Need some help

[Fishamatank]

I had a BTA that committed suicide in my mixed reef about a week or two ago. The tank seems to have recovered from the death, and I have covered my power heads to prevent another incident.
My LFS has 5-6 anemones coming in tomorrow. Of course he is going to get a couple BTA's, and a long tentacle, a sebae, and something called a saddle, from what I can tell a saddle is a Stichodactyla haddoni.
Is the Stichodactyla haddoni suitable for a mixed reef, or will I be loosing fish to it?
The tank currently is home to a yellow tang, an algae blenny, a wrasse, a flame angel, a pair of false perculas, and with future plans for a mandarin along with an assortment of LPS and SPS.
The clowns hosted the BTA, but I think the saddle is closer to their natural host.
How much more difficult is the saddle to care for than the BTA?

Should I stick with the BTA or try something different? The tank is stable, and water conditions are nearly perfect, but I have never dealt with anything other than the BTA that made it about a month before it went for the power head. 18" deep tank with 350 W of T5 lighting.

Thanks
Craig

 

[tahoe61]

What Anemone

What Anemone

You should not get a Saddle ie: Carpet anemone if you have fish that inhabit the sandbed. Carpet anemones are famous for eating fish no matter the size, and they get very large. Hope that helps.

 

[Toddrtrex]

What size tank do you have?

Do you have a sandbed, if so how deep?

I have personally had good luck with Haddonis not eating my fish, but one of the 2 I have lost over the years was a Mandarin, and I won't have one again while keeping Haddonis.

 

[Arati]

I second the saddle / Haddoni will eat fish it touches in my case. I like my Rbta's but i would like to try an LTA. best advice i have is to choose the healthiest one you can find.

 

[Fishamatank]

It is a 55. The sandbed averages 2-3 inches, but I don't have a lot of open sand left.
I guess if the saddle likes the sandbed it is probably out unless it is small.
I will likely upgrade to something in the neighborhood of 75-90 gallons in the next year or so.
The mandarin would be the one that I would suspect to have the most problems avoiding an aggresive anemone. I do not have any bottom dwelling fish at the moment, just a bunch of nasarius snails.

 

[Fishamatank]

I second the saddle / Haddoni will eat fish it touches in my case. I like my Rbta's but i would like to try an LTA. best advice i have is to choose the healthiest one you can find.

That will very likely be the deciding factor. I went to 3 stores on Saturday and nothing looked terribly healthy. One of the tanks was full of clowns covered in velvet or ick, but the nems looked ok. I decided to pass b/c I didn't want that water in my tank.

I am hoping to get in late tomorrow after the owner gets back from the airport before he puts stuff in his tanks so the nem only has to be acclimated once.

 

[Toddrtrex]

It is a 55. The sandbed averages 2-3 inches, but I don't have a lot of open sand left.
I guess if the saddle likes the sandbed it is probably out unless it is small.
I will likely upgrade to something in the neighborhood of 75-90 gallons in the next year or so.
The mandarin would be the one that I would suspect to have the most problems avoiding an aggresive anemone. I do not have any bottom dwelling fish at the moment, just a bunch of nasarius snails.

Yes, Haddonis stay on/in the sandbed. Usually right at the sand/rock interface. IMO, a 55 wouldn't work all that well --- not enough room front to back. Even if you were able to find a small one, they grow fairly fast and very large.

 

[Toddrtrex]

..........

I am hoping to get in late tomorrow after the owner gets back from the airport before he puts stuff in his tanks so the nem only has to be acclimated once.

I would wait, and let it stay at the LFS for a week or two. That way it will have time settle in and you will be able to see if it is going to make it or not.