Are all Stichodactyla sp. as potent?

[Kengar]

I am considering a Stichodactyla sp. anemone for 250 g system I am planning. I had a St. Haddoni years ago that took out a number of my fish (lesson learned). Are the various St. species pretty much equally dangerous, or are some less potent to fish that wander in than others?

Also, I prefer to have regional "accuracy" in my tanks. I am considering H. magnifica in the tank, too (other end or center; tank will be 7 foot long), but wonder whether both Stichodactyla's and Heteractic sp. 'nems are found in teh same region.

Thanks for info.

 

[Winwood]

Both S. gigantea and S. mertensii have large overlapping distributions with H. magnifica. They also can be found in close proximity to one another in nature. The problem, especially in my experience, is some mags don't play nice with other nems. Just from observation, but often they will crowd and sting other large anemones, even ones of their own species. Or, is more often the case from my experience, they will stunt the growth of other anemones in the system through what I can only propose is alleopathy. I have also kept mags that seem indifferent to anemones around them and recently kept one in the same tank as my S. mertensii for over a year.

 

[Kengar]

thanks for the info. what about relative/varying degrees of potency among the St. spp.?

Given my taste for some of the higher-end fish (fairy wrasses and angel) I tend to go for, however, I may just forego the Stycho spp. Years ago I had a haddoni take out a large, expensive purple tang. I saw the tang wander into it and I freed it immediately, but the damage was done. . . . . . dead next day. I also couldn't find another expensive fish -- don't recall the type any more -- and two days later, the nem spit out the half-digested carcass almost as if to add insult to injury.....

 

[Winwood]

Haddoni and gigantea are known fish eaters. Merstensii have a much less potent sting.

 

[Daniel62]

Haddoni will eat everything that touches them.

 

[m0nkie]

I learned my lesson... now I stock cheaper fish in my Haddoni tank. I still get the itch to keep some more expensive wrasse. fish seem to learn to not go near the carpet zone

 

[D-Nak]

If you have aggressive clowns, especially a breeding pair, they will typically defend their host anemone and keep other fish at a distance.

 

[Kengar]

Haddoni and gigantea are known fish eaters. Merstensii have a much less potent sting.

this is good to know, in response to the basic question. Perhaps. . . . . .

 

[D-Nak]

this is good to know, in response to the basic question. Perhaps. . . . . .

But they get HUGE and tend to be a drab brown. And many times can be expensive.

 

[Kengar]

yeah, i see the info out there re size. and given how difficult it could turn out to be to try to remove one should I get tired of losing fish, I think I'll forego Sticho and stick with (no pun intended) H. Mag

 

[ThRoewer]

Do you want to get this anemone for clownfish? If yes, which species?

One of my favorite anemones is H. crispa as it looks stunning and is not a fish eater.
I plan on making my 42 gallon tank a crispa/malu tank and then pick the matching clown. I would like either A. latezonatus or A. latifasciatus.

 

[Kengar]

Yes. Haven't checked, though, what hosts what yet. I think, though, the mated pair of oce's I have will (though not positive). Fact that they're skunks notwithstanding, this is what I want to emulate (me, in Palau or PNG a number of years ago):