6 Months

kar93

Active member
i am setting up a Nano for a BTA and i know i have to wait for it to cycle but i dont want to wait 6 months to add clowns and the anemone. why do i have to wait 6 months , do i really need to? is there anway to speed up the process
 
Not safely, but IMO nano's and nems aren't a great idea either.
If I did a nano I'd choose frogspawn or hammer over a nem as they don't move and won't get sucked into intakes.
Most nems will outgrow a nano in no time, and since they sting whatever they touch you won't have much room for corals.
Rushing ANYTHING in this hobby is never a good idea as well.
 
Slow down there and have some patience!
Actually, a nano isn't a terribly good place to put a nem, almost all of them will outgrow a nano.
 
The idea behind the waiting to put a nem in tank is so that the tank can mature and the tank's environment and water params can stabilize (stuff you can't test for).

Ideally one would wait 9-12 months for an anemone. Most say 6 months just so they dont have to wait that long and some people will put an anemone in their tank after having the tank set up for a month. It CAN be done but are you willing to kill an anemone just because you can't wait and do it right?
 
The whole six month thing that seems to be the norm around here seems kinda crazy to me. IME nems(esp BTA's)are very hardy creatures that can take way more than most people think.

Hell mine survived a 45 minute drive inside a Hardee's cup then spent the next 3 days inside a trash can with a heater and power head. Everything else was lost but the nem is still around to this day. And its kept under PC lights to boot! GASP!!!:rolleyes:
 
kaneryles,
I see that you just registered in Oct. 2007. Is that you just started this hobby or that is just registered on RC? Reason why I asked, I don't recommend anyone trying an anemone until they have a year of experience under their belt.

As for the nano part, yes, anemones can be kept in them but only selected few. If you don't have a lot of experience under your belt I would definitely wait 6 months. If you are downgrading from existing system then that can be quickly done under high experience.

Celano,
Theres anyways exceptions to the rule, so i would be inclined to make a blanket statement. Even Though, I agree with you that BTAs are one of the most hardy anemones.
 
I put a bta in my tank about 2 weeks after it was setup. Now, 14 months later, it's still with me and doing great. I would NOT recommend that though. 9 months wait is safe and I would and will do it with my next tanks. The length of time also gives people new to the hobby the opportunity to learn more about anemones and the care and reef keeping in general. It also lets you get use to regular feeding, water changes, testing, etc. as the tank establishes.
 
True, some of the 9 month buffer period is for the aquarist to become more adept with the care of the tank, but it is also fairly true that anemones placed in young tanks have a lower survival rate than those placed in well established tanks.
 
What size "nano" would be a very important question no one has ask yet.

If your new to the hobby & starting with a nano under 20 gallons I'd say dont do it at all. The smaller the tank, the harder to keep water quality in check. If your new to the hobby then its going to be even harder to keep a sable nano.
 
SPS = HARD

ANEMONES = HARDER

Ever wonder why when you put a piece of really nice SPS in your tank, and even though the water parameters are good, it just doesn't do well, color, or growth. Then you can take that same piece of coral and put it in a well established tank and it just thrives.

Point is, a well established environment provideds things these creatures need that a new tank doesn't have. I can't tell you what these things are. It just is what it is.

This is all stated in my opinion.
 
I would agree that a Nano is probably not a good place for a Nem but I've never had a nano so I can't really say to much about that.

As for time frame for adding a nem to a tank. I added one to my 150 after 6 weeks. Its doing good so far.
 
it depends on the size of the nano, I have a nem in a 24 gal AP and it is doing very well, however if its a smaller nano I wouldnt suggest it
 
In all honesty, I think you know what you are gonna do and only want to hear someone say "Go for it"!

So here it is...... Go for it!



I have seen multiple threads of justification on getting a nem along with some clowns for a tank you want to setup or recently setup.
 
well i am waiting for someone to say go for it, but the Nano is 15 gallon but it is 24" inches long. but intakes, etc will be Guarded I am putting an acrylic partition to hide all heaters and filter intakes etc.
 
A BTA will be perfect for that 15g! which will probably be only about 10 after all the sand and LR is put in though.....Honestly nothing looks as cool as a Carpet Nem with a pair of clowns!
 
yeah, i would love to put a carpet in there but, after researching the tank isnt big enough and i dont really think id be ready for one.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11264386#post11264386 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thinslis
I love my GBTA and I can't wait for my Onyx clowns to be big enough to put in the tank with the Nem =)

Why cant you put them in now?
 
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