Clown won't host BTA.

1Clown · Oct 4, 2016

I have put my 2 clown fish in a breeding net along with the BTA, my larger clown hosted it. I took them out after 2 days and it hasn't gone back to the BTA since. I have also put pictures on 3 sides of the tank of clowns in a BTA to no avail.

Any other advice on how to get this done? Thanks.

Christopher Davis · Oct 4, 2016

I used/use a strainer and float it at the top of the tank with the anemone and clowns inside. But be careful you don't want to mess with the anemone to much to avoid unnecessary stress. Give it time, my da vinchi clowns refuse to host my bubble tip and instead love the hairy mushrooms! it drives me crazy but sometimes clowns can be to aggressive with the anemone and kill it. So sometimes its better to have them leave it alone unless its decent size. Another option is to just give it some time! good luck lets see some pictures!!!

Christopher Davis · Oct 4, 2016

Mines about 7 Months old now and is very happy without the clowns hosting inside of her!

njtiger aquariums · Oct 4, 2016

what type of clowns? I had two (now one) false clowns which never looked at my bubble tip. Both nem and clowns were in the tank for almost a year before I gave up on them nem hosting them. I picked up a tomato clown (which I heard take to nems easier/quicker) and the second I let him lose in the tank he went right into my nem. I now also have a rainbow nem and my tomato is hosted by both nems. If the clowns you have are tanked raised the likely hood of them going into a nem is low.

Now my tomato clown is cool but very aggressive to my other smaller fish.

Just a note the clowns don't host the nem its the other way around.

ash9965 · Oct 4, 2016

skunks and Clarkis usually go straight for the nems in my experience but its hit and miss with the nemos

happyhourhero · Oct 4, 2016

Mine wouldnt even look at the BTA for the first few months. I upgraded to a bigger tank and while the clowns were in a small holding tank with my acros and such, they found the nem. Now they stay close by to their home.

1Clown · Oct 4, 2016

My clowns are ocellaris/common clowns. This is stressing me out, I have in my mind a way I want everything to be and this is one of the primary things I wanted as a reef keeper.

helen ann · Oct 4, 2016

Hmmmmmm, sorry to hear but sometimes they do what they want to do.

I have 3 beautiful BTAs and none have ever hosted a clown.

happyhourhero · Oct 4, 2016

1Clown said:
My clowns are ocellaris/common clowns. This is stressing me out, I have in my mind a way I want everything to be and this is one of the primary things I wanted as a reef keeper.

Its been my experience that the only thing you can force in this hobby is things to quickly go south.

DeniseAndy · Oct 4, 2016

Sometimes it just takes time. Leave them be. It will eventually happen if they feel it is a good home.

themcnertney · Oct 4, 2016

Took four years until my BTA would host my clowns.
BTW the anemone is the host, not the clowns, yes?

cromag27 · Oct 4, 2016

Correct! clowns will never host anything.

Dan McNertney said:
Took four years until my BTA would host my clowns.
BTW the anemone is the host, not the clowns, yes?

den75 · Oct 4, 2016

Dan McNertney said:
Took four years until my BTA would host my clowns.
BTW the anemone is the host, not the clowns, yes?

Correct

themcnertney · Oct 4, 2016

njtiger aquariums said:
Just a note the clowns don't host the nem its the other way around.

It appears that @njtiger aquariums beat me too it.

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2016

1Clown said:
My clowns are ocellaris/common clowns. This is stressing me out, I have in my mind a way I want everything to be and this is one of the primary things I wanted as a reef keeper.

Ocellaris clowns are typically not hosted by BTA's in nature. The BTA's will host the ocellaris however the ocellaris naturally select magnificent and carpet anemones. That said, it isn't unusual for the 2 to match up in an aquarium but it is far from a given. It is unfortunate that the image of Nemo being hosted by a BTA is so prevalent in this hobby when it doesn't reflect what actually happens on a reef.

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2016

Just as more info...

Irsug1 · Oct 4, 2016

Took mine a year to host. I preach patience.

sil40sx · Oct 4, 2016

The ones I had hosted the fish same day.

Make sure the anemone is at least 3-4 times bigger than the clown fish.

1Clown · Oct 4, 2016

Right so I thought I'd try once more with this but for a little longer. The BTA is bigger than in the picture as I just moved it and there's also a second one which is hiding beneath the rock right now.

njtiger aquariums · Oct 4, 2016

Brew12 said:
Just as more info...

Great info there.

1Clown said:
My clowns are ocellaris/common clowns. This is stressing me out, I have in my mind a way I want everything to be and this is one of the primary things I wanted as a reef keeper.

I understand. That is one thing I wanted as well. Now I never tried to 'force' them to pair up but after a year and my clowns wouldn't go near my nem I decided to add the tomato (which was a winner) for me. Good luck with getting your nem to host your clowns.