What corral should my percs accept as a host.

[max628]

Would like a host for my Perculas but I feel Anemones are not for me right now. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[adidaswood]

i have actually seen a percula using a colt coral as a host
also i read in a book that they may take to a frogspawn or an elegance...good luck

[chet-tonja]

I think they will take to about anything. Mine have taken to my star polyps and that is pretty cool. They will sit and wait for them to open up in the morning. They will just jump right in there and you can only see there little head peeking out. I have seen them take to a plate coral and ricordia too for a couple of ideas for you. Ricordias don't have long tentacles to hide in though.

[jadavis01]

My pair originally were hosted by a large feather duster in the tank I got them from. In my tank they are hosted by a toadstool leather.

http://homepages.about.com/jadavis01//sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/front011501.jpg

[Seasnake]

My percs took to a hairy mushroom. They had originally just adopted a corner of the tank but when I put the mushroom nearby they went right to it. It's great to watch them in/on it, they seem so content. Also, I don't know if there's any connection, but they started spawning soon after.

[Endoplasmic]

jadavis01: I was just wonder on the right sid eof your pic there is something light blue... what is that?? It's beautiful :)

[Westfork]

My false percs adopted an elegance coral within two weeks of putting them in the tank. Only problem is they are vicious in defending that elegance against anything in its proximity - including my fingers.
Lloyd
http://i12.yimg.com/12/783ff566/h/45c3e0d1/Elegance+12-10-00.JPG

[capman]

My percula pair lives in a patch of long-polyped Xenia (Xenia elongata???).

[fitzyu]

Just curious Max..why do you not want anenome right now?
They are very neat if you get a ritari.....coooooool.
And..the percs and them, in my opinion, together they
make an incredible marvel of science team.....
?????
Originally posted by max628
Would like a host for my Perculas but I feel Anemones are not for me right now. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[max628]

Well my tank has only been up and running about 6 months and it is my first SW. I hear about how they die all the time and I just think I need more experience before If ever I try one. I have a hard enough time keeping fish alive. Oh believe me I want one bad, but Im going to wait. Thanks for all the replies. I really want something that looks like a Anemone. I saw a yellow tip torch corral that looks similar. I need to upgrade my lighting first anyway.

[joeyz]

My percula has been hanging around my toadstool for a month or so now. He hasn't actually gone in it but he rubs up against it and snuggles up with the side of it.
I guess he is "warming up to it." :)

[jadavis01]

Hi Endoplasmic, the light blue thing in the right of my picture is a blue encrusting sponge (Halichondria madaepora). I like it too. It is growing quite fast and a piece that broke off a month ago is now 3 times as big growing on some rubble at the bottom of the tank.

[capman]

Where did you get this blue sponge? Sounds great. I particularly like the fact that it grows so well for you...I'm always on the lookout for sponges that grow well in reef systems, and if they are colorful, all the better. I'd love to get this going in my tanks.

Bill

[Endoplasmic]

Thanks!!

Yeah it is beautiful! My LFS doesn't sell sponges quite like that! I got some very neon orange ones on my rock that had the mushrooms on it... but they aren't growing at a mad rate or anything :(

I guess I'll keep my eyes peeled :)

[jadavis01]

It's from a LFS here in San Mateo Calif. called Ultimate Aquarium. He gets them somewhat frequently. In fact, I was in yesterday and he had one blue encrusting one and one blue finger/tree like one. They had quite a bit of dieoff though and I don't think they'll make it. I suspect they were exposed to air.

[Wolverine]

A lot of people feel that what the coral is is not so important as WHERE it is in the tank, especially if the fish are already established. While I have seen percs take to all of the corals already mentioned, I've also seen them ignore each one of those. I've also seen where a fish will completely ignore something like a frogspawn, but then it will get moved to a spot the fish likes, and, suddenly, he'll dive in there and stay. OTOH I've seen fish happily in a coral or anemone, and then it will get moved, and they'll stop having anything to do with it. If you play around with things, you can usually get them to adopt something.

Oh, and it's good to see that you're being the responsible hobbyist and not getting something you don't think you're ready for. Far too many people just go out and get them to see if they can do it, and then decide that they're not ready after a few have died.

Dave