BTA, LTA..etc?

[hops523]

Eventually I will be adding an anemone for a pair of ocellaris clowns in my 55 gallon, soon to be reef tank. At first I only considered a BTA, but am thinking about maybe getting a different type. I'd like the clowns to host the nem eventually, and heard BTAs aren't natural hosts for any clowns. So then I thought about an LTA, but since they are a sand dwelling nem, I'd be afraid of it stinging a future tracaphyllia(sp) brain that will be on the sand. Any suggestions? The lighting is the Tek 36" 8x39 watt fixture, and it's over a 55 gallon breeder tank.
Thanks

 

[Toddrtrex]

First, not sure who told you that BTAs (( E. quadricolor )) are natural hosts for clowns. However they aren't natural hosts for ocellaris, nor is an LTA (( Macrodactyla doreensis )).

That being said, I have had both those anemones host ocellaris in the past, but that doesn't mean that yours would, but I would be shocked if they didn't in time.

With either an BTA or an LTA you are going to have to worry about them stinging corals, it is just a matter of rock corals or sandbed corals -- that is the risk one takes with having anemones in tanks with corals. I personally like LTAs better, but BTAs are easier to find --- healthy ones.

 

[garygb]

Goodness gracious, someone said BTAs aren't natural hosts? Entacmea quadricolor hosts a wider assortment of clownfish in nature than almost any of the 10 so called "host anemone" species. As Todd said, your ocellaris will likely be hosted by BTAs, though they aren't natural symbionts. If you want a natural BTA symbiont, tomato, maroon and clarkii are all commonly found options.

 

[hops523]

Haha well Im glad I asked you guys here. Ill probably go with a BTA, but I do really like LTAs, and sebaes(I know theyre harder to keep). I was actually thinking about a pair of gold striped maroon clowns, but usually the lfs only has one in stock, and I need to add them at the same time. I would order online, but never have, and dont think its the best time since its winter.

I guess I might have to hold off on the clowns for a little and try to decide between a pair of ocellaris clowns, or GSMs.

 

[garygb]

You don't have to add maroons at the same time to get a pair. If you add one and wait a while it will definitely be a female. Then, if you add a small juvenile, which will be a male, the juvenile won't put up a fight and the two will likely become a pair. That's how I did it with my GSMs. However, I once tried that with a white striped female and she never would accept the small one.

 

[wakeboardgeek]

I didn't add my tomato clowns at the same time. When I was doing research about pairing, I found the same information for all clowns. Just make sure the 2nd one you get is smaller and cross your fingers. My female took accepted the male within a day. The male is about half the size. Good luck.

 

[lougotzz]

Haha well Im glad I asked you guys here. Ill probably go with a BTA, but I do really like LTAs, and sebaes(I know theyre harder to keep). I was actually thinking about a pair of gold striped maroon clowns, but usually the lfs only has one in stock, and I need to add them at the same time. I would order online, but never have, and dont think its the best time since its winter.

I guess I might have to hold off on the clowns for a little and try to decide between a pair of ocellaris clowns, or GSMs.

Order online. I know a lot of people dont like doing it, but the three anemones ive ordered over the internet, Ive had great success with. One was a ritterii which is a more sensitive anemone.

 

[hops523]

Where did you order from? If I ordered an anemone online, I'd like there to be a wysiwyg.

 

[garygb]

Drs Foster and Smith's Diver's Den is WYSIWYG. I never ordered there until recently I saw a red Epicystis crucifer on sale and had to have it. The anemone arrived in good condition and is perfectly healthy. They regularly have RBTAs, M. dactyla (LTA) and H. crispa (Sebae).

 

[lougotzz]

Ive ordered anemones from saltwaterfish.com They were healthy when I received them. I jsut ordered a LTA from vivid aquariums. I didnt get it in yet so I cant vouch for them. Idk what wysiwyg means. Saltwaterfish.com give you a 15 day gurantee on all orders though.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Ive ordered anemones from saltwaterfish.com They were healthy when I received them. I jsut ordered a LTA from vivid aquariums. I didnt get it in yet so I cant vouch for them. Idk what wysiwyg means. Saltwaterfish.com give you a 15 day gurantee on all orders though.

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