looking for an anemone for my ocellaris

[srusso]

Well I got the classic A. Ocellaris, I have had him for about a month now and love him. This past weekend I was at the LFS and show a very happy A. perideraion hosting a Entacmaea quadricolor. I have to admit I loved how that looks. I also know if I can get this to happen in my tank my wife will begin to like the tank a lot more! After reading though the AnemoneFAQ I an a little lost... Seems like the A. Ocellaris only will hosts the Heteractis magnifica (seem to be hard to care for...) or the Stichodactyla gigantea (gets too big and too deadly for my liking...) in the wild...

Looking for: (in order of importance)
1) Highest chance of hosting
2) 6" - 1' at most
3) Colorful
4) Will not move much (I understand if its not happy...)

My tank is 4 months old, doing very well... it has a 250w HM and its only 36" deep... not including sand...

Leaning to the Heteractis Magnifica also like the Entacmaea quadricolor...
Also is there anyway to "encourage hosting" (small tub together?)

:hmm5: :hmm5: :hmm5: :hmm5:

 

[Toddrtrex]

Is your tank really 3 feet deep??

There is only one hosting anemone that will stay the size you are looking for -- H. Malu, but that is a sand dwelling anemone, so that would be an issue is your tank is really 3 feet deep. (( Some BTAs, E. Quadricolor, won't get huge, but the last one I had was 15" across when I sold it ))

IMO, time is the best thing to encourage hosting, I think it is a bad idea to put a clown(s) in a confined space with an anemone -- could very well end up with eaten clown(s).

 

[garygb]

You say you're leaning toward H. magnifica. Having had this species for years, I would say you might want to start with something else. They can be hardy once they're settled in, but the settling in period is touch and go, thus their reputation as being one of the most difficult, maybe the most, difficult anemone to keep. So many are in decline by the time they reach your tank, and then it's hard to bring them back once they're going downhill.

It is true, ocellaris loves mags. Both ocellaris and percs go to them immediately, in my experience. But, as I've said, they're challenging and they also grow larger than a foot. You will want to have your tank running longer than 4 months, maybe 9 mos or preferably a year if you decide on a mag.

 

[srusso]

Is your tank really 3 feet deep??

There is only one hosting anemone that will stay the size you are looking for -- H. Malu, but that is a sand dwelling anemone, so that would be an issue is your tank is really 3 feet deep. (( Some BTAs, E. Quadricolor, won't get huge, but the last one I had was 15" across when I sold it ))

IMO, time is the best thing to encourage hosting, I think it is a bad idea to put a clown(s) in a confined space with an anemone -- could very well end up with eaten clown(s).

Wow, I was going from memory on the 3ft deep... And I am wrong! It's 2ft deep! I have about 10" x 11" clearing in the front of my tank that is just sand, and unused space. I would like to put the anemone here.

The orange ricodea can easily be moved, for reference it's about the size of a silver dollar.

 

[srusso]

In addition to my last port, the Silver Tip Xenia also seen in that picture will also be moved...

 

[srusso]

You say you're leaning toward H. magnifica. Having had this species for years, I would say you might want to start with something else. They can be hardy once they're settled in, but the settling in period is touch and go, thus their reputation as being one of the most difficult, maybe the most, difficult anemone to keep. So many are in decline by the time they reach your tank, and then it's hard to bring them back once they're going downhill.

It is true, ocellaris loves mags. Both ocellaris and percs go to them immediately, in my experience. But, as I've said, they're challenging and they also grow larger than a foot. You will want to have your tank running longer than 4 months, maybe 9 mos or preferably a year if you decide on a mag.

I am up for a challenge... that said I know of the perfect place to get one. it will be a bit pricey but you really pay for the quality at this store. I am not ready to get one just yet so the tank will be about 7months or so, I guess I will have to take the risk.

 

[garygb]

If you get a healthy one to begin with, that's more than half the battle won. They get large, so you may want to upgrade in a few years to a larger tank. Also, that pic doesn't look like a habitat a mag will like. They like to be high up in the tank on the top of a large piece of flat liverock. Think of a pillar, with anemone on top.

 

[srusso]

If you get a healthy one to begin with, that's more than half the battle won. They get large, so you may want to upgrade in a few years to a larger tank. Also, that pic doesn't look like a habitat a mag will like. They like to be high up in the tank on the top of a large piece of flat liverock. Think of a pillar, with anemone on top.

I may have the perfect place for it then!

The very top rock of my tank has 5" of water above it and is only 1ft away from my MH. Will this be a suitable location? Or too close to a 250w MH? Also same distance from 4 36" 39w actinic T5HO bulbs...

Ps. Thanks for all the help!
Pps... Totally going to upgrade in a few years!! Lol

 

[garygb]

You will want the top rock to be flat preferably. A smooth flat piece is ideal. It needs to be larger than the anemone's foot. As far as the lighting, it depends on how the lfs you plan to buy it from has the anemone lit. I would try to match that brightness initially. Then you can gradually allow the anemone to be exposed to the full strength of the MH. If you can raise the MH or if you can place several layers of plastic window screen and remove a layer every 4 or 5 days, you will be able to acclimate the mag to your lighting.

