Clownfish and Anemone issues

DiscusDan · 11/21/2006, 10:30 PM

Hey there. Last week I ordered and recieved a pair of true percula clownfish and a bubble tip anemone. I ordered "small" that were supposed to be 1" max, what i recieved was a 2 and a half inch one and a 3 inch one. Much bigger than I'd hoped.

Here's a pic - visual aids rule:

Any chance these two will ever mate or are they too big? I already complained to the vendor about the size and they tell me that if they're both already females then one may turn back to male - that seems unlikely to me. Anyone have any experience with that?

The first day that I had them in my tank they ignored the anemone so i decided to chase them into it - that worked like a charm and for the next 4 days they wouldn't leave their new home. Starting last night they won't touch the anemone. They swim just above it but if they touch it they act like it stung them and they dart up really fast. What could that mean?

Also the darn anemone won't stay where I put it. I have a 250Watt MH and T5 actinics and I keep moving the rock that it's on to the front of the tank - under the MH light - but it keeps moving to the back of the tank. I've moved the lights forward, I've moved them backwards, I've placed the anemone low, placed it high. It just goes to the back of the tank every night behind all the rockwork. It's open and healthy looking (and it eats whatever i feed it) but it won't stay in the front of the tank. Any ideas on why it does that? Anemones can't "see" enough to see me in the room and hide right? Pretty darn frustrating!

Well thanks for reading my ramblings and thanks in advance for any advice!

MimicTang · 11/21/2006, 11:08 PM

You issue isnt are they 2 big or not its where they alone. Once a clownfish is alone for about a month it intinctively becomes female.
3" is about the right size for a full grown female perc.

LOL no vendor is blowing smoke up your butt. Its an "it" then a male then a female with NO going back.

Lol you've also learned lesson one for clowns and anemones. They go where they want not u. =) If you wanna change the anemones location you're gonna have to move your powerheads around. It gonna go where it wants and it can more daily. I have a clown who doesnt like red so no RBTA for her. She sure loves green thou.

hansonfam · 11/21/2006, 11:43 PM

The nem was probably under less intense light at the lfs and it needs time to ajust to the halides. Let it go where it wants for now. It knows more than we do. Give it some time and it will probably come out on its own once it has adjusted.
Lisa

DiscusDan · 11/22/2006, 09:36 PM

Well last night right after posting i checked on the tank, the anemone was stuck to the overflow. So I gave it a helping hand to the other side of the rockwork and after a bit it's foot attached. I checked on it a number of times over night and it was always in a different position.

Then this morning right before lights on it floated itself back to the overflow. Again I helped it to a better spot and all day it was ok, moved to the back of the tank again as usual but stayed attached.

Then tonight about 2 minutes after lights off it started running around again and was stuck to the overflow within 10 minutes. What is the deal with it being so unhappy after lights out? Does the stupid thing want 24 hours of light?

This is getting dumb, all was fine until i moved the rock around so that the anemone was in the front of the tank...

MimicTang · 11/22/2006, 10:16 PM

Your overflow is giving it the current it wants possibly.

DiscusDan · 11/22/2006, 10:22 PM

Everything I've read says that these anemones want low/moderate flow. It's ending up stuck to the overflow because it keeps detaching and floating around the tank and that's where the water is flowing out.

Maybe I'll add a powerhead to the tank and see what happens, I don't want to rule anything out without trying...

11/21/2006, 10:30 PM	#1
DiscusDan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 56	Clownfish and Anemone issues Hey there. Last week I ordered and recieved a pair of true percula clownfish and a bubble tip anemone. I ordered "small" that were supposed to be 1" max, what i recieved was a 2 and a half inch one and a 3 inch one. Much bigger than I'd hoped. Here's a pic - visual aids rule: Any chance these two will ever mate or are they too big? I already complained to the vendor about the size and they tell me that if they're both already females then one may turn back to male - that seems unlikely to me. Anyone have any experience with that? The first day that I had them in my tank they ignored the anemone so i decided to chase them into it - that worked like a charm and for the next 4 days they wouldn't leave their new home. Starting last night they won't touch the anemone. They swim just above it but if they touch it they act like it stung them and they dart up really fast. What could that mean? Also the darn anemone won't stay where I put it. I have a 250Watt MH and T5 actinics and I keep moving the rock that it's on to the front of the tank - under the MH light - but it keeps moving to the back of the tank. I've moved the lights forward, I've moved them backwards, I've placed the anemone low, placed it high. It just goes to the back of the tank every night behind all the rockwork. It's open and healthy looking (and it eats whatever i feed it) but it won't stay in the front of the tank. Any ideas on why it does that? Anemones can't "see" enough to see me in the room and hide right? Pretty darn frustrating! Well thanks for reading my ramblings and thanks in advance for any advice!

11/21/2006, 11:43 PM	#3
hansonfam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta, Canada Posts: 812	The nem was probably under less intense light at the lfs and it needs time to ajust to the halides. Let it go where it wants for now. It knows more than we do. Give it some time and it will probably come out on its own once it has adjusted. Lisa __________________ 35 Gallon Solana Gigantea anemone species tank, 90 SPS dominated reef tank!! Current Tank Info: 90 gallon-Numerous corals,2 purple tangs,choclate mimic tang,yellow wrasse *2.In the 35 gallon 1 purple gig and 1 multi colour gig,pair of mis bar Aussie black clowns and a lawnmower Blennie!

11/21/2006, 11:08 PM	#2
MimicTang Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 1,517	You issue isnt are they 2 big or not its where they alone. Once a clownfish is alone for about a month it intinctively becomes female. 3" is about the right size for a full grown female perc. LOL no vendor is blowing smoke up your butt. Its an "it" then a male then a female with NO going back. Lol you've also learned lesson one for clowns and anemones. They go where they want not u. =) If you wanna change the anemones location you're gonna have to move your powerheads around. It gonna go where it wants and it can more daily. I have a clown who doesnt like red so no RBTA for her. She sure loves green thou.

11/22/2006, 09:36 PM	#4
DiscusDan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 56	Well last night right after posting i checked on the tank, the anemone was stuck to the overflow. So I gave it a helping hand to the other side of the rockwork and after a bit it's foot attached. I checked on it a number of times over night and it was always in a different position. Then this morning right before lights on it floated itself back to the overflow. Again I helped it to a better spot and all day it was ok, moved to the back of the tank again as usual but stayed attached. Then tonight about 2 minutes after lights off it started running around again and was stuck to the overflow within 10 minutes. What is the deal with it being so unhappy after lights out? Does the stupid thing want 24 hours of light? This is getting dumb, all was fine until i moved the rock around so that the anemone was in the front of the tank...

11/22/2006, 10:16 PM	#5
MimicTang Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 1,517	Your overflow is giving it the current it wants possibly.

11/22/2006, 10:22 PM	#6
DiscusDan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 56	Everything I've read says that these anemones want low/moderate flow. It's ending up stuck to the overflow because it keeps detaching and floating around the tank and that's where the water is flowing out. Maybe I'll add a powerhead to the tank and see what happens, I don't want to rule anything out without trying...