Clownfish hosting corals

[x19]

I figure this thread could have gone in either fish or coral, but since the question is about the coral it was better placed here. I plan to get two ocellaris clowns and had originally intended to get a anemone for them to host. However, after reading about the damage being done to reefs by anemone over-harvesting I decided the better choice as a hobbiest wanting to help preserve diversity and the creature's native ecosystems that it was not a good choice.

I've read that false clowns will host toadstool leather corals, but I was wondering if there were other more visually pleasing corals that they will host. The toadstool corals I've found seem to be a rather drab brown, with some occasional light green.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hairy or frilly mushrooms are a good one, as are xenia. Usually clowns host those two pretty readily.

Some clowns will host anything -- even the heater or powerhead. There is no guarantee that your clowns will host anything you buy for them, even if you did buy an anemone. It's just the luck of the draw. Once you start adding corals, they will likely find their spot and pick something out to host.

 

[wontonflip]

+1 Biff Mine host the powerhead :mrgreen:

 

[ggNoRe]

+2 Biff Mine host my magfloat cleaner :mrgreen:

I have also heard clowns like to host torch corals.

 

[SonicGT02]

My clowns have taken a real liking to my Frogspawn. I have 2 and they actually will host in both. I was glad thos chose the Frogspawn and not some of the other corals I have. But as alreaady stated, they will host anything if they want to.

 

[fastrd400]

My female hosts my Toadstool Leather. And the male host a brain coral.

 

[bjohanson1234]

My clowns host the corner of my tank at night. Ant then a tuft of hair algea some other times. I think they just pick a place that they feel comfortable in.

 

[Ulta]

My clowns host the corner of my tank at night.

ditto, mine do the same. Just chill in the corner next to my thermometer. I figure after about 6 months of them together I'll put something smooth like a clay pot there and maybe they will decide to lay eggs there(if they ever do) that way its easy to remove :)

 

[PRC]

Mine also hosts a hairy mushroom, but she's recently been seen gettin' it on with my torch.

 

[x19]

Lol, so basically I should just buy corals I like and the clowns will do whatever they want :P In the wild do clowns just host anemones or everything?

I like the longer tentacles style that looks closer to a traditional anemone home.

 

[BL1]

Almost all of my corals are longer tentacles LPS (because I like how they look and I hoped my clowns would host them too) but, of course they didn't. They host the back corner of my tank.

 

[Bifferwine]

Keep in mind, a lot of times you don't want clowns to host your corals. It is not a natural mutualism, so a lot of corals can't withstand the beating that the clowns inflict on them. It is very common to see clowns kill the corals they are hosting because they are just really rough, and corals aren't used to that type of treatment. Xenia, mushrooms and leathers are all tough enough to put up with a clown and won't be harmed by the hosting, but things like frogspawns, torches, flower pot corals, etc. can be killed pretty easily by clowns, especially if the corals are small.

 

[awsumfish]

Keep in mind, a lot of times you don't want clowns to host your corals. It is not a natural mutualism, so a lot of corals can't withstand the beating that the clowns inflict on them. It is very common to see clowns kill the corals they are hosting because they are just really rough, and corals aren't used to that type of treatment. Xenia, mushrooms and leathers are all tough enough to put up with a clown and won't be harmed by the hosting, but things like frogspawns, torches, flower pot corals, etc. can be killed pretty easily by clowns, especially if the corals are small.

Copy that Biff,
I came home today to find that my Maroon clown that iv'e had for 4 years has finally decided to Host HAMMER CORAL of all things and has beaten the triple headed stalk to ruins. My Maroon has never tried to Host anything in my tank until last night and today.....CRAZY! It is so funny to watch the clown try and rub all over the Hammer ends. Ouh well at least it's not my 12 head Hammer it's trying to house. LOL.

 

[x19]

Awesome, well I love the clowns and even after looking at hundreds of fish clowns are still my favorite. Hopefully, they won't kill something too awfully expensive :-)

 

[tankedchemist]

on the flip side of that, some clowns (esecially smaller species) don't harm their coral hosts at all. my clowns host my frogspawn, but they don't beat it up. Kinda just hang out on it, and float between the branches for sleeping purposes. So, as others have said, it's luck of the draw.

 

[Melosu58]

Let me see what I can find here