anemone opinions... this should be fun

[jiggyj0sh]

I would like some educated help on a decision about an anemone for my two ocellaris clowns. I have read a few other threads about anemones and I just didn't get all I wanted.

 

I have had my 20 gallon long tank established for well over a year now and my tank-raised clowns have recently started attempting to host my toadstool leather. The toadstool is somewhat tolerating the hosting, but doesn't seem to be in love with it.

 

So now I am doing lots of research on anemones, but I thought I would throw a thread on here because the consensus of the group here has rarely been wrong (If a consensus can be acheived ).

 

I have read the horror stories of anemones quite a bit, but I have been very patient and now that they are obviously looking for something to host I figure I will give this a try. I am not gonna do anything for about 6 weeks or so to give myself ample time to research.

 

So now I need you all to show me your magic and tell me what you think I should do.

 

First question- What is the deal with maxi-mini anemones. I have seen a few threads about these and they are intriguing, but I cant say I understand much about them. Do they host clowns?

 

(Here's the fun ones) - What is my best bet for an anemone? What do I want to avoid? How do I know I am getting a healthy one?

 

Thanks for you help in advance! I want so much information that my head will when I am done reading

[cheryl jordan]

 

JMO

 

If you can guess or predict what your clowns will reside in buy a lottery ticket

 

I like the BTA because

 

1. They are hardy for the most part.

2. Host most clownfish.

3. Clone when feed well, or stressed.

4. Come in some really great colors.

5. Will do ok in smaller tanks like a 20 gal and not out grow the tank too quickly.

 

As you can tell by the avatar I like BTA's

[sweet<3]

Maxi minis do not host clowns as far as I have heard. They have even been known to eat some clowns. I agree with cheryl BTAs are the way to go for clowns.

 

http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

 

Here is some useful info on BTAs

[jiggyj0sh]

Haha yeah the BTA does seem like a safe bet. There are soooo many different colors. It would take me just these six weeks to pick one haha. I think my biggest concern is making sure I get a healthy one no matter what type!

 

Do you know anything about the maxi mini carpets cheryl?

[Eole00]

i wouldnt recommend a long tentacle anemone, those will outgrow your tank in a matter of months.

bta's are your best bet.

[jiggyj0sh]

Maxi minis do not host clowns as far as I have heard. They have even been known to eat some clowns. I agree with cheryl BTAs are the way to go for clowns.

 

we don't want that! These fish are my babies. They are the only fish I have had since my tank was started!

 

i wouldnt recommend a long tentacle anemone, those will outgrow your tank in a matter of months.

bta's are your best bet.

Are they significantly better than Sebaes?

[cheryl jordan]

Haha yeah the BTA does seem like a safe bet. There are soooo many different colors. It would take me just these six weeks to pick one haha. I think my biggest concern is making sure I get a healthy one no matter what type!

 

Do you know anything about the maxi mini carpets cheryl?

 

I love maxi minis but as stated earlier they really do not host clownfish, but they sure are pretty.

 

I really like alot of the carpets second to BTAs but they get large, and can eat other fish, sticky like no tommorow.

 

Next the Sebae but not as hardy as BTA and harder to find, liveaquaria is a good place for BTAs they have a nice selection.

 

[nick1912]

A stable system is the key! Keep that 20 stable and your btas will do great.

[jiggyj0sh]

liveaquaria is a good place for BTAs they have a nice selection.

 

 

Would it be best to go with a WYSIWYG so I can really try to examine it for health or is that not really necessary?

 

A stable system is the key! Keep that 20 stable and your btas will do great.

 

That's always the goal. I am constantly learning new things to keep my system running better. If only I were a millionaire I would have the money to buy all the equipment I want to have the most stable 20 long in the WORLD muahahahaha .... but I don't, and I'm running off my auntie anne's pretzels paycheck haha. So I do the very best that I can

[cheryl jordan]

Would it be best to go with a WYSIWYG so I can really try to examine it for health or is that not really necessary?

 

Either way but I have yet to get hosed by liveaquaria, and they honor their guarantee. I have gotten BTAs and carpets from them as well as saltwaterfish.com, but theirs are looking a bit bleached at the moment.

[jiggyj0sh]

nice, liveaquaria is run by Drs. Foster and Smith, correct?

[jiggyj0sh]

I am currently running a 24 inch Current USA Nova Extreme 2x24 watt T5 HO 10K/460nm. Is this going to be sufficient lighting for a BTA?

[cheryl jordan]

I am currently running a 24 inch Current USA Nova Extreme 2x24 watt T5 HO 10K/460nm. Is this going to be sufficient lighting for a BTA?

 

Oh more than enough.

