Which first: clownfish or anenome?

R

reefbuzz

Premium Member
Need your wisdom... I've had a 220g display, 300g system, running since May. The tank is very established for this timeframe thanks to an RDP chaeto refugium, tons of nitrate lovin' xenia, and good waterflow. I intend on keeping a pair of clowns and a host anenome, and the display and QT tanks will be setup according to the Clownfish & Anenome FAQ, so I'll be ready before I buy.

Question: Once the quarantine procedure elapses, which should go into the display first, fish or anenome? Also, should I quarentine the BTA anenome if it's captive bred?

FYI, my bioload and water parameters:

fish: 5 green chromis, royal gramma, six-line wrasse, flame hawk, orange-striped cardinalfish

inverts: maze open brain, gsp, xenia, mushrooms, acropora, zoanthids, several species of euphyllia.

water: 410ppm CA, pH 8.0, 10 dKH, 1300 Mg, undetectable phosphorous, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, 1.025 spg, 78 degrees.

lighting: 2 x 400W 10K MH + 150W 20K MH
circulation: 6100 tunze streams
 
I'd be tempted to get the Anemone first and let it settle in before exposing it to your clowns loving which can be quite rough.
 
I believe that adding the anemone first will allow him to settle in before the clowns get in would be good for the anemone. Of course if you can get a pair of fish already hosting an anemone the anemone will be coming out of QT first so it will be the same. Also, if the clowns aren't purchased already hosting the anemone it will make an excellent source of protection as soon as they get in the tank so that they won't "set-up home" somewhere else in the tank before you add the anemone.
 
I too would probably add the BTA first and give it an opportunity to settle. Try to select fish and a BTA that are comparable in size for one another. I think hosting can be hit or miss. I've had clowns dive into a BTA within minutes of spotting it. I've had others ignore a BTA for weeks.

QT is always good practice. However I have to confess I added a BTA directly to my tank before; but only because the light on my first QT tank wasn't really suitable to sustain the creature for weeks. Good luck and post some pics for us.
 
Thanks everyone. That's true about the QT lights. Not very many people, including myself, have extra MHs or T5s laying around. I'll hit my LFS tomorrow and check out the anenome selection; they usually have bubble tips and sometimes rose. I think I'll do a few weeks quarantine and see how the anenome's color is looking. The clowns will go into QT for 6 weeks and come after.

I want to do the best that I can in this decision.

Does this sound good?
 
I also would add the anemone first. To be honest, I would forego trying to QT the anemone (clownfishes, sure). Do your best to pick out the best specimen and add it to your tank. There is no good reason to induce more potential stress. I wouldn't QT an anemone unless I felt it was absolutely necessary.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8186529#post8186529 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
Sounds like a great topic for another FAQ! Anemone QT.
Click to expand...

You are right, it does. I think its main application would be for people with larger tanks attempting to add multiple species or individuals or in large public aquaria.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8187931#post8187931 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dantodd
I've never QT'd anemones but I know that some do QT and
prophylactically treat certain species...
Click to expand...

True, and as I said, may be necessary in the most extenuating circumstances. I assume you are referring to newly imported H. magnifica?
 
H. magnifica are my favorite anenomies. Marine Depot Live has them sometimes but I wonder about their shipping longevity.
 
I think my next anemone is going to be H. magnifica. I think it's going into a 100 under a 400w Mh on a bommie with no corals etc. with a nice 2' sandy area around it. I'm thinking about planting it with some macro to look like a sandy flat biotope.
 
Bommie is Australian for atoll yeah? Sounds cool to me. I'm thinking you'd need a LR or DSB sump for the that setup.
 
Well the whole 100gal has about 4 or 5" of sand on the bottom so I think I'm good there. I'll probably add more LR to the sump. As for bommie, I had no idea it was australian but yes, essentially a mirco-atoll rising out of the sand.
 
I think my next anemone is going to be H. magnifica. I think it's going into a 100 under a 400w Mh on a bommie with no corals etc. with a nice 2' sandy area around it. I'm thinking about planting it with some macro to look like a sandy flat biotope.
 
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