How do you prevent the clowns from stealing the food?

[purplegorilla]

I got this RBTAnemone that is hosting 2 clowns. Well, it was doing fine on the rock that it was attached to when I purchased it. After 1 1/2 weeks, I noticed it started wandering. It eventually went into a crevice between 2 rocks in a day and a half. Finally I had to dig him out for the fear of starving to death, and reattach him back to where he was before. He moved a little but still around the vicinity.

My problem is, I can't feed pieces of shrimp without the 2 clowns jacking straight out of its tentacles. I have 2 other anemomes (not RBTA) and they are doing fine. I started feeding them shrimp directly too and they would grab the shrimp and stuff it in their mouth.

 

[theplatypus]

Don't you think that the anemone has a better idea as what location makes it happy? Usually the clowns will feed the anemone.

 

[purplegorilla]

theplatypus;91405 wrote: Don't you think that the anemone has a better idea as what location makes it happy? Usually the clowns will feed the anemone.

The location where I found it wasn't ideal. It will eventually starve and die because the location had no light or current. I am sure it will eventually move to where it will be happy but I wan't gonna take that chance.

 

[linda lee]

We have a nomadic anemone that would wander into caves and to the undersides of rocks and thought the same thing: that he'd starve from lack of light or target feeding (and this one had no clown to feed it). He's now in a cage awaiting transport to another tank.

A member here told us recently that this is not unusual and that his would often disappear for a week or so but would always come out when it was ready. Maybe an anemone moving to the *dark side* from time to time is no big deal?

 

[matttvi]

purpleGORILLA;91418 wrote: The location where I found it wasn't ideal. It will eventually starve and die because the location had no light or current. I am sure it will eventually move to where it will be happy but I wan't gonna take that chance.

Often times anemones will need to adjust to the change in light intensity from one tank to the next. My anemone hid at first but came out later once it adjusted to the more intense light.

As for the food, I find it is best to feed the tank first, letting the clowns get their fill and then feed the anemone while the clowns are still busy getting food from the water column.

This is a new anemone, correct? Sometimes they are a little slow to react to food when they are adjusting to a new environment, so you may have to guard the anemone while it eats. Eventually, the anemones will react fairly quickly during feedings and if you feed the clowns first, it usually will get enough to eat.

 

[purplegorilla]

Yeah I have tried different approaches including what have suggested before I made this post, but it seems not to be working. The 2 clowns are tag teaming each other to steal the food from the anemone.

 

[matttvi]

purpleGORILLA;92115 wrote: Yeah I have tried different approaches including what have suggested before I made this post, but it seems not to be working. The 2 clowns are tag teaming each other to steal the food from the anemone.

you may have to use a plastic basket strainer, like what we use for spaghetti but plastic, and feed the anemone and put that basket on the top of it so that they clowns can't get to it until it is done eating...

 

[purplegorilla]

MattTVI;92117 wrote: you have have to use a plastic basket strainer, like what we use for spaghetti but plastic, and feed the anemone and put that basket on the top of it so that they clowns can't get to it until it is done eating...

I have thought about it too. But the location where the RBTA is located makes it impossible..It is situated behing a rock inside a semi-cave with several openings. It extends its tentacles only during the daytime, and that is the only time I actually see it. I really dont' want to move it again for the fear of it roaming. But the more I think about it, I think it is doing what you mentioned previously and that is moving away from the light. I really didn't think I have too much light in my tank.

 

[matttvi]

keep in mind that the anemone is benefiting from the ammonium produced by the hosting clowns...

try taking a turkey baster and cup w/ tank water in it. buy some shrimp, scallop or saltwater fish at the local super market and dice up a small amount (about the size of your thumb nail) into fine pieces (really chop it up, mince it) and put that in the saltwater in your cup, suck all that up w/ the turkey baster and then "blast" the anemone with it (not too hard to cause it to react and shy away from the jet stream).

This should litter the anemone's tentacles with food, so that even if the clowns try and steal some, they may not get all of it...

 

[tnyga]

I dont know Trinh...maybe its you.. I dont have any problem with mine........

Uhmmm...never mind...no anenome here heheheh

 

[linda lee]

My clarkii is fiercely protective of her anemone and feeds her host before she eats anything herself. She even steals from other critters in the tank. Last night she was in a tug-o-war with a cleaner shrimp over a small piece of squid and I wish I had could have gotten that on video. Food is even taken out of the mouths of plate corals for her anemone. She'll give the anemone a piece of food then turn around, face the front and guard the anemone, watching for more food to go fetch.

Anyone had <u>this</u> problem? Too much clown-feeding-anemone? I have no idea how much food she would actually tuck into that anemone, because she's never ever refused anything. I'm sure it's way more than the nem needs, but if the anemone tosses anything out, the clown quickly picks it up and tucks it back in, like a mom returning a baby's pacifier.

 

[tnyga]

Linda Lee;92162 wrote: My clarkii is fiercely protective of her anemone and feeds her host before she eats anything herself. She even steals from other critters in the tank. Last night she was in a tug-o-war with a cleaner shrimp over a small piece of squid and I wish I had could have gotten that on video. Food is even taken out of the mouths of plate corals for her anemone. She'll give the anemone a piece of food then turn around, face the front and guard the anemone, watching for more food to go fetch.

Anyone had <u>this</u> problem? Too much clown-feeding-anemone? I have no idea how much food she would actually tuck into that anemone, because she's never ever refused anything. I'm sure it's way more than the nem needs, but if the anemone tosses anything out, the clown quickly picks it up and tucks it back in, like a mom returning a baby's pacifier.

Wow!! That must be soo sooooo cool to watch..

 

[dannybradley]

I had an awesome 8" GBTA and decided to add a 4" RBTA. I had the RBTA for 2 days before it crawled to the back of 200lbs of rock in a 75g tank. I never saw him again. I don't think anemones have the mental capacity to know what's best for them.

The first two days almost made the $100 worth it.