Easy Anemone?

[nynick]

I just bought 2 B&W Perculas and am thinking about getting them an anemone in a month or so. I have seen that they are difficult and aggressive so my question is:

Is there an "easy" and not so aggressive one out there?

[chrischick]

Bubble Tip is what I was recommended. There is no real easy anenome though...

[MountainM]

you'll probably get the anwser to not have one at alll... but if you must I'd imagine BTA is probably the least agressive and a little easier then some others... lets take a look at your tank specs

[the_one]

bubble tip is my best opion to give u

[ajx22]

Until you provide you complete tank specs - size / content / lighting / water parameters / equipment / etc... it is hard to tell you.

Anemones should NOT be kept in a young tank - they should NOT be kept in anything less then VHO lighting - they shoud NOT be kept in a tank that has powerheads...(they WILL end up in the powerhead at some point).

Anemones are a challenging addition to any tank...and are not an animal suited for new-to-saltwater keepers.

BTA's are likely the easiest...but make SURE that you can allow it to thrive before you venture into a purchase.

HTH

[nynick]

I will never put anything in my tank that I am not sure I can take care of so no need to worry! My power heads are small and have protectors on them (always amazes me that some people spend thousands of dollars setting up their lights but forgets to spend a buck on a protector to make sure their smaller animals do not walk in to the power head) so they should not be a problem. Lights should not be a problem either with just over 6w/g of PC (50/50 DL/Actinic). For now my system is surprisingly stable but I still wouldn't dream of putting in an Anemone no matter how "easy" it is. What I am looking for is one that is not too sensitive, not too aggressive and not too keen on talking walks. I have read too many horror stories about Anemonies walking around spreading death and devastation in their path. If I can't find one that likes to stand still my Perculas will just have to get an "Anemone look-a-like" coral instead and hope to desensitise it realy fast. Right now they are living/sleeping in my little tuft of Green Star Polyps and frankly it looks pathetic....Maybe a bubble coral will work better??

[freeborn]

easy anenome = oxymoron IMO

[nynick]

BTW....I really do not have any special interest in Anemones but would like something my B&W Perculas could act naturally around. If anyone could suggest a coral that they would also like, please do! They are tankraised so maybe they will settle easier for something else??

[nynick]

Just checking if my profile is showing....

[huss]

i had a bubble tip, i never had any problems with it health wise.
what i had problems with was dispite a feeding of shrimp every other day it still felt compelled to poach my fish. im talking gobys, damsels, a regal tang, and i think an algae bleeny.
i have a tomatoe clown that seems to be hosting in a button coral
www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfmsiteid=22&pCatId=460

[nynick]

That is why I wrote "easy" and not easy, Freeborn.

[nynick]

Thanks Huss! I'll look in to the Button Coral.

[huss]

AJ wanna hear something funny? every condition you described for an anemone a certain store told me the opposite and sold me one last year.
i had powerheads, my tank was three months old, i had at the time only two 55watt pc's....... the weird thing is it thrived on a diet of expensive fish and shrimp.

[psiico]

Well, aptasia is easy to care for, but you don't want any of those. I wouldn't worry about a host for your clowns, it won't hurt them not to have one. They have been known to use everything from powerheads to rocks as hosts. If they're happy in your star polyps they may not move to the anenome anyway. Elegance coral makes a good host, but those don't fare so well in aquaria anymore. Maybe a long tentacle plate for looks.

[adamlamb]

ive only had my tank set up since march i have 40 watts of light on 30 gallons i have powerheads and my anenome is doing fine ive had it for about a month i feed it cocktail shrimp from the grocery store every other day that keeps it pretty full but it did eat a pepper mint shrimp once and it got caught in a power head and almost died but i spotted it and pulled it out and its completely recovered i solved that probablem by putting sponges on my intakes for the powerheads. its a pink tip anenome and besides being pretty easy to keep it was cheap only 7.99

ps. i dont have any fish so i dont know if it would eat fish or not

[Ducatti]

you can try a heliofungia...or a torch...they got long tents like an anemone :)

[cancruiser]

I got a corn anenome in march with the Bali order that AJ put together. Granted it's only been 3 months but I think its doing quite well. It started off in my 20g under PC lighting, found a home right away and has opened VERY large, 1 foot by 1 foot at it's largest. This was my biggest reason in going with the 65g.

