Carpet anemone question

[MRICKEN1012]

I would like to keep a Haddoni Carpet Anemone. Are they easy? Are they hardy?. Will my percula clown host this? Also I have 2 03 true actinic, and 2 day lights both 65w each also with 4 led moon lights. All in a 55 gal. Is my lighting ok??

If this wont work can you suggest something that would with these condions and is fairly easy to keep, and not really expensive.

 

[Dawman]

For carpets you will need metal halide lighting or a T-5 light with 6 to 8 bulbs and individual reflectors .

 

[Toddrtrex]

Haddonis don't require MH lighting. I have kept my yellow/tan one under PCs lighting for 4 of the 6 years I've had it. Until two weeks ago ( when I upgraded my lights ) it spent the last 2 years under 6 * 65 watts of PC. My blue haddoni is in the same take and was under those lights for 5 months.

They will do just find under MHs too. The only reason I upgraded my lights was to keep SPS in that tank also.

 

[Dawman]

There are always exceptions but they do need strong light .

 

[Toddrtrex]

I am not the only one that has kept them under PC lights. I know that "phender" has done it too, and IMO he is very knowledgeable about the subject.

Now, giganteas do require strong lights, but that is not the case with haddonis.

 

[MRICKEN1012]

so do you think 4 lights will be enough??

 

[Toddrtrex]

Personally, I would like it to be 6 of them.

And when you say that you are new to saltwater -- just how new, and how new is your tank. Not trying to sound all high and mighty, but just because they don't require strong light doesn't mean that they are easy to keep.

 

[MRICKEN1012]

The tank has been up for at least 3 months now....

 

[MRICKEN1012]

What does PC stand for??

 

[Toddrtrex]

PC = power compact. From the info you've given those are the type of lights that you have.

As for getting a haddoni ( or any anemone for that matter ) I would wait until your tank has been set up for at least 6 months. It lets you water chemistry settle ( more then just your cycle being done ) and it lets you get more familiar with your tank. It can take up 6 months ( for some people longer ) for you to know when something is wrong with your tank before it becomes a big issue. Plus it gives you time to make mistakes, learn when you should do water changes, etc. Might as well make mistake now with inverts that can take the stress.

 

[phender]

MRICKEN,

As Todd alluded to, all carpet anemones are not created equal. There are three clown hosting species. Haddoni are the least demanding. (mertens aren't very demanding either, but you will likely never see one for sale).
Your lighting set up is the same that I have used for many years to keep haddonis healthy.
The absolute most important thing in keeping haddonis is being able to pick a healthy one in the first place, and not just buying the best one in the tank.
Spend some time just window shopping for anemones without the thought of buying one. Learn to tell the difference between a "sort of" tight mouth and a really tight mouth, the difference between a floppy body and one held firmly. There is really no way to describe it. You just have to go out to as many stores as you can and look without the preasure of wanting to make a purchase.

For an experienced anemone keeper, they are easier than other species of host anemones. For most other people, there are no "easy" anemones. The two biggest draw backs to haddoni carpets is that ocellaris and percula clowns don't always accept them and in fact are sometimes eaten in their initial attempts to acclimate to the anemone and haddonis are very good at eating almost any fish in your aquarium. There is really no fool proof way of keeping it from happening.