[newellio]

I recently got a Bubble Tip Anemone for my fish tank. I thought they were cool and really just wanted to try one. I had trouble feeding it at first as it would not accept any of the food i was giving it. I found out that it enjoys and seems to devour squid. I use i wooden stick to try and feed the anemone, when i put the squid in the tank the clown takes it off the stick and delivers it to the anemone. Is this a normal behavior that the clown "feeds" the anemone?

tony

[rededteck]

Yes, very normal. The clown receives protection from the anemone and in turn it will feed its host.

I have 2 clowns in my reef but no anemone. One of them hosts a leather coral. It is an interesting site to see.

[newellio]

Thats Cool

[Ninong]

It is behavior observed only in aquaria, not in nature. Clownfish eat very small prey items in nature and there is nothing to take back home. So the question now is whether the clownfish is feeding its host or merely taking excess food home to eat later, a practice common to all animals, including H. sapiens.

[rededteck]

You should write a book, I am mezmerized with your comments and wording. I think a book by Sprung and Ninong has a nice ring, what do you think?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by rededteck

You should write a book, I am mezmerized with your comments and wording. I think a book by Sprung and Ninong has a nice ring, what do you think?

[Reefland]

Originally Posted by Ninong

It is behavior observed only in aquaria, not in nature. Clownfish eat very small prey items in nature and there is nothing to take back home. So the question now is whether the clownfish is feeding its host or merely taking excess food home to eat later, a practice common to all animals, including H. sapiens.

What do you mean, we're supposed to stock food in our homes instead of eating out all the time?

[Ninong]

Stomach content analysis indicates that for most anemonefish the main food items are copepods and larval tunicates. At least a few species also consume some algae from the surrounding rocks and from the water column.

So, since the behavior observed in captivity is not a natural behavior, one has to wonder whether ascribing altruistic motives is warranted or not. It might be that the clownfish is just taking the food home to be eaten later or it could be that this is a new dimension to the symbiotic relationship acquired in captivity. The main food items of most host anemones in their natural environment are also planktonic. Every now and then they luck out if something larger wanders into their grasp but for the most part they eat tiny zooplankton that sticks to their tentacles. They do eat small fish, crustaceans, molluscs and even sea urchins that blunder into them but their main food is planktonic.