Think about this!
Water always runs downstream!
What I am trying to say is that animals pick their niche on an opportunistic
basis. The only reason clowns use an anemone to hide is because their skin
can tolerate or are immune to the anemone's stings.
In the wild, they will hide anywhere they can but, if an anemone is near by,
they are going to hide in their tentacles because their predators or
competition is not.
In your tank, your fish may not need the anemone because there is nothing to
hide from.
Other than the protection they get, there is no other reason to hide. If
they don't need protection, they are not going inside. Buy a fish that may
attack the clown and they will be forced to hide.
No, there is no genetically embedded code that makes them live inside the
condy, it will only use it if it needs it.
iy
"Stoutman" [email protected] wrote in message
. ..
Is the clown/anemone relationship a learned one or is it genetic? In
other words will a clown take to an anemone if he has never seen/witnessed
another clown fish in an anemone?

I am asking because I have a tank raised percula clown who is not taking
to my sebae or condy anemone.

thanks.