My first aneonme - Condylactis

[rhwimmers]

Ive got a 12g aquapod with a few leathers and polyps, and a couple clowns. Since day one they have been fighting and the small one recently found a spot to call "home" under a rock and he literally just like lays down - like a flamehawk perches! I always think hes dead but he will swim around etc. I tried a toadstool and some leathers to see if he would host to it...Anyway, I got a Condy today at petco - primarily because of the price, size, and its nice looking (pink tips). Come to find out that perculas wont host to it most likely? I saw some other types of clowns that MIGHT, is it a sure thing that percs wont? Hes only been in there 5 minutes so way to early to tell, i moved all my corals to the corner while it settles and then will rearrange them so they wont get stung. Is there a better anenome for a nano that clowns will host to? Just seems my "female" needs something as she just lays down under a rock a lot of the time! Im assuming she's a she as "she" is half the size of the other clown. They do a lot of the "body jittering" but the big one always chases her back to her spot...
I have the standard 2 outlet pump going and I also have a smaller powerhead but ive left it off for now..

 

[garygb]

The "she" is the larger of two in clownfish. You will probably want to research and read about anemones and clownfish. I think a 12 gallon tank is small for most anemones unless you are very on top of upkeep and can provide a stable environment. As far as whether a percula will go to a condylactis, there's no way to know. Sometimes condylactis eat clownfish. They aren't natural host for clownfish of any species.

 

[cody6766]

I have a condy and they pack a potent sting. They also get pretty big for a nano tank. I keep mine in a 33g cube and it takes up the top, back, right corner of the tank. I got lucky and mine hasn't moved since it settled there several months ago. I've heard that a lot of people have problems of roaming condylactis, so apparently my experience is not the norm.
I bought mine and it was about 4" across. It didn't take long for the anemone to reach 8+ inches across with a 4" oral disc. It would be too big for a 12g IMO. My allardi female hosts the condy, but she won't let the male in it.

 

[jasonrp104]

Condys are a pretty cool nem even though it's rare that they host. I had a love/hate relationship with mine because he would pic a spot on the front and look awesome for a few days, then he would hide in the back for weeks at a time. He tried to eat almost anything that touched him too.

Are you sure about the sting? I've heard that they have a nasty one but the guy I bought him from took him out bare handed because "They have almost no sting". Of course, he also said it'd be a good host for a clown

 

[rhwimmers]

I can tell you first "hand" that they don't harm humans...They do pack a potent sting for corals, but the human hand is too strong to feel the sting...

An update, might be too early to tell...but the larger of the two, the mean female, is MIA this morning... I don't see any clown parts sticking out of the anenome, but maybe its long gone...seems to have found a nice spot though..

 

[rhwimmers]

whew - false alarm...he was in one of the chambers in the back...seems to happen frequently, 3rd time now!

 

[rhwimmers]

Another question - how do you know when they die? I know i need to get it out asap when it starts to die with such a small tank...

 

[jkeel16]

they being the anemone or the fish? I have heard that the tennticles will get soft and not move and the mouth will be open or not tight. Also they smell bad before they die... do you have any pics?

 

[Ninong]

Condylactis gigantea (Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone) is really a poor choice for a 14-gallon aquarium. In fact, as has already been pointed out, a 14-gallon tank is too small for any anemone.

Since it is a Caribbean species, and since there are no clownfish in the Caribbean, it is not a natural host for any clownfish. Some of the larger species of clownfish will sometimes accept it as a surrogate host.

As it gets larger, it is definitely a threat to smaller fish, including smaller clownfish. I doubt that Percula or Ocellaris, or any of the other similar sized species of clownfishes, will ever accept a Condy as a host. Another problem with Condy anemones is that they tend to move around a lot.