Toughest, Hardiest anemone for aggressive clown?

[Gold Stripe]

I have worked my way up from my first 40 breeder through a 75 to a 90 to a 180 in wall and, since my family has expanded to 5, back to a 75.

Now I am making the final move into a 65 in my upstairs office where I will be safe from any further moves. I would just move the 75 but I only have 3 feet to work with.

The reason I am not leaving the hobby all together is that I have a beautiful pair of Gold Stripe Maroon clowns that have been with me since the 40B and I refuse to let them go. The only other fish in the system is a yellow watchman goby with his tiger pistol bunkmate.

That being said, my female GSM has beaten to death every BTA or LTA that I have ever attempted to introduce. My last attempt was a 8 inch LTA that was absolutely beautiful and very healthy. It lasted about 2 weeks and she finally managed to tear its foot while sweeping the sand from around it.

I really would like to be able to keep an anemone with this pair but not sure if there are any that will be able to survive her aggressiveness.

The tank is/will be a 65H (36x18x24) with very mature live rock, some softies and a couple LPS + SPS higher up. The lighting is 2x175watt 10k MH and 2x95 watt actinic VHO. System has a chiller and ATO.

Any suggestions?

 

[clowns101]

I was going to say a Bubble Tip.But sounds like thats been done and its not worked.You may try letting the anemone settle in before letting the clowns host the anemone.

 

[t4zalews]

sebae (crispa), I think this anemone could take it. I'd say carpet, but do not know if the marroons would ever take to it.

 

[Gold Stripe]

She will host anything. When I first started I had a Condy and she hosted that believe it or not. Right now she is making a home out of a patch of mushrooms. She is about 5 in and he is about 2.5

 

[garygb]

In nature, even the largest maroons live in BTAs (it's their only natural host), so I would stick with mother nature. I would get a large BTA and keep the maroons away until the anemone is settled in. Then keep an eye on things.

 

[StillerNat]

have you tried a bigger nem? im talking about a 12"+ nem for it. i seen somewhere that they recommend like for every inch of clown that there should be 2" of nem. i could be wrong though. but of you got a real big carpet or bta it might stand up to the loving death of the clown.

 

[Gold Stripe]

Its hard to find a large BTA or LTA. The largest BTA I ever had was about 6 in and the largest LTA was about 8. I was thinking that a carpet might be the answer as I have seen much larger carpets but I didnt know how durable they might be. If I could find a 10 inch BTA I would jump on it but so far no luck. Its my understanding that most dont get that big in an aquarium or they split before they do.

 

[garygb]

I occasionally see very large GBTAs in lfs out here (Los Angeles), at least a foot across. It's true that some do seem to split before they get very large, especially RBTAs. Mine get about 10 inches across before they divide. I currently have a maroon pair, with the female measuring maybe 3 1/2 inches. I have 6 RBTAs in the tank, so the intensity of the female's rambunctous nature isn't directed at any one anemone. Having several BTAs in proximity to one another will disperse the brunt of her frolicking. Perhaps you can order a large GBTA online.

As far as a carpet being a good host, I don't know what to tell you about that. Even though you say she will be hosted by anything, I wouldn't bet that she will take to a carpet such as a haddoni. Gigantea isn't a good bet just because of their difficulty level to begin with.

 

[Gold Stripe]

Its sounding like a large BTA is going to be my best bet. Finding one is another story. I am going to be transfering my 75 into a 65 in my office next month and I have an old 29 cycling now so that I can put my GSMs and my watchman in there for a few weeks while the new 65 settles in. I guess I will try to find a large BTA once the 65 has settled and give it a week or two to aclimate in the 65 before I transfer the GSMs in. If that doesnt work then I'll just have to give up on the anemone and she can go back to her mushrooms.

The only thing I worry about is the BTA moving around a lot and hurting my corals.

 

[garygb]

If you take a piece of liverock and chisel out a nice cave for it to secure its foot you shouldn't have a problem with the anemone moving. I take a screwdriver and a hammer, put some glasses on to protect your eyes, and chisel away. Liverock is very porous and it's easy to take a small cave and make it bigger quickly. You want the hole to be a little bigger than the column of the anemone.

 

[traveller7]

Single Large BTA for an abusive clown is not nearly as effective as colony of medium sized BTAs. (3) 6-8" should do the trick.

As suggested, have rock work that allows the column to be protected so the anemone can withdraw. The clown will move along to the next and spread the abuse to a level the anemones can tolerate.

 

[Gold Stripe]

Multiple BTAs sounds like a lot of dead corals. Sounds more and more like I am going to have to choose between an anemone for my GSMs and having a reef tank with corals.

 

[clowns101]

Or you could do the LTA species!They are hardy to!Maroons will be hosted by them to!

 

[traveller7]

Multiple BTAs sounds like a lot of dead corals. Sounds more and more like I am going to have to choose between an anemone for my GSMs and having a reef tank with corals.

Or creative decor.

Sand bed.
Pilar of rock with BTAs surrounded by sand.
Coral on a separate rock pile from the BTAs.

It is unusual for BTAs to let go for a ride on the current. Happens, but not typical.

 

[astranotus]

I have had mine in a carpet and can stand the beating they give..I since got rid of my maroons and now another mated pair live in that carpet..I also gave a friend a carpet that 2 clarki's now host with no problems of physical abuse..

 

[MedicalZoa]

my maroon once lived in a hadoni carpet, so it wont hurt to try one. you can get a decent sized hadoni for like 35 dollars.

 

[rssjsb]

Or creative decor.

Sand bed.
Pilar of rock with BTAs surrounded by sand.
Coral on a separate rock pile from the BTAs.

It is unusual for BTAs to let go for a ride on the current. Happens, but not typical.

I did this in my 90 gallon and it worked like a charm.

 

[StillerNat]

my rbta doubled in less than a year and never split. its about 9" now. take a look. the clown is about a 1.5in snowcasso and the purple fish in the 1 shot is a 2" pygmy angel for size comparison. it stretched well over 8" from where its foot under the rock.
i think its too big for my nano and i am considering fragging it. hehe