Is it too early for a nem?

[AzaZeL]

I was at my LFS yesterday and they had a beautiful little GBTA. It was very small, about 3". The tips were nice and it looked very healthy. This would be a GREAT addition to my tank and hopefully my two clowns would like it. However........ my tank is relatively new. Is it too early for me to add a nem?

My tank is a 12g nano and has been up been up for about 6 months. The levels are fine and have been since the tank cycled. I have two ocies and a cleaner shrimp. that's all the livestock that I have. Thanks for the help.

 

[InLimbo87]

As for parameters and stability, it seems like the tank would be ready. What is your lighting like, though? Stock AP lighting is surely not enough to keep a BTA happy.

Also, keep in mind that these grow and expand to pretty enormous sizes, and often move around the tank. In a 12g tank, it could easily move and wipe out other precious corals in your tank.

 

[PorscheReef]

You should be fine adding a anemone now just remember if your water quailty isn't good they will let you know,they are very sensitive creatures. Also a gbta is not a first choice for a ocies they might not use it but then a again thay might love it.

 

[Tofumushrooman]

1. 6 months is the "normal" amount of time that people are recommended to wait before putting an anemone in their system.

2. 12 gallon is a bit small it might outgrow the intended area that you plan to keep the BTA in. i would recomend possiby investing for a larger system eventually if u intend to keep the BTA for the long haul.

3. 3" might be too small for your clowns in the first place. again "normal" recomendations is to have an anemone 3 times as wide as your clowns are length wise. however occys are not very rough on their anem and dont always host due to the fact that BTA are not natural hosts for them.

 

[AzaZeL]

Thanks for the help. I don't have the stock PC lighting that the AP12 comes with, I have the 70w HQI system so I'm thinking this should be enough?

I'm also aware that 12g may be a bit small. I'm not planning on keeping it in the 12 forever. I have plans to do a 100g build when I get in my house in 6 months or so.

As far as the size being too small for clowns, I don't have hopes of them hosting anytime soon, but it is a great looking nem compared to what I normally see with the deflated tips, etc. I'm hoping I can get it home and keep it happy so it stays the nice green color and the tips stay inflated. May be grandure hopes, but we'll see. Thanks again for the help.

 

[AquaReeferMan]

Your lighting will be sufficient for an anemone. Although a 12g is too small to keep an anemone long term it will be fine to house one for the time being. Make sure you keep up on your water parameters though. In such a small volume of water even the smallest imperfections can cause havoc on the anemone. You dont want a melting anemone to crash your tank. If you think you can handle do for it.

 

[rfosgategt]

you could always move it to my tank if it gets too big

 

[Jay03GT]

my ocie found my GBTA after about 2 days and just loves it. Made a very happy to see after all the "horror" stories you hear of clowns never hosting a 'nem.

 

[AzaZeL]

Who is this rfosgategt guy and why is he offering to steal my marine life?????? He's already killed one of my gobi's JK, hi JD.

Thanks for the input. I fell pretty confident that I can keep up witht he needs of the nem. And if I ever get into a bind, I have a 33 long that I can apparently move the nem too.