suggestions for anemone

[spacepirate]

Hey everyone!

I want to poll some advice on anemone's from people who have had them before.

I'm looking to get one that clown's will 'host' with, look pretty, not croak in six months, and possibly not eat other fish.


I've heard from several people to feed them.. and others said not to feed them at all, that the clown will actually give them food. My take on this is that if you don't feed your anemone that the chances it will attack other fish are higher. I'm also guessing that if your tank is small and crowded the chances of an attack is greater just because of the extra chance a fish will bump into it by accident.

My conditions are stable in my tank, and my temperature is one area that is quite well maintained at 77.5.

I've been looking at the 'magnificent' anemone mainly because it's so awesome I'd let it chew on my fingers just for the offchance it would like me. I'm worried that it would be too big for my tank (55 with large sump) but that naturally in a year or two I'm going to be upgrading to a larger tank.

Does anyone else have any feedback about keeping anemone's? Carpets? I don't want to put anything in my tank that will die from starvation in a few months

[fatdaddy]

I'd recommend a BTA (bubble tip or quadricolor) to start with. They come in off white, green, and rose colors and they will naturally host tomato clowns. In an aquarium, false perculas are also known to take to them.

BTA's feed on zoo plankton and light. You can feed mysis shrimp or small pieces of meaty marine food (silver sides, shrimp, clams, etc.)

You need excellent conditions for water quality, lighting, and food. You're tank is big enough, but how is your lighting? I'd recommend MH lighting.

H. magnifica are difficult to maintain long term and almost all of these come from the wild, so I'd recommend starting with a BTA. If you can get it to flourish then you can try something more advanced. You'll definitely need MH lighting for a mag.

[Playa-1]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/158898DSCN1254__Medium_.JPG


I would go with BTA and I would also wait until you tank is very established before considering an Anemone. A good 6 months and perfect water quality and you will be ready to go with an Anemone if you like. You should know that Anemones will move around your tank and they may or may not host Clown fish. There's nothing saying that the Anemone will not crawl under a rock where you can't see it and stay there. Or maybe it will commit suicide in a powerhead or return pump.

The Clowns are funny in that they will sometimes take to Anemones and sometimes they won't have anything to do with them. I have a large Frogspawn that plays host to my clown fish. It actually works out great because I can put the Frogspawn where I want it and It's much hardier then the Anemone. I also have a Anemone in the tank that the Clowns have never given a second glance.

Look at it like this. If the Anemone and the Clowns get along and the Anemone hosts the Clowns and then the Anemone moves to the back of the tank behind the rocks. Then you will hardly ever see your Anemone or your Clowns.

To answer your question, They need to be fed. Here's an excellent link for you.

www.karensroseanemones.com

[padi200]

I have a bubble tip and it has never bothered anything at all. I think that would be best. Pick your color!
I have rose and green.

They do move around for a while until they get settled.
And I would feed it every now and then.

[Montezuma]

I have a rose one that is loved by my clowns. The only problem is it got big so fast it covers the light for some of my corals.

[fatdaddy]

You can increase your odds by leaning rocks up against the back and then creating vertical crevices toward the front. The BTA will move around until it finds one of these crevices and then plant it's foot in one of them. No guarantees obviously, but it has worked for me. My clowns are hosting an anemone that is right in front of the front glass.

BTA's need light, so they may hide under rock for awhile, but eventually they need to come out (or die).

If you don't like where the BTA is planted, you can shade him for a few days. I wouldn't do it for more then that, but chances are if he was moving previously, he'll continue to move.

Also, False Perculas or Ocellaris Clownfish do not naturally host BTA's. They often will in the unnatural environment of an aquarium, but it is indeed hit and miss.

I'd have to check my books to find which ones do, but I know that Tomatoes will only host in BTA's and they are readily available. (Clarkii's will host all clownfish anemones, but they aren't starter fish.) I think that is a better choice then trying to get a clownfish to do something unnatural.

Btw, my tomatoes are engineers. They will excavate tunnels around their anemone. For some reason, cerith snails and conchs will end up their ditches and the female will care them out. Next day, she's doing the same thing. They are a joy to watch and spawn just about every month.

And as a PS, don't even think about getting a BTA and planning to upgrade your lights later. Get decent lighting, stabilize the tank again (it may cycle), and then add an anemone. Shut cuts usually end in disaster.

[spacepirate]

thanks for all the advice everyone.. BTA's seem to be the agreement on here.

I also do not plan on upgrading anything major with this tanks for pumps/flow/ and or lights. I'm going to wait for the next tank :)