The move went well and again, the anenome found a home right away and seems to like where it is again. The spot it choose this time was a spot with less light. The 400w MH was too intense for him.

I feed him either a shrimp or a scallop twice a week and that is it. My two clowns have been with him since day one as well.

My 2 cents for what it worth.....

Here is the corn anenome in the bottom right side. He moved over the weekend to the small cavern to the left and up a bit.

Poor pic I know.

http://www.execulink.com/~cancruiser/tank/65gjun17.jpg

[psiico]

Hey adamlamb, do you mean a rose bubbletip anenome? If so, it's doomed under 40 watts. I assume you mean 40 watts NO but I don't think it makes much difference if it was PC or NO. It's doing okay now, but you say it's only been a month. Long term that's not enough light. Or is it one of those tube anenomes? They don't need light.

[Mugster]

I did some research in hopes of helping with your question and came across this info which might help. It lists each type of clown fish and the corresponding anemone they seem to prefer.

Now also keep in mind that clowns don't need an anemone, especially if they're CB and not WC. The instinct to coexist with an anemone is still there in CB, just not as strong as WC.

Also I found out that with Bubble Tip anemones they tend to inflate their bulbs more often when hosting clowns.



Good reading. (http://biodiversity.uno.edu/ebooks/ch1.html)


False Percula Clown
Amphiprion ocellaris Carpet anemone,
Ritteri (Maroon) anemone
Saddle anemone
Bubble anemone

Percula Clown
Amphiprion percula Carpet anemone,
Ritteri (Maroon) anemone
Saddle anemone
Bubble anemone

"Sebae" Clown
Amphiprion clarkii Sebae anemone
Long Tentacle anemone
Ritteri (Maroon) anemone
Carpet anemone
Saddle anemone
Bubble anemone

Tomato Clown
Amphiprion frenatus Bubble anemone
Long Tentacle anemone
Sebae anemone

Maroon Clown
Premnas biaculatus Ritteri (Maroon) anemone
Bubble anemone
Long Tentacle anemone

Pink Skunk Clown
Amphiprion perideraion Long Tentacle anemone
Sebae anemone
Ritteri (Maroon) anemone
Carpet anemone
Saddle anemone
Bubble anemone

Bubble anemone = Entacmaea quadricolor
Long tentacle anemone = Macrodactyla doreensis
Sebae anemone = Heteractis malu
Ritteri (Maroon) anemone = Heteractis magnifica
Carpet anemone = Stichodactyla gigantea
Saddle anemone = Stichodactyla haddoni


HTH,
Kev

[Mugster]

Originally posted by adamlamb
ive only had my tank set up since march i have 40 watts of light on 30 gallons i have powerheads and my anenome is doing fine ive had it for about a month i feed it cocktail shrimp from the grocery store every other day that keeps it pretty full but it did eat a pepper mint shrimp once and it got caught in a power head and almost died but i spotted it and pulled it out and its completely recovered i solved that probablem by putting sponges on my intakes for the powerheads. its a pink tip anenome and besides being pretty easy to keep it was cheap only 7.99

ps. i dont have any fish so i dont know if it would eat fish or not


Adam, I hate to bust your bubble but I feel your anemone is doomed. It's just a matter of time with the injury from the power head and your current lighting. I know this from experience.

Here's some info I gathered about the Pink Tip:

The Pink Tip Anemone, also known as the Haitian Reef Anemone, is found near Haiti, in lagoons or on inner reefs, as individuals, or loose groups. It is never found in connected clusters. It has a red column with long, tapering, pink-tipped tentacles. The tentacles may occasionally develop a bubble-like appearance. Generally it likes to bury the base in the sand or into the crevice of a rock for protection.

The Pink Tip Anemone requires strong light and should never be purchased if a good lighting system is not in place. It will do well in an aquarium with live rock and several crustaceans. Although an Anemone requires a reef environment, it is not the best suited for the reef aquarium. The Pink Tip Anemone moves around the tank and has a sting that can inflict grave damage to other anemones and corals. Do not include its natural predators such as the Red-Leg Hermit Crab. Unlike other anemones, the Pink Tip Anemone does not have a relationship with any particular fish, and it is rare for any type of clownfish or damsel to reside within them.

Bottom line is Pink Tip anemones are not reef safe thus the cheap price.


