What kind of clowns?

Phistick · 03/29/2018, 10:53 PM

I bought these two clowns a couple weeks ago. The LFS said they were Onyx Clowns. I was looking at the thread that lists the match up of clowns with a host anenomies but I don't see Onyx Clowns listed. Is there possibly another name for these guys?

Crooked Reef · 03/29/2018, 11:16 PM

Onyx clowns are perculas and seeing as how the eye is orange and not black, I’m going to say it’s a color morph of a percula. Could be a hybrid of a percula and an occellaris, but I don’t think so.

Tripod1404 · 03/29/2018, 11:19 PM

Onyx is just a selectively bred percula clown

https://www.seaandreef.com/marine-or...x-c-quest-line

nereefpat · 03/30/2018, 08:46 AM

Percula uses Heteractis crispa, H. magnifica, and Stichodactyla gigantea naturally.

Phistick · 03/30/2018, 11:17 AM

Thanks for that info. Out of those host anenomies which are the easier to care for?

nereefpat · 03/30/2018, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phistick

Thanks for that info. Out of those host anenomies which are the easier to care for?

No idea. Sorry... not a clown or anemone guy.

Uncle99 · 03/30/2018, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nereefpat

Percula uses Heteractis crispa, H. magnifica, and Stichodactyla gigantea naturally.

In nature they relate to magnifica, but in the hobby, these require perfect water and very strong light.

I reccomend a BTA, which they will host, mine do, and easy to care for

Bent · 03/30/2018, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle99

in nature they relate to magnifica, but in the hobby, these require perfect water and very strong light.

I reccomend a bta, which they might host, mine do (which doesn’t necessarily mean all clowns will), and easy to care for

fify

CapnClive · 03/30/2018, 06:33 PM

Beautiful clowns. Everything I have read has said BTA's are the "easiest"

davocean · 03/31/2018, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phistick

Thanks for that info. Out of those host anenomies which are the easier to care for?

Kind of depends, I think it's easier to find a healthy crispa, but personally I think it's easier to control a magnifica if it's a mixed reef, give them a high up perch for max light and not able to touch glass or surounding rockwork and they tend to stay.

The hardest part of keeping mags is getting a healthy one, most newly shipped come w/ bacterial infections requiring cipro treatment, but once you've either overcome that issue or got lucky and avoided alltogether, or bought an established one, I don't think they are that difficult.

Mags are my choice for my perculas, as seen in my avatar I planned and scaped my tank specifically for it, it's right there on left where I put it, and has not moved, makes easy for mixed reef for me.

BTA's wander too much for me, and it may take a long time for them to recognize it.

If I had to choose a non natural alternative, I'd choose LTA or Malu, both stay at sand, and all my percs have accepted both as hosts pretty easily, but of course I do prefer a natural match

Uncle99 · 03/31/2018, 10:39 AM

Works with BTA all the time, sometimes this is instant, sometimes as long as 90 days, but correct a few times never, mags do better under halide, now that’s just MO, seen them under other light

OP wants easy care!

davocean · 03/31/2018, 11:08 AM

Mags do perfectly fine under T5's, or quality LEDs, or the combo of both as I have.

I've had many host anemone's over the last 33 years of keeping them w/ the exception of gigantea and mertensi, I really don't think magnifica is difficult to keep at all compared to others I've had.

The hardest part of keeping mags for most all these years was really getting a healthy one to start, and the learning of bacterial infections and the ability to treat them has become a huge game changer.

Also a huge game changer is the recognition of clowns and their instinctive preference for a natural host match

Uncle99 · 03/31/2018, 11:27 AM

Some aren’t so chosey had them in hammers, leathers, but of course the more natural the better, can’t disagreeing with that logic

davocean · 03/31/2018, 11:34 AM

Oh yeah, I've often had frog or hammer as an alternative, especially in smaller tanks.

The main thing I'm pointing out though is how so many people have had their clowns not recognize BTAs as a host for a long time, sometimes never, yet when those same people have added a natural host match to those same clowns, hosting usually happens immediately.

So why some people say there is no gaurantee their clowns will accept an anemone as a host, I think given a natural host nem match pretty much does assure not only hosting, but also pretty much immediate acceptance.

This goes for both wild caught and tank raised clowns.

Uncle99 · 03/31/2018, 02:15 PM

I agree with you 100%
The best match is always natural association.
Mags I found hard, perhaps I was missing something, 3, none lasted more than 6 months, so I kinda gave up. What easy for some is hard for others...

03/29/2018, 11:16 PM	#2
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Onyx clowns are perculas and seeing as how the eye is orange and not black, I’m going to say it’s a color morph of a percula. Could be a hybrid of a percula and an occellaris, but I don’t think so. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

03/30/2018, 08:46 AM	#4
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	Percula uses Heteractis crispa, H. magnifica, and Stichodactyla gigantea naturally. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

03/31/2018, 11:08 AM	#12
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Mags do perfectly fine under T5's, or quality LEDs, or the combo of both as I have. I've had many host anemone's over the last 33 years of keeping them w/ the exception of gigantea and mertensi, I really don't think magnifica is difficult to keep at all compared to others I've had. The hardest part of keeping mags for most all these years was really getting a healthy one to start, and the learning of bacterial infections and the ability to treat them has become a huge game changer. Also a huge game changer is the recognition of clowns and their instinctive preference for a natural host match __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/31/2018, 11:34 AM	#14
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Oh yeah, I've often had frog or hammer as an alternative, especially in smaller tanks. The main thing I'm pointing out though is how so many people have had their clowns not recognize BTAs as a host for a long time, sometimes never, yet when those same people have added a natural host match to those same clowns, hosting usually happens immediately. So why some people say there is no gaurantee their clowns will accept an anemone as a host, I think given a natural host nem match pretty much does assure not only hosting, but also pretty much immediate acceptance. This goes for both wild caught and tank raised clowns. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/29/2018, 11:19 PM	#3
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Onyx is just a selectively bred percula clown https://www.seaandreef.com/marine-or...x-c-quest-line

03/30/2018, 11:17 AM	#5
Phistick Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 35	Thanks for that info. Out of those host anenomies which are the easier to care for?

03/30/2018, 06:33 PM	#9
CapnClive Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 10	Beautiful clowns. Everything I have read has said BTA's are the "easiest"

03/31/2018, 10:39 AM	#11
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Works with BTA all the time, sometimes this is instant, sometimes as long as 90 days, but correct a few times never, mags do better under halide, now that’s just MO, seen them under other light OP wants easy care!

03/31/2018, 11:27 AM	#13
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Some aren’t so chosey had them in hammers, leathers, but of course the more natural the better, can’t disagreeing with that logic

03/31/2018, 02:15 PM	#15
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I agree with you 100% The best match is always natural association. Mags I found hard, perhaps I was missing something, 3, none lasted more than 6 months, so I kinda gave up. What easy for some is hard for others...