alternate clown hosts

[customanimalart]

I have scrolled all over this forum and cant find and answer to my question.

I am looking for an alternate host for clowns. Heliofungia plate corals, torch, frogspawn, xenia, sarcophyton, anthelias etc...

Does anyone have any suggestions on what is easy to care for?
I have pc lighting and it will be for a 55g frag tank with a pair of clowns only.

I am reluctant to get an anemonie because of care requirements, and the fact that they can move around the tank.

This frag tank has frag sheves on the left and live rock and a large clump of chaeto. I want something easy that will not enroach upon the frags.

Any ideas? I cant take a photo of the tank if needed.:cool:

[77railer]

Frogspawn has worked for us so far...Gorgonians also work...they are a little hard to keep but the clowns will host in them.

Lee & Linda

[DarthSimon]

My False pec loves my Green Gonipora.. Not sure if the goni likes him though...

[Fish'InMN]

Since it's going to be a frag tank you will have to be careful about having things like a hammer or torch because they have sweeper tentacles. If there is enough room you could get one of those though. My two true percs host a big branching hammer. I've also seen them host xenia and gsp though. Whatever you get just make sure it's much bigger than the clowns so they dont beat it up too much.

[Btboy2004]

My Clowns would alternate between the RBTA and my Leather coral.

[customanimalart]

I think I am going to find a hearty pulsing xenia that is easy to care for and quick growing. I will be able to frag off it and not have to worry about any tentacles stinging the frags. I think it is a safer alternative. Hopefully any clowns that go in there will just take to it.

Comments or suggestions???

[chrisstie]

I'd try a big sarcophyton or kenya tree or xenia...

Frogspawn can work but i had bad luck with it versus other things in my tank. Instead of sweepers it would pinch off parts of its tentcles that would float around and sting things

[customanimalart]

I am beginning to sway towards xenia myself.
I won't have to worry aobut stinging tentacles and I will have a constant supply of frags.

Any hearty pulsing types you recommend?

[SNAKEMANVET]

My clowns hosted in my open brain,and since i put xenia in my tank they are now hosting it.

[Fish'InMN]

a hearty xenia could work just fine, just keep growing it out on some rock rubble and get a bunch of it for the clowns to host in and when you want a frag, just grab a piece of rubble with the xenia already on it. Its not guaranteed that theyll host it but its worth a try if if the dont you'll just have some frags to sell/trade.

[customanimalart]

I figured that if the xenia is already in the tank (and a decent amount of it) it may be more likely that they will host, as there will be no other coral except frags. That is, unless they take a liking to a powerhead.

I like the idea of the rock/rubble and the xenia growing on it. Good one. Thanks

Now, to find the perfect xenia. What about anthelia???

[vaporize]

how about powerheads ;)

[Genin]

i had two ocellaris that absolutely loved my open brain coral. the brain didn't mind at all either. the only thing that was annoying was how they always stole it's darn food!

[customanimalart]

Can different types of xenia grow next to each other with out killing each other? Maybe 2-3 types? I don't know what I will find at my LFS.