How can I get my clown hosting?

[Sharkbait19]

Hi,
I purchased this pulsing Xenia with the hopes my clown would take a liking to it. How can I get him to start hosting in it?

 

[Hugh Mann]

Are xenias the natural host to your clownfish species? If so, it should just be a matter of time. If not, it may take weeks or months, or never as I understand it.

I have heard tales of taping up pictures of clownfish in anenomes, playing videos of the same. Cannot confirm this actually works though. Have also heard of a method involving putting the clown in a clear tube with the end just above the anenome, so it is forced to swim down into it.

 

[Pistondog]

Hi,
I purchased this pulsing Xenia with the hopes my clown would take a liking to it. How can I get him to start hosting in it?

We've a pair that are hosted by a zoa garden.'
Never seen such happy, frilly polyps

 

[Reefer1978]

I am not sure about xenia, but back in the day I got a new RBTA and my clowns refused to host it. I printed out a colored picture of clowns in a nem and taped it to the tank. Worked like a charm after a few weeks.

 

[Kryptonian]

Clear tube over the clown and xenia so that's the only place to go. Put them both in a small quarantine together. Herd them into the Xenia. Really anything to get them really close together. Even these options aren't guaranteed. I've done all of these with clowns and nems and still have a 0% success rate. Haven't heard of hosting xenia before though.

I think taping a picture of clowns in a nem to the glass is hilarious! I'm taping a picture up today for sure!

 

[Pistondog]

I am not sure about xenia, but back in the day I got a new RBTA and my clowns refused to host it. I printed out a colored picture of clowns in a nem and taped it to the tank. Worked like a charm after a few weeks.

Was it the picture or the few weeks that did it?
We think a clownfish knows what he looks like, recognizes his image with the picture and gets the idea?
Trying to understand the fish's thought process.

 

[Reefer1978]

Was it the picture or the few weeks that did it?
We think a clownfish knows what he looks like, recognizes his image with the picture and gets the idea?
Trying to understand the fish's thought process.

Clownfish sees other clowns hosting an anemone and does the same, pretty basic training, if you will. He was in the tank with the anemone for a few months prior with no luck of hosting what so ever, so I just assumed the picture worked.

 

[DaneGer21]

My two now live on my huge chalice after a tank upgrade haha.

I have helped a friend and here’s what I did. We waited until lights out, and the sun was down so the whole room could stay dark. His clowns would lay in a front corner down on the sand bed. We were able to GENTLY and SLOWLY push/coax them into his nem, literally by hand. After that, they never left. Sounds unbelievable, but that’s all we had to do.

 

[Kryptonian]

Was it the picture or the few weeks that did it?
We think a clownfish knows what he looks like, recognizes his image with the picture and gets the idea?
Trying to understand the fish's thought process.

I think fish definitely recognize themselves. Many fish only have aggression toward their counterparts. I mean, fish breed with their own kind, gotta be some kind of recognition going on lol.

I added a second regal yesterday and from across the tank, the first and smaller regal was like, "Oh ****."

 

[Reefer1978]

I think fish definitely recognize themselves. Many fish only have aggression toward their counterparts. I mean, fish breed with their own kind, gotta be some kind of recognition going on lol.

Ohh fish for sure recognize other fish, and they recognize humans also. I used to keep Discus, had a 150g tank with a dozen Discus I grew from 2"-3" babies. They knew when I was in front of the tank, they let me pet them, the knew I would feed them and all came over. If my wife came over, they moved away. Two people of same identical height just looked different and they knew the difference.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Was it the picture or the few weeks that did it?
We think a clownfish knows what he looks like, recognizes his image with the picture and gets the idea?
Trying to understand the fish's thought process.

They can definitely recognize their same species. My clown and marine betta try to fight their reflections all the time, and can even tell the difference between humans. I think fish are smarter than most give them credit for.

I think what's going on in their brain is more or less "monkey see, monkey do"

 

[Kryptonian]

Alright, I've got 4 HD color photos of clownfish hosting anemones taped to my tank. I've tried everything so far with no luck. Have a pair of clowns in there and three nems to choose from lol. I'll update if this is successful.

 

[One Reefing Boi]

Alright, I've got 4 HD color photos of clownfish hosting anemones taped to my tank. I've tried everything so far with no luck. Have a pair of clowns in there and three nems to choose from lol. I'll update if this is successful.

any luck??

 

[Difrano]

Xenia are not natural host for clowns, will they move in one day? Maybe, clowns are crazy fish they just do what they want. Maybe they will never be in your Xenia but they would love to be hosted in a GHA patch. I had clowns be hosted anywhere, once I neglected my old biocube so bad with cyano that my clowns started hosting on it.....

 

[Kryptonian]

any luck??

Not yet. They said it could take a couple of weeks. I'm gonna let the pics sit for three weeks and if no hosting, give up..

 

[piranhaman00]

Ohh fish for sure recognize other fish, and they recognize humans also. I used to keep Discus, had a 150g tank with a dozen Discus I grew from 2"-3" babies. They knew when I was in front of the tank, they let me pet them, the knew I would feed them and all came over. If my wife came over, they moved away. Two people of same identical height just looked different and they knew the difference.

Wow so weird I was just contemplating the fish recognizing people. When I get home, I go right up to my tank, nose basically touching glass to look close at everything and all fish are fine. My parents were at my house last weekend and when they approach tank the fish fled to hiding. I pinned it on there being three v one person viewing but I am wondering if they know what I look like, similar to dog/cat.

Sorry way off topic.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Wow so weird I was just contemplating the fish recognizing people. When I get home, I go right up to my tank, nose basically touching glass to look close at everything and all fish are fine. My parents were at my house last weekend and when they approach tank the fish fled to hiding. I pinned it on there being three v one person viewing but I am wondering if they know what I look like, similar to dog/cat.

Sorry way off topic.

I think that’s a possibility. My cichlids always come to the glass and follow me around the room but flee at others. Same with goldfish, bettas, and puffers. Clowns and damsels are also quite intelligent fish, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d recognize people too.