The BEst (easiest) Anemone to buy?

[moppy]

Hi there. I was hoping someone could tell me what the easiest anemone to keep is? I have tried a number of them without much success at all.

Bubble Tip, SeaBae I have had and they dies?

I have metal halide lighting and nothing else really seems to die although I lost my Elegance the other day.

Can you have more than one in a 90 gallon tank?

Thanks...

 

[reefnetworth]

you need a mature tank of at least 6 - 9 months old. your parameters should be stable for at least 3 months before adding an anemone.
after that all you need is good lighting and flow and food. i use 1 frozen silverside thawed in a small Solo cup of tank water. i use an acrylic rod that is sharpened on one end to feed it once a week.

i would only put one in a 90G tank.

 

[Kristi04]

I agree.... Good flow seems to be a key thing. I have two bta (it split when I first got it) for a long time under CF lighting. I feed them a variety of frozen food and both of my clowns are hosting these. They have remained in the same spot and like the mix of water flow. They have continued to grow and have done very well in my 75g.

 

[Toglco]

Anemones require good flow to carry away wastes that they produce.

 

[Toddrtrex]

What are you water parameters? (( with numbers ))

Flow requirements are different depending on which anemone. The flow need for a gigantea carpet would be way too much for a haddoni carpet.

 

[stykthyn]

skip the anemone and get a hairy mushroom, frogspawn, or bubble corral.
I have had clowns that host in these every time without fail.

 

[davocean]

Agree w/ Toddrtrex, flow varies w/ nems.
Need tank specs/params.
I'd only keep one in a 90g as well, most get pretty big.
And tank should be well established.

 

[klavestat]

The original post asked "what's a good anemone to buy". IMO, if you're going to buy one make sure it's aquacultured, not wild caught. Lots of people propagate BTAs and it's easier on the oceans (and often your pocke-book) to get an aquacultured one.

I've seen anemones while diving the Pacific Ocean and know from personal experience their numbers are declining in the wild.

Anyway, we've been growing BTAs in our tanks for several years now and it's really interesting. I agree with the earlier posters about the need for fairly large (90+ gal),well-established tank with good circulation. They seem to like chaotic flow as well. And having a clownfish to tend to them helps as well (ours "gardens"/feeds them scraps of food regularly).

Good luck!

 

[Patrick12]

Bubble Tip anenomes are by far the "easiest" to keep.......if by that you mean most likely to survive in a captive system. They can be kept under MHs, T5s or CFs and do well. The key is to have a low nitrate environment (less than 10 ppm). Many inverts just do not do too well in elevated nitrate water and anenomes are included here.

I too agree with the aquacultured idea. They really seem to do well. I have had several in a tank with no problems. I have even seen a tank that had nothing but BTAs in it....a 40 breeder with about 30 anenomes in it. I do not recommend going to that extreme, but suffice it to say, you can have more than one in a 90 gallon. Odds are, if you don't temperature match your water when doing water changes, you may very well end up with more than one anyway.

Good luck.

 

[InsaneClownFish]

Another vote for BTA.

 

[Titus77]

Get a tube anemone. I have three. Have had them for a LONG time. I feed them freeze dried krill. They just don't stop growing!!!

 

[gatorsfan]

BTA's are the easiest IMO.Good flow great water parameters and a mature tank and you should have little problems.

 

[IPT]

Patrick12 - (if I might jump in)...where would one find and aquacultured RBTA? We all would like the best chance of survival I think.

and, do temp changes stimulate splitting?

 

[davocean]

While the original post may ask "what is a good anemone to buy", the next line says he has had a number of them and they die,including BTA's, reason for asking about specs/params.
Also, best anemone to buy will vary from tank to tank depending on light/flow.
Bta's may be more tollerable to water quality/light needs, but depending on what you keep that may not necessarily be the best.
I actually have both an LTA and sebae, and find them best for me due to the fact that they don't wander like BTA's,and I have sps that can't be moved out of their way, but I wouldn't rec them unless you have the right conditions for them.

 

[KorL]

Bta are fairly easy. Check your water parameters