Good beginer anemone, and good for clowns?

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Hello everyone, Now that my water params have been stable for over 6 months, my heat problem taken care of and stable at 81deg, Ive decided to take another attempted at the care of an anemone. I would like something that is a good beginer anemone, and something my clowns would call home. I love anemones that have long flowing tenticles, but know many of these are hard to care for. So what is some sugestions to what kind to look into? Where do you sugest getting one? Internet, LFS.. ECT....

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

A good beginner anemone would be a bubble tip. Wherever you decide to get it make sure you get one that is fully colored (not faded looking or white) and fully extended.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

That was my first attemt at an anemone, but unfortunatly is spit shortly after being placed in the tank, and died shortly after. Ive changed a lot of things since then, New bulbs for my MH, Bigger skimmer, two part doesing, and GFO, and carbon reactor. My tank is the most heathy i have ever seen it.

Is there a size i should look into, that will most entice my clowns to make it home?

 

[garygb]

I agree that BTAs are a good first host anemone. You will want the anemone to be approximately 3 times in diameter the length of your clowns. Common natural symbionts for BTAs are maroon clowns, tomato, cinnamon, and clarkii. As far as where to find one, you might find cloned one's here on RC occasionally, local fish clubs, or your lfs. The tank propagated ones tend to be very hardy.

 

[velvetelvis]

I agree that BTAs are a good first host anemone. You will want the anemone to be approximately 3 times in diameter the length of your clowns. Common natural symbionts for BTAs are maroon clowns, tomato, cinnamon, and clarkii. As far as where to find one, you might find cloned one's here on RC occasionally, local fish clubs, or your lfs. The tank propagated ones tend to be very hardy.

Agreed; and just about any clownfish will go into a bubble tip (or BTA, as it's often abbreviated), regardless of whether or not it's a natural host for them. My pair of CB black ocellaris took to their new aquacultured BTA within less than a week.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

When i bought my two clowns i bought them with the anemone they were hosting, Like i said unfortuantly it died and now they swim aimlessly around the tank. They dont seam to car much, since no one really bothers them, but the look of a clown in the anemone is just awsome. i think it brings such cool looks to the tank.

So my clowns are aprox an inch long each, one smaller then the other now. So one about 3-4" should be ok then right?
Where should it be placed in the tank?
What should i really look for when at my LFS? Color, extension,.....?
Should i try to mimmic the amount of light its under in the store when i bring it home. What i mean is not to put it right under my MH, slowly bring it up to that light intensity?
What about current flow? Strong, gental, both?

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

Where should it be placed in the tank?

Wherever you want. It's going to decide where it likes to be without your help.

Jeff

 

[velvetelvis]

JMO, but I'd get in touch with a local reefing club and see if anyone has cloned BTAs for sale or trade. That's how I got mine, and it's far healthier than any anemone I've ever seen in a store. IMO, too many stores don't care properly for anemones, and the nems start going downhill fast.

Long Island Reef Association

Bearing in mind that I've only had my anemone about 10 days, and the rest of my knowledge is all theoretical, I'll say that so far, my RBTA seems to favor a deep crevice to sink its foot into, rock surrounding it that it can withdraw into (on the reef, they're often found between colonies of branching stony corals), and a lot of gentle, alternating, indirect flow. It's in the middle of a rock bommie in a 34G, with 150W/14K MH lighting and 2 36W actinic bulbs. It took about 12 hours to attach, but it hasn't budged from the spot where I set it--so far!

 

[garygb]

Yes caves and holes in rocks are what they want. Rather than just putting it in the tank and letting it wander, I suggest you get a rock with a hole or cave that is big enough to accommodate the foot and column and put the anemone in it. I have taken pieces of liverock with a small cave, gotten a screwdriver and hammer, used the screwdriver as a chisel and chipped out a hole in the rock specifically for the anemone. I find this usually works well.

