Anemone for a Biocube?
- Thread starter mrlimpet
- Start date
Yes, a 14 gal tank is far too small for an anemone. A typical BTA anemone at full size can be over 20 inches across. Also, most of these anemones will roam.
If you want something your clowns might like and is a manageable size, try some of the branching soft corals like xania or colt.
If you want something your clowns might like and is a manageable size, try some of the branching soft corals like xania or colt.
chipmunkofdoom2
Well-Known Member
As Dave said, I would not recommend any anemone.
First, there is no guarantee the clown will host the anemone at all.. it could pay it no heed whatsoever and you now have a huge nem taking up tank space and a clownfish avoiding it. Second, anemones are difficult to care for, more so in smaller tanks.
I recommend a soft coral like Dave said, but clowns also have been known to host corals of the Euphyllia type (hammer, torch, frogspawn), and these are much easier to care for than an anemone.
First, there is no guarantee the clown will host the anemone at all.. it could pay it no heed whatsoever and you now have a huge nem taking up tank space and a clownfish avoiding it. Second, anemones are difficult to care for, more so in smaller tanks.
I recommend a soft coral like Dave said, but clowns also have been known to host corals of the Euphyllia type (hammer, torch, frogspawn), and these are much easier to care for than an anemone.
drydens
Member
I have had terrific sucess with LTA's in Biocubes. Currently I have a 14G BC with a very nice Condy and one Maroon Clown. They hav been together in the 14G for about 2.5 years or so. I do feed her one shrimp a week.
Condy's are (IMO) much easier to care for (though most Clowns will not host in them - Maroon's being the most probable.
I also have an LTA in a 24G Aquapod - Bloody thing is now huge after 3 years and doing great! When they get to large for your tank - you could always split them (though I am to squimish for this - many people in my local reef club do not have a problem using a scalple).
Oh yes - all tanks stock except addition of skimmers.
Finally, I have noticed a big difference with my Clowns when they have an "Annie" to host in.
Condy's are (IMO) much easier to care for (though most Clowns will not host in them - Maroon's being the most probable.
I also have an LTA in a 24G Aquapod - Bloody thing is now huge after 3 years and doing great! When they get to large for your tank - you could always split them (though I am to squimish for this - many people in my local reef club do not have a problem using a scalple).
Oh yes - all tanks stock except addition of skimmers.
Finally, I have noticed a big difference with my Clowns when they have an "Annie" to host in.
drydens
Member
My 24 AP and BC 14 tanks are stock lights (PCs) and very stable chems..
Temp stays at constant 79-80 and I have had the Annies for 2.5 years and 3 years, respectively. i do nothing special other then feed them once a week and performa a 10%-15% water change weekly. of course Bioload consists of just the Annie and one Clown though.
Both annies seem happy, never roam..all good. so I have to disagree.
Temp stays at constant 79-80 and I have had the Annies for 2.5 years and 3 years, respectively. i do nothing special other then feed them once a week and performa a 10%-15% water change weekly. of course Bioload consists of just the Annie and one Clown though.
Both annies seem happy, never roam..all good. so I have to disagree.
An LTA when fully grown and expanded should reach 20-30" across from one tentacle to the other ; they won't be able to fully expand in an aquapod. Nor can you give it the proper environment, which is a deep sand bed and open sand at least the size of their disc, and lots of open space. There may be anemones that are appropriate for a nano; LTAs are not one of them.
Slickcg33
Member
i dont believe you can split an lta like you can with btas or ritters. in my experiences any time they have even the tiniest pinhole in their foot they will eventually die.
Earlier it was said that btas can get larger then 20" ive never seen or read that but maybe. You can do a bta in a small tank like the nano but there will be problems as listed above. If you do end up going that route, i would suggest that the tank be specifically set up for the clown/anemone and nothing else.
tangerine3486
Active Member
What did you end up doing? I recently got a BC 14 and will be ready for fish soon. I was hoping to do a clownfish/anemone tank as well. Will a clownfish host a hammer or frogspawn coral?
