MIxed anemone reef (photo)

Javeo

New member
Ive had this tank going over 3 years, who said you cant keep multiple anemones under T5s and without a skimmer, and once monthly 10% water change :D.

1 GBTA
3 RBTAs
1 Condy
1 Sebea
1 unidentified anem (not visible)
4 tulip type anems (just above the big RBTA)


tankfish.jpg
 
BTA's and condy looks good, the sebae doesn't look too big though. I wonder if the hardier anemones or okay in that setup and the more sensitive H. crispa maybe isn't liking it as well. Have you had all the different species of anemone together for the 3 years?
 
No its not, but when i bought it it was small and bleached so its done well. Yes, the sebea is the newest, only had that about a year the rest have been in for three years give or take a month :)
Oh and the Sebea is a lot bigger than it looks there, its actually moving so its closed up since the stupid damsel decided to dig a burrow right behind where the sebea is buried.
 
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Sure. You can keep them together as long as they have enough room to grow without touching. I wouldn't want a newbie to think it's OK to just go to the LFS, grab three anemones and throw them all in the tank.
Good job on keeping them in the tank with no skimmer. That generally requires pretty good husbandry. It can be done, but you have to be dedicated and educated. Which clearly you are.
 
Sure. You can keep them together as long as they have enough room to grow without touching. I wouldn't want a newbie to think it's OK to just go to the LFS, grab three anemones and throw them all in the tank.

I think they still know the others are there. IME at least. I do have some huge bubble tips on one end of my tank and a monster sebae on the opposite end. I have noticed that the sebae doesn't look as great as it once did since the BTA's are so big now.

Also, I had a prop tank where I was cutting BTA's. I plumbed in another tank and put some purple LTA's in there. Neither species looked as good as before they were sharing the water.

IME some nems will even travel the tank stinging other species.

Different species can be kept together, but I think they are constantly in chemical warfare with each other unless you run large amounts of carbon, UV, or ozone. I used to think the anemone warfare thing was bogus, but now I have seen it first hand. All that said, I still keep different species together, but I do run carbon and ozone.
 
Mixing nems

Mixing nems

Looking with interest at your Anemone tank, I have 3 (well 4 as one split a few days ago). They are 1 V large 12" Rose bta, 2 Gbta (this one split) and a Green Stichodactyla Haddoni. I'm looking at a 12" Heteractis Crispa, to add.
I don't keep sps/lps just a few soft corals.

The nems look as they are doing well. If they are growing and staying still, you can't really ask for much more.

Interested in the veiws on chemical warfare in the tank though. maybe the filtration is the key, i.e. Carbon, Ozone heavy skimming etc...

John

I run a AM 5000 shorty skimmer, Ozone, Phosphate remover and Carbon. All tank water goes through micron filter bags before the skimmer and after.
The tank is an acrylic 4x2x2 with 4' sump, illuminated with MH.
 
SOryy Ive been away for work! I do run lots of carbon and phosphate remover (i feed them alot to keep them from wandering) so that probably one reason they are doing well.

I did have a LTA that didnt make it, I bought it bleached and poorly, it made a good recovery looked really well for a few months then just wasted away.

Id love to have a carpet anem but i love my little mandarin too much :)
 
I would suspect the "wasting away" to be a result of being in the tank with other anemones. I think some species of anemone can tolerate the presence of other species (e.g., E. quadricolor) and others are more sensitive to it. Also, since you don't have a protein skimmer, I would expect whatever chemicals are released into the water remain longer compared with a tank with a skimmer. I'm sure the carbon helps significantly.
 
im inclined to agree with you, but i dont understand why it got better from a very bad condition and then died in the same tank. If it was the other anemones surely it would have a worse effect on i when it was already in a bad way
 
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