Why do you love anemones?

[akida]

So I'm sure most of us had a coral reef tank prior to starting anemone tanks. I've always had a love for anemones even when I wasn't good at housing them. The challenge always excites me. I'd like to hear some stories as to why you decided to house anemones and when you fell in love with them! I still have some corals floating around but my heart belongs to my nems. Post some pics of your favorite anemone too!

under new mh/t5 combo

under t5 led combo

 

[g_langley]

Your tank looks superb.

My previous setup was a mixed reef but this time I decided to go for a Clown/BTA only tank with inverts. Not got the BTA yet as it's only been up for a few months.

I really like the symbiosis of an anemone hosting clowns, with symbiotic inverts giving some extra look and feel. Hopefully it will work out for me.

Do you have any inverts?

 

[marc price]

1), Because it's natural looking.

2), I really like how they flow and love the clownfish relationship.

3), To me, a clownfish with anemone actually looks like the fish fits in the aquarium and not like the fish are caged in the confines of a tank.

Fwiw, I went from fish only with bleached dead corals to letting the tank become overgrown with macro algae C. prolifera for two years and keeping cowries, conchs, turbo snails, flame scallop, cleaner shrimp, then added a grey-green S. haddoni and A. polymnus. That carpet anemone thrived under standard watt fluorescent bulbs! Then I began with a open brain coral LPS, fungia's followed by a porities SPS etc.
I always thought of a sea anemone as the primary interest and focus of my tank, looked at corals as secondary.

 

[akida]

Your tank looks superb.

My previous setup was a mixed reef but this time I decided to go for a Clown/BTA only tank with inverts. Not got the BTA yet as it's only been up for a few months.

I really like the symbiosis of an anemone hosting clowns, with symbiotic inverts giving some extra look and feel. Hopefully it will work out for me.

Do you have any inverts?

My tank is filled with inverts! over 30 nassarius snails, a turbo snail who I used to hate because he knocked my corals over consistently, fire shrimp, coral banded shrimp, 6 sexy shrimp (always looking for more), trochus snails and other inverts that grow in the tank and come out at night! I've been searching for a Pederson Shrimp for some time but haven't been able to snatch one or even seen one lately. LA DD has them once in a blue moon.

 

[akida]

1), Because it's natural looking.

2), I really like how they flow and love the clownfish relationship.

3), To me, a clownfish with anemone actually looks like the fish fits in the aquarium and not like the fish are caged in the confines of a tank.

Fwiw, I went from fish only with bleached dead corals to letting the tank become overgrown with macro algae C. prolifera for two years and keeping cowries, conchs, turbo snails, flame scallop, cleaner shrimp, then added a grey-green S. haddoni and A. polymnus. That carpet anemone thrived under standard watt fluorescent bulbs! Then I began with a open brain coral LPS, fungia's followed by a porities SPS etc.
I always thought of a sea anemone as the primary interest and focus of my tank, looked at corals as secondary.

I agree the symbiotic relationship between anemones and clownfish makes you feel like they are at home, and for the most part since clownfish are tank raised now it make me feel great to provide them with anemones and vice versa. I wish I could add more clownfish like the BRS tank though. Tried that and out of 4 new additions one made the cut but who knows how long that will even last.

 

[akida]

My tank is filled with inverts! over 30 nassarius snails, a turbo snail who I used to hate because he knocked my corals over consistently, fire shrimp, coral banded shrimp, 6 sexy shrimp (always looking for more), trochus snails and other inverts that grow in the tank and come out at night! I've been searching for a Pederson Shrimp for some time but haven't been able to snatch one or even seen one lately. LA DD has them once in a blue moon.

And what do you know Live Aquaria Divers Den had a Pederson shrimp today which muah purchased!!!! I don't think I ever purchased livestock that cost the same amount as shipping but whatever I'm stoked! How ironic, don't cha think!?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+4&ddid=281897

 

[garygb]

I love the way anemones look. They really do look otherworldly. It's as if I'm keep something alien in my home. I too love the symbiotic relationship between clowns and their anemone and feel like I'm keeping a little snippet of nature exactly as it occurs in the wild, thus my insistence on keeping natural clown/anemone combos. Another thing I enjoy is the vicarious feeling of coziness I get when a clown snuggles in its anemone. They look so completely blissful and secure and I get a feeling of that as well.

 

[g_langley]

My tank is filled with inverts!

Nice. I like the Sexy's as well and also have six and want another three to six. They come out on the sandbed as a group to graze, cool.

Today I got a PomPom Crab, we'll see how that works out, will probably get another one in time.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

And what do you know Live Aquaria Divers Den had a Pederson shrimp today which muah purchased!!!! I don't think I ever purchased livestock that cost the same amount as shipping but whatever I'm stoked! How ironic, don't cha think!?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+4&ddid=281897

What a cool looking shrimp, I've never even heard of them before and see you mention it here and wala you find one That's Awesome! :dance:

Can't wait to see the pictures

 

[akida]

Nice. I like the Sexy's as well and also have six and want another three to six. They come out on the sandbed as a group to graze, cool.

Today I got a PomPom Crab, we'll see how that works out, will probably get another one in time.

I stay away from crabs and certain shrimp. I had 2 white spot anemone shrimp almost destroy a fishy bizness sunburst bta. I think they got mad I took their carpets away (sold most my corals and inverts) and started picking tentacles off and eating it.

 

[akida]

What a cool looking shrimp, I've never even heard of them before and see you mention it here and wala you find one That's Awesome! :dance:

Can't wait to see the pictures

They lure/bait fish in with their antennas to hitch a ride and clean their gills of parasites. They are quite small but my sexy shrimp do fine in my tank with the flow so I'm hoping this guy does too. Video below showing how they use their antennas to lure fish in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dklVK-NISZ0

 

[LukeGI]

Just thought I would share a pic and video of my anemones.
The video is before this guy grew to over twice that size...quite huge now.
https://youtu.be/rIxrKxw7Pdc

And the attached pic is a previous anemone that got sick and I couldn't save. I have a new one, that I am trying to get fully healthy.
I need to get a better pic of the two together.

 

[stravo71]

I have always loved nems even tho they never seemed to love me back. The color combinations in some of them and movement they ad to the reef. Plus my wife loves them. I currently have a rainbow rose bubble tip and a black green tube.

 

[ThRoewer]

I had anemones since the 80s when keeping stony corrals was still a wild fantasy.
I kept them mostly for my clownfish, though back in those days with rather varying success.

 

[LesMartin]

My first marine fish back in the 70's were a pair of clarkii clowns along with a H.crispa. I loved the symbiosis and now I couldn't keep a marine tank without a pair of clowns and anemones.

 

[akida]

Yeah it seems that is the leading reason and it should be. I find it incredible at times.

 

[Jrsdaddy]

Like others have said the relationship between the clownfish and the anemone, one of the main reasons I got into the hobby and still am. I'd be completely content with having just a pair of clowns and a beautiful anemone in my tank with nothing else, although I also keep corals my clowns and anemone always come first