Why does my clown do this???

dragonladylea · 04-14-2007, 04:07 PM

My Maroon clown for some reason has just about beat to death any BTA I have ever gotten it. It finally seem happy with the LTA but the Clown will bite the tentacles right off the anemones, has anyone else ever seen this???

Snelly40 · 04-14-2007, 04:17 PM

tagging along

lcstorc · 04-18-2007, 05:17 PM

I've never seen mine attack an anemone but he certainly will attack other fish. Particularly new fish.

reefman617 · 04-22-2007, 10:40 AM

my anemone is 2-3 inches and my clown is like 3-3.5 and he just sits on it, but the tenticales go in his mouth but he spits them out

reefman617 · 04-22-2007, 10:40 AM

my anemone is 2-3 inches and my clown is like 3-3.5 and he just sits on it, but the tentcales go in his mouth but he spits them out

lcstorc · 04-22-2007, 10:47 AM

Welcome to RS! Glad you could join us.
I've never seen a clown do that so unfortunately I am no help on this one just wanted to say hello and welcome.

sincityreefer · 04-25-2007, 12:55 PM

mine seems to take tenticales into his mouth but i woudnt say he bite's em... More like a gental suck and blow.

My clown does tend to beat him down pretty good when he closes up a bit. He always wants inside.

I dont know with a clown+ane of your size, mine is the other way, my clown is around 3" but my anemone is almost 1' accross. Hes nearing basketball size when fully expanded. So that little clownfish cant even phase him on a good day.

meandean45 · 04-28-2007, 10:36 AM

Hi!
How big is your' "Clown"? How big are the Anemones that you get? IMPE, the Anemone should be a LOT larger than the Clown in order to survive the "Beating" that the Clown will give it (not really a beating, the Clown is trying to clean/flull-up the Anemone). Maroons being large tend to do more damage than smaller Clowns. Try buying a Large Anemone (20" &) if you need to replace it again.
Good luck!
Regards,
Dean

dragonladylea · 04-28-2007, 04:21 PM

The clown in question is about 3" and the anemones are much larger than the clown, the LTA we just got was approx dinner plate size. Also the clown doesnt just put the tenticles in its mouth and blow them out, it spits out the tenticles and they are not attached to the anemone but floating around the tank. It doesnt seem to do any harm to the Hairy mushroom colony it also hosts in so I am at a loss.

Elmo18 · 04-28-2007, 06:01 PM

Hi all. I thought I would chime in.

There are several species of clownfishes that are notorious for being rough on their rather beautiful natural hosts--or anemones.

A couple that come to mind are A. polymnus, or the Saddleback Clowns and P. premnas, or the WSM/GSM clowns. The saddleback clowns are known for 'mouth diving' right into the anemone, and poking its head out of it. After constantly doing this over and over, the anemone is beaten up from the inside. It is very hard for an anemone, which is made mostly of water. The other observation is from maroon clowns, by both variants, the White Stripe and the Gold-Stripe. They are known to suck/suckle tentacles into their mouth, and usually just spit them out. I am not sure why they do this for the moment, but think that it may be an acclimation type of thing...especially if it is the first anemone the clownfish has been in for some time.

With that said, it is a great idea and best, for the hobbyist to purchase or acquire an anemone that is at least 3 times the size of the clownfish. The bigger the anemone as compared to the clownfish, the better chance the anemone has from physical abuse from the fish it is hosting. I have to say that you are doing a great job by getting a bubble-tip anemone for your maroon, as that specific anemone is the natural host for your clownfish in the wild. However, getting one either smaller or even slightly larger than your fish may/will result in doom for the anemone.

So one option I would go about is to return the small anemone for credit at your LFS....or possibly do a trade...and when a larger bta/rbta comes along, acquire that one instead. This is best for both the host anemone, and also for your wallet

Best,
Ilham

Frankie · 04-28-2007, 07:05 PM

Hi Ilham!
Great info there. I had a pair of maroon clowns when i first got into reef keeping. They use to do the same thing to my rbta as yours are doing to your anemone.
I found out why mine were doing it. They were trying to relocate it. In the wild if a clown doesn't like the location it will just "move out" to another anemone in a more ideal place. But in our aquariums they don't have that option so they try to move it. All the clowns Elmo mentioned up top have large teeth just as my current akindynos clowns do. I think that is why our clowns appear to be biting off the tentacles. There not trying to hurt it there trying to move it.
I would also do as Elmo recommended and find a bigger anemone.

Boomer · 04-28-2007, 07:05 PM

Nice post Elmos

Elmo18 · 04-29-2007, 06:06 PM

Hi Frankie!!! Your 120 is looking great!

Thanks Boomer. Now if only that rare species....comes along..

Best,
Ilham

04-14-2007, 04:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
dragonladylea Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 172 View Gallery Karma Komment	Why does my clown do this??? My Maroon clown for some reason has just about beat to death any BTA I have ever gotten it. It finally seem happy with the LTA but the Clown will bite the tentacles right off the anemones, has anyone else ever seen this??? __________________ Dragonladylea When I have learned everything bury me! 55 reef - 5 nano Flame Angel, GSM Clown, Orange spot goby, Green Mandarin, Double-shot Pistol Shrimp and asst SPS, LPS, Clams, Softies and Inverts.

