Nem recommendations for percs

[jscarlata]

My tank has been running for over 6 mos, had rock that is over a year old (tank upgrade) and everything is stable. All my frags are growing and doing well as are all my lps. Fish are healthy and happy. I want to get a nem for my picasso percs, but I want to get some advice on species. I went to manhattan aquarium today and they have several, they have both gigs and haddoni of various color and size, a few different sebae, an lta, and some tiny rbta. I know many recommend bta, but it's not a natural host to percs. Besides a mag, what's the best bet for success with true percs besides the bta.
Also, if a sebae is white, but has colored tips, is the nem bleached or is it a white one. They had two white with blue dots on the tips, as well as some brown ones.

My tank is 90g, 20+g sump, bermuda skimmer and I fell that have very good husbandry with my livestock. I'm not afraid to try a mag, but I am gunshy about ordering one online, heck I'm gunshy about orderin any nem online. My fish are all juvies, nothin over 2"-3".
3 red fire fish
3 yellow assesor
1 red spot Blennie
1 blue fin goby
1 mystery wrasse
2 Picasso percula

I'm
Looking for something around 6" or so,pet of the local stores that have bta have tiny ones.

Thanks

 

[garygb]

Of the species of anemone you list, only gigantea is a natural host. That said, gigantea is also one of the touchiest of the species of host anemones. Magnifica is also a natural host, but is equally touchy. Although it's a long shot, often percs will take to BTAs. BTAs are probably the easiest of the host anemone species to keep. All species of anemone require bright light and good to excellent water quality. What are your parameters and light system?

And, the sebae (probably Heteractis crispa) that is white except for colorful tentacle tips is indeed bleached. If the anemone is otherwise healthy, they can often recover their zooxanthellae. Although some reference guides list H. crispa as a hot for percs, I've never seen a wild shot of a crispa hosting a perc. I personally don't believe they are a natural host. However, like BTAs, they sometimes do in aquaria. For that matter, mushrooms sometimes are chosen for a host in aquariums, even though in nature that would never be seen. HTH

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks. My light is an 8 bulb t5 tek elite. My params are all in line, all 2.5meq/l, calc 450, mag 1300, salinity 35 etc
I haven't tested nitrate or phos in a week or two but I'm running brs biopellets and po4x4 in two reactors. The tank is crystal and everything seems to be doing well. I just got 4 new sps frags last week and they are doing good, partial polyp extension, colors are starting to develop. I'm not worried about taking care of a nem as much as I am about procuring a healthy one

 

[garygb]

Sounds like a fine setup for any host species, including mags and gigs. So, if you're up for the challenge, you will almost certainly find your percs going to either of those two species of anemone. If the gigs are healthy, then why not go for it. Once established, even the demanding species can be forgiving temporarily of less than ideal conditions, btw.

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks garygb. The gigs they had at may were really large and expensive, but I can look elsewhere and on manhattan reefs. I've always wanted to have a magnifica, but have read so many horrible stories....
I kept most of the frags lose so when/if I get a nem that wanders I can move the frags if needed. Thank you for your advice!

 

[jscarlata]

How can you tell a crispa from a magnifica? Believe it or not, an lfs has 2 nems, both large, but incompletely labeled as "green tip heteractis". I'm going back and will get pics but is there anything to look for to tell the two species apart?

 

[jscarlata]

This is one of the two



And this is the other
Both appear too big for my tank, but I'm curious on an ID

 

[M Woodhill]

How can you tell a crispa from a magnifica? Believe it or not, an lfs has 2 nems, both large, but incompletely labeled as "green tip heteractis". I'm going back and will get pics but is there anything to look for to tell the two species apart?

i presume the 2 r both mags

where r u gettin it? an lfs in manhattan usually gets good and healthy things despite the price

 

[jscarlata]

It's at, ahem, pets warehouse in carle place, of all places to get two mags....they don't know what they are....and the tanks they are in have very little light and flow.
The nems at manhattan aquariums were definitely healthier, but ten times the prices. These two nems are selling for 59.99; the big carpets at MA were several hundred. I'm in no rush to get one, right now I'm arming myself with info, advice, and husbandry knowledge so when I find one that looks healthy I'm ready to grab it.

 

[M Woodhill]

It's at, ahem, pets warehouse in carle place, of all places to get two mags....they don't know what they are....and the tanks they are in have very little light and flow.
The nems at manhattan aquariums were definitely healthier, but ten times the prices. These two nems are selling for 59.99; the big carpets at MA were several hundred. I'm in no rush to get one, right now I'm arming myself with info, advice, and husbandry knowledge so when I find one that looks healthy I'm ready to grab it.

drive out to either staten or pike or douglas

or try to get one from the manhattan reef forum

some guys do have nice specimens

good luck

 

[D-Nak]

A healthy gig to me is priceless, since the hard work is already taken care of. Once stabilized, I've seen many gigs do well. The same goes for mags, but the entry price point is usually a lot less. Personally, I like and have had both -- success with a mag and failure with a gig -- but my percs loved both of them.