H.Crispa, 2ft deep cube and T5's?

[Silfer]

I'm looking for a bottom placement anemone, can only really get a Crispa here without paying over the moon for a gig.

Wanted to hear people's opinions. I have a 2ft deep cube with 8x24w T5's. Its a custom built Reflekta PM3 unit with individual reflectors and active cooling. Can touch the cover glass all day it's that cool. Has 8 brand new ATI bulbs too.

Wondering if that'd be suitable for a Crispa. Looking for an anemone that'll stay by the rock/sand and not wander up and destroy my SPS.

 

[Ron Popeil]

i have a purple crispa in a 24 x 24 x 18 cube under a single 250w halide. it has done remarkably. and grown exponentially. it didnt move, but it grew fast enough that very soon i was not able to have SPS along with it because of the length of its tentacles. now it simply is a large anemone in a small aquarium. nothing else.

i would recommend a heteractis malu, shorter tentacles, can usually be purchased small. or just be prepared to switch out your anemone every few years if you go with a crispa or doreensis....

 

[Silfer]

I did want a malu but can't seem to get them here in the UK. Well not where I live, only ever seen a Crispa.

I basically have 2 bommies and my sps are high up on that, are Crispas quite good at staying at the bottom by the rock/ sand?

My main concern though is the t5's penetrating deep enough for it.

 

[ken6217]

I can tell you an ATI power module T5 will put out enough light.

However with that said, the anemone will be the one to say if you have enough light as it isn't going to stay near the bottom if it doesn't.
Ken

 

[Amphiprion]

i have a purple crispa in a 24 x 24 x 18 cube under a single 250w halide. it has done remarkably. and grown exponentially. it didnt move, but it grew fast enough that very soon i was not able to have SPS along with it because of the length of its tentacles. now it simply is a large anemone in a small aquarium. nothing else.

i would recommend a heteractis malu, shorter tentacles, can usually be purchased small. or just be prepared to switch out your anemone every few years if you go with a crispa or doreensis....

Agreed. These anemones in particular can attain large sizes extremely quickly, making it difficult to keep with many corals or next to impossible in smaller tanks. Still, they are one of my favorite species, to be honest.

 

[Silfer]

How would a crispa fair in a tank with a BTA?

 

[Amphiprion]

It depends on the tank dimensions, but in many cases, I don't recommend it simply because of the former's potential size. If you have the space to separate them, say 18-24"' from the oral disc edge of each individual, it may be more feasible. Not saying it cannot be done, because there are examples all over the place, but giving space will make it easier for both you and the animals. Something like a skimmer to remove nematocysts from the water helps, too.

 

[garygb]

I think you should be fine with a crispa with the lighting setup described. I have a large one that I purchased as a rescue over a year ago, much smaller and bleached. It is under T-5s and has tripled in size and colored up nicely. I will say mine never liked burying in the sand, but once it found a place in the liverock it has remained stationary. Also, I have several BTAs in the same tank. They are not in contact with the crispa, but from what I can tell, those two species are compatible. I have never had long term success keeping magnificas and BTAs, but crispas and BTAs seem to get along.

 

[OrionN]

Look hard for a H. malu. They are exceptional for a small sand bottom tank. Most people/LFS cannot tell a Malu from Crispa. Your set up would be perfect for a Malu. It will not out grow your tank, and will not wander out of the sand bed

 

[Winwood]

i have a purple crispa in a 24 x 24 x 18 cube under a single 250w halide. it has done remarkably. and grown exponentially. it didnt move, but it grew fast enough that very soon i was not able to have SPS along with it because of the length of its tentacles. now it simply is a large anemone in a small aquarium. nothing else.

i would recommend a heteractis malu, shorter tentacles, can usually be purchased small. or just be prepared to switch out your anemone every few years if you go with a crispa or doreensis....

Total agreement here. Crispas get large and have a real tendency to reach out and touch everything in their general vicinity.

 

[Silfer]

Yeah it's a malu I wanted but in 5 years of keeping marine tanks I've never seen one in a fish shop and only seen one on a forum which the guy wouldn't post.

Not that common here.

 

[Silfer]

Is there any way to easily distinguish between a crispa and malu? As alot of crispas come in with short and stubby tentacles.

Can malus have pink/purple tips like crispas?

 

[OrionN]

I think you said your are on the other side of the pond? In England? There is somebody South of London who have a Marine Biologist collecting anemone for him. He recently bring in 50 or so Gigantea all treated/quarantine and very colorful and doing well. Consider one of these or ask for him to look for an Malu for you.
One warning, in a 2 feet cube (24X24X24) US inches, It would be hard to keep any corals in addition to a host anemone of any species other than H. malu. About 6 weeks or so ago, those of us here in the US were salivation regarding the healthy Gigantea available for reefers in England (as least I was)

 

[OrionN]

Is there any way to easily distinguish between a crispa and malu? As alot of crispas come in with short and stubby tentacles.

Can malus have pink/purple tips like crispas?

Not always, but sometime Malu have different color, or bands on tentacles. Can easy tell apart when this is the case. Other times when the above two characteristic not available (not all Malu have these) we can use length of tentacles are vary tentacles counts and shape of tentacles (these are less reliable) and last of all size of the anemone. Healthy Malu and Crispa can be easily tell apart but newly import ones it are much more difficult at times.