Anenome keeping
- Thread starter ck508
- Start date
MikeinToronto
Member
Based on reading some of his other posts, he doesn't plan on having enough light (i.e.: Fluorescent light $35) and I don't think his tank is set up yet.
Even under bad lighting the anemone should still last longer than 2 days. It may even last 2 months. If it died after 2 days it was sick anyway. So even under good conditions your anemone was already doomed.
Ocellaris and percula are notorious for being hard to host (and "hard" is a relative term because many other clown species will adopt a host within hours). If your have the right conditions and you really want the relationship of clown and host anemone, a clarkii clown is the easiest because it accepts every host anemone and sometimes anemone species that aren't (e.g.: condy), and it's very good at accepting the host immediately.
To answer your questions, you acclimate the anemone the same way you acclimate all other livestock and the best anemones for those species are the giant carpet and the ritteri anemone, neither of which is suitable for a 20 gallon tank.
Phyxius
Member
side note....
I know that well even with a few anemones in the tank. Mine host the frogspawn and our two 7-8" clams but ignore the anemones in the tank. Clams have actually taken to them wiggling around in them and dont react as much anymore. Funny to see a clown on its side resting in your clam.
I agree it should have lasted longer than 2 days if it was a healthy specimen to start with
MikeinToronto
Member
I read through your other posts. I commend you for doing a little research but I don't think any anemones are right for you right now. You don't seem to have the right conditions to keep an anemone just yet. Your lighting is inadequate and your tank is not mature. You also haven't made a decision on exactly what you want to keep in the tank. Once you have that all figured out you should research exactly that and go from there.
I hesitate to recommend any anemone because you are still very far away from keeping one. But if you do decide to keep one just remember that clowns don't host in anemones, they are hosted by anemones.
As mentioned by Phyxius, clowns may also accept surrogate hosts so you may not necessarily need an anemone to watch the clown/anemone behavior. Some corals make good surrogate hosts as do some algae. Sometime a mushroom works. Sometimes even a fake (plastic) anemone will work with certain individual clowns.
MikeinToronto
Member
I'd respond but you didn't read what I wrote:
beat_dead_horse
What kind of skimmer?
MikeinToronto
Member
I thought you told us you have "a very good proteinskimmer".
MikeinToronto
Member
Use the same kind. What kind of skimmer is in your 29?
CobrajetMach1
Member
Not trying to steal the thread but I have a BTA that's hosted by 2 false percula clowns. Is there any need to feed the anemone? Guess it's kinda late to ask this since I've had it for like a month now... It seems to be doing great, doesn't wander and the clowns are in him nearly 24/7. Thanks.
MikeinToronto
Member
Certain clown species spend all their time in their anemone regardless of the anemone's health.
It is always a good idea to feed the anemone regardless of whether it is hosting clowns or not.
CobrajetMach1
Member
:LOL: I just gave the BTA a piece of silver side and it immediately snagged it with some tentacles and started to devour it. The clowns looked like they got mad at me because it started closing up to eat it. They're still trying to swim in it, it's pretty amusing.
CobrajetMach1
Member
The clowns aren't stupid enough to let the anemone eat them too right?
The clowns aren't stupid enough to let the anemone eat them too right?
Absolutely they are. I put a pair of picassos in a tank with a hadonni once, and he decided to eat them. They were blissfully going to their doom, happy as all get out when I rescued them.
Hadonnis are very aggressive - seen them eat many fish. Don't think I have seen any other nems eat clowns, but have seen saddlebacks dive into the stomach of a nem when scared. But they come back out again. Very unnerving the first time you see it.
MikeinToronto
Member
IME and IMO, saddlebacks are the only clowns I would trust with a Haddoni long term. They seem to be the only ones that are completely immune. I've never had them eat another clown but since I always pair saddlebacks with Haddonis, no other clown can get close enough to try.
I know other clown species pair with Haddonis in nature but A. clarkii is the only one of those I've kept. Based on the morphology of A. sebae I would wager they would share similar tolerance as A. polymnus.
MikeinToronto
Member
I wouldn't worry about it with any anemone except a carpet. Even then, I still wouldn't worry about it; the anemone has to eat.The clowns aren't stupid enough to let the anemone eat them too right?