 

[srusso]

Ok, so what if I went with the heteractis malu then... good chance of hosting? I know its never guaranteed... but I am looking for successful ocellaris and heteractis malu hosting...

 

[garygb]

With malu it's a crap shoot whether ocellaris will ever take to it. Malu barely qualifies as a host species. In nature only one species of clownfish is hosted by H. malu, clarkii. Malu are sand dwellers, stay smaller than most host species, and though I've never had one, have a reputation as being fairly easy to keep. With magnifica, assuming it's a healthy anemone and ocellaris, I think it's pretty much guaranteed.

 

[srusso]

With malu it's a crap shoot whether ocellaris will ever take to it. Malu barely qualifies as a host species. In nature only one species of clownfish is hosted by H. malu, clarkii. Malu are sand dwellers, stay smaller than most host species, and though I've never had one, have a reputation as being fairly easy to keep. With magnifica, assuming it's a healthy anemone and ocellaris, I think it's pretty much guaranteed.

Obtaining a healthy specimen shouldn't be difficult, its the placement of the H. Magnifica that is troublesome for me... Could I put a flat rock down to cover that sandy area? How much light would you say is required for a mag? Not to be repetitive but it will be just two feet away from a 250w MH... I guess I am really just asking why do I need the pillar?

Ps. Thank you SOOO much for all the help garygb! And thanks for sticking though all my questions!!

 

[garygb]

H. mags will climb if they come in contact with another surface that is higher than they are. So, if for instance their tentacles come in contact with the glass or a piece of liverock it can trigger them to want to go up. If you could keep the anemone on a flat, smooth piece of liverock where it doesn't come in contact with the aquarium wall or other liverock, then it might stay put. The other reasons mags need to be higher up has to do with water flow and light. Higher in the tank the water tends to be more buoyant and random. There are currents coming from all different directions. If you watch a video of mags in the wild, you'll see they're accustomed to that type of flow. A 250 watt MH would probably provide enough light if it's 2 feet from the bulb. I prefer 10,000K for MH w mags just because you get lots of PAR. I know people have success with 14000K too. I would say change your bulb at least once a year to maximize intensity. Maybe as important as light and water flow, very low, preferably undetectable nitrates seems to be essential for a happy mag in my experience. They won't die once their established even if the nitrates go high, but they will look bad and begin to move around. So, good light, good flow, proper substrate, full strength specific gravity ~1.026-1.027, temp 80-82F, undetectable nitrates and you should be good to go. I like anemones in general, but mags are especially nice. They are pretty, they get large, and clowns such as ocellaris and perculas love them. Assuming you decide to go with this species, you will likely see your ocellaris go to it in minutes. Clownfish are believed to "smell" anemones and this is what attracts them to their preferred hosts. From what I've observed, mags must smell like honey to ocellaris and perculas because even tank bred fish that have never seen an anemone go to them immediately. Literally swim right into them, no acclimation period, no nothing. These are mags that are so sticky and potent that I once had welts on my arm for 2 weeks after brushing against one. Just make sure you can provide a mag with what it needs. Otherwise, they will wander and be a nuisance.

 

[srusso]

Wow, it would seem that one would design his tank with the idea that he is getting an anemone...
my tank temp is about 74 ~ 77 degrees... It would take a lot to get it to 80 full time...
my MH is 14k... And the flow is rather erratic at the top
But my SG is 1.023... I know this could be changed easily... But would have to be done slowly.
Then the last problem is for me to change out the live rock at the top of the tank to a nice flat piece so it will not be tempted to move.

Some more questions:
There is a good chance that his tentacles would touch the overflow box in the back of the tank but it would quickly feel the water line so I am guessing that's when it knows it's vines too far... Correct?

Could it be kept at a low temp?

Have you seen a H. Magnifica live it's life attached to he glass of the tank? Basically vertical it's whole life?

Anything in my signature just not compatible with needed Temp? SG? Etc...

Is there a size that seems to be too small for purchase? IE: doesn't handle change well, etc...

How fast do they grow?

 

[garygb]

Yes, designing one's tank to house a magnifica is the way to go.

H. mags can temporarily survive lower temps. In fact, in their range temps have been recorded down to the low 60sF. However, the average where they originate is around 82. In the Red Sea, where they thrive the temp. can approach 90F. So 80-82F is nearing average for H. magnifica.

If the mag touches an overflow box, but the rock it sits on isn't against anything it can climb onto, it won't likely be a problem. I have heard of mags living attached to the glass of an aquarium long term. Sometimes in the wild they grow on almost vertical surfaces with other mags above them, so they can't work their way to the top, I suppose.

I am not aware of a right size to buy mags. I would stay away from especially large ones, just because I can't imagine collection and handling to get them here could be too easy on them. They grow fast when they're small, assuming you feed them. Then, I find their growth slows down around a foot or so, but they continue to grow (maybe if you have the filtration to feed them lots more food, then their growth rate may continue to be fast. I just don't increase my feeding proportionate to the additional growth. I increase some as they get larger, but not too much). I feed mine regularly. I don't have a lot of fish to feed, so if I don't targer feed the anemones then there won't be much available to them. Some people with lots of fish don't targer feed their anemones, they just let it snag what floats by and what the clowns bring it.