clown and anem hosting question

[svynx]

As of last night, my paired Occ. Clowns hosted my carpet anemone. I regularly feen the anemone krill and other frozen foods. I've seen many clowns host anemones in the past at stores and other reefer's houses. I have heard that things can turn to the worse, where the anemone decides that the clown is food.
Question: is there anything that I can do to keep this from happening?

 

[garygb]

If you have one of the host carpet anemone species and they are natural hosts for occelaris, I wouldn't worry that the anemone will eat them.

 

[Slakker]

Haddoni's have been known to eat a clown here and there. Not much you can do about it.

 

[svynx]

This is the anemone that I have. I was told it's a carpet, but wasn't given any specific name.

 

[elegance coral]

Get that thing out of your tank before it starts killing your animals. I am 95% sure that is an Atlantic carpet. The most evil critter to make it into the hobby IMHO. It is NOT a host species, and will eat or kill just about anything.

 

[dalilgriffith]

elegance is right. That thing will kill your fish

 

[elegance coral]

I had one kill a lion fish that was about 5 times it's size.

 

[garygb]

Yeah, that doesn't look like a haddoni (or gigantea). Atlantic carpets anemones aren't host anemones.

 

[dalilgriffith]

you can cut the thing in half, throw in a blender, then poor it back in the tank and have fifty of them

just kidding...... or am i lol

 

[svynx]

Man, that stinks. I changed my aquascape a few nights ago, and the anemone relocated to the back of one of my rock towers. It's going to be hard to get him out. But, if it's as bad as it sounds, I'll do what I have to do to get to him. I've got to run to the LFS to return an arrow crab (got him when he was really small and posing no danger, but he's grown to almost 8 inches across). I'll take the anemone back as well. Thanks everyone.
While I'm thinking of it, anyone in the York, Pa area want either of them?

 

[svynx]

here is a better pic if it helps

 

[garygb]

It definitely looks like an Atlantic carpet--not a host anemone. Sorry for the disappointment. You ocellaris would likely go into a BTA, which aren't natural hosts for ocellaris, but often do host ocellaris in aquariums. One caveat before adding any other anemone, you want to make sure your water quality and lighting are up to their needs. What are your parameters?

 

[svynx]

I'll be checking them tonight when I do my water change, but last time (I don't have my book in front of me) everything was good except my salinity, which was about .002 below what I like to keep it at (not bad, but I usually keep it around 1.023). I've got the Nova Extreme Pro T5HO which is the 6 bulb model (about 350w).

 

[garygb]

If you decide you want to keep an anemone, 1.025-1.026 is more appropriate specific gravity.

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13036724#post13036724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by svynx
Man, that stinks. I changed my aquascape a few nights ago, and the anemone relocated to the back of one of my rock towers. It's going to be hard to get him out. But, if it's as bad as it sounds, I'll do what I have to do to get to him. I've got to run to the LFS to return an arrow crab (got him when he was really small and posing no danger, but he's grown to almost 8 inches across). I'll take the anemone back as well. Thanks everyone.
While I'm thinking of it, anyone in the York, Pa area want either of them?

I know some people will disagree with me on this but, I would not take it back to the LFS. These anemones really need to be in a species tank or left in the wild. If you take it back, odds are, someone else will purchase it not knowing the danger it poses. They may not be as lucky as you have been so far. I know it sounds cruel, but I would simply flush it. Passing it on to another unsuspecting hobbyist just doesn't seem fair to me.

 

[inachu]

Wish you lived near me.
I am getting a new tank just for live rock and anemones.

 

[svynx]

I posted on my local forum, telling exactly what it is, just to see if there was someone who might want it...and my arrow crab (who has grown from the cute 1" to a king kong 8"). As of right now, he is in the back of the tank. Doesn't look like he is bothering anyone for the time being. I'd put him in my fuge, but I don't think it would live with the reduced lighting and water flow. I definitly won't take it back to my LFS, both for your reasoning and also that they don't do exchanges or store credit (you can give it back though).
Inachu: I'd be happy to send him to you, but I know that they don't do well in transport. Having said that, if no one around here wants it, and your new tank is ready, we can see what happens.

 

[Slakker]

I'd find a strawberry basket or some other such container to separate the clowns and other fish from the anemone in the mean time.

Maybe a good excuse to set up a smaller cube-ish tank and plumb it into the main system

 

[svynx]

Good idea for the basket Slakker. I have a spare 10 gal tank sitting around that I'm going to use as a small live food feeder tank. I guess, since I haven't hatched anything in it yet, I could put the atlantic anemone in that for the time being. The lighting isn't as good, but things will be safe then. I'll get that going tonight.
Thanks