it usually takes time.

Thats an interesting idea with the flashlight, I've always used the video method.

https://www.tfhmagazine.com/article...irs#:~:text=In the wild, bubble-tip,clarkii).
https://www.thesprucepets.com/clown...iprion ocellaris,Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (S.

It truly worked! I've tried the video and picture method, but it has never worked for me. Maybe I didn't try long enough... But I'm telling you, the flashlight trick worked literally the first night. It was so rewarding for it to finally happen! I ended up putting cardboard and tape over the end of the flashlight so the light level was very low and focused. With lights out, I shined it on the nem. I had to do a little herding with my turkey baster to get them near the nem. They started brushing up against the nems and would even tail wag inside of it in order to open it up more. Then I would support the flashlight (using my son's high stool lol) and left it that way overnight. I did this for 3 or 4 nights and boom, now they go in there all on their own every night.

 

[sfin52]

It truly worked! I've tried the video and picture method, but it has never worked for me. Maybe I didn't try long enough... But I'm telling you, the flashlight trick worked literally the first night. It was so rewarding for it to finally happen! I ended up putting cardboard and tape over the end of the flashlight so the light level was very low and focused. With lights out, I shined it on the nem. I had to do a little herding with my turkey baster to get them near the nem. They started brushing up against the nems and would even tail wag inside of it in order to open it up more. Then I would support the flashlight (using my son's high stool lol) and left it that way overnight. I did this for 3 or 4 nights and boom, now they go in there all on their own every night.

Thats awesome.