Help me set up a Gigantea biotope

[Postal]

I had basically given up the idea a nice carpet in my new tank with my GSM's. I had accepted my BTA fate, but that all changed yesterday. I walked into the LFS and they have an amazing blue Gigantea that someone brought in for trade. Assuming he does well at the LFS for a little while, I will be adding this beauty to my setup in the next week or two.

So, how would you setup a tank if you were planning a 40 breeder with just a gigantea and clowns?

The tank is a 40 breeder with an mp10 powerhead for flow. I am planning on getting some nice macro to add to the tank as well. Will a 2" sandbed be enough? Do I even need that much since it seems gigs like the rockwork more than the sandbed? The tank has 6 t5's running off Advanced ballasts.

Anything you would add?

 

[velvetelvis]

I guess it would partly depend on which species of clown you were planning to keep. IIRC, there are about half a dozen clownfish species that are natural S. gigantea symbionts. If you want to keep black ocellaris, for example, one of the pinned threads at the top of this forum, called "How rare is this?" has some nice, clear pictures of gigantea/Darwin ocellaris habitats off the coast of Australia.

This page also gives some information on anemones, their natural habitats, and their associated clownfishes.

You can also do a Google image search, or search Flickr for images of clownfishes or anemones in the wild.

I always enjoy biotope builds, so I'll be interested in seeing this display take shape.

 

[Postal]

Ok, I guess I should not have used the term biotope since the clowns I already have (mentioned above) are a bonded pair of GSM's. I don't believe they naturally host carpets, but I seen it work out locally with two different Haddonis. Hopefully my pair will take to the Gigantea.

 

[velvetelvis]

Heh, missed that part about the GSMs. Duh.

 

[teemee]

Hi,
You might want to consider a bigger tank.
My gigantea has taken over about a third of my 75 gallon - and its only going to get bigger.