WWYD? Minor dilemma and cant decide for myself

[AndrewAP1]

Okay so here is my dilemma.
Mixing anemone species are pretty much a No-No from what all I've read.
I have a Green Haddoni and a pair of Clarkii's, but want R/BTAS as well.
Now since I obviously cant have both, what is a hobbyist to do?!

I come home and see my tank with me 8-9" Haddoni looking all pretty and stuff with my clowns smothering their faces in it. Then I'll swing over to my GF's house and see her Maroon pair swimming through her 2 RBTAs. It just seems the clowns would be happier with tentacles to swim through rather than stubs to smash into.

Reasons I want a BTA:
1. Obviously they split and are profitable down the road.
2. Their tentacles move and flow with the current, making them much more appealing (IMO) than a haddoni with stubby tentacles.
3. Less known to be fish eaters.

Reasons I want to keep my carpet:
1. I've had it for quite some time and have grown a bit attached to it.
2. I live in a small town with only one LFS other than petco. All other LFS are at the very least 1.5-2 hours away. My LFS in town does not have a tank for the carpet to stay in till it finds another home.

Reasons I prefer the carpet over the BTA:
1. I run power heads, nuff said.

FWIW, I've had my carpet eat two OC clowns. My only losses in the 8 months of owning the carpet.

What am I to do?!

 

[fishmanstan]

Easy. Get another tank! Why don't you put the maroon and clarkii tanks near each other? How big is your tank? Size depends. Also, just cause you have powerheads doesn't knock rbtas out of the race. I have 2 rbtas and 2 Powerheads and 0 problem. If the nem is sick, and not attaching, then powerheads become a problem.

 

[AndrewAP1]

Easy. Get another tank! Why don't you put the maroon and clarkii tanks near each other? How big is your tank? Size depends. Also, just cause you have powerheads doesn't knock rbtas out of the race. I have 2 rbtas and 2 Powerheads and 0 problem. If the nem is sick, and not attaching, then powerheads become a problem.

Lol Another tank is not an option at this time.
The two tanks I mentioned are in different houses.

My tank is a 90gal/15-20gal sump
48x18x24 Marineland Cornerflo

I only mentioned the powerhead issue because BTA's tend to float/walk more often than a carpet.

I drove my GF's house shortly after starting this thread, and it seems within the last 2-3 days one of her RBTA split! So now she has three!!! AhhHH

 

[fishmanstan]

Why not move to the same house?
What side is the carpet on?

 

[AndrewAP1]

Why not move to the same house?
What side is the carpet on?

On the left side, close to the overflow section. Why do you ask?

 

[fishmanstan]

You can keep a rbta. Try and isolate it on a rock on the right side. It may move, but if yoy give it good light, flow and params, it won't move. I would get a small one to start also. I have two and I bought them at maybe 2-4" and 6 mths later, one is 5" dia, other is 9-10" dia.

 

[OrionN]

I have 2 H. malu, 3 E. quadricolor amd three S. tapetum (Maxi) and a bunch of S. tapetum (mini) in my 65 g tank for the last year without problem. I don't even run carbon. I just change water about 12-15 g every month or so from the total of about 90 g system. I don't seem to have chemical warfare in that tank.

 

[fishmanstan]

I run carbon. I suggest it if you are worried about chemical warfare or if yoy don't do WC as often, like me

 

[worm5406]

Why not move to the same house?
What side is the carpet on?

Yeah.... pop the question and get married!

 

[AndrewAP1]

Yeah.... pop the question and get married!

:lolspin::lolspin:
Maybe next year, but until then and until we find a place that has enough space for us, our dogs, and our fish tanks...

I have 2 H. malu, 3 E. quadricolor amd three S. tapetum (Maxi) and a bunch of S. tapetum (mini) in my 65 g tank for the last year without problem. I don't even run carbon. I just change water about 12-15 g every month or so from the total of about 90 g system. I don't seem to have chemical warfare in that tank.

In my tank I do a small WC of 5g every week, its not much but does come to be around 20g a month. Are you saying that you would chance it?

I run carbon. I suggest it if you are worried about chemical warfare or if yoy don't do WC as often, like me

yup, chemical warfare is exactly what I'm worried about. I don't have coral or anything, so this warfare affecting corals is a non issue, but the health of the anemones is.

 

[OrionN]

Most anemones are difficult to keep. When they are not doing well, many of us tend to trying to think of explanations other than we just did not do a good enough job at provide the condition they need to live.
Often, IME, over zealous replacement of alkalinity, and laziness in adding alkalinity into the tank (added to quickly) really spike pH. Laziness in maintain aquarium and not doing the water changes as really need can cause excessive micro nutrient build up, temperature spikes. All of these really are detrimental to anemones and sensitive corals (like Xenia died for no reason).
The longest living captive Gigantea live in a system that have common sump with several other host anemone. While chemical warfare may happen, I have not personally experience any anemone death that I cannot account for with other reasons.

 

[AndrewAP1]

Hmm, well since my GF's rbta split again recently and she now has three, I'll take one of the recent splits once its all healed up and ready. If I see problems within my tank after placing the bta in there, then I'll place it back in her tank.

 

[Jerm0007]

I have had a large haddoni and a RBTA in together in my 92 gallon corner for nearly a year now and both are doing just fine. IMO as long as you keep your water where it needs to be you will be fine.

 

[AndrewAP1]

I have had a large haddoni and a RBTA in together in my 92 gallon corner for nearly a year now and both are doing just fine. IMO as long as you keep your water where it needs to be you will be fine.

Good to know. I'll be trying it as soon as the rbta heals up fully and then I gotta get it walking so I can take it out of the tank easily.

 

[phoenixstar89]

I've got a large haddoni in with 2 rbtas in my 55g. never had any problems and they're only about 10in away from each other.

 

[AndrewAP1]

It seems mixing a bta with these haddoni are more of a common practice than I thought. I have just been very skeptical because of the threads talking about the chemical warfare.

 

[DarthNater]

let us know how it turns out.