My clown fish pair suffered a host (Xenia) meltdown recently, and are needing a new host. They are both trying to convince each other to move to another coral, but can't seem to agree, and since yesterday we have eggs in the usual spot, so I'm guessing they will be staying with them. I'm thinking about getting them an anenome. A bubble-tipped maybe. The LFS said they are one of the hardiest. I have 2 small rock anenomes (not aiptasia) that came in the rock and have lived there for years, but I've never kept a larger one myself otherwise. Any care suggestions from you veterans. I do know to (drip) acclimate twice as long as corals and fish. Any other care suggestions?
Anenome care
- Thread starter joyski58
- Start date
I fed mine for the first 4 or 5 months and slowly quit, because I feed frozen brine and some red stuff (forget the name) that I got from Jo-mars. The first anemone I got was the kind with the red base, and it did awful, I got a BTA that was all white, was large when I got it, and it is great and I have had it for 7 months with my clown hosting in it.
wvufan788893
New member
One thing about BTA's, or at least in my marginal experience, is that they get large. I do feed both of mine (had one, it split) which seems to make them only larger. Moreover, if you feed them, they tend to split.
You can't really judge their size at a LFS either because they're often kept in smaller tanks than what you would put one in. That is to say, if you have a bigger tank, the BTA will be bigger do to the increased water volume.
I'd opt for a rose tip but make sure it will eat before you buy it. A healthy RBTA should be able to grab and digest krill, mysis, silversides, etc., in a minute or less.
If you do buy one, place it low and let it work it's way up the reef. You may have a couple of corals in the way which will get hit but I've never seen much damage.
You can't really judge their size at a LFS either because they're often kept in smaller tanks than what you would put one in. That is to say, if you have a bigger tank, the BTA will be bigger do to the increased water volume.
I'd opt for a rose tip but make sure it will eat before you buy it. A healthy RBTA should be able to grab and digest krill, mysis, silversides, etc., in a minute or less.
If you do buy one, place it low and let it work it's way up the reef. You may have a couple of corals in the way which will get hit but I've never seen much damage.
coralreefer
No Pistons
essop pretty much nailed it.
I don't feed my bta(s) with mh but did with pc & vho. I don't know if it was really necessary or not with the lower lighting *shrug*
IME if you do feed they appreciate meaty foods like silversides, squid, krill, whole (thawed) mysis cubes etc.
I inherited a bleaching, gaping mouth rose bta last month. He's now eating chunks of mysis and blender mush and starting to color up
It's not still white is it?
No it isn't all white now, it has almost purple colors on its tips. It is under MH lights now, when I bought it the store (not any of our nice LFS) had it under regular pc lights and it was all white with no color at all. This is also one reason I fed it often when I got it. I quit feeding it almost 2 months ago, but it gets brine shrimp and other foods when I feed my fish, and my clown takes food to it.
Thanks for the help, guys. Sounds like I'll be ok w/a BTA. My clowns are still having their differences about where they should be; however, Big Mama did lay her eggs in the usual spot Thurs night. Daddy Clown isn't too interested in doing his thing and she is not pleased. He's busy playing in a frilly mushroom nearby. My Lights: I have one of the (newish) CoralLife tank mount lights (w/10K) that I mounted from the wall to get it up over the tank more, and a 48" strip actinic. I do feed my rock anenomes a piece of krill each about once a week. Looking forward to a BTA purchase. JKJ
I have a BTA that split so have an extra which is attached to a piece of Marshall Island rock, my only piece, of course :~( I haven't decided on a price yet but will trade or sell, I think the MI rock was 11.99lb but I don't remember how many lbs, it is a small rock. I feed the anemone occasionally and my clown goes back and forth between the two anemones. Let me know if you're interested.
Oh, man. Sorry Lana. I had already made the purchase before seeing your message. So far, so good. "Big Mama" clownfish swatted at the new BTA being in "her space" at first, then decided it was a good thing and spent the rest of the evening laying in it like it was satin sheets. Thanks for the offer. JKJ
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