Rainbow bubbletip

[bullock111]

How much damage will a 3 inch or so bubbletip do to a mixed reef? I would like to have one with my clownfish as they are already being hosted by it but have heard horror stories about carpet anenomes eating every fish in the tank so I am not sure about having any anemone in the tank.

 

[mnchartier]

bubbletips are not as much of a threat as carpets at eating fish. Bubbletips do tend to wonder more and can sting corals while on the move.

 

[bullock111]

when they find a place they like how well do they tend to stay there??

 

[Uncle99]

Once set, they don’t move much, unless you change light or flow

 

[bullock111]

so what would everyones opinion be, rainbow bubble tip ok or leave well enough alone??

 

[dmsprague]

I say go for it if you want one. I love the relationship between nems and clowns. Here is one of my tanks. (it's a work in progress) The nems stay on the end where they are hosting a pair of GSM clowns. Every once and a while one will stray usually after a split. I just get it and throw it in another tank that has 40 + nems but no corals. They can be very hard to remove form rock though once they get anchored tho

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[bullock111]

My lfs will take any that split for trade ins. maybe I will do it. my tank looks like it has finally cycled, been 4 weeks. I am going to get a second opinion on the water check tommorow

 

[dmsprague]

I would wait a bit longer than 4 weeks. I don't necessarily adhere to any 6 month 9 month rule but I would definitely not add a nem at the end of its cycle. I would add clean up crew and a few fish to make sure things stay stable before considering a nem JMO

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[dmsprague]

Forgot to mention I have experienced fish loss to a carpet nem. Powder Blue, Foxface, Picasso trigger, and a couple other I can't remember all in one night. Don't know if something spooked them or what. The triggerfish was eaten and skeleton expelled. The others badly stung and died. This was in a 180 gallon tank so there was plenty of space. The clowns sure did like the carpet though. To the LFS it went.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Uncle99]

I would stick with the min 6 months mature and stable water chemistry before the nem.
They don't like change much and needs moderate to strong lighting

 

[bullock111]

yes that is what my lfs says, to wait for the tank to mature more for corals and nems so I will wait

 

[laverda]

I am glad your LFS gave you good advice, most will not. I am also glad you listening to the advice your getting. I know it is hard to wait, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

 

[Uncle99]

Still 6 is just a number.
Once fully cycled and you can maintain all 8 parameters consistently, the nem is fine, they just don't like change, I have done this in 3-4 months.
If you doing corals sometime, do the nem first and add corals after he stays put for a month. This way he does not kill any corals while settling.

So my order was nem and clown pair, corals and peaceful fish, a yellow and blue tang last and together.

 

[dmsprague]

+ one on not liking change. I had a nice big one all bubbles on its tentacles about 8-10" across inflated the only nem in that tank. I rearranged my rock work Saturday and Sunday I have 2 nice not so big nems ;-(