Female Clarkii trying to adopt a Flower Anemone as a host

[Bounce]

I have a 7-8" Flower Anemone (Epicystis crucifer) in the aquarium that houses my pair of Clarkii clowns. Just today I noticed my 4" female Clarkii trying to 'nest' in the anemone, and the male has been checking it out as well. I'm worried that if either of them tries too hard that the anemone may injure/kill/eat one of them as I've never heard of a Flower Anemone hosting any clownfish species. I currently have a pair of clowns in each of my SW tanks, so I can't move the fish and am wondering if I should just get rid of the anemone.

If anyone has any insight, experience or suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.

 

[rmlevasseur]

I'm not sure what anyone can tell you other than what you probably already know. This is not considered a hosting nem, and it can eat fish and small inverts. Nevertheless, those Clarkii's are pretty adept at adaptation (is that redunandant, lol). My guess is that they will be just fine.

 

[BigAl07]

.....My guess is that they will be just fine.

Or be "just food"

 

[Clownfish518]

hadons carpets have been known to eat clowns even though they are hosts

The clowns go quite willingly - they have no fear of the host. I had a friend who almost dived into his tank to prevent his grad a picassos from being eaten by the carpet. clowns dont have sense if the anemone turns

 

[Bounce]

Thanks for the advice and info. I have repositioned the (really nice) rock that the anemone is on hoping it will move to a smaller one or somewhere else that would make it easier to remove it since there's no way he's letting go! After moving the rock around, the Clarkiis don't seem to be interested in the anemone any more, so I'm hoping to get it out before anything might happen.

 

[Dweezil]

Good Call Bounce....Save the Clowns! Things with a face are much cuter than the ones with no face.

 

[Bounce]

Good Call Bounce....Save the Clowns! Things with a face are much cuter than the ones with no face.

lol Agreed. Any one of my clowns always ends up trumping whatever it is bothering them.