Percs won't go near Carpet Anemone?

[jpywell]

How do I get my percs o use the anemone? They were purchased togather and introduced to the tank togather. The clowns spend most of the time swimming near the surface. Is there anything I can do, the carpet is about 8" across at least.

[griss]

Jpywell,

I have the same problem with my false perculas. They have a nice blue carpet anemone and they will not go near it. They prefer to host is a Montipora Capricornis and a Staghorn Acropora:rolleyes:

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that captive grown clowns are less likely to host in an anemone that wild caught.

I also read on the board here that some people have had success getting the clowns to host in the anemone by taping a picture (facing into the tank) of a clown in an anemone on the tank glass. For the record, this did not work for me.

Griss

[brideauj]

It took my ocellaris clow a little over a week to find my Haddoni. He has never left for more than a few seconds since. I added another small ocellaris recently and after whitnessing a fasenating dance ritual between the two clowns, the smaller has also taken to the anemone.

http://www.myghia.com/fishstuff/images/bigcna.jpg

Cheers

[captexas]

I originally had one true perc when I added my bubble tip anemone. The clown stayed at the surface of the tank or at the very bottom in a corner until about a week later he finally figured it out. After that he wouldn't swim more than a few inches from it. I added a second perc a few weeks later and after the two picked at each other and established their order, they both took refuge in the anemone.

I'm not sure how long you have had them, but you might want to give them a little more time or try a different type of anemone.

Good luck :)

[Chin_monster]

Some fish are just weird. It might be worth noting that since most clowns (a lot anyway) have been captive bred for several generations they might have "forgot" what to do with one and may not have even seen one in many generations of parentage. Sooner or later they'll most likely figure something out, whether or not it's the anemone they choose to host . . . .

Mine host in everything but the anemones. Toadstools, finger leathers, cynarias. You name it they've lived in it, at least twice. I should mention that there are three BTA/ rose in their tank.

[jtown]

is it hard to keep a carpet anemone? I love it when clowns host in those things. What size tank would you rec. for a carpet?

[Russ]

I have the same problem as Griss. I have two false percs that refuse to find a host. I tried the "taping a picture to the tank" thing, but it didn't work... At first they were scared of the picture, but pretty soon they just started hanging out IN FRONT of the picture instead of learning to host FROM the picture. They won't go near my hammer or frogspawn corals. Maybe I'll try to get a BTA and see if they'll go for it. Has something to do with the way the host smells to the clowns, I think. My percs were tank raised, and they're still adolescents... so I don't know if there is no hope b/c they're tank-raise... or some hope b/c they're still young?

[jtown]

my smaller clown is really attracted to my candy cane coral. it's weird. sometimes he just hangs out in between two branches and sits there.