What anemone hosts clowns the best?

[EricandBrandi]

I wanted to get an anemone for my clownfish and I came across Heteractis Magnifica. It says they get really big so I'm wondering if this is a commonly kept nem?

 

[aday2remmbr]

they are commonly known as ritteri nems, they are the hardest nem to keep and about 4 percent of the people that attempt to keep them actually succeed at keeping them more than a year. i have had a few but the tiniest little swing in params can kill them, the one i have now is doing okay, they never seem to fully thrive in a tank like alot of other nems. definitely not a good first nem shatsoever. they are however practically a mansion for a clownfish.

 

[EricandBrandi]

Thanks for the info, since im just a beginner I will keep looking. Any suggestions as to what would be a good starter nem and still be large enough for a maroon clown. He is about two inches and I have been warned that he would be hard on a nem.

 

[aday2remmbr]

bta's and lta's are the best beginner nems, i would get one thats over 5 inches wide for your clown. maroons arent very picky so it will probably host but dont plan on imediate results it may take a while. after you get experience malu sebae and some carpets you could try then you may be able to brave the larger carpets along with the ritteri.

 

[elegance coral]

BTA is your best option by far. It is the natural host to your maroon, and it's the hardiest of the host species. You will have no problem getting a maroon to live in a BTA. I've had maroons try to eat through the bag to get at a BTA.

 

[aday2remmbr]

BTA is your best option by far. It is the natural host to your maroon, and it's the hardiest of the host species. You will have no problem getting a maroon to live in a BTA. I've had maroons try to eat through the bag to get at a BTA.

haha ive had this happen! except it was the other way around and was with a carpet anemone. the maroon chewed out of the bag while i was floating it into the tank. imagine my surprise to find an empty bag and a clown hosting my nem!

 

[EricandBrandi]

thanks very much for the info. I will go the BTA route I am sure.

 

[elegance coral]

That's a wise choice. Try to get the largest one you can.

 

[davocean]

Patience, don't force it.
FWIW many people mix unnatural combo's of nems/clowns w/ success.
Occs tend to be slow to seek out a host compared to other clowns, but most likely will eventually.

 

[BayouCorals]

BTA is your best option by far. It is the natural host to your maroon, and it's the hardiest of the host species. You will have no problem getting a maroon to live in a BTA. I've had maroons try to eat through the bag to get at a BTA.

+1 on the BTA. It's like cat nip for my maroon pair. Seriously they won't stay away from it. I moved the BTA to another tank and replaced it with a LTA. The male will sleep in the LTA, but not the female. I felt bad for taking their happy place so a few days later I put the BTA back in their tank. With in minutes they moved back into the BTA.