How Much Trouble Keeping One

[thegyft07]

Just how much trouble am i getting into gettuing a anemone ina reef tank with several fish. Will he really Eat all my fish and will the thing kill my reef?

 

[Lmecher]

What type of anemone are you considering or do you already have one?

 

[thegyft07]

I would like to purchase a carpet one for the clowns I plan on getting. The lightin is correct, I'm truly worried about everything else such as feeding and it moving around hurting other inhabitants.

 

[Lmecher]

I have never had a carpet, I do know they are very difficult, they can get gigantic and known for eating fish. Someone who is knowledgable in carpet keeping will chime in. : )

 

[Toddrtrex]

What type of carpet ?

 

[thegyft07]

oh... good question? not to sure. I just want a pretty one compliment my tank that won't destroy everything. Because I here they eat fish and battle corals. I dont want to lose either, but I want the clown fish im getting to has a really nice home.

 

[RyDoggsReef]

I have a carpet anemone in my reef tank with a pair of ocellaris clowns, 2 green chromis, 2 dwarf angels, and a strawberry dottyback... no fish unnacounted for yet. A few of them have touched the anemone but it didnt eat them. Feed it meaty foods 3-4 timea a week (I feed mine thawed shrimp I get at Safeway without the shell), it should be fine. They are beautiful specimens. Definately one of the best buys I have made. It took my clowns about 20 seconds to start hosting it

 

[thegyft07]

oh tight. thats the kind of feed i wanted to read. what kind of carpet is it and how long have you had it?

 

[NCSUsalt]

if you can find a healthy haddoni they are actually very hardy

 

[COCO]

I have had green carpet anemone AND brown carpet anemone, both haddoni, and several other anemones in the past including bubble tip and ritteri. I find carpet anemone, if it is haddoni, quite hardy compared to ritteri. However, my green carpet anemone ate my mandarin a few minutes after introduction to my display tank. If you have fish that are bottom dwelling I would not try to have haddoni.

 

[thegyft07]

OH. well I want a Gobi sand watcher and I'm set on getting him. will he venture near this thing and get eaten? are they fast enough to catch him all he does is sift sand? if so would a bubble tip be more appropriate if I'm getting the sand watcher?

 

[COCO]

If I were you I would buy a green bubble tip or rose bubble tip anemone. Tentacles of bubble tips are not as sticky as haddoni. At least, it will give you a peace of mind.

 

[RyDoggsReef]

Mine is a haddoni carpet anemone. Ive had it for a few weeks now. I put it up high in the rocks to keep it away from bottom feeder fish. So far it has remained within about 6 inches of where I first put t.

it is up on the right in this picture.

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[thegyft07]

okay, well both of them look nice? I like bubble tip and I like carpets. I think I might get the bubble though. For piece of mind. How do you feed it ?

 

[Ron Popeil]

rydoggsreef, that doesnt quite look like a haddoni carpet.....


very s. gigantae like....

 

[garygb]

Looks like gigantea to me too.

 

[Slakker]

A haddoni wouldn't likely spend much time up on the rocks like that...tentacle length/density and the folds in the oral disk all point to gigantea as well.

 

[thegyft07]

Whats the difference in the two? and how can you tell? is one better than the other/ more aggressive? and are there different requirments to keep one or the other?

 

[Slakker]

Haddoni and Gigantea look quite different. Two healthy specimens side by side, you'd be able to tell that there was a difference.

Gigantea require much higher light/flow and are much less forgiving. They are among the most difficult to keep of all anemones. The one pictured above appears to be in a very young tank with several other anemones...certainly not the ideal living quarters for such a sensitive creature.

 

[thegyft07]

the clown fish are the first fish i plan on getting when the tanks completely cycles. How long should i wait for the Anemone?