Lee
Member
Over the past few weeks I've been looking into the requirements for owning a carpet anemone. I've read all the carpet anemone threads in this forum, but I still have some questions.
Lighting:
I read that they require stronger lighting. I currently have a 265w PC fixture and all medium/low light corals. Before I purchase anything that requires higher lighting, I plan to either replace the entire fixture with a multiple bulb T5 HO fixture, or add a 2 bulb T5 HO fixture in addition to my PC lights. But here's my question: Every time I see these carpet anemones in tanks, they always seem to be tucked away at least partially in the shadows. So why do they require high lighting? Are they photosynthetic? I know that photosynthetic corals absorb micro algae which essentially photosynthesize for them, but do anemones grow by this same process? If so, why do they hide and bury themselves away from the light? Seeing as though they feed regularly, it would seem like they aren't too dependent on light
Clowns:
I understand that clowns will often "guard" their host anemone and thus, protect fish from the anemone, so if I were to purchase a carpet, I fully intend to give it clownfish. Now, I currently have 2 ocellaris clown fish that were tank bred, not wild caught. Will these tank bred clowns ever live in this anemone because they were tank bred? Would I be better off getting a little tomato clown and newly introducing him to the tank? Suggestions?
Other fish:
My understanding is that these are sticky and they sting, so when a fish touches it, it gets stung and stuck. Honestly and realistically, what is the risk to larger fish? I am mostly concerned with my big, rare, expensive African Yellow Belly Hippo tang. He's on the larger side, and he's just a perfect specimen, and I couldn't bear to lose him. But he's big; probably 5" head to tail, and he's well fed (fatass). Is there any chance that a big, smart fish like this would fall to a carpet anemone? What about a pygmy angel? I expect the anemone to kill/eat a couple of my chromis, but I don't want to risk the bigger fish.
Feeding:
Do these require target feeding or will they grab bits of shrimp and stuff like cyclopeeze that I feed the fish? I also understand that the clowns will supply it with food, assuming that a clown has found it.
Handling:
An LFS has a green carpet right now, and the owner said it can give him a sting that makes his hands swell up. Any tips for handling these things? Rubber gloves? Do you just set them in the tank and let them find their own place, or should you suggest a spot for it? If I have a spot that I want it to go, should I bother putting him there?
Any other considerations I should be making?
Lighting:
I read that they require stronger lighting. I currently have a 265w PC fixture and all medium/low light corals. Before I purchase anything that requires higher lighting, I plan to either replace the entire fixture with a multiple bulb T5 HO fixture, or add a 2 bulb T5 HO fixture in addition to my PC lights. But here's my question: Every time I see these carpet anemones in tanks, they always seem to be tucked away at least partially in the shadows. So why do they require high lighting? Are they photosynthetic? I know that photosynthetic corals absorb micro algae which essentially photosynthesize for them, but do anemones grow by this same process? If so, why do they hide and bury themselves away from the light? Seeing as though they feed regularly, it would seem like they aren't too dependent on light
Clowns:
I understand that clowns will often "guard" their host anemone and thus, protect fish from the anemone, so if I were to purchase a carpet, I fully intend to give it clownfish. Now, I currently have 2 ocellaris clown fish that were tank bred, not wild caught. Will these tank bred clowns ever live in this anemone because they were tank bred? Would I be better off getting a little tomato clown and newly introducing him to the tank? Suggestions?
Other fish:
My understanding is that these are sticky and they sting, so when a fish touches it, it gets stung and stuck. Honestly and realistically, what is the risk to larger fish? I am mostly concerned with my big, rare, expensive African Yellow Belly Hippo tang. He's on the larger side, and he's just a perfect specimen, and I couldn't bear to lose him. But he's big; probably 5" head to tail, and he's well fed (fatass). Is there any chance that a big, smart fish like this would fall to a carpet anemone? What about a pygmy angel? I expect the anemone to kill/eat a couple of my chromis, but I don't want to risk the bigger fish.
Feeding:
Do these require target feeding or will they grab bits of shrimp and stuff like cyclopeeze that I feed the fish? I also understand that the clowns will supply it with food, assuming that a clown has found it.
Handling:
An LFS has a green carpet right now, and the owner said it can give him a sting that makes his hands swell up. Any tips for handling these things? Rubber gloves? Do you just set them in the tank and let them find their own place, or should you suggest a spot for it? If I have a spot that I want it to go, should I bother putting him there?
Any other considerations I should be making?
