seek suggestions - adorable yet annoying clownfish in corals

[Fish Think Pink]

Any suggestions on getting clownfish to just swim in water?

My alveopora, goniopora and frogspawn are unhappy hosts to clownfish and its baby blue hippo tang friend (that thinks its a clownfish).

do not want more BTAs .. do not have room for another tank with BTAs and clowns... seek another solution

Background:
had 13 BTAs, got 7 clownfish, now 2 BTAs and 7 clownfish... 4 clownfish hang in remaining 2 BTAs and only share at night with other clowns, daytime 1-3 clowns hang in huge xenia (xenia doesn't seem to care), various clowns hang in rockwork caves/crevices/corners. Its just 1 clownfish that has decided it needs its tummy tickle from alveopora, goniopora and frogspawn. It is adorable to see clown lay in/on alveopora, goniopora and frogspawn and then it's blue hippo tang-want-to-be-clown come right behind and lay in/on alveopora, goniopora and frogspawn mirroring whatever clownfish just did... but my alveopora, goniopora and frogspawn are shriveling ... Ideally clown & hippo could spend more time annoying that trashy cute green coral at photo bottom - its tougher and shows no damage from their frequent tummy tickles

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Sounds like you could film Nemo and Dory in your own backyard reef tank!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Sounds like you could film Nemo and Dory in your own backyard reef tank!

OH MY GOSH ... I have seen both movies, have Walt Disney coral, and yet still did not make the connection... It's Dory following Nemo as his Mini Me ... ROFL !!!

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Ive seen clowns kill corals from aggressive hosting. Clowns will generally stay in their areas and arent open water swimmers. Theyll only move for food and to chase other fish away from their spot.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Ive seen clowns kill corals from aggressive hosting. Clowns will generally stay in their areas and arent open water swimmers. Theyll only move for food and to chase other fish away from their spot.

If the clown and hippo keep it up, then yes I can see them killing some corals...

In the garden if there are deer, there are things to use... just wondering if for reef tanks there is Clown Away for corals...

 

[D-Nak]

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to get clownfish to not try to adopt something as a host. If you want them to stay away from corals, maybe you can find a ritteri (H. magnifica) anemone since it's almost a 100% guarantee that it'll become the host anemone, assuming your clowns are all percula or ocellaris.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Lol I don’t think there is much you can do , only suggestion besides removing would be creating a feed schedule away from the hosted corals with pumps off, might make them go to that side of the tank, of course it could also do nothing

 

[Fish Think Pink]

ARGH clownfish update - think clown learning to dance conga - hip swing, body gyrations, fins in motion - all while on top of my left side corals... grinding away ARGH

my baby blue tang still has this clown as best friend (and often still doing same thing to corals because it STILL thinks its a clown) ... and this friendship is the only thing keeping me from setting trap and rehoming left side clown to LFS for credit

don't want more BTAs (another right side $100+ coral gone this week when BTA reached over and killed coral). Too many clowns, not enough tank(s). Just venting...