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Best Anemone for Porcelain Crab in Nano Reef


consreef

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Hey all, looking for some recommendations.

 

I have a 10 gallon mixed nano reef, currently stocked with soft corals (mushroom, zoa, leather, etc), LPS (euphyllia, caulastrea) and a gorgonian. The only other livestock so far are a fire cleaner shrimp and a red leg hermit. I just got a great deal on two banded porcelain crabs and was hoping to add one/both of them to this reef, as well as my first anemone to act as host for the crabs.

 

Anyone have any recommendations? My LFS has a good selection of mini carpet anemones and some great looking rock flower anemones, so those are my two top contenders. Not sure which would be easier for my first nem, so looking for advice on my selection. Any pros or cons to either? I know rock flowers are native to the same range as these porcelain crabs, but I've heard carpets are good hosts too. Been doing research, so now I'm hoping to get some advice from other reefers here, TIA!

 

(pic of my two favorite euphyllia for attention, can add a pic of the crabs once they get here!)

IMG_0927.jpg

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I have a bubble tip, a bunch of rock flowers, and a large maxi mini carpet anemones. My porcelain crab prefers the bubble tip the most followed by the largest rock flower. 
 

 Since this is a 10g, I would recommend you go with rock flowers. I find that sexy shrimp also have the same preferences. 

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NoOneLikesADryTang

I agree with DevilDuck. A rock flower is going to be your best choice for that size tank. 
 

A mini-maxi is more likely to kill a coral that it cuddles up with, than a rock flower. Since it’s a small tank, I’d go for the rock flower. 

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9 hours ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

I agree with DevilDuck. A rock flower is going to be your best choice for that size tank. 
 

A mini-maxi is more likely to kill a coral that it cuddles up with, than a rock flower. Since it’s a small tank, I’d go for the rock flower. 

I don't really agree with that, I think either one is a fantastic choice. I've had pretty much the same experience in terms of coral killing from both RFAs and Mini-Maxis: neither anemone has ever hurt a coral. I've had both my Mini-Maxis since 2014 and kept them both in a tank as small as a 2g pico and neither one of them even really irritates corals.

 

Either anemone is going to be totally fine. Totally an anecdote, but IME RFAs walk a hell of a lot more than mini-maxis. In 7 years, each of my mini-maxis has only walked a single time, and that was when they were entirely overtaken by aggressive BTAs. That was like 2 years ago and they still haven't moved since then, even after being transferred into a new tank. That said, they are absolutely perching fish eaters and will eat any fish that is small enough to be eaten (stuff like clown gobies).

 

Mini-Maxi playing nice:

purple_mini-maxi.thumb.jpg.dd7c9679f8cf3d9733b80c776e0b4200.jpg

 

RFA playing nice:

right-front-2021-10-21.thumb.jpg.93591658fef1ea76cea9949bafda911a.jpg

 

 

Also, don't count out mini-maxis because they can be absolutely gorgeous!

rug-1-62421.thumb.jpg.031632cf4c35730678a3a72ac9a8ed8c.jpg

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OP asked about a hosting anemone for porcelain crabs. My mini maxi does not host my porcelain crab, only the bubble tip and rock flowers do. All three types of anemones are on the same rock currently, so the crab has his pick.

 

Crab on recovering bubble tip

PXL_20211102_195927904.thumb.jpg.d364eb044206df5e327af1ea1106dbb5.jpg

 

Crab on rock flower

 

Mini Maxi Carpet, its about 5-6 inch across fully open

PXL_20211005_204058456.thumb.jpg.07b4b1ed697ab4383208c28b09e34b8d.jpg

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filefishfinatic
11 hours ago, consreef said:

Hey all, looking for some recommendations.

 

I have a 10 gallon mixed nano reef, currently stocked with soft corals (mushroom, zoa, leather, etc), LPS (euphyllia, caulastrea) and a gorgonian. The only other livestock so far are a fire cleaner shrimp and a red leg hermit. I just got a great deal on two banded porcelain crabs and was hoping to add one/both of them to this reef, as well as my first anemone to act as host for the crabs.

 

Anyone have any recommendations? My LFS has a good selection of mini carpet anemones and some great looking rock flower anemones, so those are my two top contenders. Not sure which would be easier for my first nem, so looking for advice on my selection. Any pros or cons to either? I know rock flowers are native to the same range as these porcelain crabs, but I've heard carpets are good hosts too. Been doing research, so now I'm hoping to get some advice from other reefers here, TIA!

 

(pic of my two favorite euphyllia for attention, can add a pic of the crabs once they get here!)

IMG_0927.jpg

ricordea anenome

 

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21 minutes ago, DevilDuck said:

OP asked about a hosting anemone for porcelain crabs. My mini maxi does not host my porcelain crab, only the bubble tip and rock flowers do.

Mini-Maxi's will definitely host porcelain crabs though. Here's @PeterU's mini-maxi hosting his porcelain crab: 

Edit: I was mainly responding to the bit that mini-maxis are more prone to killing coral than RFAs, which I've never experienced.

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@jservedio I donno what kind of black magic you dabble in, but moments after I finish my post and walk over to my tank, I see my mini maxi anemone hosting the porcelain crab.

I think you are working together with the crab and conspiring against me!

 

Honestly, I love these crabs. I may pick up a couple of more this weekend.

 

190540874_PXL_20211103_1800127722.thumb.jpg.aa74f1ae3aa85fe029fb7bdf7f5b049c.jpg

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