sand dwelling anemone

[LSUJosh]

Are there any sand dwelling anemone's that black and white ocellaris will host? For a 35 gallon tank.

 

[Toddrtrex]

The only sand dwelling anemone that won't be too big for that tank is an H. Malu -- not a natural host for ocellaris -- though that isn't saying it won't happen.

 

[acsamples79]

i just bought an H. Malu, very beautiful, im very happy with it. my clowns have gotten close and checked it out a few times, but nothing yet, (but its only been like 5 days)

 

[LSUJosh]

What about a RBTA? I have a rock mountain with a cave and all on top of the cave I have a few frags of zoas and some GSP and xenia, I am thinking I may just sell some of it off and put a BTA up there, let it get situated then "plant" some frags elsewhere.

 

[OrionN]

BTA is not a natural host of Ocellaris either. BTA also not a sandbed anemone. My Onyx Percula and my Snowflake Ocellaris take to the Malu as soon as I put it into the tank. I love my Malu. I had him for about 7 years now and he is only about 7 inches or so in diameter.

 

[LSUJosh]

Really? Only 7 inches after 7 years? I may just have to get a malu...

 

[LSUJosh]

OrionN, would you mind sharing some info on keeping malus with me? If you want to you can just send me a pm. I am having trouble finding info about them online.

 

[OrionN]

^^^yup. They are exceptional. I love all the anemone species but nothing beat a H. malu in a small 30ish gallon cube tank. With the sand bed, you can actually have a reef and not worry the anemone kill your coral (except the the coral drop on or near the anemone)

 

[OrionN]

They are fairly easy as far as anemone goes. Just clean water, stable condition. IMO, if you can keep SPS thriving you can keep H. malu. They do need to have about 4 inches or so of sand to bury their foot into. Light wise, I keep them under MH. My anemone is about 16 inches or so under a 250 W DE MH with very good reflector that essentially direct all the light back into the tank, so it is very bright.
I change water frequent about 1/3 every month or so. I don't check my water chemistry and added Magnesium, Ca and Bicarb Per formula (Bulk Reef Supplies). I added Mag first and then Calcium. When I add Bicarb, I can tell by observer how the cloudiness disperse, I can guess how near saturation the Ca and Bicarb is. By experience I know how much to add and have not overshoot to cause white out tank in the last 3 years. How I keep my tanks is not a method for a beginner, it took a lot of experiences. I keep saltwater aquarium since 1980 and reef type aquarium since 1988 or so.

 

[LSUJosh]

Well I have a 250w mh and 4 t5 bulb system on my RSM 130 so light really should not be a problem. One thing that does worry me is the depth of sandbed. Mine is roughly 2.5" in the shallowest area and maybe 4" in the deepest.

 

[LSUJosh]

Do they like a lot or little flow?

 

[OrionN]

My do not have a lot of flow. Minimal moving of the tentacle. Flakes flow past the tentacles at about 2 cm per second or so. Clown-fish have no problem swimming in this amount of current.
I would add a little more sand because I like to keep between 3-4 inches, but what you have should be enough.

 

[davocean]

Malu's ROCK!
Nice colors, fairly forgiving, sand dwellars, so relatively easy for mixed.
2.5" is a bit shallow of sand, but maybe add or place where it's 4"
Moderate flow, moderate to high light.

 

[LSUJosh]

I am very intriqued by these now. I will have to break out a ruler tomorrow and see just how deep my sand bed is. I don't think I will be able to add more sand that what I already have.

 

[SwampyBill]

My b/w ocellaris pair are in h. malu too. It took them about 6 months to figure it out, but now rarely leave their hosts tentacles. Sebae was about 4"s & bleached almost completely white when I rescued it 1 1/2 years ago. Now, it's chestnut brown w/greenish tint & dinner plate size.

 

[Big E]

My malu has done well under 54w T5's(20" high tank) & has been fine with an inch of sand. I've had it for about 4 years & it's 8-9". I agree on the flow as Minh has mentioned.

 

[LSUJosh]

Well my tank is only about 20" high also, again with 4 t5s and a 14k 250w mh so lighting should not be a problem. If your malu is doing fine in a 1" sand bed then I should not have a problem.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

How does a malu usually attach?

Will a malu find a place it likes and burrow into the sand to attach to the bottom?

Can I make a depression in the sand to expose part of a rock and hope it will attach while the sand gradually fills in? How can I coax one to stay where I want?

I have a large rock with an irregular cavity a bit larger than a teacup. If it were filled with a few inches of sand is there a chance a malu would settle in if temporarily held in with mesh?



I desperately want to replace my BTA with a malu. Even in a 180, the BTA is a terror, killing everything in a 12 radius. It even stretches up and over rocks so anything above it is not safe. Then the damn thing splits and one of the clones wanders off leaving destruction in it's path. At least a malu will stay low and not multiply.

 

[Nebthet]

How does a malu usually attach?

Can I make a depression in the sand to expose part of a rock and hope it will attach while the sand gradually fills in? How can I coax one to stay where I want?

Use the method from your quote above to put the malu in place.
If you need to, for the first few days, if it is taking it's time attaching, go to your local grocery store to the fruit section and buy something that has those plastic green baskets.
They are perfect to put over top of the anemone for a couple of days to keep it in place while it tries to attach. It lets the water flow and most of the light in, which is also a bonus because it will help the anemone acclimate to your lighting a little better too. Though it doesn't block a lot.

The best place to put this anemone in your tank, is some where with high light and just below moderate flow. You want just enough flow to wave the tentacles very gently.