Anemone and Saddleback Clown fish advice

[Bone12]

I have added two Australian Saddleback Clown fish to my reef system. I have had a Rose Bubble Tip anemone in the system and it does not host any clown fish. There are no other clown fish in the system. The Saddlebacks have had contact with the Rose Tip but every time the fish touch it the anemone shrinks up. The fish then scrape the sand but hang around the anemone.

The anemone has moved several times in the last few days but has attached to the underside of a live rock overhang.

Is the anemone trying to settle in? Will it eventually host the fish? It seems most problems are getting the fish to go to the anemone but my case is different with the anemone avoiding the fish. Should I try to move the anemone to the top of the live rock in a better position?

Any discussion or suggestions is appreciated as well as any past experience of reefers.

 

[Ryan2428]

To be honest I would let your anemome do his thing he will probably move again if you move him. They will get to know each other wants the nem is ready IMO

 

[Bone12]

Thanks Ryan2428. I am not worried about moving the anemone for it is in a good spot but I am wondering if it is usual behavior for the anemone to shy away. The fish seem to definitely want it. I have seen most posts where reefers put the two together so the fish recognize the anemone. My case is the opposite so I wondered if anyone else had similar experiences.

 

[Tahoe61]

If the clowns are going any where near the anemone that is an excellent sign. It takes a clown some time to build up the protective coating, they need some exposure to the anemone if they have not resided in an anemone previously or it's a different type of anemone then they are used to. The mucous coating allows the fish to swim within the anemone tentacles, the anemone no longer recognizes the fish as a food source and therefore does not release nematocysts.

No intervention seems warranted at this time.

 

[fishroomlady]

sometimes the relationship does take time so I'd leave the anemone be and hopefully, it will eventually accept the clowns. It's probably still acclimating to your tank so it's not ready to be "played with" lol for lack of a better word. Once it's settled in, I would think it will host.

 

[Tahoe61]

It's actully not up to the anemone at all. There is no brain, only a simple central nervous system. The clowns chooses to reside, the anemone only reacts to their presence. The anemone withdraws because it's has just stung the fish (involuntary response) the stung fish rubs in the sand in response to the sting. The sting begins the process of building up the protective coating. Next time the fish will go closer and closer until the anemone no longer senses the fishes presence, once that happens the anemone will become the host whether it likes or not, and sometimes that results in the demise of the anemone.

 

[Bone12]

Tahoe61 that makes sense and what I will watch for. I could not find anything written that the anemone would shy away from a particular clown fish. I also questioned if the anemone was not secure where it is and reacted to that. The fish did flinch the first few contacts with the anemone but now butts it without that flinch. The next few days should be interesting and if the anemone moves again that may mean something as well.

 

[Bone12]

Update for today....the clownfish constantly watches the anemone but as seen in the photo the anemone is not interested. The waiting continues.

 

[Bone12]

Update for today....the clownfish constantly watches the anemone but as seen in the photo the anemone is not interested. The waiting continues. Photo is up side down and I don't know why.