Clown fish question

[nwayne567]

Alright well I have 2 clown fish, a true perc female, and a smaller ocellaris clownfish, during the day time they are best friends, they always hangout peacefully with no aggression.

But during the night time the female perc hosts a corner with low flow to sleep which is no big deal, but every time the ocellaris try's to sleep near here she always kicks him out to the point where he jumps to the back sump of my jbj nano tank.

I have some huge frogspawn/ torch/ hammer corals that I was thinking I can introduce physically to the smaller ocellaris clown fish to host... so the ocellaris can atleast get some sleep!

My question is... Should I try to make them both host my giant frogspawn at the same time or should I try to let the small ocellaris clownfish host it first? I know it's not an anemone... But I do know that clowns do host corals or anything at all.

I only have the 2 clown fish in my tank, and a pistol/ goby pair.

 

[Webslinger]

First off clowns don't host, They will find a host when they are ready. Mine were hosted by a powerhead for a year until they finally found the frogspawn. They don't go near my BTA's. They are currently being hosted by a duncan. I wouldn't force anything, you'll just stress the fish.

 

[BummersReef]

I really don't have an answer for you but ... I have the same two clowns! She sleeps in a low flow area too at night. But she lets him sleep. they are still young so probably not a he and she yet anyway.

my guess though on your issue, I would imagine if they hang out together during day anyway, if the little one hangs out in a coral she is gonna go there too ??
How long have you had the clowns?

 

[nwayne567]

First off clowns don't host, They will find a host when they are ready. Mine were hosted by a powerhead for a year until they finally found the frogspawn. They don't go near my BTA's. They are currently being hosted by a duncan. I wouldn't force anything, you'll just stress the fish.

Yea my brother was saying the same exact thing as you! So basically just don't force anything and let them do their thing! I just feel so bad for the baby, I only got "him" like 2 months ago when he was really small, I'll just let it ride out untill the smaller one gets bigger. Thanks

 

[nwayne567]

I really don't have an answer for you but ... I have the same two clowns! She sleeps in a low flow area too at night. But she lets him sleep. they are still young so probably not a he and she yet anyway.

my guess though on your issue, I would imagine if they hang out together during day anyway, if the little one hangs out in a coral she is gonna go there too ??
How long have you had the clowns?

I've had the bigger true perc for about 6 months, and the smaller ocellaris only about 1.5 months.. But I just feel so bad for the baby cause he can't get any sleep! But I think the best thing todo is not force anything and have patience untill the smaller one gets a little bigger

 

[DeniseAndy]

They can be shall we say ornery as they are establishing dominance. This is normal behavior. The larger is just saying I want this space. Eventually, the little one will find a good place to hang. Then the bigger will come push him out of that too. Then they should be fine. Funny little guys.
Any way you can keep the guy from ending in the back would be good. If not enclosed, he could end on the floor. Some people ope nthe jbj nanos, so not sure how yours is et or which you have.

 

[BummersReef]

I've had the bigger true perc for about 6 months, and the smaller ocellaris only about 1.5 months.. But I just feel so bad for the baby cause he can't get any sleep! But I think the best thing todo is not force anything and have patience untill the smaller one gets a little bigger

yup ... patience is what it is all about! they are cute little things aren't they? slightly considering setting up another tank for just clowns but I have read that can be iffy. Sure would like more than two though .... so cute!

 

[AwildcatsZ]

I have tried to control mother nature recently...and it didn't go as planned.

I have two clowns, Ocellaris Black Ice (male) and an Ocellaris Extreme DaVinci (female), in my 29 Gallon system. For a long time now they have been getting close with my bubble coral, a little too close if you ask me. The DaVinci clown would constantly chase the smaller male and which would bump into the bubble coral causing it to close.

Thats when I decided to take action. I added a Rose BTA with the hopes I could get the anemone to host the clowns via the technique of forcing them into close quarters. Instead of a pasta strainer, I got creative and used a hamster ball to cover the BTA and keep the smaller male clownfish near each other. I chose the male because the female tended to roam freely and frequently check back where the male tended to be (right next to the bubble coral).

I tried this for 3 days with zero luck, before releasing the clown back into the tank and removing the ball. A few weeks passed with no action in the BTA, when all of a sudden I came home to find the DaVinci clown rubbing, laying, and playing in the BTA.

My advice would be to just let nature take its course. You may be pleasantly surprised! Best of luck with the clowns!

 

[nwayne567]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I will definitely just let them do their thing, the bigger clown is forsure showing dominance and it will just take time for the little one to get bigger and find a good spot! I just get worried about the little one cause he's the newest member to the tank and I want him to feel welcomed haha, but I won't force anything and let them host where ever they want to sleep at!

 

[nwayne567]

They can be shall we say ornery as they are establishing dominance. This is normal behavior. The larger is just saying I want this space. Eventually, the little one will find a good place to hang. Then the bigger will come push him out of that too. Then they should be fine. Funny little guys.
Any way you can keep the guy from ending in the back would be good. If not enclosed, he could end on the floor. Some people ope nthe jbj nanos, so not sure how yours is et or which you have.

That's the thing, the jbj does have a hood on it, but there is a small like 1" gap any fish can fit through still to get in the back of the "sump"... that's the only part of the design I don't like about the jbj tanks is that their is a small gap that fish can somehow wiggle their way from the main display part of the tank to the back sump

 

[thedove27]

Ive got a true perc and a black and white paired laying eggs I had mine in the tank for 4 months and they did not host so I put them in a small container with the nem chased them with my finger everything they go near the nem remove your finger they soon put 2 and 2 together and relate to the nem as safe put back in tank wala done clowns don't give a **** my black and white bites my arm every time I clean the tank

 

[DeniseAndy]

That's the thing, the jbj does have a hood on it, but there is a small like 1" gap any fish can fit through still to get in the back of the "sump"... that's the only part of the design I don't like about the jbj tanks is that their is a small gap that fish can somehow wiggle their way from the main display part of the tank to the back sump

Maybe you can fill it with some egg crate or sponge or something temporarily. Not sure with the new cubes. I had one so long ago, I cannot remember the gap.