 

[rtavila]

Hi there,

I'd suggest possibly a long tentacle anemone. They aren't too hard to take care of and generally are pretty large. I got one about 6 months into my tank and it has thrived for the past 8 months. My clown, which had hosted in my torch coral, moved over to the LTA before long and now sleeps in it every night. They seem to quite love each other, and it's fun to turn on the moonlights at 3am and see the clownfish totally still and enveloped by the anemone. I got mine at my LFS and it's probably tripled in size. Be sure to give it place to burrow. Sand is preferable. Mine buried its base almost entirely in about three-four inches of fine sand, and spreads itself out over the sand and is the size of a medium sized dinner plate. It's one of my favorite things in the tank!

Good luck!

 

[rtavila]

I forgot to mention -- be sure to spot feed once or twice a week too -- it goes a long way to having success with anemones and they love it.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Hi there,

I'd suggest possibly a long tentacle anemone. They aren't too hard to take care of and generally are pretty large. I got one about 6 months into my tank and it has thrived for the past 8 months. My clown, which had hosted in my torch coral, moved over to the LTA before long and now sleeps in it every night. They seem to quite love each other, and it's fun to turn on the moonlights at 3am and see the clownfish totally still and enveloped by the anemone. I got mine at my LFS and it's probably tripled in size. Be sure to give it place to burrow. Sand is preferable. Mine buried its base almost entirely in about three-four inches of fine sand, and spreads itself out over the sand and is the size of a medium sized dinner plate. It's one of my favorite things in the tank!

Good luck!

Thats what im most excited to see! Do you have any pictures of it in the tank, with the clown. And if you dont mind me asking, how much you paid for it. Also do you know what species it is exactly?

 

[2Addicted]

Thats what im most excited to see! Do you have any pictures of it in the tank, with the clown. And if you dont mind me asking, how much you paid for it. Also do you know what species it is exactly?

He is reffuring to LTA (M. doreensis). I also had one for a long time, it was one of my favorite nems over the years.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Great, thats for all the help and sugestions everyone, im gonna check out the LFS this weekend and see what they have, and what they can get in.

 

[MelloW33]

I'd go with a 4-5" BTA. See if you can buy the rock is attached to as well. I place mine about halfway up the water column.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

So I just got a new LTA from my LFS. I slowly acclimated it, my water param's are perfect, I placed it low in the tank directly under my MH. I fed it right after i put it in the tank, I folded right up and ate, Shortly after he moved under the rock work. What should i do for this guy to give it the best chance of survival. It was the most colorful one at the LFS, Fully extended, and had a clown fish hosting this anemone. Should i let it wander around until it finds a place it likes? Should i add anything else to the tank? Should i keep the pump in my tank flowing on high as usual? Any help would be great, Thanks in advance.

 

[garygb]

LTAs require a deep sand bed, moderate water flow, and good light. If your MH is brighter than what the anemone was exposed to at the lfs, then you will want to acclimate it to your lighting.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Thanks garygb, It seams to have found a comfy spot in the middle of my tank, where the sand is the deepest. Right now its just sitting on top of the sand, will it burrow down in the sand at all? My MH are not much brighter, but they are defiantly closer. But then again its also at the bottom of my tank. I spot fed it when i first put him in, and it seamed to eat. Im assuming thats a good sign. Ive turned my mp40 down to its lowest setting for the night. Maybe it will keep it from blowing around the tank tonight. Should i leave the light on tonight, to try and keep it from wondering? Or should i keep my normal light schedule?

 

[garygb]

Yes, it should dig into your sand with most all of the column in the sand. It will probably attach to the glass bottom of the tank with the foot (basal disc). I wouldn't try to feed it until it's dug in and settled for a few days. No need to leave the lights on overnight. Since it's at the bottom of your tank and was under similar lights at the lfs, it may not need to acclimate to your lighting. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Pics and water parameters can be useful when giving advice on here.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Great, Thanks again for your tips and help. Ill do my water test tomorrow, and snap a couple of pics. It looks like its starting to settle in nice, but only time will tell. hopefully its in the same spot tomorrow morning.