I have a 14 BC that's been set up for 2 years and I have a BTA that's almost been in there for a full year and it's doing great.
Yes it does move around a bit but for the most part it stays in the same place unless you piss it off.
I have nothing done to my tank except for an upgraded pump and a hydraflo. I do 20% water changes every other week. Spot feed it a small piece of scallop twice a month, otherwise it catches frozen brine shrimp or the mysis shrimp that I feed the rest of my tank. As far as I can tell my nem is doing great!
Yes it does move around a bit but for the most part it stays in the same place unless you piss it off.
I have nothing done to my tank except for an upgraded pump and a hydraflo. I do 20% water changes every other week. Spot feed it a small piece of scallop twice a month, otherwise it catches frozen brine shrimp or the mysis shrimp that I feed the rest of my tank. As far as I can tell my nem is doing great!
ElTurco
Member
Hi there;
Check this url:
Anemones
Some Easier to keep anemones
Stichodactyla haddoni, Saddle Carpet, saddleback anemone, Haddoni anemone
This anemone is often not distinguished from other carpets in the dealers tanks. The tentacles are short and knobby and usually densely packed. There is usually a reddish to pinkish ring around the mouth that isn't present on other carpets. Groups of tentacles on the same anemone may be of different colors forming a striped pattern on the anemone. If not striped they are usually a greyish-green, although bright greens, yellows and even blues are sometimes seen.
Good Points- This may be the easiest anemone to keep for long periods of time. Light suitable for soft corals and commonly kept hard corals is enough. I have had one growing slowly for over 7 years in the bottom of a 30 gal. tall aquarium with only 60 watts of fluorescent light. Reasonable nitrate levels for fish seem to be OK for this anemone. For its first 3 years my anemone lived in water that measured 30 ppm of nitrate on a Seatest Kit and showed no ill effects. They will grow faster however given better conditions.
Bad Points- This anemone will eat your fish! (not your clownfish) Dwarf angels, small tangs, blennies and small shrimp seem to be prone to getting eaten. Pseudochromis, hawkfish and some others don't seem to have a problem. The clownfish that accept this anemone also seem to be limited. They are accepted by saddleback clowns, true sebae clowns, Clarki clowns and usually tomato clowns.
Entacmaea quadricolor, Bulb, bubble, bubble-tipped, maroon anemone
Recently obtained individuals will usually have unmistakable swollen ends on the tips of their tentacles. Specimens in captivity will often lose their bubble-tips for periods of time and just have long straight tentacles. The tentacles usually have a green color especially when exposed to only actinic light. The tentacles may also have a frosty white ring around the tip. The base is often rusty-red but may also be purple or just tan. The Rose anemone is a color variation of this anemone.
Good Points- Normal reef lighting is enough (above 4 watts per gal.) for this type of anemone and may be more than enough. Nitrate levels below 20 ppm are preferred. Small ones may reproduce asexually in your aquarium by dividing into two smaller anemones. Their sting is rather weak and won't harm your other fish. They are accepted by Clarki-type clowns, all the different tomato-type clowns, maroon clowns and sometimes, although very rarely, percula and ocellaris clowns.
Bad Points- These anemones tend to wander around the tank more than others, sometimes causing their own deaths from lack of light or being sucked through a powerhead. They like to have their foot shaded inside a crevice in the rock or coral with their tentacles in the light. This preference might be met by placing a short piece of PVC pipe, sized to the anemone, where you want the anemone to stay and putting its base into the pipe. They seem to be sensitive to being shipped. Make sure the one you pick out has a tight mouth and is firmly attached to something in the dealers tank. Any anemone that is not attached to something in the dealers tank is probably not healthy. In addition, when the dealer tries to remove the anemone from the tank the anemone should show some type of reaction, usually they contract.
Macrodactyla doreensis, Long-tentacled anemone
These anemones have very long (up to 5-6 in.), smooth, thick tentacles sometimes with longitudinal stripes extending into the oral disk. The tentacles originate from a round flat oral disk, distinguishing it from the condylactis anemone. The foot of the base is almost always bright red or orange.
