Scared Clownfish?

[gdwb10101]

my clownfish is usually pretty active and friendly, but today, he was hiding under the ledge of my prizm skimmer. Does he like it there or is he scared of my other fish? I have a naso and orange spotted goby.

[Reefneck]

He's probably just resting in a place where nobody else will bother him. If he had an anemone he would go there but if not, They usually find an out of the way place to rest.

[gdwb10101]

thx. I want to get a green or blue carpet anenome, but so expensive. Any other anenome's that false percula clownfish usually take?

[Reefneck]

Originally Posted by gdwb10101

thx. I want to get a green or blue carpet anenome, but so expensive. Any other anenome's that false percula clownfish usually take?

Make sure you have the lighting to support an anemone before you buy one.

Bubble Tipped Anemones are great hosts for most clown species with the green variety being fairly inexpensive. They are also the least light demanding but still need more than standard flourescents can provide.

[gdwb10101]

i have 4 65w power compacts i pretty sure i have enough light, the anenome's at the store were doing great under one pc so i think that 4 would be sufficient

[Reefneck]

Originally Posted by gdwb10101

i have 4 65w power compacts i pretty sure i have enough light, the anenome's at the store were doing great under one pc so i think that 4 would be sufficient

Actualy, PC lighting is not sufficent for most anemones. A Bubble tip can survive under PC's But little else.

[gdwb10101]

i saw a carpet thriving under them. Maybe it was because it was smaller, idk, but it was doing great. True the other anenomes were bubble tips but they looked good as well.

[leveldrummer]

it may have been thriving because it doesnt stay very long in a fish store, they move animals through there pretty quick so meeting the exact needs arent as important.

[gdwb10101]

i understand

[Fishfirst]

also... anemones can survive for months under inadiquit lighting... but they do die... eventually.

[im_a_clownfish]

If you target feed the anemonie very well you can get away with less lighting. I have a friend with a beautiful carpet anemonie hes had for 6 months with no problems under PC lighting. Its near the top of the tank and he target feeds it twice a day.....so it has lots to eat... Thats why gonaporas and anemonies usually die in tanks - inadequate feeding....and yes light to a lesser degree unless you only have LO fluorescents...

[AshleytheGreat]

i thought you were only supposed to feed anemones like once or twice a week?

[gdwb10101]

Is there anything specific that I am supposed to target feed? Right now, I am just stirring some brine and mysis into a cup and sucking it up with a turkey baster and slowly spraying. Any recommendations on good food, or is what I'm doing sufficient?

[Reefneck]

Frozen Silversides & Frozen Krill

[Fishfirst]

the whole feeding every day thing is a myth from my observations. Its only a matter of time before the anemones health declines and dies. I've seen this first hand... and Fenner also agrees that hobbiests often overfeed their anemones, once or twice a week is enough.

[Reefneck]

Originally Posted by Fishfirst

the whole feeding every day thing is a myth from my observations. Its only a matter of time before the anemones health declines and dies. I've seen this first hand... and Fenner also agrees that hobbiests often overfeed their anemones, once or twice a week is enough.

That is correct IMHO as well. My statement of what to feed was not meant as a daily thing!

[fishfingers]

Agree with what the above two have said. While feeding an aneonome can be beneficial that fact is you should have adequate lighting to sustain the anenome without having to feed it. Anenome's get most of their energy from light, so feeding as a substitue for proper lighting is not an alternative.

Also I don't knwo if anyone else has mentioned this but there are many different alternatives as far as hosting goes. Clowns will host in anything from powerheads to sacro's, mine hosts my elegance coral. Even if you buy an anenome their is no guarentee your clown will host in it either.

[Fishfirst]

Good point fishfingers. At work we have 3 anemones for our two clowns to host in, neither of them find interest in them, and the tomato clown likes to host the frogspawn... the false perc is just content with swimming all over.

[gdwb10101]

I understand, but owning an anenome will be so cool if it finds a good place and plants its foot. But i run the risk of it killing everything. So in my smaller tank, w/ metal halide, i think i will get 1, not sure yet which. Gimme some good ideas of anenome's that are "easy" to take care of.