Best clownfish to have without a host

[check83]

My ocellaris pair never leave the top 2 inches along the very back edge of my tank (unless there is food in the water). I don't care to add an anemone, as if there is any guarantee they would choose it as their host. So the question is, what breed of clownfish are best without a host?

In my trips to fish stores, I recall seeing clarkiis spending a lot of time swimming through rocks, exploring the tank almost like a dwarf angel. Do other clowns share that behavior? Skunks will perch on rocks like clown gobies.

Clownfish are hardy and pretty fish but I just don't care for the behavior that mine exhibit. I also know that each fish is unique and there are no behavioral guarantees.

Thanks for reading,
Chris

 

[Caseyoidae]

Most occy's and maroon clowns take to nems eventually in my experience. Sometimes it can just take a month or two. They certainly aren't the most outgoing middle swimming species though. Instead of dumping in food for the clowns, feed the nem with a turkey baster. Clowns will come down for food and are more likely to realize what you put the anemone there for. if you do get one.

 

[check83]

I don't have an anemone and don't really want to add one. I had a gold stripe with a bubble tip in a tank years ago and really enjoyed the interaction but anemones take precautions that I don't care to deal with. My question is more about finding a breed that interacts with the aquascape when a natural host is not present.

 

[Caseyoidae]

Most clowns just kinda post up and that's that. The only interactions they really have are defending their territory unless you have a bunch of them.

 

[EmdeReef]

Clowns will find a spot they like and stick to it. If you provide an enticement for them to move they might but may not always work. It’s an instinctive behavior, not species specific.
I’ve had clowns “host” wavemakers, overflows and most recently a lavender mushroom. If you search this forum you’ll find all sorts of crazy stories about clowns.

You could also try throwing in some artificial decorations to see if they might move and as mentioned above can try feeding around.

 

[Sorcha2]

Mine actually stays pretty near the bottom on the right side of my aquarium becuase that's where her favorite cave is and her royal gamma friend. The two of them hang out together most of the day and if she gets scared she'll hide in his burrow.

 

[check83]

When looking at the different breeds of clowns, they have pretty clear differences in body shape. Does that equate at all towards their behavior? Is a tomato clown going to act more like an ocellaris, or would it act more like a domino damsel, close relative with a similar shape? Damsels will accept host anemones also, but I have not seen a damsel bond with the aquarium trim like my clowns have. All clownfish will find a 'spot' and stick close, but I know that clarkiis are observed in the wild to spend more time away from their host. Does that mean a clarkii will spend more time exploring an aquarium?

 

[EmdeReef]

When looking at the different breeds of clowns, they have pretty clear differences in body shape. Does that equate at all towards their behavior? Is a tomato clown going to act more like an ocellaris, or would it act more like a domino damsel, close relative with a similar shape? Damsels will accept host anemones also, but I have not seen a damsel bond with the aquarium trim like my clowns have. All clownfish will find a 'spot' and stick close, but I know that clarkiis are observed in the wild to spend more time away from their host. Does that mean a clarkii will spend more time exploring an aquarium?

How big is your tank and what other fish do you have? If you are looking for a curious, inquisitive fish I would look elsewhere. Adding another kind of clown to your two would likely cause aggression. Maybe if you have a single clown it might end up being somewhat inquisitive but even then I'd say it would eventually settle.

 

[check83]

My tank is a 50g shallow reef tank. 48"x20" footprint.

current stocking is:
4" marine betta
3" yellow eye kole tang
3" mellanarus wrasse
3 1/2" sailfin tang (relocating soon)
(3x) 3/4" yellow tail damsels
(6) turbo snails
purple urchin

Since starting the thread, I have negotiated a trade to move the clownfish on to a fellow local club member.

My tank is semi aggressive and I am leaning towards trying a pair of tomatoes or clarkiis in the future. My tank is stocked with hardy, easy to keep fish and outside of the tangs, these fish are bulletproof. I have had firefish, flasher and fairy wrasses, cardinals, gobies, chromis, blennies, dragonettes, flame angel and I don't really find any of those to meet my long term stocking goals. I have considered a snowflake eel, fuzzy dwarf lion, valentini puffer and other aggressive fish like those but they could be picky eaters so I don't know that they fit my criteria. I got rid of the flame angel because it nips at sps, so that takes all dwarf angels off my list.