What clownfish have you seen condy's host?

[jarrod13]

I've got three condy's in my 90 gallon macro tank and I'm looking to add a clownfish that will have the best luck of diving into the nems. Ideally I'd like to get ocellaris or percula but I know that they very rarely will be hosted by these nems, but they are my favorite clowns. So anyways I'm pretty sure my best luck would be with tomatos, maroons, clarkiis, or fires, but I'm wondering what everybody else's experiences are, either your own, or a friends, or even just one you saw at a lfs. I personally have had a pair of fire clowns hosted by condys before and while I liked them I want a clownfish with at least one stripe, so my first option would be a tomato since they are so similar. I saw DJ Kelly just had a thread with their tomato being hosted by one so that gives me some hope.

Btw I'm not looking to start a debate about condys not being natural hosts, I'm very well aware they are not, but neither are powerheads and that doesn't stop the clowns :spin2:

Here's an old video of my fire clown in a condy for those of you who have never seen it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zmC3bDbKT8

[tallball158]

Wow that's awesome. I am not trying to fuel a debate, but I have always been told, heard, and read that they would not host. That is one of the reasons that I have never purchased one. Well your video is proof for me that it is possible. I guess now I may have to get one and just try it myself! Lol :)

[bjledbetter]

Mine hosted two pair of clowns over the years I had it. Tomato and clarkii. I'll see if I can dig up some pics of them. My condy was dinner plate size and I loved it.

[jarrod13]

Thanks bjledbetter, I assume the clarkiis will go in pretty quickly, but how long did it take your tomatos to go in?

[chris.scang]

FWIW I had a condy that liked to eat fish. It ate an ocellaris and a damsel before I returned it to the LFS. Good luck!

[albano]

I've had many condys over the past 30+ yrs...they hosted the clowns that you mentioned... Tomatoes, Clarkii, Fire, and maroons, never had the occ or percs go near them.
Most interesting was that not only can they get very large, but that they can also change colors, from white with pink or purple tips, to being fully pink or purple.

[AussieAdam]

I saw a snowflake perc hosting in a condy at my lfs the other day, was quite surprised! Will try snap a pic next time I'm down there!

[jarrod13]

Thanks albano, that's what I'm looking for. Out of all of those, do you recall which one associated with the anemone the most?

Aussieadam, that is very surprising!

[albano]

Thanks albano, that's what I'm looking for. Out of all of those, do you recall which one associated with the anemone the most?


Once they started hosting...they 'owned' it! Personally I'd never get a Maroon, Fire or Tomato again... all too aggressive!

[jarrod13]

Once they started hosting...they 'owned' it! Personally I'd never get a Maroon, Fire or Tomato again... all too aggressive!

Yea maroon is my least favorite. So your clarkii wasn't too bad? When you say aggressive, do you mean towards you or other fish? My fires weren't aggressive at all.

[albano]

Yea maroon is my least favorite. So your clarkii wasn't too bad? When you say aggressive, do you mean towards you or other fish? My fires weren't aggressive at all.
Clarkii was fine, still have one in with 70+ fish, including 3 occ clowns
As for the others, besides always trying to bite my hand and sometimes moving corals, they all were a pita towards other fish.

[jarrod13]

Thanks for all the info albano, really appreciate it! The other fish in the tank are damsels and dottybacks so I'm not too worried about bullying them.

Anyone else have any experience?