Carpet Sanity Check

[stooges3tx]

So I picked up a 6" diameter gigantea nem the other day. I have had a Sebae for a year that was very healthy and happy. I sold him and currently have two Allardi's that instantly took to this nem. Question is this....

As long as I do what I was doing to keep the Sebae alive am I correct to assume that the carpet will thrive? What are the major differences between a "normal" nem and a carpet? From all I have read they are a tad more picky but all you have to do is keep your tank params consistent and you should be good right?

 

[nikon187]

Gigantea's need alot of light and good consistant water quality. They get quite large and can eat large fish because of their stickiness. Getting a healthy one is usually the hardest part.

 

[elegance coral]

The gigantea would probably do better with more flow than the "sebae". Other than that their requirements should be about the same.

 

[stooges3tx]

Awesome! The particular one I got is quite the healthy specimen and I definetly have enough flow. Most say I have too much. Anyway... I just read how hard they are and experts only and such so I got to reading on here and started to see some "oddities" about carpets compared to other nems. I think it is because of people asking questions because it is their first nem or somthing like that.

Anyway, I appreciate the responses and maybe I will post some pics one day.It is a bright flourescent green one.

 

[stooges3tx]

Awesome! The particular one I got is quite the healthy specimen and I definetly have enough flow. Most say I have too much. Anyway... I just read how hard they are and experts only and such so I got to reading on here and started to see some "oddities" about carpets compared to other nems. I think it is because of people asking questions because it is their first nem or somthing like that.

Anyway, I appreciate the responses and maybe I will post some pics one day.It is a bright flourescent green one.

 

[nikon187]

What kind of flow do you have? Some gigantea will accept a vortech directly in front of it. I would consider them an expert species as a lot seem to melt after 3-4 weeks of being in the tank. ( Hence the getting a healthy one comment) It sounds like you did find one, is it sticky? Would love to see some pics

 

[elegance coral]

Awesome! The particular one I got is quite the healthy specimen and I definetly have enough flow. Most say I have too much. Anyway... I just read how hard they are and experts only and such so I got to reading on here and started to see some "oddities" about carpets compared to other nems. I think it is because of people asking questions because it is their first nem or somthing like that.

Anyway, I appreciate the responses and maybe I will post some pics one day.It is a bright flourescent green one.

You probably found "oddities" because all "carpets" are not created equal. Gigantea, like the one you said you're getting, is a very difficult high flow anemone. Haddoni, is not quite as difficult, and is a much lower flow anemone. There are two other host "carpets" but we don't see them that often.

 

[stooges3tx]

Okay so we are getting somewhere with what I was asking. Differences in nem keeping.


So here is the scoop on flow. I got the nem in a 75G tank that is part of a 200G system. In a few months the nem will go in a 265G tank that will be part of a 500G system.

Currently in the 75G I have 3 maxi 1200s on a wave maker with 2 koralia 4s and one koralia 2. The 75G is very very stable. I only turn it over like 3-4 times an hour so every bit of water coming in is very fresh.

 

[tufacody]

I was lucky to have found a very healthy gig from an LFS, and it has been going stong in my tank since April or so. Mine is in a very similar system, a 70 gallon species tank that just houses it and two spawning occs, which is plumbed into a 300 gallon system. I use two korallia 4's on each side of the 70, and the nem is in the middle. The powerheads come on for 2 min and off for 2 min. I tend to believe the high flow and the rest period is important. I feed once a week now, as it already has grown significantly. I may cut down to once every two weeks, but the portion I feed is just a little larger than a pea.

 

[stooges3tx]

Good info man. Here is a pic of my bleached beauty. Hard to see the green and yellow highlights in this pic but believe me she has gotten more colorful since I brought her home. It has been 4 days. Ate once. I only feed about once a week as well. The clowns do a fine job of feeding when it is needed.

 

[clowns101]

WOW that is very bleached!But I think it will color up nicely!

 

[tufacody]

it will be a challenge to bring that back to health, but that's what makes anemones worth keeping. I'd soak your foods and feed it very small amounts, but maybe twice a week. Also make sure you acclimate to your lighting. Mine finally gave me great tentacle extension when I raised my lights higher. I'd also suggest you consider removing the clown(s) until you can get it healthier.

 

[stooges3tx]

The only reason I took it was because the guy at the LFS was able to touch and show it was sticky, show me the mouth was closed, and show me that the foot had no damage. Taking that into account and seeing a bit of yellow in it I took it. My pic really doesn't show how "yellow prone" she really is. It doesn't look as bad as it does in the pic. It used to when I bought it but now she is coloring up and will live.

5 days later it is still mouth closed sitting pretty and starting to color up. I think it is fine. I just wanted to know if there was some odd junk I was missing because everything I have read said expert level but I do not think anyone is an expert but I do think some are good at keeping solid parameters. wink wink.

I will post pics here and there but I think she is going to be just fine. She was under PCs in a 90 bowfront. Not the best by any means... Typical LFS. Now she is under eggcrate in a 75G with very strong individual reflector 8x54 T-5s. Under the eggcrate to acclimate but can move if she feels fit.