Female perc eating Haddoni

[Fishy_Clown]

My female perc has been eating a concentric ring of tentacles around the mouth of one of my Haddoni's - actually started to eat a patch or two now... :( I'm sure I notices spawning from the Haddoni earlier and I know the perc is getting close to spawning - could it be that she is just trying to maximize nutrient intake? Is it that its a Haddoni, and not her chosen new (she is whild caught). Anyone else have a similar experience with this sort of behaviour, or can someone suggest the possible causes? I'm sure I saw a thread on this a while back but for the life of me cannot remember what was in it.... Thanks in advance. [sorry for the poor quality pic :( ]


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=2604&pictureid=28632

[WaffleWalffle22]

Some clowns will bite at the tentacles of their anemone to make the anemone create mucus, which the clown will rub onto his/her skin so they can swim through the nem without being detected by it and stung. Is she actually ripping the tentacles off the nem or just biting them? If she's ripping them off, does she eat them or just let them drift away? If she's literally eating them, maybe you should try spot-feeding her a bit more food than usual. If you still can't figure out what it is, try soaking her food in Selcon or another good product that can supplement her diet.

EDIT: What foods are you feeding her? Feed a variety of foods if you don't already. I feed mine PE Mysis, Rod's Original, Spirulina Enhance Brine (rarely), and live brine (super rarely).

[Fishy_Clown]

Some clowns will bite at the tentacles of their anemone to make the anemone create mucus, which the clown will rub onto his/her skin so they can swim through the nem without being detected by it and stung. Is she actually ripping the tentacles off the nem or just biting them? If she's ripping them off, does she eat them or just let them drift away? If she's literally eating them, maybe you should try spot-feeding her a bit more food than usual. If you still can't figure out what it is, try soaking her food in Selcon or another good product that can supplement her diet.

EDIT: What foods are you feeding her? Feed a variety of foods if you don't already. I feed mine PE Mysis, Rod's Original, Spirulina Enhance Brine (rarely), and live brine (super rarely).

She is eating them, not just biting them and letting them drift away, but actually swallowing them. She has been with the nem for quite a while so I dont think its to get it to secrete mucus... I also do feed the tank quite heavily - flake, pellet and frozen, quite a mixture really (mysis, krill, prawn, squid) and about 5 different types of flake and pellet. I will try soaking some and spot feeding as you say and see if the behaviour changes. I have had many many nems and many, many clowns over the years - but this is the first I have seen this sort of behaviour, especially with perc and a Haddoni.... Thanks for the advice - lets hope its just a diet/nutrition thing.

[elegance coral]

I've had ocellaris do this when they use surrogate hosts, like elegance corals. The only way I could stop it, was to separate them.

[Fishy_Clown]

I've had ocellaris do this when they use surrogate hosts, like elegance corals. The only way I could stop it, was to separate them.

I did suspect that could be a cause but was hoping no-one would come out and say it. I'll try the food thing first but suspect that removing them could end up being the only way to help the poor nem. Thanks