entacmaea quadricolor (bubble tip) question?

[jcurrey90]

I am about to get a pair of clown fish and a host anemone for the tank and my girlfriend likes the "cute little black ones" i think they are amphiprion ocellaris I was wondering what kind of anemone i could get as a host? would a bubble tip host one of these clowns?

thanks,

 

[cbrownfish]

I would not add an natural clown host to a tank that is less than 6-12 months old (mature) or under lighting shy of halides or t5's w/individual reflectors.

 

[Clownfish518]

I would not add an natural clown host to a tank that is less than 6-12 months old (mature) or under lighting shy of halides or t5's w/individual reflectors.

I agree, and would add that the BTA is the anemone to start with. Clown anemones are "advanced care" species, and the easiest one is the BTA. Occs will probably host in it, but really is the only one I would recommend

Clowns will be just as happy without one

 

[MikeinToronto]

I am about to get a pair of clown fish and a host anemone for the tank and my girlfriend likes the "cute little black ones" i think they are Amphiprion ocellaris I was wondering what kind of anemone i could get as a host? would a bubble tip host one of these clowns?

thanks,

To your original question, Ritteri (Magnificent), giant carpet, and Merten's carpet are natural hosts to that species. Unfortunately, all three are considered "difficult", and difficult when referring to anemones means DIFFICULT. All host anemones may be accepted by an ocellaris clown so if you are picking one, a BTA is just as fine as any other. Mine used a hammer coral even with anemones present. A LFS back when I started in the hobby had a pair of clowns living in a large clam. I thought it was the strangest looking anemone at the time. It's a matter of preference for the fish.

Kudos for using the term "host" correctly.