Mini-Maxi question

[jraker]

first, i wasnt sure where to put the thread. if it belongs in the other inverts section, can a mod please move it there? if not, everything is good.

so, i have always wanted an anemone of some sort. i have a 36 gallon tank, been up for about a year. does anyone have experience with mini maxis? do you consider them reef safe? can i get one?

fish: green chromis, firefish, randalls goby. i will add a clownfish later.

params: nitrate = about 2
nitrite = 0
ammonia = 0
ph = 8.2
temp = 78

yeahh. all the normal params

help is appreciated

 

[hotelbravo]

they are easy to keep imo, they will not typically host any clownfish so adding one later does not change anything.

i dont see any limitations that will keep you from getting ANY anemone.. except maybe lighting. the most important factor in housing anemones. what kind of lighting do you currently have???

 

[MizTanks]

I had 2 that ate 4 fish. Never again! They are sticky buggers that if a fish simply bumps into them they're goners.

 

[ThRoewer]

I have two, one in a tank with corals and another kept for now in a breeder box. with a group of sexy shrimp

If they are reef safe is a matter of definition. The one in the tank hasn't harmed any fish in more than 6 months. My mandarins got a few times in contact with it and got a bit stung but nothing serious happened to them. Also the regal angel in that tank has touched it and is also still around. I feel for them to catch and eat a fish the fish's health needs already be compromised.

My percula pairs I had in that tank with it ignored it, (but they ignored also a crispa, a BTA and a malu - they only accepted a gigantea) but I wouldn't rule out that clarkii and the like clowns take a shot at them - before I had a chrysogaster taking an Actinia as host which most definitely eat fish, but he lived quite happy in it.

The best inhabitants for Mini Maxis are anemone crabs, anemone shrimps and sexy shrimp.

Corals are the most threatened in case the anemone decides to look for greener pastures. When mine decided to move to a better spot I had to evacuate a couple of corals that were in its way. But on the other hand they are way easier to please and stay in a suitable location than the BTAs I had before.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I've never heard of Actinia so I did a Google image search and found this. Do they split like BTA's or do they sexually reproduce? By the way that is one Beautiful anemone!

 

[ThRoewer]

I've never heard of Actinia so I did a Google image search and found this. Do they split like BTA's or do they sexually reproduce? By the way that is one Beautiful anemone!

Back in the late 70s and early 80s they were popular because they are colorful, pretty hardy and are not photosynthetic. But they grab and eat whatever touches their tentacles. You find this family in almost every ocean, often right on the waterline where they fall dry during low tide. I collected some for a Mediterranean tank myself and it is as easy as carefully peeling them off the rock.
I also tried to get an Anemonia viridis (Wax Rose) but failed due to them retracting immediately deep into rock crevices. Those are very pretty and look almost like a crispa in shape but are much more colorful:

 

[jraker]

i have the fluval m36 light. corals have been growing, and it seems to work well.

how often should you feed them??

do they move very often? i can move my corals, most arent glued yet. i am worried about it taking a walk into my circulation pump. should i do anything about it?
this is my pump:

i will probably be getting a mp10 in a few months, and i can always put some floss over it.

how likely do you think it is to eat my fish? what about shrimp?



thanks

 

[ThRoewer]

Mine was sitting put for months in a corner, but then decided its place had not enough light (it was always stretching up during lights on) and too much flow. So it moved from the side of the rock to its top. It's there now for a while and hasn't moved significantly.

From my experience they are not very eager to move and will stay put if their basic needs are met.
The same I found with their larger relative S. gigantea.
They are far more likely to wander around than other anemones I have and had.

As for the likelihood to eat fish - it definitely depends on the fish and their overall health condition. They probably pose the biggest risk to bottom dwelling (gobies) or "rock crawling" fish like mandarins, dragon face pipefish and blennies. At the beginning I've seen my mandarins touching the maxi mini and by their reaction it looked like they got stung. Now they are more careful. In general I don't think they present an imminent danger to most fish, especially if the fish are healthy and know the tank. Fish that are new to the tank, are chased or startled may be at risk to accidently run into the anemone.
One recommendation would be to slowly dim the light on and off and not to change the light times abruptly like with changing from winter to summer time or vice versa - your fish and corals won't like that abrupt change. Fish may get caught by surprise and run into an anemone (or just jump out of the tank)

 

[jraker]

thank you very much. that helped.

i will probably wait a while before getting one.

 

[ThRoewer]

Correction:

...
They are far less likely to wander around than other anemones I have and had.
...

 

[Gagonzalez]

I have one in my 28g Nano and it's worked out fine(6 months now). It has swallowed Hermits and Snails whole but then just spits them out with no harm done. LOL! No fish eating yet and has moved back and forth about a total of 3" from where I placed him (I thought he would like it there and he did.) and only because of some shading and coral placement above him. I am really glad I got him.

 

[ThRoewer]

As soon as I have my corals out of the 18" cube I will add more Maxi Minis to that tank. They are perfect for all kinds of anemone dwelling critters with the sole exception of anemonefish.

 

[MizTanks]

Mini-Maxi question

Y'all are brave! Lol