Good Points- They are hardy if kept under Metal Halide lights. Under lower light levels they seem to slowly waste away. They come in a variety of patterns and colors including purple. Accepted by Clarki clowns, tomato-type clowns and pink skunk clowns.
Bad Points- They must have bright lighting. They normally live with their base buried deep in the sand and sometimes have a difficult time finding an attachment spot in a reef-type tank.
Check this url:
Anemones
Some Easier to keep anemones
Stichodactyla haddoni, Saddle Carpet, saddleback anemone, Haddoni anemone
This anemone is often not distinguished from other carpets in the dealers tanks. The tentacles are short and knobby and usually densely packed. There is usually a reddish to pinkish ring around the mouth that isn't present on other carpets. Groups of tentacles on the same anemone may be of different colors forming a striped pattern on the anemone. If not striped they are usually a greyish-green, although bright greens, yellows and even blues are sometimes seen.
Good Points- This may be the easiest anemone to keep for long periods of time. Light suitable for soft corals and commonly kept hard corals is enough. I have had one growing slowly for over 7 years in the bottom of a 30 gal. tall aquarium with only 60 watts of fluorescent light. Reasonable nitrate levels for fish seem to be OK for this anemone. For its first 3 years my anemone lived in water that measured 30 ppm of nitrate on a Seatest Kit and showed no ill effects. They will grow faster however given better conditions.
Bad Points- This anemone will eat your fish! (not your clownfish) Dwarf angels, small tangs, blennies and small shrimp seem to be prone to getting eaten. Pseudochromis, hawkfish and some others don't seem to have a problem. The clownfish that accept this anemone also seem to be limited. They are accepted by saddleback clowns, true sebae clowns, Clarki clowns and usually tomato clowns.
Entacmaea quadricolor, Bulb, bubble, bubble-tipped, maroon anemone
Recently obtained individuals will usually have unmistakable swollen ends on the tips of their tentacles. Specimens in captivity will often lose their bubble-tips for periods of time and just have long straight tentacles. The tentacles usually have a green color especially when exposed to only actinic light. The tentacles may also have a frosty white ring around the tip. The base is often rusty-red but may also be purple or just tan. The Rose anemone is a color variation of this anemone.
Good Points- Normal reef lighting is enough (above 4 watts per gal.) for this type of anemone and may be more than enough. Nitrate levels below 20 ppm are preferred. Small ones may reproduce asexually in your aquarium by dividing into two smaller anemones. Their sting is rather weak and won't harm your other fish. They are accepted by Clarki-type clowns, all the different tomato-type clowns, maroon clowns and sometimes, although very rarely, percula and ocellaris clowns.
Bad Points- These anemones tend to wander around the tank more than others, sometimes causing their own deaths from lack of light or being sucked through a powerhead. They like to have their foot shaded inside a crevice in the rock or coral with their tentacles in the light. This preference might be met by placing a short piece of PVC pipe, sized to the anemone, where you want the anemone to stay and putting its base into the pipe. They seem to be sensitive to being shipped. Make sure the one you pick out has a tight mouth and is firmly attached to something in the dealers tank. Any anemone that is not attached to something in the dealers tank is probably not healthy. In addition, when the dealer tries to remove the anemone from the tank the anemone should show some type of reaction, usually they contract.
Macrodactyla doreensis, Long-tentacled anemone
These anemones have very long (up to 5-6 in.), smooth, thick tentacles sometimes with longitudinal stripes extending into the oral disk. The tentacles originate from a round flat oral disk, distinguishing it from the condylactis anemone. The foot of the base is almost always bright red or orange.
Good Points- They are hardy if kept under Metal Halide lights. Under lower light levels they seem to slowly waste away. They come in a variety of patterns and colors including purple. Accepted by Clarki clowns, tomato-type clowns and pink skunk clowns.
Bad Points- They must have bright lighting. They normally live with their base buried deep in the sand and sometimes have a difficult time finding an attachment spot in a reef-type tank.