04-14-2007, 04:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,954 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? tagging along __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society*

04-18-2007, 05:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,866 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Why does my clown do this??? I've never seen mine attack an anemone but he certainly will attack other fish. Particularly new fish. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

04-22-2007, 10:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
reefman617 Tunicate Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? my anemone is 2-3 inches and my clown is like 3-3.5 and he just sits on it, but the tenticales go in his mouth but he spits them out

04-22-2007, 10:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
reefman617 Tunicate Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? my anemone is 2-3 inches and my clown is like 3-3.5 and he just sits on it, but the tentcales go in his mouth but he spits them out

04-22-2007, 10:47 AM	#6 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,866 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Welcome to RS! Glad you could join us. I've never seen a clown do that so unfortunately I am no help on this one just wanted to say hello and welcome. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

04-25-2007, 12:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
sincityreefer Midas Blenny Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 110 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? mine seems to take tenticales into his mouth but i woudnt say he bite's em... More like a gental suck and blow. My clown does tend to beat him down pretty good when he closes up a bit. He always wants inside. I dont know with a clown+ane of your size, mine is the other way, my clown is around 3" but my anemone is almost 1' accross. Hes nearing basketball size when fully expanded. So that little clownfish cant even phase him on a good day. __________________ Come check us out! http://www.sincityreef.com

04-28-2007, 10:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
meandean45 Ricordea Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bradford, Vt., USA Posts: 177 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Hi! How big is your' "Clown"? How big are the Anemones that you get? IMPE, the Anemone should be a LOT larger than the Clown in order to survive the "Beating" that the Clown will give it (not really a beating, the Clown is trying to clean/flull-up the Anemone). Maroons being large tend to do more damage than smaller Clowns. Try buying a Large Anemone (20" &) if you need to replace it again. Good luck! Regards, Dean __________________ Meandean45 -RELATIVITY: "Sit on a red hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit next to a pretty Girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's Relativity". A.Einstein : "A man's got to know his limitations."- Clint Eastwood in "Magnum Force"

04-28-2007, 04:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
dragonladylea Star Polyps Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 172 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? The clown in question is about 3" and the anemones are much larger than the clown, the LTA we just got was approx dinner plate size. Also the clown doesnt just put the tenticles in its mouth and blow them out, it spits out the tenticles and they are not attached to the anemone but floating around the tank. It doesnt seem to do any harm to the Hairy mushroom colony it also hosts in so I am at a loss. __________________ Dragonladylea When I have learned everything bury me! 55 reef - 5 nano Flame Angel, GSM Clown, Orange spot goby, Green Mandarin, Double-shot Pistol Shrimp and asst SPS, LPS, Clams, Softies and Inverts.

04-28-2007, 06:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
Elmo18 Midas Blenny Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 92 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Hi all. I thought I would chime in. There are several species of clownfishes that are notorious for being rough on their rather beautiful natural hosts--or anemones. A couple that come to mind are A. polymnus, or the Saddleback Clowns and P. premnas, or the WSM/GSM clowns. The saddleback clowns are known for 'mouth diving' right into the anemone, and poking its head out of it. After constantly doing this over and over, the anemone is beaten up from the inside. It is very hard for an anemone, which is made mostly of water. The other observation is from maroon clowns, by both variants, the White Stripe and the Gold-Stripe. They are known to suck/suckle tentacles into their mouth, and usually just spit them out. I am not sure why they do this for the moment, but think that it may be an acclimation type of thing...especially if it is the first anemone the clownfish has been in for some time. With that said, it is a great idea and best, for the hobbyist to purchase or acquire an anemone that is at least 3 times the size of the clownfish. The bigger the anemone as compared to the clownfish, the better chance the anemone has from physical abuse from the fish it is hosting. I have to say that you are doing a great job by getting a bubble-tip anemone for your maroon, as that specific anemone is the natural host for your clownfish in the wild. However, getting one either smaller or even slightly larger than your fish may/will result in doom for the anemone. So one option I would go about is to return the small anemone for credit at your LFS....or possibly do a trade...and when a larger bta/rbta comes along, acquire that one instead. This is best for both the host anemone, and also for your wallet Best, Ilham

04-28-2007, 07:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 8,535 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Hi Ilham! Great info there. I had a pair of maroon clowns when i first got into reef keeping. They use to do the same thing to my rbta as yours are doing to your anemone. I found out why mine were doing it. They were trying to relocate it. In the wild if a clown doesn't like the location it will just "move out" to another anemone in a more ideal place. But in our aquariums they don't have that option so they try to move it. All the clowns Elmo mentioned up top have large teeth just as my current akindynos clowns do. I think that is why our clowns appear to be biting off the tentacles. There not trying to hurt it there trying to move it. I would also do as Elmo recommended and find a bigger anemone. __________________ If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

04-28-2007, 07:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Boomer Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Wizard Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 2,200 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Nice post Elmos __________________ Boomer Want to Talk Chemistry ! The Reef Chemistry Forum Want to See More ! The Coral Realm If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

04-29-2007, 06:06 PM	#13 (permalink)
Elmo18 Midas Blenny Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 92 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Why does my clown do this??? Hi Frankie!!! Your 120 is looking great! Thanks Boomer. Now if only that rare species....comes along.. Best, Ilham __________________ Just clownfishes...

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