Are bare bottom tanks good or bad for anemones?

dcom · 03/06/2018, 09:32 PM

Hi guys I am re-purposing my tank to became an anemones only tank.
I've been getting several anemones from different stores in the area for the past 3 months and although most time they attach to the glass or a rock and stay there, sometimes they dont attach at all, just move around and dye few days latter.

Since I would like to prevent their death as much as possible, I started wondering if my current set up been bare-bottom could possibly be not ideal for anemones. Maybe they need substrate to cover they foot... although Iv'e found they are supposed to just attach to the glass/rock in the absence of substrate.

In peoples experience?
Would you say anemones "need" substrate to flourish?
Would you say its better to have substrate specifically for an anemone tank?
Would you say it is absolutely not necessary and they should just attach to rocks/glass?

garygb · 03/06/2018, 10:30 PM

It depends on the species. Some species need sand to bury their base in and others attach to the live rock. I have bare tanks and prefer it because debris gets circulated into the skimmer rather than trapped in the sand. My anemones are rock dwellers, so that works. For LTA, haddoni, H. aurora, they need sand. Some people have these anemones in a bare tank and fill a tupperware container with sand so the anemone can dig into the sand and liverock can be placed around the container to hide it.

davocean · 03/06/2018, 10:36 PM

^^ agree w/ most of that, but I don't think I've seen anyone keep a sand dwellar in a container of sand for any real lengthy amount of time.

OrionN · 03/07/2018, 02:43 AM

Add H. malu to Gary’s list. They are also live in sand area instead are of rock.

Big E · 03/08/2018, 06:43 AM

I kept my first malu for 9 years in a shallow tub with only about 1" of sand.......it never moved.

My current one is in a butter tub and it hasn't moved in 4+ years.........no sand. There are two small rocks to add weight at the bottom and that's it.

03/06/2018, 09:32 PM	#1
dcom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 28	Are bare bottom tanks good or bad for anemones? Hi guys I am re-purposing my tank to became an anemones only tank. I've been getting several anemones from different stores in the area for the past 3 months and although most time they attach to the glass or a rock and stay there, sometimes they dont attach at all, just move around and dye few days latter. Since I would like to prevent their death as much as possible, I started wondering if my current set up been bare-bottom could possibly be not ideal for anemones. Maybe they need substrate to cover they foot... although Iv'e found they are supposed to just attach to the glass/rock in the absence of substrate. In peoples experience? Would you say anemones "need" substrate to flourish? Would you say its better to have substrate specifically for an anemone tank? Would you say it is absolutely not necessary and they should just attach to rocks/glass?

03/06/2018, 10:36 PM	#3
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	^^ agree w/ most of that, but I don't think I've seen anyone keep a sand dwellar in a container of sand for any real lengthy amount of time. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/07/2018, 02:43 AM	#4
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	Add H. malu to Gary’s list. They are also live in sand area instead are of rock. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

03/08/2018, 06:43 AM	#5
Big E Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: South Euclid, OH Posts: 4,281	I kept my first malu for 9 years in a shallow tub with only about 1" of sand.......it never moved. My current one is in a butter tub and it hasn't moved in 4+ years.........no sand. There are two small rocks to add weight at the bottom and that's it. __________________ 80g Rimless Acropora System reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=31 Ed

03/06/2018, 10:30 PM	#2
garygb Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: los angeles Posts: 4,471	It depends on the species. Some species need sand to bury their base in and others attach to the live rock. I have bare tanks and prefer it because debris gets circulated into the skimmer rather than trapped in the sand. My anemones are rock dwellers, so that works. For LTA, haddoni, H. aurora, they need sand. Some people have these anemones in a bare tank and fill a tupperware container with sand so the anemone can dig into the sand and liverock can be placed around the container to hide it.