New S. Haddoni...

$

$eaba$$

New member
Hey guys,

I got a stichodactyla haddoni, or a green carpet anemone for my 20 gallon high. Before you start saying it will be way too big and other things, I know. I know it will eventually outgrow my tank, but I don't mind it taking up a bunch of space because there is just lots of live rock, the nem, and other corals. Anyways, on my 20 gallon, I have 130 watts of power compact lighting with individual reflectors. I know the lighting may be a bit low, but I will feed it well, and take good care of it. I hear that haddonis are pretty hardy if they are healthy, and can take a bit lower light levels. Right now, the mouth is tightly closed, and eats well (fed it shrimp and scallop ) Also, the tank stays very stable, and it has been set-up for about a year. It has planted its foot deep under the sand bed/rocks, and is about half on the rocks and half on the sand bed, as I have read they often are. Is there anything else special that I should know, and please no bashing...?? Also, is there a good chance it will start hosting my ocellaris clowns?

Thanks!
 
Sorry..I have no experience with carpets... but I have heard that they require very strong lighting and appreciate moderate flow.
 
Well look. First of all its been my experience that you really have no idea how big an anemone is until you've had it a few weeks. I've owned what I thought were "babies" that turned into giants once they acclimated.

Maybe you can prove me wrong, but there is no such thing as a stable 20 gallon. Its just so subject to temperature and salinity fluctuations, plus it may not be able to hold enough LR for proper biolgocial filtration.

You say you feed it shrimp and scallop. That stuff breaks down pretty quickly. You've said nothing about a protein skimmer. Waste builds up so quickly in a 20 gal that I'd say you are going to need weekly water changes, which will lead to instability of the tank. Not bashing, just the facts.

I disagree that any haddoni "is pretty hardy", although I know some have been very succesful with them. Maybe "hardy" in terms of other anomeones, but with the exception of BTA, no anemone is "hardy", imo. I have found them to be far more challenging than SPS.

As you noted, your light is insufficient, but perhaps you can pull it off in such a small tank.

There is a good chance your occs will go into a haddoni (mine did), but that is not their native nem, and some have reported that occs won't go near them. However, I have concerns about adding additional bioload to such a small tank.

If I were you, I'd invest in a bigger system before attempting to care for this animal long term.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13961932#post13961932 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tufacody
Well look. First of all its been my experience that you really have no idea how big an anemone is until you've had it a few weeks. I've owned what I thought were "babies" that turned into giants once they acclimated.

Maybe you can prove me wrong, but there is no such thing as a stable 20 gallon. Its just so subject to temperature and salinity fluctuations, plus it may not be able to hold enough LR for proper biolgocial filtration.

You say you feed it shrimp and scallop. That stuff breaks down pretty quickly. You've said nothing about a protein skimmer. Waste builds up so quickly in a 20 gal that I'd say you are going to need weekly water changes, which will lead to instability of the tank. Not bashing, just the facts.

I disagree that any haddoni "is pretty hardy", although I know some have been very succesful with them. Maybe "hardy" in terms of other anomeones, but with the exception of BTA, no anemone is "hardy", imo. I have found them to be far more challenging than SPS.

As you noted, your light is insufficient, but perhaps you can pull it off in such a small tank.

There is a good chance your occs will go into a haddoni (mine did), but that is not their native nem, and some have reported that occs won't go near them. However, I have concerns about adding additional bioload to such a small tank.

If I were you, I'd invest in a bigger system before attempting to care for this animal long term.
Click to expand...

Alright, I will answer paragraph by paragraph.

Yes, I know it will be big, but it won't be too big for my tank. I can tell you that it won't be 2 feet long in length....

I just installed a large cabinet fan in my hood, and my temperature stays at a constant 76 all the time, night and day. I do regular top offs for salinity. I have 30 pounds of live rock stacked pretty high and mostly in the back, so there is plenty of open sand space on the bottom.

Yes, shrimp, scallop, and squid. No, I don't have a protein skimmer. I do weekly 10-15% water changes. I have water in a bucket mixing constantly with water and salt and a heater. When I put it in the tank, it is almost exactly the same salinity and temp. as my tank.

