Is it safe to transfer clownfish pair to new setup long before their anemone?

[Cheebs]

I've had a pair of Maroons and an S. Gigantea for about 9 years now. They've been in a couple different tanks over the years, but this is the first time I'll be transferring them to a "brand new" tank.

In other words, due to pests and other factors, I have not transferred over any of the existing water or rocks from the tank in which the clowns and anemone reside.

The new setup is a 50 gallon tank that has finished cycling, but I'm well aware that I will have to give it some time before I attempt to transfer the anemone so my main question is this:

Is it safe to transfer over my clownfish several weeks before I transfer over the anemone, or should I transfer the whole lot over at once when I feel that the conditions are suitable? I was worried that transferring them without their Anemone would be traumatizing in some way. On the flipside, I was worried that if I transferred them together int he future, they might rough up the anemone too much while it's getting acclimated to it's new conditions.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[shifty51008]

You will be fine leaving the anemone for a few weeks, while the clowns may be sad for that time it isnt gonna kill them.

 

[OrionN]

Just make sure the tank is stable enough for the anemone. The fish will be fine.

 

[ThRoewer]

I'm keeping a gigantea now for almost a year in a 10 gallon tank and it is doing fine. I've done 100% cleanings and water changes on that tank a couple of times and the anemone rather liked that.
So I would say if your tank is cycled well and seems to be stable it's fine to add the anemone.
Giganteas are found in shallow waters where they are exposed to all kinds of instability: salinity swings, temperature swings, muddy waters when the tides change,... In my experience they are hardier than all other anemones I've ever had before (and I had a few).

As for the fish - if they are healthy they should be fine. I personally would give them a ceramic flowerpot as surrogate. Though I found that clownfish do better with anemone than without.

I would actually do it the other way around: first transfer the anemone and let it settle in and then let the clowns follow.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I agree with ThRoewer, I'd put the anemone in first let it get settled in before moving the clowns.

 

[Cheebs]

Cool, thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Cparcaut]

They should be fine, however I would make sure they have somewhere that they can reside in the new tank that they don't have to fight for.