Back to keeping M. doreensis

[Toddrtrex]

So, for the last 7 years or so I have been keeping S. haddoni exclusively, at one point I had 6 of them, at the same time. Well, I am down to just one (( now if I ever set up a 4th tank that will change )), I have some fish that I just can't risk keeping with an S. haddoni.

Here is the one that I just sold -- the sunlight was hitting it.

This is the fish that I can't/won't risk with an S. haddoni. (( it was eating an NLS pellet when I took the picture )). It hasn't been officially named yet, but think of it as a blue C. nox. (( I guess there was talk that it would be called. C. deborai, but that hasn't been confirmed yet )).

So, anyways I sold the S. haddoni on a Monday (( at least I think it was a Monday )), and received a new M doreensis from DD the next day. That night the orange skunks were being hosted by it -- they were freaked out for the first 12 hours without an anemone. As luck would have it, a local reefer was selling a purple doreensis at the same time, so...

Love natural sunlight...

Which to choose

Okay, this one,

Leave me alone, I need my sleep.

 

[rssjsb]

Very nice. This is the one reason I have never been tempted by those beautiful blue and read haddonis you see every now and then. I couldn't bear the thought of it eating any of my fish.

 

[SkullV]

Nice color contrast between the 2 of them. Good pick ups!

 

[Whip316]

makes me miss my purple lta. i just love it when they are fully inflated and the end of the tentacles do their little curl.

 

[OrionN]

M. doreensis is also a fish eater but not as bad as S. haddoni.

 

[MarinaP]

Which to choose

Okay, this one,

:lolspin: Great pics.

 

[garygb]

Beautiful LTAs. It looks like they're happily dug into the sand.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Very nice. This is the one reason I have never been tempted by those beautiful blue and read haddonis you see every now and then. I couldn't bear the thought of it eating any of my fish.

Thanks. I have had both a blue and red S. haddoni, and as much as I loved having them, having them with other fish just caused me stress.

Nice color contrast between the 2 of them. Good pick ups!

Thanks.

makes me miss my purple lta. i just love it when they are fully inflated and the end of the tentacles do their little curl.

Had been about 6 years since I have had a purple one, did miss it.

M. doreensis is also a fish eater but not as bad as S. haddoni.

Never had any issues with them. Years ago even had a flameback angel that swam in the tentacles of one -- of course every time I tried to get a picture it thought it was getting fed.

:lolspin: Great pics.

Thanks a lot.

Beautiful LTAs. It looks like they're happily dug into the sand.

Thanks Gary. They haven't moved an inch since I put them in there. Was pretty much the same spot as the S. haddoni -- nice little cove that has lower flow.

 

[MelloW33]

Very nice pictures. I've been contemplating getting a doreensis for a while now. I've kept e. quadracolor for a while but would like to go with an anemone that stays near the substrate so I can keep more SPS corals. Todd, how would you compare the level of care needed between the two?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Very nice pictures. I've been contemplating getting a doreensis for a while now. I've kept e. quadracolor for a while but would like to go with an anemone that stays near the substrate so I can keep more SPS corals. Todd, how would you compare the level of care needed between the two?

Thanks.

If you start with a healthy one, they are pretty similar -- though E. quadricolors seem to be more forgiving and can survive with lesser light.

It does seem to be harder to find a healthy doreensis, since they don't split, so that is a concern. If possible, check the bottom of the foot before purchase.

 

[MelloW33]

Thanks.

If you start with a healthy one, they are pretty similar -- though E. quadricolors seem to be more forgiving and can survive with lesser light.

It does seem to be harder to find a healthy doreensis, since they don't split, so that is a concern. If possible, check the bottom of the foot before purchase.

Thanks for the info. When I do get one, it will be from DD. Have you had good luck with their nems?

 

[maxxII]

M. doreensis is also a fish eater but not as bad as S. haddoni.

That's interesting Minh.

I've never had an issue with M.doreensis.
I suspect my H.magnifica ate a small Magnificient Foxface, but was never able to confirm.

Good luck with both the LTA's and the Blue Nox, Todd.

Nick

 

[Toddrtrex]

Thanks for the info. When I do get one, it will be from DD. Have you had good luck with their nems?

The green one is from there.

 

[elegance coral]

I hate to see you move away from haddoni, but I understand your reasoning. Every time I take the wife to the LFS she says, "I want that fish". I have to say, "Nope. That fish would be haddoni food". I've just had the haddoni for so long that I couldn't bare getting rid of her. I think doreensis will work well with what you're trying to do. The clowns don't appear to be to upset about the change.:thumbsup:

 

[sqwat]

i love the contrast and the skunks seem to like them both one beach house and one summer house.very healthy looking to.gl

 

[Toddrtrex]

I hate to see you move away from haddoni, but I understand your reasoning. Every time I take the wife to the LFS she says, "I want that fish". I have to say, "Nope. That fish would be haddoni food". I've just had the haddoni for so long that I couldn't bare getting rid of her. I think doreensis will work well with what you're trying to do. The clowns don't appear to be to upset about the change.:thumbsup:

I still have one S. haddoni -- a solid green one. It is in my 65 with 3 dwarf angels which completely ignore it. I think, for me at least, the issues with losing fish (( excluding first introduction )) has to do with having clowns. I noticed this right after I sold my pink skunk pair. Prior to selling them, the angels would be near the anemone all the time, after selling them, they never went near it. Still have a porcelain crab for that haddoni.

I was shocked at how quickly they went into the doreensis, thought it would take longer then 24 hours. They were paired with the S. haddoni when I bought it -- granted they were shipped in different bags they were hosting it within hours of being released.

 

[maxxII]

That's pretty interesting too....

I'd always been told that a pair of territorial clowns was almost required to keep curious fish out of Haddoni anemones.

I've never kept a Haddoni so I'm just going on what I've read.

Nick

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I had a handdoni in my 125 gallon tank from July to August. I liked the looks of it. I had an ocellaris clown, sergent major damsel, and three stripe damsel(tank was a complete set up). In the tank with that handdoni was a small LTA, and two quarter sized BTAs. Now BTAs and handdonis are bad mixes because the handdonis won't usually ever settle in. The previous owner had a pair of ocellaris clowns but the female died after he moved. The were hosted in the LTA most of the time but went to the handdoni during spawning. Anyways, never had fish troubles but the handdoni killed the LTA when the LTA figured out it was suppose to be a sand dweller(I didn't put it on the rocks, it was there on its own). When I fed the handdoni I had close calls though. The sergent major damsel took mysis shrimp from the handdoni's tentacles!


Todd- Those LTAs are amazing, I have been thinking about one over an RBTA recently because they look amazing and don't wander around your rocks stinging corals. Love the nems, glad your skunks took to them so soon!

 

[Toddrtrex]

Well, that didn't take too long -- was laying around today (( get to do that after back surgery )) and noticed the clowns cleaning off a rock. Figured that they were just doing some pre-spawning behavior. Well, glad I had the camera out...

I have never had clowns spawn this soon after getting them. I have had them just under 5 months now. They were sold as a pair, but just a pair, and me switching from an S. haddoni and an M. doreensis really didn't seem to bother them one bit. What really shocked me is that I have been really off with feeding, some days I was in too much pain to even think about feeding them, but something is going right.

 

[8220]

Really great story and what a happy ending with the fish spawning so quickly after being re paired with the Nem.

Have you ever experienced that a Harddoni eat the hosting couple? I was just wondering.

Great fish and tanks you have got there