Clowns Host a ...

[CoMMaNdeR]

Clowns are popular even though because they host their anemone as their home.

I am wondering if they can host any other coral instead of an anemone ?

Thanks

[d4a2n0k]

Clowns will host in/on anything. Mine host in my large Frogspawn colony. Ive seen some host in clams and even some clown hosting a magnetic algae scraper. :rolleyes: They do tend to look for fleshy corals like LPS.

Some corals will be bothered by it while others wont have a problem. Some clowns get nasty with age like Maroons and Tomatoes and can hurt or even kill corals while they are hosting. I have two False Perculas which tend to be a little more gentle with their host.

[LOTUS50GOD]

Yes... I have seen them host in everything from a LPS (hammer, frog spawn, etc) to a piece of PVC pipe.

Corals are not good hosts though as they really dont like it when a fish is irritating it. Most corals will not do well or will die if the clown is persistant in hosting in it.

[m1a1fan]

Mine are beginning to host a powerhead.

[Pandora]

This is such a pet peeve of mine, but it is the anemone that hosts the clown, not vice versa :) Clowns do not "host" anything... what they do is "accept" a host.

My maroons have always been hosted by LPS & soft corals... hairy mushrooms, riccordia; frogspawn, elegans coral... until recently (now have 2 BTA's). They irritated the LPS, but the soft corals adjust quite well and are not that bothered by clowns at all. It's just that the clowns, if given the choice, will like true anemones better... but overly persistant clowns will kill an undersized anemone faster than any coral, plus anemones are harder to keep if water conditions aren't really stable, so think carefully about your choices.

[AquaReeferMan]

Yes my clowns have used gonipora untill they killed it. My fire stays in his green bta and my Perc uses an empty shell and xenia that sit right next to a huge carpet. But yes some coral allow it to host there but be careful that it doesnt stress the coral.

[Alaskan Reefer]

Mine has been hosting in a large hammer colony without incident for 3+ years...

[want2reef]

My old percs loved my frogspawn.

[lbv]

As of now my clown is on my Maze Brain, dont know why they chose that instead of a Toadstool Leather or something else. Hasnt done anything to it so far, except stay close to it, and almost on it. Its a Clarkii clown I got as a hitch-hiker in a clump of Ulva algae, dont know how the LFS guy missed it. Kind of wierd watching it stay around the brain.

[OCDP]

My clowns have hosted my... hammer, frogspawn and Seio powerheads. They also host their GBTA. They don't know what they want. You'd think that once they rub up on the anemone.. that would be the one they choose to stay in. But no... let's sample everything else . haha.

It is not ideal to have a clown host a coral, it does stress the coral and more times than not it will look mad and closed up from the constant rubbing up in it.. etc..

If you can, get a bubble tip at least. They are fairly easy to care for.

[reefshadow]

Definately!

A list to date, in my tank(s). Frogspawn, sarcophyton, green star polyps, xenia, hairy mushrooms, anthelia, a piece of pvc, and a powerhead. I'm sure there's more, i'm just not remembering.

:)

[Sheol]

My false percs are starting to like my Xenia forest, just when I AM *NOT* Sigh. It is cute, though..

Matthew

[Chelsey]

I've seen clowns "host" in red slime algae!

[reefy joe]

Clowns don't HOST anything except for ich. :) you are thinking anemones.

[CoMMaNdeR]

For the Ocellaris Clowns which anemone is best for being a host?

[Pandora]

In Nature: Ritteris, Carpets, and sometimes Sebaes host them. In the tank, from my experience, false percs will accept a wide range of hosts, and they were fine with a BTA as well as some nonanemones as mentioned above.

[240-Reefer]

on tha note: my stupid foxface sleeps w/ a gagorian
buy my marrons host nothing. yet; tank is still too new

[sean48183]

I saw a tomato hosting a condy from the atlantic at my local petco. I thought the sting of the condy which is pretty potent would kill clowns but I guess not. My tomato used hair algae as a host. I don't mean to jack this thread but do tomato's get more aggresive with a host anenome in the tank? Mine is not overly aggresive now but I've heard they get real nasty with an anemone.

[CoMMaNdeR]

lol guys, these clowns are really funny if they can host everything.
I am wondering why do this ?!

Another thing I wish to know is, I know that anemones are the hardiest coral to keep in a tank, but is there any anemone that is a bit hardy to tolerate more then others ?

Thanks