picassos & green carpet combo?

[aquaconnect]

I've had my green carpet for about 8 months now and yesterday picked up a couple of juvi picassos. Tonight, I witnessed the strangest thing. The larger of the two picassos has been hanging around the carpet, about 2" away or so. Tonight, she took a dive towards it after the lights were off and the moonlights were on. I was just sitting there watching and BAM, in she went. Instantly stopped moving. I watched this for about 2 hole seconds. Then I sprang up out of my chair and reached in. The carpet definately had a hold of her, on her side and upside down. I went to grab her, and poked her and she regained instant movement and shot out of the carpet. I've been watching her for about 30 minutes since it happened. She's swimming fine, no issues, but still is about 2" from it looking ever so closely at it.

You think I got a problem here, sure don't want them to get eaten? Orginally had 2 juvi saddlebacks that hosted instantly in the carpet and were smaller to about the same size as the picassos. Carpets about 8" expanded. Fish are 1 1/4" & 1 3/4".

 

[Toddrtrex]

That is the chance you take with keeping a Haddoni (( assuming that is what you have )) with clowns that aren't naturally hosted by it. (( not saying that you are doing something wrong )). The saddlebacks are naturally hosted by Haddonis.

Now this isn't to say it can't work. I know that others have this (( Maybe not picassos, but "normal" percs, both are the same )) without issues. Hopefully she will be a bit more careful next time and slowly get used to the anemone.

Should note that I have a pair of pink skunks being hosted by my blue haddoni (( not a natural combo )), and there have been no issues. And I am going to try a Haddoni and some SI Percs (( assuming the Haddoni makes it -- the Percs are in QT right now ))

Can't say for sure if you have a problem or not, but it is for sure a risk, and only you can decide if you want to continue with it. I can't tell you either way what will happen.

 

[aquaconnect]

It does suck. I found the fish and jumped on them. I was going to go back to saddles but didn't. I also picked up a 5" pink rhyzo typus, and am 'stuck' with it now in my sump because it will for sure eat them. Would an RBTA be better? I'm going to try and trade for one locally. I have a huge frogspawn I just put in there to maybe divert her to it instead. Now the fun will be to extract the carpet. I just don't know if it's worth the risk, but the carpet is so beautiful and healthy.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Should note that I currently have 3 Haddonis (( and another one that I just got, that I am not sure if it will make it or not )) --- and I have a bias towards them -- so, I would keep the Haddoni.

Now, with that out of the way...

If you don't want to take the risk, then pull the Haddoni, and get a less "mean" anemone. A BTA would work, but the clowns might be hosted by it right away, or months from now. Should note that BTAs are rock dwelling, and they seem to move more then other anemones -- or at least their clones will. What else do you have in the tank?

As for removing the Haddoni -- first get yourself some gloves before hand -- they are like Velcro. If you do decide to remove it, odds are very good that it will retract into the sand. Take your time trying to get it off the bottom glass (( or under side of the rock )), it is very easy to damage them. If you start to get frustrated, walk away for a bit, and start again.

I know that I would take the chance and leave the Haddoni in there, and would see what happens.

 

[aquaconnect]

I don't have any other fish. I actually just have this set up for the anemone, my dendro's and rhyzo's. I will probably get a chevron tang, or another smaller species and that's it.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14228516#post14228516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquaconnect
I don't have any other fish. I actually just have this set up for the anemone, my dendro's and rhyzo's. I will probably get a chevron tang, or another smaller species and that's it.

So no corals on the rest of the rock work? In case you go with a BTA, wouldn't want any thing stung.

What size tank and how deep is your sandbed? (( In case you wanted to consider an LTA. ))

 

[aquaconnect]

58G, bout 3" old school south down play sand, the tiny sandstorm variety.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14228537#post14228537 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquaconnect
58G, bout 3" old school south down play sand, the tiny sandstorm variety.

Then an LTA might be an option too -- might have to make the sand a bit deeper in the spot that it is at.

I have two of my Haddonis in my 58 -- great sized tank.

 

[aquaconnect]

It was just wicked strange to see a clown paralized like that, and the carpet react so quickly. I donno, I might chance it to see. Just a hard call.....

 

[Toddrtrex]

I am always shocked when I directly feed mine just how quickly they will grab onto the krill and pull it it. The piece is gone in a matter of seconds.

Lucky for me, mine didn't flinch when my skunks start being hosted by it.

 

[aquaconnect]

You think I could put some saddles in there for it, and they would get along with the picassos and have them host in something else?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Nope, I don't think you should do that. I only see bad things coming from that -- and those bad things are two dead clowns, and most likely the percs, saddlebacks get fairly mean.

I personally won't have more then 2 clowns in any of my tanks.

 

[aquaconnect]

Alright, well it happened again last night. This time I removed the carpet. I just picked up a BTA that someone was getting rid of locally and has had it a while. So no more carpet but the clowns would more than likely die if I didn't get it out of there. So, we'll see how this goes.

 

[aquaconnect]

I literally but the bta in the tank, waved the picassos toward it, and they are already hosting in it. They are putting on quite the show fighing over it. Looks like I'm going to have to put some sreen over the top of the tank.