 

[jiggyj0sh]

Oh more than enough.

 

Nice. I love solid reinforcement because I have been thinking about trying to save up for a 4x24 watt strip, but I think I will forgo that if my lighting is good! (not to mention that is $200 + that I don't have to worry about rolling pretzels for )

[jiggyj0sh]

This thread found a consensus wayyyy too fast. I was expecting people to politely banter back and forth and hold me over while I saved up money for whatever I got.

 

Now, I am already racking my brain for any question I cant think of.

 

How about compatibility.:

 

Pair of ocellaris clowns

(1) Coral Beauty Angel

(1) one armed CB shrimp (it's a trooper)

(1) Cleaner shrimp

(12) various hermits

(8) various snails

(1) sand sifting star

 

Corals (this is the depressing short list):

(1) small polyp zoa colony

(1) Hammer coral

(1) Toadstool leather

 

Any problems here with adding a BTA?

[lakshwadeep]

The coral beauty is kind of a stretch for the tank, but it's fine as a fish besides the clowns. A smaller species (like the cherub) would be a better fit:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/jf/index.php

 

You need more (herbivorous) snails than you need hermits (a few or even zero hermits is a good idea), and avoid getting a sand sifting starfish. These starfish, like most "sand sifters", actually vacuum your sand bed of the animals that help make it live, not the detritus/algae that leads to an unattractive appearance. See this related thread for sand sifters:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...237460&st=0

 

hermit stocking info:

http://www.fishchannel.com/saltwater-aquar...ius-snails.aspx

 

general CUC info:

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

[jiggyj0sh]

The coral beauty is kind of a stretch for the tank, but it's fine as a fish besides the clowns. A smaller species (like the cherub) would be a better fit:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/jf/index.php

 

You need more (herbivorous) snails than you need hermits (a few or even zero hermits is a good idea), and avoid getting a sand sifting starfish. These starfish, like most "sand sifters", actually vacuum your sand bed of the animals that help make it live, not the detritus/algae that leads to an unattractive appearance. See this related thread for sand sifters:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...237460&st=0

 

hermit stocking info:

http://www.fishchannel.com/saltwater-aquar...ius-snails.aspx

 

general CUC info:

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

 

Yes, I know that the Coral Beauty is a stretch for the tank. After talking to a lot of knowledgeable people a consensus was reached that it would be okay to try it since it has a longer footprint (being a 20 long). I decided to give it a try.

 

So, in terms of the CUC: That is not a wish list or a plan. That is what I already have so it would be hard to avoid getting a sifting star . I bought it very early in my tank when I was just buying things I thought were cool without researching. I will definitely look at the articles and do what I can to improve on my stock list.

 

Thanks for the tips!

[sanchez]

Just a heads up before you go buying a BTA... Here's my .02, which is neither good nor bad, but maybe informative.

 

I have a GBTA in my tank, came with it when I bought it. I had a tomato clown and an ocellaris and the tomato was IN LOVE with the BTA. I got rid of the tomato because he was picking on the ocellaris and picked up a true perc. A couple days after getting that pesky tomato out of the BTA it opened up HUGE! "AWESOME CLOWN HOUSE!!" I thought.

 

Too bad both of my clowns are more interested in my stick-on backup thermometer than the BTA. It's been in the tank for about 3 months, and neither of the clowns even glance at it. It's very nice to look at it, but it can be a pain as well.

 

It sat in it's spot for a good month and a half, and one day it decided that my green mushroom looked comfy, so off it went.. walking across the rock and planting right next to the green mushroom. I came home from work and found 10 or 15 tentacles stuck to the mushroom, who in turn spit out it's guts. Now I have a net in the tank at all times acting as a dividing wall between the BTA and the mushroom.

 

There's a net up against it, a powerhead pointed at it and it will not move. Of course it's on the pinkest, biggest, nicest piece of rock in the tank so I can't just bring it to my LFS.

 

This is just my experience with it, it's kinda frustrating but if you can make them happy and stay put they're wonderful to have.

 

(Also if you get one, it may shrivel up and poop every so often.. perfectly normal)

 

Enjoy!

[Bill Nye]

As far as water quality and lighting your tank is definitely ready IMO. Only thing I would be concerned about is tank size. As you know anemones can move ALOT. Your tank is probably already pretty heavily stocked so it may sting alot of your coral in the settling in period. I personally think larger tanks are more appropriate for anemones due to their propensity to move. But that being said many people successfully keep anemones in tanks similar to yours.

[jiggyj0sh]

Sanchez. Thanks for you .02 cents. loose change is always good by me.

