Timeline to get clowns to host nem

[Letterkenny]

I am working to get my clowns to host my BTA (got them three rainbows for a nem only tank, will probably remove some later and relaxes with a CSB). For those that used the tube over the nem technique, how long would you keep it there for? I tried this but they weren’t really going for it and I also didn’t want to stress them since I just got them in today. I also recently moved the tank as part of redoing it into a nem tank and my biggest RBTA still isn’t opening.

My plan would be give them a day or two longer to get acclimated after shipping and then recalculate them and keep them in the clown chute but not quite sure how long to do that.

 

[ThePhoReefer]

I’m trying to keep mine away from my bta, they are notorious at stressing the nem out. Tear and eat the tips of the bta. Suck on the tentacles too.

 

[Letterkenny]

I’m trying to keep mine away from my bta, they are notorious at stressing the nem out. Tear and eat the tips of the bta. Suck on the tentacles too.

I just want them to host. My other clowns never went for it but was hoping since I had the nem first that they would host.

 

[Saltyreef]

Easy way, put clowns and nems in a plastic spaghetti strainer with no rocks. Float the strainer.... Theyll host in 24hours.

Trick is to pull them from their territorialized home and force them to claim the nem as their new home.

Nothing else ever worked for me.

 

[Letterkenny]

Easy way, put clowns and nems in a plastic spaghetti strainer with no rocks. Float the strainer.... Theyll host in 24hours.

Thanks - will they just go back to it once the nems are placed in the tank?

 

[Saltyreef]

Thanks - will they just go back to it once the nems are placed in the tank?

Yep. I left them in the strainer for a couple days to be sure.

 

[Letterkenny]

Yep. I left them in the strainer for a couple days to be sure.

Welp, these guys just came in today so I think I’ll give them a couple days before trying that.

 

[jrill]

First, clowns never host nems. Nems host clowns .
Second, just let them be. The clowns will move in when it's time.

 

[GlassMunky]

I’m trying to keep mine away from my bta, they are notorious at stressing the nem out. Tear and eat the tips of the bta. Suck on the tentacles too.

You’re very mistaken....
That’s normal behavior and doesn’t negatively effect the nem at all

 

[MERKEY]

Just give it time....once they find the nem they won't leave it alone. One of our nems split continually due to how rough the clowns where.

It will happen just give it time. The last thing you want to do is stress them too much.

 

[Silly clownfish]

When I added a pair of juvenile spotcintus to a 30g tank with a bta, it took the female a few days to a week to ”discover” the nem. The Nem was annoyed with this for about 2 days, then opened back up. The female eventually let the male hang out in the new too.
went from one bta to 5 or 6 since then

 

[PicassoClown04]

My clowns lived in a tank with many perfectly acceptable hosts. Very large RBTA, Duncan colony, huge hammer garden, octospawn, clove colonies, etc. Propped an iPad against the tank playing a 10 hour vid of clowns hosting near where the clowns hung out. Did this for 3 days straight and suddenly the clowns were hosting!! Dumb idiots tho, my male is hosting my Duncan and my female is hosting only my green/purple hammer on the opposite side of the tank!! The sexy shrimp have gotten very comfortable in the nem tho.

 

[LesPoissons]

Some clowns go in immediately, some take days, weeks, months. Some choose to host a coral despite available nems and won’t change their minds. Some change their minds a year later. You can try the tube method but honestly I’d just put them in the tank. They will likely go for the nems in their own time.

 

[BlennyTime]

I have some clowns in my tank that never found their anemones, they decided to host some Kenya tree corals instead. It is fun to watch them lay between the branches though.

 

[Letterkenny]

My pair of clowns in my other tank never hosted their nem (and they seem to have chosen the back right overflow section of the tank as their new home). I had to move the new clowns out of my nem tank since the female was swimming weird and I then noticed white stringy poop so they are currently in QT getting treated with GC in the water column and in their food. Once they are ready to go back, I think I’ll take the approach of putting two of the smaller nems into a plastic strainer and then putting the clowns in there as well for a while before releasing them all. Just have to hope the hanging upside down technique will get the nem to release from the rock.

 

[Super Fly]

been trying to catch my clowns (fish trap) to place them in strainer with nem but no luck. Most of other fish entering trap except clowns, any suggestions how to catch them?

 

[BlennyTime]

been trying to catch my clowns (fish trap) to place them in strainer with nem but no luck. Most of other fish entering trap except clowns, any suggestions how to catch them?

Just patience

Took 2 months to catch my 6 line wrasse, but one day he slipped up and I got him!

Might help to put it close to where they are hosting now. Or move what they are hosting so they get mad and find somewhere else. I find mine don’t wander around much.

 

[Super Fly]

Just patience

Took 2 months to catch my 6 line wrasse, but one day he slipped up and I got him!

Might help to put it close to where they are hosting now. Or move what they are hosting so they get mad and find somewhere else. I find mine don’t wander around much.

Agreed, however unfortunately they've made the back of tank by the corner overflow their home, making it nigh impossible to put anything there bc of rockwork. I've placed the trap as close to their home as possible, been 2 weeks & was about to throw in the towel but since reading your reply will give it more time. Thx.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I caught my clowns who hosted a powerhead by only putting food in the trap, not the tank. After about 3 days hunger got the best of them and they went in.

 

[Super Fly]

I caught my clowns who hosted a powerhead by only putting food in the trap, not the tank. After about 3 days hunger got the best of them and they went in.

tried starving them too but the Anthia would stir up the food inside trap allowing pieces of food to enter tank and feed the clowns. After few attempts, boss lady (wife) said to stop starving tank & rest of fish...