What are the 'odds' with a haddoni?

I need some advice from the experts here again. Another LFS, one I trust, is getting in a red hannoni this week.
If you were to put odds on the percentage of haddonis that survive in our tanks, what would that be? 50%, 60%, higher? The odds of its survival (in a mature healthy tank) will make my decision to purchase a little easier.
Thanks for putting up with the newbie questions.
Sean
 
I can't give you a percentage, but compared to many of the other anemones that make it into the hobby (i.e. bleached H. crispa [and really any bleached species, possibly excluding E. quadricolor which usually easily recovers], H. magnifica, etc), your chances are comparatively higher with this anemone.
 
Thanks! Would you agree that smaller specimens (4 to 6 inches) of hadonni more easily adapt to aquarium life? Does size seem to matter in this respect? Would it be best to buy a 6" red hadonni or a 20" red hadonni, if both are outwardly healthy? I've believed that generally speaking, most livestock, fish and corals, acclimate better as smaller/younger specimens. Being new to hadonnis, I was wondering if the same generally holds true to them as well.
Unbelievably, two of my LFS have large, 20" or bigger, red hadonni's for sale. Cost is $400 or $550. ( I haven't seen the $400 specimen yet, it comes in tonight). But I'm very leary of spending $400+ on this size hadonni if the odds are against it surviving for more than a few weeks/months.
I'm debating on waiting for a smaller specimen, hopefully far less expensive, to come in.
 
Most reds sell for the same price regardless of size.

IME: smaller specimens tend to ship better, but on occasion don't seem to have the reserves to last through the 4-8 week acclimation process.

IME: large specimens tend to have been beaten up pretty badly and when they go down hill go very fast.

IMHO: If this is an LFS you trust and they have proper systems; I would put a deposit down and have them hold the specimen for 2 weeks. A $400 to $550 price has plenty of profit in it for such a service. The alternative is they are well aware the specimens are extremely high risk and know someone else will buy them.

fwiw: My experience and tracking of the reds seem to indicate a high mortality rate then 50% in the first few months. Closer to 70% and likely higher with the few I have been able to track.
 
Thank you traveller7. I have to say that at the price they are going for, the risk is too high. I won't purchase either of them.
I'll stick with my rose BTA's and baby blue hadonni and wait for a tiny red one to come in.
 
Given the money and risks involved, finding a reefer selling his long term specimen that just ate his favorite fish is the best path to success :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8092357#post8092357 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by traveller7
Given the money and risks involved, finding a reefer selling his long term specimen that just ate his favorite fish is the best path to success :)
Absolutely!:lol:
 
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