Anemone advice

[kare-bear]

I have a beautiful healthy anemone in my 25 gallon. He has lived there for 1 year. I am getting ready to cycle my new 175 gallon. Eventually when the tank is ready I plan to move my existing corals and fish to the new tank. I have had a sand sifting star for 1 1/2 years but I read that they are not great for a reef tank because they eat everything in the sand . My LFS said they will buy it back from me.
My question is....I know that anemones should be added to mature tanks so what should I do with the anemone? I still want him but I don't know if he will do well in the new tank. Should I look for a home for him? I will be using the 24 gallon for quarantine. Can he stay in there while I quarantine new fish? Thankyou for reading. Karen

 

[kare-bear]

Anyone?

 

[cheeks69]

My question is....I know that anemones should be added to mature tanks so what should I do with the anemone? I still want him but I don't know if he will do well in the new tank. Should I look for a home for him?

Which Anemone sp. do you have ? Is it a hosting Anemone ? Since you still have to cycle the tank and it will not be ready for a few months I would either leave it in the small tank where it's been with the proper lighting of course or return it to the LFS for credit.

 

[Octoman]

Can he stay in there while I quarantine new fish?

I wouldn't recommend leaving him in there if you are quarantining other fish. You will be adding and removing fish and causing an imbalance in the nutrient cycle that could be deadly to the nem. If you have to treat any of the fish for disease, the medication would kill him also.

 

[cheeks69]

Yes that's a good point Octoman, I would only leave it in there if your simply observing the fish obviously any medication would harm or kill any inverts you have in there and would be out of the question with the Anemone.

 

[kare-bear]

He is a bubble tip anemone. I wouldn't expose him to any medicines but I wonder how long I need to wait for the new tank to mature before adding him.

 

[cheeks69]

He is a bubble tip anemone. I wouldn't expose him to any medicines but I wonder how long I need to wait for the new tank to mature before adding him.

I would wait a minumum of 4-6 months as the BTA isn't as difficult as other hosting Anemones. Obviously your tank would have to be stable with proper parameters so if this isn't accomplished in the in that time frame then I would wait longer.

 

[Newbie]

He is a bubble tip anemone. I wouldn't expose him to any medicines but I wonder how long I need to wait for the new tank to mature before adding him.

You will definately want to wait a minimum of 6 months... I've just started my own tank and everywhere I've turned to get information on coral, anemone etc. I've been told that the tank has to be mature for at least 6 months before you add any sort of invert. to it.
Don't risk it... like everyone has told me... patience is well worth it!
Good Luck.

 

[sasquatch]

Why not just pick up another tank for a qt and leave the 24 till the 175 is ready, you know you want too lol

 

[kare-bear]

Why not just pick up another tank for a qt and leave the 24 till the 175 is ready, you know you want too lol

I do have an unused tank that I could use as quarantine. I guess I should start figuring out what to do to the other tank to make it suitable for a QT. It doesn't have filtration.

 

[cheeks69]

before you add any sort of invert. to it.

This is incorrect ! Your cleanup crew are all motile inverts and are usually added to the tank as soon as it cycles. Now with Anemones particularly Hosting Anemones this is a different story because they're very difficult to keep in captivity and need a stable tank to survive, they don't do well with fluctuations which are common to new tanks.

 

[DrHank]

A QT doesn't have to be fancy. It does have to be fully functioning. Some of us keep a foam filter or two running in the sump of our display. It colonizes all the bacteria needed when you need to QT a fish.

You use the QT as needed. Bare bottom tank, some pieces of 2" - 3" PVC for cover, drop in the foam filter, add a skimmer and you're off to the races.

QTs don't need to be fancy, just functional and allow you to safely keep your new arrival for 4 - 6 weeks. A QT set up in this manner can turn into a hospital tank quickly should the need arise.

 

[kare-bear]

'Some of us keep a foam filter or two running in the sump of our display. It colonizes all the bacteria needed when you need to QT a fish.'


I think that's a good idea to have a filter ready in the sump. I think I will do that. I guess I have decided to leave the 24 gallon nano up and running for about 6 months until the new tank is ready for the anemone. I will rig up a QT tank with some stuff I have in the garage.

 

[lowfi]

hi what part of northern california are you located in??