my profile  |  logon  |  help search  > Database salt water Vertebrates -- Select -- Angelfish Angelfish(Dwarf) Anthias Assessors Basslets Batfish Blennies Boxfish(Cowfish) Butterflies Butterfly(Banners) Cardinals Cat Fish Comets Damsels Damsels(Clowns) Dottybacks Dragonets Drumfish Eels Filefish Frogfish Goatfish Gobies Gobies(Darts) Grammas Groupers Hamlets Hawkfish Helmut Gurnards Hogfish Jacks Jawfish Lionfish Miscellaneous Moorish Idols Parrotfish Pipefish Porcupinefish Puffers Rabbitfish Rays Scorpionfish Sea Horses Sharks Snappers Soapfish Soldierfish Spine Cheeks Squirrelfish Surgeonfish(Tang) Sweetlips Tilefish Toadfish Triggerfish Wrasses Wrasses(ReefSafe) Invertebrates -- Select -- Anemones Cephalopods Clams Crabs Fan Worms Jellyfish Lobsters Scallops Sea Cucumbers Sea Slugs Sea Stars Sea Urchins Shrimp Snails Sponges Tunicates(Squirt) Corals -- Select -- Hard Corals (LPS) Hard Corals (SPS) Mushroom Corals Polyp Corals Sea Fans Soft Corals fresh water compatibility disease/health > Virtual Tanks > Resources > Articles > Reviews SALT WATER  - Vertebrate Damsels (Clownfish) Black and White Percula Clownfish Pomacentridae Bluestripe Clownfish Pomacentridae Cinnamon Clownfish Pomacentridae Clarkii Clownfish Pomacentridae False Percula Clownfish Pomacentridae Maldives Clownfish Pomacentridae Maroon Clownfish Pomacentridae Orange Skunk Clownfish Pomacentridae Pink Skunk Clownfish Pomacentridae Red Saddleback Clownfish Pomacentridae Sebae Clownfish Pomacentridae Tomato Clownfish Pomacentridae True Percula Clownfish Pomacentridae Two Banded Clownfish Pomacentridae White Bonnet Anemonefish Pomacentridae Wide-band Anemonefish Pomacentridae Yellowstripe Maroon Clownfish Pomacentridae Submit A New Specimen additional commentary       Surrogate hosts for clownfish If you only find this post inaccurate, please post one of your own to the contrary. However, if you find this post in violation of our Community Guidelines, so we can review it and help keep our community clean and friendly. Posted by Chief15 on April 20 2008 post rating 100 (0 votes)       Within an aquarium a host anemone is not required for the survival of a clownfish; nevertheless, many aquarists enjoy watching the relationship between the two. Due to the difficulty of keeping most anemones and their tendency to “wander” throughout the tank, stinging corals and damaging other tank inhabitants, many people choose not to keep anemones and never get to experience this unique relationship. However, it is still possible to enjoy watching your clownfish form a similar relationship with a surrogate host. In an aquarium setting clownfish have been seen hosting with a variety of soft and hard corals which include but are not limited to: mushrooms of the genus Rhodactis, soft corals Sinularia, flower pot corals Goniopora, toadstool or leather corals Sarcophyton, xenia corals Xenia, long tentacle plate corals Heliofungia, torch frogspawn and hammer corals Euphyllia, open brain corals Trachyphyllia or Lobophyllia, and elegance corals Catalaphyllia. When choosing a surrogate host for your clownfish, keep in mind that some corals have a higher tolerance to the attention of the clownfish than others. This will range from Sarcophyton which in many cases may seem to benefit from a clownfish hosting in them to Gonopora which will likely retract its tentacles and eventually weaken and die. Before choosing a surrogate host for your clownfish, do the appropriate research and always watch for signs of damage or stress to the coral no matter which type you choose. In addition remember that there is no guarantee that your clownfish will pair with anything in you aquarium whether it be an anemone or a coral.