Anemone for my clowns

[sde1500]

So was taking a peek at PetCo today since I passed by it. They had a decent looking what I think was an LTA. Not a natural host for my Ocellaris clowns but got me looking. I'm considering a green S. Gigantea since that is a natural host. But I'm a little concerned. I have a starry blenny that likes to perch on some areas and corals. One area it pokes around is where I'd put the nem. Also plan on getting a mandarin. What's the odds these fish get eaten?

Also read these nems wouldn't mind living on rock right? I have a good corner of the tank just off the sand bed with no corals and where the clowns hang already. Debating if I stick that LTA there and see if they move in, or get the S. Gigantea for them.

 

[davocean]

If it's the 65g in your sig a gig will be taking up most of that space, and that could limit swim room and that could come w/ issues, otherwise most fish seem to know to stay away from it usually.

 

[sde1500]

If it's the 65g in your sig a gig will be taking up most of that space, and that could limit swim room and that could come w/ issues, otherwise most fish seem to know to stay away from it usually.

Yea still the 65. That was something I was concerned with too, the size. But it seems like all the natural hosts get real big.

 

[davocean]

Consider a malu, while it may not be natural many will still accept it, they stay kinda small at 8-10", very bright colors usually, and they stay down at sand bed, tend to not wander, good choice for a mixed reef especially of that size.

 

[D-Nak]

Something i've noticed about blennies is that they like to back into crevices. This is not good if the gigantea is on a rock that's got holes in it that a blenny may back into.

If you get a gigantea and are careful about your rock selection (such as using Fiji rock instead of something more porous like Pukani) tou can prevent your blenny from backing into the gig.

However, if you have a pair of clowns that end up having the nem as the host, then they'll most likely keep your mandarin and blenny away, which indirectly protects them from getting eaten.

 

[davocean]

I've had a lot of nems and clowns over the years as well as mandarins and lawnmower blenny's, and yeah, some of my clowns did keep fish away, my maroons and clarkis were super territorial, but even when I had passive clowns my mandarins and lawnmowers seemed to know better, but these were in 120-180g tanks where I could still provide some swim room.

Depending on scape an LTA could work in the 65g, a malu would be a much better fit IMO, and I would only attempt a gig or even mag if it was specifically for that alone w/ clowns and a few small fish.

 

[sde1500]

Awesome guys thanks for the suggestions and help. I'd like to position the nem close to where the clowns already hangout currently. And definitely seems like it's too small of a spot for any big nem. Not as much sand in that area though possibly could do some rescaping to accommodate the malu