Nems

[cdeboard]

I see many posts/many thoughts and opinions etc of nems.
I have seen several success and several bad stories, a lot of speculation, and so on. I am fairly new to this forum but have been on others and have a decent amount of experience.

I have seen powerhead incidents, bad params, etc but on the other side of the war I have seen nems on this forum grow from a few inches to 12+ inches over a long amount of time.

I really love nems and the idea, but they scare the hell out of me.

This forum seems to have the biggest amount of nem owners I have found, so I ask this here. If you are a true enthusiast, take good care of your tank, how dangerous is a nem?

I have a few fish I would be greatly upset if I lost and are afraid of the tank crashing when a nem goes down. I have had a few nems in the past but not for any extended amount of time due to the fear they will die.

Thanks for any info you can give me on your personal experience with nems. I dont need the bad stories, I have heard them all, more looking for success stories.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have been keeping anemones for at least 13 years now. My current anemone list is 4 Haddonis and one LTA. Over the years I have also kept an H. Crispa and BTAs.

In the last 10 years I have only lost two (( excluding ones that never settled in after shipping )). One, the H. Crispa was during a power loss and the other one was a BTA clone that some salt creep had fallen one.

My oldest anemone is one of my Haddonis, it has been with me for 9+ years, 3 tank moves and several mistakes. The other 3, 1-3 years. And the LTA I bought in January. While the 9+ year old Haddoni isn't my prettiest one, it is my favorite due to how long I have had it.

 

[tufacody]

Unfortunately you just have to realize that by listening to the success stories you are in fact neglecting the hundreds of failures. That simple fact is that all nems are tough, and most die. The best exception is entamacea quadricolor. It seems to thrive the best in captivity, many clowns will accept it, and they regularly even divide in many tanks. They are usually the best place to start.

What information are you looking for? Each nem has its own niche of preferred requirements. It seems you have followed this thread and know already of the success stories.

 

[cdeboard]

Yes and have had long tentacle nems and sebae nems as well in the past. Mainly, I am meticulous with my tank. I would love to have a nem. Most of the negative stories I have read are mostly due to mistakes (not covering up the powerhead with foam, getting a nem to early, bad water quality, etc) or just plain bad luck.

In short, I want a nem again but my family and I would be greatly destroyed if I lost my maroon clown if something bad happened. I am trying to weigh my chances, and input from other reefers seems to help quite a bit.

 

[rkelman]

" and most die" I don't think most die... I've never lost one.. I love my Haddoni and my GBTA (who's still new)

 

[hansonfam]

I would have to agree that "Most" dont die.

I think that really they are like everything else in our tanks. None of it is supposed to be living in a glass box. BUT we adapt and try to create the best enviroments for them.
Everything we put in there is trial and error. Nems are included in that.
If you have a basic understanding of the requirments of the animal you are wanting to put in there and understand the basic requirments of YOur tank than go for it.

I had a LTA for 4 yrs and it has now been in another tank for 3.

I now currently have two Gigatea anemones that are doing wonderfully we'll and are past the scary stage for them.
BUT there are sad stories of nems that just don't make it through acclimation or are sucked into powerheads etc or they just get sick in general.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I would actually think that a good percentage (( maybe 75%, but that is off the top of my head )) don't make it.

There is about 180,000 members on RC, which I would guess is a small percentage of people who have a salt water tank. Would think that a good deal of the anemones that are bought are by people who really don't know what they are getting into.

Sure the people that post here (( RC and this forum )) will have a decent success rate, but if we include all salt water keepers, it has to be a different story.

 

[tufacody]

I agree Todd. With the exception of BTA, anemone mortality rate is incredible. IMO it is something that every conscientious reefer should at least grapple a little with before buying one. However, I'm also of the opinion that our oceans are unlikely to survive as we know them much longer, and it is important to gain an understanding of how to keep them in captivity.

 

[Donmagic22]

i would say many nems dont make it because of poor treatment before they reach our aquariums... ive had to nurse bleached anemone's back, its cool when it works out..

 

[PRDubois]

Cover your powerheads and get a RBTA or GBTA. You will enjoy it.

Stay away from Sabae no matter how pritty it is. They are hard to keep. The whiter and prittier the sicker it is.