 

 

 

As far as water quality and lighting your tank is definitely ready IMO. Only thing I would be concerned about is tank size. As you know anemones can move ALOT. Your tank is probably already pretty heavily stocked so it may sting alot of your coral in the settling in period. I personally think larger tanks are more appropriate for anemones due to their propensity to move. But that being said many people successfully keep anemones in tanks similar to yours.

With the tank size issue. I agree that 20g is small for a BTA, but what I was planning on was buying one small if at all possible just to give my clowns the option of something better to host. I am maxed out on fish for sure, but I only have one hammer coral, one toadstool leather, and one small rock covered with a zoa colony. So in terms of corals, I have a lot of open rock face at this point (Not by choice, I am just too poor to buy more corals).

 

Any recommendations other than liveaquaria? They seem to be out of the small normal BTAs right now

[jiggyj0sh]

Maybe something closer to the east coast so shipping isn't as long?

[Bill Nye]

Maybe something closer to the east coast so shipping isn't as long?

 

None of your LFS carry them? Around where I am Bubble tips are like falling from the sky. Finding a healthy one is alot rarer but there is one LFS that sells the nicest bubble tips Ive seen in person.

[Arkayology]

I will chime here I guess. I have had a GBTA in my 20H for about 4 months now. It is a small footprint then your 20L and I have had no problems with the nem other then it deciding to walk ontop of my clam one day. I got it off right as it was about to walk over the mouth. That being said, you need to be attentive when you get the nem. Expect it to not go where you don't want it to go. They are awesome, but you must be patient and keep your params and flow right. In time, it will settle down somewhere. Mine hasn't moved in 3.5 months or so.

 

I would say go for a BTA. They are easy if you know what you are doing. No temp swings, no nitrates or ammonia or nitrites (which you shouldn't have anyways, no sg swings more then .0001 and you should be ok. Also, when you get it, don't expect it to want to eat right away. Feed it after a week or when it starts to settle down. Never force it to eat. You also may have to help it though by putting the food near it's mouth. Mine lost the stickiness of it tentacles for the first month I had it and it's feeding response wasn't good. But now it is healthy and feeds almost instantly.

 

As for where to get it, there are always locals selling nem clones at good prices where I am from. Check CL or your local reefing club for clones. Stick with BTAs and you should be fine.

[jiggyj0sh]

None of your LFS carry them? Around where I am Bubble tips are like falling from the sky. Finding a healthy one is alot rarer but there is one LFS that sells the nicest bubble tips Ive seen in person.

Haha I live in Morgantown, West Virginia. We have a Petco and their products are complete #### (sorry to petco fans or employees. I understand that all petco's are not like this, but mine is ). I have two other LFSs and one of them has only one 50g SW tank, and the other is a very nice fish store where I do most of my business, but his anemones are few and far between and never seem to be of the greatest health from what I can tell.

 

I will chime here I guess. I have had a GBTA in my 20H for about 4 months now. It is a small footprint then your 20L and I have had no problems with the nem other then it deciding to walk ontop of my clam one day. I got it off right as it was about to walk over the mouth. That being said, you need to be attentive when you get the nem. Expect it to not go where you don't want it to go. They are awesome, but you must be patient and keep your params and flow right. In time, it will settle down somewhere. Mine hasn't moved in 3.5 months or so.

 

I would say go for a BTA. They are easy if you know what you are doing. No temp swings, no nitrates or ammonia or nitrites (which you shouldn't have anyways, no sg swings more then .0001 and you should be ok. Also, when you get it, don't expect it to want to eat right away. Feed it after a week or when it starts to settle down. Never force it to eat. You also may have to help it though by putting the food near it's mouth. Mine lost the stickiness of it tentacles for the first month I had it and it's feeding response wasn't good. But now it is healthy and feeds almost instantly.

 

As for where to get it, there are always locals selling nem clones at good prices where I am from. Check CL or your local reefing club for clones. Stick with BTAs and you should be fine.

Thanks for your reassurance on tank size. I am definitely ready for the challenge and I am prepared for frustration and maybe even setback, but I think these clowns deserve a real anemone (that sounded kind of epic haha). We don't have a local reefing club and I'm not sure if I trust craig's list. I would feel much more comfortable buying one from someone in the nano-reef marketplace <- hint hint to all of you with splitting btas!

[Bill Nye]

I wouldnt be worried about dissing on Petco on these forums...i think everyone agrees with you. I never knew some petco's carried coral until recently though. The one near me just has some sickly looking fish. I would keep your eyes on the Livestock forums. I forget who it is exactly but they sold a very large amount of BTA's through the forums and had good feedback. Im pretty sure that person has a "Bta farm" going so he will probably be selling more in the nearish future.

 

I would make sure whoever you buy the BTA from knows how to ship them though. I hear they are poor shippers.