sebae and LTA

[canes52]

Thinking about putting a long tentacle anemone in my tank that already has a white sebae in it about the size of a baseball. One clarkii host the sebae but the other one hasnt yet and they havent paired yet. So can i GET a LTA for my other clarkii?

 

[a-T-m]

They are most likely going to pair up in due time, so stick with just the sebae. Because you can't be sure that your second clarkii is going to host the LTA either. Once paired up, they'll both host the sebea.

If you got the LTA, it and the sebae could end up in some chemical warfare by releasing stinging cells into the water, and that wouldn't be very good for your tank.

 

[Toddrtrex]

How long have you had the "sebae" (( assuming an H. Crispa ))? A white one is a bleached one.

 

[canes52]

yes its a white sebae but i've had it for almost a month and looks like its making a recovery.

 

[MikeInToronto]

Thinking about putting a long tentacle anemone in my tank that already has a white sebae in it about the size of a baseball. One clarkii is hosted by the sebae but the other one isnt yet and they havent paired yet. So can i GET a LTA for my other clarkii?

The other clarkii will come around. I think you should wait and see how things go. Clarkiis accept anemones very easily so it definitely will happen soon. I do think, though, that you should wait and see how the white anemone turns out. Anemones can live several weeks when bleached but once they start dying, they go downhill fast. Sebaes also have a poor recovery rate when bleached. They LTA will likely stress the sebae and that will make its recovery that much more difficult.

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

They will pair in time. Those are one of the easiest clownfish to get to pair and spawn, so it will be just a matter of time.

 

[canes52]

but they had an LTA and a sebae in the same tank touching so what are u talking about chemical warfare?

 

[MikeInToronto]

but they had an LTA and a sebae in the same tank touching so what are u talking about chemical warfare?

It is greatly anecdotal but it is something most longtime anemone keepers have experienced. When you place anemones of different species into the same small confined space (i.e.: a tank) one or both anemones start to react. This is manifested primarily by the anemone never settling in one location for very long. While it travels it doesn't eat and slowly dies. Or one (or both) anemones) release chemicals that actively destroy the other. Members of the same species don't usually do this which is why you could potentially have 20 BTAs in the same tank. Do a search for allelopathy both here and on Google and you will find a lot of info.

Not enough study has really been done on this phenomenon related to sea anemones so you will find a lot of differing answers but like I wrote earlier, those who have kept anemones for a while have experienced it.

About a month back I had to sell a BTA because the LTA in the same tank bothered it.

Try not to use the practices of your LFS as a guide on how to keep animals. The LFS will also put many tangs in a small tank, or house multiple anthias/damsels/etc. together. They are just there to sell and the turn-over is usually high. And chances are, the animals wouldn't survive long-term under the same conditions.