Will this kill clowns?

[Jaco2420]

I have two clownfish and I want them to host. I’ve had them for a year and I have one nem in the tank and one in this strainer. I’m just wondering if forcing the clown to be touching the nem will stress it out to the point where it does. I really love my clowns and I don’t want anything to happen to them. I put in the female but she looks terrified and was grasping for air so I put her back in the tank.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I think they kinda build up their own tolerance as the relationship develops. I wouldn’t force her in it. Some clowns never decide to pair with an anemone.

 

[Katrina71]

They'll be fine. You might see some dark spots from stings, but it's how they get acquainted. Let it happen naturally.

 

[homer1475]

You can try and force it, but clowns are weird. They may never take to the nem, ever.

 

[saltyfins]

print a picture of clowns in an anemone, and post it on the tank facing them. No joke, it works. fish aren't all that smart, but it worked twice for me ;Snaphappy

 

[homer1475]

print a picture of clowns in an anemone, and post it on the tank facing them. No joke, it works. fish aren't all that smart, but it worked twice for me ;Snaphappy

As silly as this sounds, I've had it work too.

 

[Jaco2420]

You think it will work even if they haven’t hosted for a whole year?

 

[AmaleeC]

You think it will work even if they haven’t hosted for a whole year?

Yup. Hosting in anemones is what they naturally do. Like everyone else said, don’t force it && let them get aquatinted with one another.

 

[Jaco2420]

I’m willing to try anything to do it while still keeping the clowns safe because I really want that relationship in my tank

 

[lpsouth1978]

I don't recommend trying to force a clown into an anemone. I have always had success by just letting it happen naturally. I have seen it happen immediately, and have had some take up to 2 years to decide to pair with a nem. I know that they do not always accept nems as hosts, but every clown I ever had did, eventually.

 

[tsouth]

You think it will work even if they haven’t hosted for a whole year?

Hey Jaco, I don't have personal experience with this, but I trust Melev's Reef and he used this fascinating technique where he used an acrylic tube which forced the newly purchased clownfish into a sebae anemone.

Check it out:

 

[lpsouth1978]

Hey Jaco, I don't have personal experience with this, but I trust Melev's Reef and he used this fascinating technique where he used an acrylic tube which forced the newly purchased clownfish into a sebae anemone.

Check it out:

I tried this ONCE! The poor clown got stuck to the nem and almost got eaten. She developed an infection from it and had be treated. I DO NOT suggest forcing clowns into nems!

 

[sfin52]

I would recommend a video on a loop with your type of clowns hosting your type of nem.

 

[lapin]

You can do all kinds of stuff. Some of it borders on the insane. See some of the above posts. If its going to happen it will. They dont call them clowns for nothing.
I would avoid pushing a relationship be it fish or people.

 

[TriggerFinger]

are captive bred clowns less likely to pair with an anemone?

 

[lapin]

yes
They will prob host the corner of the tank.

 

[TriggerFinger]

yes
They will prob host the corner of the tank.

That probably explains why my ORA lighting maroon hangs out in a basket full of frilly mushrooms. She doesn’t have an anemone though.

 

[lpsouth1978]

It is instinctual for clown to use something as a host. This may not be your anemone. As lapin said, it could be a corner of the tank, a powerhead, overflow box, or a coral (sometimes to the detriment of the coral).

 

[goggs29]

They don't always do what we want them to do............ pets have no sense of reasoning thay are animals

 

[tsouth]

I tried this ONCE! The poor clown got stuck to the nem and almost got eaten. She developed an infection from it and had be treated. I DO NOT suggest forcing clowns into nems!

Yikes! @Jaco2420 abort abort! Hope the clown recovered! @lpsouth1978