want nem and clowns, please advise

[jarrod13]

i have a 36 gallon reef, i currently have a pair of false percs which i will be moving to my 250 gallon. i want to get a pair of true percs and a flourescent green carpet nem. i am willing to let the nem go where he wants and move things around to make him happy. my light is a 8x24w t5 fixture. i've never had a nem before so i would like some input on wheather or not this will work.

please post any comments, thoughts, concerns, advice, all is welcome!!

i plan on getting them from vividaquariums.com, which i would also like input on this website

 

[dreminon]

from what i have read on here, probally sould start off with a BTA first easier to care for. plus I do not beleive a 36 gal is big enough for a carpet (agin from what I have read) but i may be wrong someone else should come on and tell you more

 

[ocellaris123]

Dreminion pretty much got it right, but if you want the BTA in your reef be prepared to plan your reef around the anemone as they will walk around until situated.

 

[jarrod13]

Any idea how fast the carpet will grow?
What makes them difficult, do you have to feed them a lot?
I have no problem working around it, I was kind of planning on it

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15057288#post15057288 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jarrod13
Any idea how fast the carpet will grow?
What makes them difficult, do you have to feed them a lot?
I have no problem working around it, I was kind of planning on it

1. No idea, depends on how often you feed them. In a smaller tank, larger carpet anemones will eat all of your fish except for the clowns.

2. Carpets are less forgiving in regards to ideal tank parameters (nitrates, ph, temp, salinity, alkalinity) and lighting, where bubble tip anemones are much easier to care for.

If it were me, I'd probably do a bubble tip anemone and a gold striped maroon clown in a smaller tank. BTA's stay smaller overall, and will host both percs and (especially) maroon clowns. That would let you add a few more things to your tank.

 

[clowns101]

carpets tend to be less forgiveing unlike the BTA and LTA anemones.most of the time if you have little time in the hobby you will end up killing the anemone because of the care and the needs the the anemone HAS to have.the best anemone fo you would be a BTA.

 

[dudley moray]

bta's can survive and flourish under t-5 s they will also host just about every clown out there you can also handle them though not recomended without fear of being stung /carpets get big fast and kill everything in a tank your size with a carpet pretty soon about 4-5 months the carpet and maybe clowns will be the only thing(s) in it !!...+1 on the bta

 

[noboddi]

Carpets are among the most difficult of all inverts to keep. They are also way too large for the tank you have planned.

If you have never done a nem before, you really need to start with a BTA first.

 

[WDLV]

I would advise you against any anemone until you have a few mistakes under your belt to learn from but if you insist on an anemone I would recommend a captive cloned BTA (E. quadricolor) in any of its various color variants.