Maroon Clown Rejecting Food For Bubbletip

[Sicklid]

I have a Maroon Clown that rejects shrimp and bits of fish that I feed to my Bubbletip Anemone. The Anemone will have the food in it's tenticles ready to swallow, and the clown will push the food out of it's grasp. I thought that the Clowns would actually feed the Anemone, not keep it from eating. Do any of you experience this problem?

[exodus]

I have a theory that when clowns 'feed' their anemones they aren't feeding them at all. I believe that they use the anemone to 'kill' their prey and as a (very) temporary storage unit. In the wild, clowns rarely leave their anemone, and since they are such poor swimmers I imagine that they don't have much time to go around searching for food. So, they grab as much as they can and throw it at the anemone to go get more... kinda like stockpiling. Then, they can safely eat their food in the comfort of the anemone's tentacles.

Rest assured the anemone does get fed, and that is where the symbiosis between the two lies, but I'm not so sure that the clownfish does it on purpose.

In regards to your situation, if a clown is hosting in an anemone, odds are that it is already 'feeding' the anemone for you with the regular feedings you give to your fish.

[Sicklid]

Interesting theory......but why would the clown push the food away from the Anemone's grasp?:confused:

[exodus]

Because the clownfish wants to eat the food? Clownfish try to eat food way bigger than their mouths pretty often. :) Another reason might be that the clown is not feeling safe, and knows that if he/she removes the food from the anemone that the anemone won't close up fully, and they will still enjoy the protection of it.

[laguna]

sicklid: The reason for this is that as part of being protective of their host, the clowns feels that when you feed the anemone that is a "foreinger". They like to feed their host on their own and would not let them starve to death.
All my clowns, one maroon with a BTA, a pair of GSM(gold stripe marrons) with a BTA and my tomato with his own BTA, all of them eat general food(flakes and pellets) but grab the pieces of shrimp/krill and bring them to their respective host.

another point is that the clowns hold the shrimpies in their mouth and shake them between the tentacles of the anemone so the anemone knows its food cause otherwise the anemonies do not grab them at all.

good luck

[Dakna]

Laguna...is there a difference between maroon clowns and GSM?
If so what? And where can I see photos of each, check my website ( 20 gallon inhabitants ) is it a GSM or a Maroon?

[Sicklid]

Thanks for the replies. My clown rejected food both tonight and last night from the Bubbletip. The Bubbletip was just about to start to take the shrimp into it's mouth when the clown grabbed it, and pushed it away from the BTA. I think I will not try to feed it for a few days, and try to make sure that the clown is feeding it.

[laguna]

danka...the main difference between the GSM and the WSM (white stripe marron) is the coloration of the stripes. That way you should be able to teld the difference. Regarding the behavior they are very similar, some people think you can even mate them, but of course you will sacrifice the cleaness of the species. Anyways I tried to access you web page but can not go any farther than the opening page. But www.marinedepot.com under their live stock page have plenty of pics you guys can check out. There is a cool place (http://www.ereeftank.com/links.html) that have plenty of comercial, personal and pure info links.

sicklid...that sounds like a great plan. Just observe your clowns eat and once in while (i.e. every other day) put some fragments of shrimp or whatever you have for the anemone an shortly you will see how the clowns feed their anemone. Sure you will enjoy it as much as I do, and when friends come over you can tell them you taugh your fishes a trick an show them...LOL.

:p

[tendar]

Try feeding it a few hours after the lights go out when its dark so the fish cant see teh food and are asleep. This is usally when I feed mine.