What corals can host clownfish safely?

[katsreef]

So one of my new clownfish wants to be hosted by my trachy. The trachy doesn’t seemed bothered so should I leave them alone and let that be their home?

If not: what corals can host clownfish without getting irritated and dying? I only have a 20g so I don’t think I’ll get a nem.

 

[Jared Bryant]

You will never stop them. Only they get to choose. The only coral my clowns bothered was a goni. Never would fully extend.

 

[Jekyl]

Tbh it's not something I'd strive for. My clowns are hosted by a bunch of nems. The only outcome is that I never see them. Unless of course when my hands are in the tank and they turn into piranha. I need protective gear now.

 

[katsreef]

Tbh it's not something I'd strive for. My clowns are hosted by a bunch of nems. The only outcome is that I never see them. Unless of course when my hands are in the tank and they turn into piranha. I need protective gear now.

Honestly this coral is my favourite so if it hosts them and they are all happy, best case scenario. I just don’t want the coral to get smothered to death lol. So far no damage though

 

[katsreef]

You will never stop them. Only they get to choose. The only coral my clowns bothered was a goni. Never would fully extend.

I just don’t want the coral to die but thankfully it isn’t annoyed so far

 

[Sharkbait19]

Hairy shrooms, euphilia/fimbraphilia, and leathers all work. It’s really up to the individual coral how well it tolerates it though.

 

[vandy]

Mine switches between the torch or my hammer depending on the mood he’s feeling that day and neither of them mind it

 

[Big G]

Tbh it's not something I'd strive for. My clowns are hosted by a bunch of nems. The only outcome is that I never see them. Unless of course when my hands are in the tank and they turn into piranha. I need protective gear now.

+1 ^^^ There was a posting a few years ago where the clowns had become so protective of their territory, that one of the clowns jumped out and bit the guy "on his eyeball" as he was leaning over the tank doing maintenance. Yikes! Protective goggles? LOL

 

[Cthulukelele]

I just don’t want the coral to die but thankfully it isn’t annoyed so far

It'll tell you when it's unhappy. Until then I'd just enjoy the view! To your question though, clownfish are low key kinda dumb for a saltwater fish. Anything a little wavy and they will often shout "it's an anemone" from the rooftops. Other times, they'll decide to host a scoly or a powerhead or an overflow box, and there is NO stopping them unless you take them out and sump them for a prolonged period of time and even that doesn't always work. They will be hosted by more and more things over time usually which is cool but the downside is what the others have said. More territory they defend. Once they're being hosted you really start to see how they're damsels

 

[katsreef]

It'll tell you when it's unhappy. Until then I'd just enjoy the view! To your question though, clownfish are low key kinda dumb for a saltwater fish. Anything a little wavy and they will often shout "it's an anemone" from the rooftops. Other times, they'll decide to host a scoly or a powerhead or an overflow box, and there is NO stopping them unless you take them out and sump them for a prolonged period of time and even that doesn't always work. They will be hosted by more and more things over time usually which is cool but the downside is what the others have said. More territory they defend. Once they're being hosted you really start to see how they're damsels

Looks like I will be hoping it remains happy then haha. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Cthulukelele]

Looks like I will be hoping it remains happy then haha. Thanks for the insight!

And just to be clear even though it's a crap shoot, your best bets are wavy corals like euphyllia and hairy mushrooms or nems like long tentacles, bubble tips etc but don't hold your breath lol

 

[katsreef]

And just to be clear even though it's a crap shoot, your best bets are wavy corals like euphyllia and hairy mushrooms or nems like long tentacles, bubble tips etc but don't hold your breath lol

I have a torch and two hammers but looks like they prefer the trachy haha

 

[collins.jason.k]

My clown get hosted by a weed, waving hand anthelia.. I have it growing on a flat rock that I take out and trim down every so often before it spreads to the rest of my rock.

 

[bruce337]

my pair hosts a welso ..made a mess moving all the sand from around it too...so it is what it is...they evicted my watchman goby lol