Alright, well I have read that if they are healthy and all in the beginning, they are one of the more hardy nems along with btas, which I have successfully kept.

Yes, my lighting will be on the low side, but I think that it will be enough for the nem. 130 watts power compact on 20 gallon.

Alright, thanks for the hosting info. And no I will not be adding any more fish. In fact, I will be removing my chromis and only having the occelaris pair and shrimp.


Thanks for your concern!!! What do others say??
 
I'm not bashing. I promise.:D But you probably won't like some of what I have to say.:(

I don't think you appreciate how large these animals really are. Your anemone does have the potential to reach 2ft. You have no means of dealing with the amount of waste this animal can produce. It will be sitting in its own filth until the weekend comes and you find time to change some water. You have 30lb of LR and a sand bed in a 20gl tank. That leaves you with what???? 15gl's of water? Your plan to feed heavy to make up for the inadequate lighting will just further degrade the water quality.

I've seen some questionable situation where the anemone may have a chance of survival, but your is not one of them. You simply do not have the ability to care for this animal. I seriously hope you find someone to take it off your hands while it is still in fairly good health.

Again, not bashing. Just the facts.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13965340#post13965340 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elegance coral
I'm not bashing. I promise.:D But you probably won't like some of what I have to say.:(

I don't think you appreciate how large these animals really are. Your anemone does have the potential to reach 2ft. You have no means of dealing with the amount of waste this animal can produce. It will be sitting in its own filth until the weekend comes and you find time to change some water. You have 30lb of LR and a sand bed in a 20gl tank. That leaves you with what???? 15gl's of water? Your plan to feed heavy to make up for the inadequate lighting will just further degrade the water quality.

I've seen some questionable situation where the anemone may have a chance of survival, but your is not one of them. You simply do not have the ability to care for this animal. I seriously hope you find someone to take it off your hands while it is still in fairly good health.

Again, not bashing. Just the facts.
Click to expand...

Umm im just wondering, have you ever personally had a s. haddoni? Yes, I'm sure it has the potential, in the wild, but in aquariums, you rarely see them much over a foot in length.. But whatever you say....
 
Why would I post in your thread having never owned a haddoni?

This is my 16+ in haddoni.
sn851812editedvm0.jpg

sn852522editedsy5.jpg

sn850616editedug3.jpg
 
well looks like you have a haddoni or had. but still, i do think it will do fine, and so have a few others.. but thanks
 
I have to agree 100% with "elegance coral"

I currently have 3 Haddonis, with the oldest one being 9+ years with me.
 
EC knows her stuff. She helped me immensely when I tried to keep a magnifica alive. You asked if there was anything special you need to know and you got the best advice. If you don't want to listen to it, well, you won't be the first. Believe me, I'm no different when it came to thinking that I could keep these guys, and despite 180 gallon tank, a great skimmer, ozone - the works -I still can't keep anything but an RBTA alive. I think even EC will admit she went through her share of nems before getting her beauties now. Almost everyone in the hobby has had the hubris of thinking that "someone else is keeping them, so can I". The question is, how many are you willing to kill before admitting it is extremely difficult, and maybe beyond our control in 90% of the cases (again, bta is the exception).

For me, the answer was three. I'm still bummed about it. I'm not discouraging anyone from trying, as I truly believe that that is what this hobby is about - trying to keep ocean life alive in captive environments. But with your system and your current knowledge, it just ain't gonna happen. That's not a bash, its straight from someone who should have listened to the advice you are getting now and didn't.
 
Thanks miniwhinny. I was wondering what happened to you. Haven't seen you around in a long time.

Don't worry..if I'm not posting..I'm still here lurking lol . Just sitting here tonight getting a vicodin buzz hahahha. My gallbladder decided not to work anymore a couple of weeks ago so we parted company.

elegance coral, your tank is inspiring:D
 
Beautiful nem $eaba$$. Can't comment on much as I'm still in the research and development stage ;) of getting my first ( a RBTA ). Carpets are the host of choice for percs so I sure wish I could get one though. Yours looks great and I wish you luck.
 
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