HTH,
Kev

[adamlamb]

thats it right there the powerhead thing happened 2 weeks ago and its completely recovered it moves around but rarly very far and and if it does it comes back ill see what happens maybe it will die because of the light but it was only 7.99 so it wont be a big lose. I also have an acropora and a branching hammer under the same lighting and i was told by my local aquarium store i wouldnt be able to keep them and ive had the hammer for 2 months and the acro for 1 and its growing new branches and everything. The hammer hasnt grown another branch but its increased in size. So im kinda confused i just got into this a little while ago and the thing ive noticed is everyone has a different opinion about everythign in this hobby

[psiico]

I'm not too familiar with that type of anenome, not at all familiar to be more accurate, but it looks bleached in your pic. Anenomes shouldn't be all white, if it is it's as good as dead already.

[DaveA]

I have a corkscrew anemone in my FOWLR that has been a perfect gentleman since I got it about a year ago. Has grown from about 6" across to 12-14" across. I feed it one or two whole krill about every other day..........or at least I should say the Maroon Clown actually does the feeding for me. Great fun to watch.
It stays put in one spot, must be content, and hasn't eaten anything it wasn't suppose to eat. My cleaner and blood shrimp walk over it on occasion to try to steal food.
I'd stay away from carpet anemones as they tend to eat everything that even just brush up against them. I had a small Tomato Clown once that loved my pink tipped green frogspawn. Long tentacle plate corals will work also.

http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v54/anderson1100/Saltwater%20aquarium%20stuff/Maroon_clown.jpg


Dave

[ssheipel]

psiico, maybe don't sign a death warrant on an animal you've simply seen one picture of.

Adam, I am clearlyl not an expert on anemones. I want a clown/anemone combo above most other livestock but will not go there because of the unpredictability (and thus potential harm) of the anemone.

It looks like a Condy Anemone you've got. The do require strong light. But it is a good sign that it is eating.

AJ's advice is spot on.

Condy's are notorious "movers" -- I put a few in my first reef tank, early on. I eventually took them back, annoyed by their travelling.

I also think they are clown-less anemones...

There is a great anemone and clownfish forum at reefcentral.com you might want to check out.

And if I might add, I think you should try to think differently about the life you put in your tank. It does not make it okay that something you bought (assumed responsibility) for in your tank dies just because it was cheap in price.

Dave, that pic is the very reason I would love a clown/anemone combo. Glad yours is staying put! Nice.

steve

[aquanut40]

Hello

If I might add a thought or two. I have kept anemones for as long as I can remember. And In all that time I have never had a fish eaten by one, I will go on record as saying that I also have never seen an anemone chase a fish around a tank. If you have had a fish eaten by an anemome then I will also go on record as saying that..

1 good chance your fish was sick and stumble into an anemone ( to weak to pull away )

2 was startled and swam into the anemone.

3 Or was a fish that was unacustom to anemones such as dragonets some gobies and other bottom dwelling fish. ( these should not be kept with anemones.)

I always find it amazing how people blame the anemone for the death of there fish

As for the anemone in the pic, it does appear to be a Condylactis ( condy) These are very common and found in most LFS. As for the movement of these animal sure like all anemones they can move. They do so when something is not right in there present location What this might be could be one of a hundred things and here lies the real art of keeping them, finding out what that might be.
I have one at present and it is a great animal loves its meaty foods and has been in the same spot for 3 years now.

Condies are not natural host for clownfish, but it's not unheard of that they do host. As for your powerheads be careful as you have seen these can be a problem but to say that they should never be kept in tank with them is a little extreme. People have been keping them succesfully for many years with powerheads in tanks it just requiers a little more thought as to there placement.

As for there being a "easy" anemone. Nope sorry every animal that we put into our tanks should be well thought out.. All our animals for the most part are easy to buy few are easy to keep.

Stan

[psiico]

I hadn't written it off, I just said "it looks bleached in the pic." Purely a statement about the appearance in the pic, not a statement for how it may actually be. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[adamlamb]

its not completely bleached you cant tell from the picture but the very tips have pink dots on them and this is how it appeared in the store where they have had them for months. About the hosting there was one in the store that hosted a seabea clown that was icombo i was going to buy that one but ive had bad luck with fish and im gonig to let my tank mature more before adding any more fish

[bjorky]

i bought a little cheap rock to start off and i swear my clown pair love it. It has 3 little holes about 1" diameter each and they've taken a space each, they look pretty cute bobbing up and down in there. I bought them a big hunk of expensive live rock and swapped over but they weren't having any of it!