How to get clownfish to host anemone??

Hey, this is my first time on here... and i need some desperate help!!

about 3 days ago i bought a Green BTA that is looking GREAT. I bought it for my 2 ocellaris clowns (which are about 1" big) thinking that they would host it. Problem is, the BTA decided to stay on a rock, on the other end of the tank, that right under it, just so happens to be my bullet goby's home, and i think he is attacking the anemone. Plus, he doesn't let one of my clown fish get close at all. (the other clown isn't showing any interest, he has been in the tank the longest, and already has a home, i bought the other one the same time as the BTA, and he shows some interest)

I have tried taping pictures up, and that doesnt seem to work, i dont think they can even see it cause the glass shows the reflection from inside the tank.

I tried splitting up the tank, and the clowns got out.

I want to move the anemone to where the clownfish sleep, but they seem to "host" the power head, and i dont want anything to hurt the anemone, and i dont want to rip it off the rock.

I have run out of ideas, any tips??? How can i get them to host??

Thanks

 

Welcome to 3Reef!! 3 days isn't exactly a long time. Are your clowns wild-caught or aquacultured. Sometimes it takes longer for tank-bred clowns to go to anemones. Sometimes they never do.

 

It's the other way around. Anemone's host clownfish.

Having said that there isnt a sure fire way to ensure that a clown will take to anemone. They might, they might not. Probably my best recommendation is to give it time & let nature take its course. The more you try to force them together the more stress you will place on the fish. They will be more hide & escape oriented than settling down in your tank (and hopefully with your anemone).

Go slow & give them some time. This will also allow your nem time to find the tank & get a comfortable position itself.

 

Welcome to 3reef.

As previously mentioned it might take awhile I would at least it give a couple weeks for them try to figure it out for them selves. I would not move the anemone.

Good luck.

 

I left up pictures for 5 months... nothing. I even held my phone up to the tank with YouTube videos of clowns in BTAs... they reacted as if being defensive but never thought of the anemone. Ultimately it took one of them going sump surfing to its death and purchasing one that already was hosted by an anemone before I had a hosting relationship in the tank. Several weeks later, the resident fish seems to be understanding that's what clowns are supposed to do... just my experience.

 

You could always rearrange your tank, they will find it. Thats what I did and it took a day.

 

This won't help you at all but, when you buy a anemone and a clown if you take a 5 gallon bucket and put the two in there to do your drip acclimation it will help. You can also put a powerhead and heater in there to leave them overnight. Its a sure fire way of getting them to at least see each other.

 

First welcome to 3reef!! Second the clowns don't host. Its the anemone that hosts the clown. There really is not any way to tell what a clownfish will choose as its host. The picture trick is the only thing I have seen that even comes close to a solution but even that is not a sure thing and may not help at all. Since clowns usually use anemones for protection maybe try a picture of a grouper or other predator to entice them into it. I wouldn't try to move the anemone unless you can move the rock as well. It just isn't worth risking the loss of it.
Sorry for repeating some of the info already given. Took a while for me to finish my response!!

 

The only problem I see using this method is the anemone will probably try to attach itself to the bucket forcing you to pull it back off.

 

thanks a bunch!

ummm... yeah, my clowns are store bought and were breed in captivity. What should i do with the goby? his home is right under the anemone's rock, and he's not letting the one clown that seems to have an interest in the anemone, and i have seen him nip at it before. (i filled the hole up, but he keep re-digging it)

i guess i'll leave it alone and let nature takes its course.... the only reason i really want the anemone to host (< sorry, didnt know it was the other way around) is because last time i bought a BTA, my clownfish did not even get close to it, and it died very fast (in fact, he only showed interest the final hours of that anemone's life). i talked to the guy at the store and everything in my tank was perfect, he just said that when anemone's host clownfish they have a higher chance of surviving, and i plan on giving this anemone the best care possible.


Thanks so much!!