Anemone Noob Questions....?

[DeathWish302]

I moved about a month ago and will be increasing the # of tanks attached to my system. By doing so, i will increase my clown broodstock by at least 2 additional pairs. While traveling for business this week in CA, my LFS away from home has a nice population of GBTA & RBTA that have split at the shop. I went against the cardinal rule and bought one of these GBTA which is setting next to me right now awaiting my flight home. I know, I know..... research before buying, but if I can support SPS an anemone/SW marsh addition to my system should be no problem. So on to my question....

Is eggcrate suitable for a 'barrier' when keeping anemones? Before I complete the home tank, I need a primary holding area and was planning to use eggcrate to allow maxiumum flow, but keeping the anemone away from my SPS until the full system is operational. This would be VERY temporary <1week.

Just wondered what was the consensus..... If that may not be a good idea, the little guy can go in the Onyx nano.

 

[Mmckibben]

unless you have aiptasia, it should be fine.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I do believe that Walt had an BTA go through some egg crate -- so I wouldn't count on it being able to stop them.

 

[bues0022]

Just as an FYI, a BTA will have absolutely no trouble getting through the eggcrate barrier if it wants to. I've seen them get through the little slots on a megaflow overflow! HOWEVER, the eggcrate barrier is better than nothing, and at least it *should* slow the anemone down enough for you to see it wandering before it can cause itself or other corals too much damage. Good luck.

 

[Amphiprion]

I wouldn't say "no problem," as the habitat you described is somewhat of a different beast, so to speak. But you should have most, if not all of the knowledge required. The anemones, assuming they are healthy, are fairly straightforward in terms of care. They need the proper substrate, reasonable water quality, decent water motion, food, and reasonable amounts of light (some of these depend on the species, though). All of the common ones' needs are met with these, including E. quadricolor like you have. The marsh setup, on the other hand, requires some different thought to be successful--and practices that many "SPS" enthusiasts may shun. Of course, that depends upon the goal(s) you are trying to reach by setting up a tank that emulates such a habitat. I won't go further into that, however.

The eggcrate idea sounds okay in the meantime, though be aware that anemones can squeeze through the grooves. Luckily, it is a short enough amount of time that you should be okay. Just be sure the anemone's needs are met (as in the above) to make it "happy" and minimize the potential for adventures. E. quadricolor generally likes reasonable flow (and can does well in quite a bit, as long as it is diffuse), good light (not demanding), rocky crevices for substrate, semi-frequent feedings (I wouldn't bother until after it is settled, as that may cause more stress), etc.

Edit: Wow. There were no replies when I first started this. I shouldn't have gone for a bathroom break.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Here is a quote from Walt -- the pictures no longer work, but...

......

I noticed that an anemone was missing this morning. I found it on the opposite side of the wall. The weird thing is that there are no powerheads behind this wall (thankfully) which means there was no suction to pull it through. Apparently the anemone found one of the 1/2" holes and pulled itself through like an octopus might. I find this amazing because octopi are very smart. An anemone has no brain.
.....

 

[Amphiprion]

They can actually squeeze through less. Back when I worked at an LFS, we had them squeeze through ~1/4" gaps and less in holding systems.

 

[305phins]

So i take it i wouldnt be able to put an anemone in a 40 breeder with zoos? srry i dont know anything about anemone. Just wanted to know because im trying to mate two clowns

 

[DeathWish302]

I wouldn't say "no problem," as the habitat you described is somewhat of a different beast, so to speak. But you should have most, if not all of the knowledge required. The anemones, assuming they are healthy, are fairly straightforward in terms of care. They need the proper substrate, reasonable water quality, decent water motion, food, and reasonable amounts of light (some of these depend on the species, though). All of the common ones' needs are met with these, including E. quadricolor like you have. The marsh setup, on the other hand, requires some different thought to be successful--and practices that many "SPS" enthusiasts may shun. Of course, that depends upon the goal(s) you are trying to reach by setting up a tank that emulates such a habitat. I won't go further into that, however.

The eggcrate idea sounds okay in the meantime, though be aware that anemones can squeeze through the grooves. Luckily, it is a short enough amount of time that you should be okay. Just be sure the anemone's needs are met (as in the above) to make it "happy" and minimize the potential for adventures. E. quadricolor generally likes reasonable flow (and can does well in quite a bit, as long as it is diffuse), good light (not demanding), rocky crevices for substrate, semi-frequent feedings (I wouldn't bother until after it is settled, as that may cause more stress), etc.

Edit: Wow. There were no replies when I first started this. I shouldn't have gone for a bathroom break.

I should have explained further that when I said a SW 'marsh', it was more of a C.Taxefolia and ricordia dominent zone. Maybe some mangroves in the future... Definitely enough rock for the new addition to find it's sweet spot. Not the sand digging inhabitants, or gorgonians some may think of.

After arriving home at 2am Sat. morning, I decided against messing with the eggcrate. The words from the LFS owner I bought the little guy from kind of pushed me to the conclusion to drop the eggcrate idea all together. The anemone I bought had just emerged on the exterior side of the eggcrate 'holding cell' the prior day. If it had squeezed through before, it would again. I moved the rics and onyx clowns out of the nano and placed the anemone in that tank after a 2hr acclimation.

The tenticles were shriveled on one side but it was attaching it's foot to the specimen container well and did not have it's mouth turned out. I think I might be lucky since from dealer tank to my nano took nearly 26hrs. This may have been possible with the 100% water change I performed on the anemone in the plastic deli container the following morning after purchase. I placed the fifty-cent piece sized anemone in the nano and by the next morning it was again balooned up to the size of a silver dollar. I placed it in the highest flow area in the tank with the lowest light and it has slowly transitioned about 2" from the previous location. I have begun ramping up the Q5 6500K lighting, as I had it dimmed for the rics. I will see how the little guy responds over the next week and replace the Onyx clowns as soon as it settles and may take the risk of adding some rics into the system. All that being said, I'm glad I took the dive into a aqua-cultured anemone and happy that what I thought would be a bad situation after 26hrs turned out to a very happy anemone so far. Only time will tell my success.

What is the consensus on rics and E. Quadricolors? Can they peacefully coexist?