how long before giving up hosting hope

[markviiisvt4]

I've got a very nice pair of black ocellaris clowns and a nice magnifica that they show no interest in. How long before I should just chalk it up that they arent going to host?

here he is the day I put the nem in.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0340.jpg

and here is where he has been for the past few months
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0374.jpg

and the offending clown pair.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0389.jpg


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0390.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0353.jpg

FT for fun
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/markviiisvt4/65%20gallon/100_0394.jpg

[elegance coral]

They will move into the mag in time. I wouldn't give up at all. I'm probably going to get flamed for this but, it often takes captive bred fish longer to move into a host. Even their natural host, like in this situation. They will eventually move into it though.

[Ryno368]

i agree elegance they should be given a little more time or put a huge leather coral in there haha

[markviiisvt4]

Glad to hear guys thanks. I didn't get them as tank raised although this behavior is a definite sign they are.

[t4zalews]

I don't see the anemone in the full tank shot....I had a pair of perculas that took over a month and then one day they random dove into the bubble tip.

[elegance coral]

The vast majority of black ocellaris in the hobby are captive bred. Especially those with slight mis-baring and under-bites like your male. The likelihood that they are wild caught is very very slim IMHO.

[markviiisvt4]

I don't see the anemone in the full tank shot....I had a pair of perculas that took over a month and then one day they random dove into the bubble tip.

if you see the green candy cane right of center look down about an inch and to the right about a half inch. That piece of branch there is about 8 inches off the main rock work and he hangs out behind it.

[markviiisvt4]

The vast majority of black ocellaris in the hobby are captive bred. Especially those with slight mis-baring and under-bites like your male. The likelihood that they are wild caught is very very slim IMHO.

Makes sense that they are then. Whats the mis-baring your taking about?

[rssjsb]

Mine took a year before they figured it out.

[jonnybravo22]

mine took a month for the male and a month and a half for the female w/ a gigantea. i thought it would never happen after a month, then every day they started getting closer and closer, touching it and leaving, spending more time in the area and finally they jumped in.

now they NEVER leave. it's sorta hard to feed them now b/c they only eat what comes within inches of the nem!

[somdinwong]

try feeding closer to the nem not broadcasting across the tank. i was at the pet store and a guy brought 30 clowns into the store the owner placed them in a display and no sooner did he do that then they all jumped right into the anemonie that was sitting in the tank.

[westohooligan]

One thing you could try:

At night, turn off all the lights and shine a flashlight on your nem. It might take a few nights, but this is how I got mine to move in.

[Allmost]

I have a black clown and a false P. clown

the black one went into an anemone upon feeding ! I fed them right into the anem.s tenticles, he moved in and took the shrimp and I think found out that the anemone is not stinging him ? or its massaging him ?

the other one didnt host in any anemone for a WHILE till I got a yellow tang, all of a sudden (I think to find shelter) it started spending time in another BTA anemone !!!

now the false P doesnt host in any anemone and they havnt paired up yet :( lol

[Loganeri]

Don't give up!!

[btkrausen]

Great thread, I was about to create one of my own. I have a pair of grade A picassos, and just got a GBTA for them this past weekend at Premium Aquatics (live about an hour and a half from them). The first day they seemed to look at it for a sec, but the clowns just mingle in the front left corner of the tank with all the other fish and don't even acknowledge the nem.

I am going to try to start putting the food right over the anenome to see if they'll start going over to that side more. My green chromis like to hang out in the same corner with the clowns as well, and my golden rabbitfish spends some time there too. Its weird.

[btkrausen]

Well, came home today and found my picassos buried in my GTBA. So it took them less than two weeks. Pretty happy about it. Plus, my new fathead anthias were out a bit more today, so a good fish day indeed. haha

[Nakzter]

The picture technique worked for me. When I trasfered from my nano cube to my 75 gal. I only placed 1 clown in there with the nem so he does not get distracted (They are not a pair yet. They fight all the time) and placed a couple hosting pictures and after a week the clown hosted it and then I placed the 2nd clown. After another week she took over the anemone kicking out the 1st clown. So I bought another nem for my other clown and hosted it within 4 days. Everyone is happy in their home. :spin3: