odd clownfish behavior.

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by anb, Nov 10, 2012.

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  1. anb

    anb Coral Banded Shrimp

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    My mom's occy clowns have been biting the tentacles off of their anemone. I've known clowns to suck on tentacles as part of "acclimation" or so I've read. In the pictures, you can see several super short tentacles... nubs really. Idk why they're doing this, but mom doesn't want to lose the nem if they're hurting it.
     

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  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    They may be doing it in preparation to spawning .

    I do not believe it will harm the anemone long term but keep an eye on it and post again if you see a decline the anemone in the next day or two.
     
  4. anb

    anb Coral Banded Shrimp

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    I'd read that about preparing to spawn, but I was curious b/c I also read that the tentacles could be dying too... so I didn't know how trustworthy that information was. Individual tentacles don't die right, the whole nem does... they've been doing this for several days now.
     
  5. N00ZE

    N00ZE Eyelash Blennie

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    Is one of these a new introduction to the tank? Clownfish "introduce" themselves to a new anemone with tentative actions that might include biting, backing into contact with the tentacles, etc. IMO I think he just got excited and instead of sucking on it he got carried way. Lol
     
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    As long as the anemone is inflating and deflating regularly, maintaining it's color, oral opening is not gabbing and it remains attached I would not worry about it.

    I imagine as with all living things cells die and are replaced, perhaps the clowns are just assisting the anemone in maintaining a healthy individual.

    Following though for others contributions as I have never witnessed this first hand.
     
  7. anb

    anb Coral Banded Shrimp

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    The clowns were introduced at the same time before the anemone, but not long before... they ignored it initially (they were bouncing around on her acanthaphyllia (sp) before this) until about a month ago. I suppose they could still be acclimating? ... There are sooo many nubs though, they got carried away a lot. lol
     
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  9. anb

    anb Coral Banded Shrimp

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    As far as we can tell it's still healthy... time will tell