Question on anemones and clownfish??

[reefergirl]

So originally I got a condylactis anemone (which, I know, big mistake) Petco told me was clownfish compatible. Not long after, our clown went missing. Anyway, I just got a decent sized carpet anemone and 2 new clowns today, which seemed to adapt wonderfully, very quickly. My question is, do the clowns tend to stay away from the one they are not compatible, or at they still at high risk with the other anemone in the tank? Also, (not sure if this is int he right place, or should it have its own thread) one of the clowns seems to be hanging around the top of the tank. It's ventured into the carpet anemone for a minute or two, but seems to prefer the top of the tank. Is this normal, and perhaps because we just got him today, or could we have a problem with him? He was happily swimming around the tank for a few hours earlier (after hanging around the top for an hour or so) and now that the other clown has settled into the anemone for the night, this one is again hanging around the top. (The anemone is fairly large, and there were about 6-8 clowns in it at once in the tank when we got the anemone, so its plenty big enough for 2 fish).Thanks!

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

Its normal for one to stay away and not host all the time, the female tends to rule the roost.

 

[aropfor1]

It is normal for clowns to hang out in top water. Both of mine hang out around my skimmer intake near the surface especially when the lights go out.

 

[clownfishrule]

HA! petco oh Petco lol they really said clownfish adaptable.

 

[clownfishrule]

oh and condy's kill fish i never had the problem but my fish stayed away. i know people who's tangs even got killed.

 

[sasquatch]

carpets are fickle and will just as soon eat your clown as host it, clowns have very intricate relationships, a bonded pair is not a mating pair, the female is queen and he can only visit if she says so lol

 

[jjmoneyman]

I have a condi and my clowns host in it. I would say they are in it 80-90% of the time. Whenever I feed the clowns I'll give them a piece of shrimp that's a little too big and it goes straight to the nem, so they have built a good relationship together. It took them a good 6 months before they were hosted in it though.

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

carpets are fickle and will just as soon eat your clown as host it, clowns have very intricate relationships, a bonded pair is not a mating pair, the female is queen and he can only visit if she says so lol

Again SAS something else I did not know, THANKS!

 

[kyarbrough13]

how do i tell if my anemone is dead. it is shriveled up and brownish... i have a white one with pinkish red tips

 

[lcstorc]

If it releases from the rock that is a good indication. A sure way to tell is the sniff test. You will never forget the smell of a dead anemone. Another thing to try is feeding it. If the food stcks then it is probably still alive.
Tell us something about your tank and we can make a better guess? Is it a new set-up? What kind of lights? What is the size of the tank? What filtration? What are your water parameters? Anemones are delicate animals so you need to provide them with the proper environment to survive.

 

[kyarbrough13]

its 75gal. i got a 400 filter and a protein skimmer and a uv skimmer and yes it released from the rock. im not sue about the lights but the guy i got everything from he said it was a good one for everything. ive had my tank for about 6 weeks.. and the food did stick..... can i take the anemone out of the tank and it still be ok?

 

[sasquatch]

its 75gal. i got a 400 filter and a protein skimmer and a uv skimmer and yes it released from the rock. im not sue about the lights but the guy i got everything from he said it was a good one for everything. ive had my tank for about 6 weeks.. and the food did stick..... can i take the anemone out of the tank and it still be ok?

if the food is sticking just let it be, the more you disturb it the worse it will be, sorry to say but a 6 week old tank is no place for an anemone unless you are quite experienced, if you hope to try and save it you have some work to do, we need a few pictures for starts, you have to get some test results asap salinity,temperature, ammonia,nitrite and nitrate, what else is in the tank and what and how often are you feeding, take a picture of the lights they need to be identified

 

[kain101]

HA! petco oh Petco lol they really said clownfish adaptable.

I have a condy that is quickly growing. I got it from Petco based on the same recommendation, lol, then i bought a clarki because the same person @ petco said that clarki would and condy would host each other. So far all that has happened was that the clarki would carry food to the area with the condy and drop peices near it

 

[Alien2100]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the concern of having two species of anemones in the same tank, (like, chemical warfare). While some people may have had limited success in keeping multiple species in large systems, it's a recipe for disaster for most. Not to mention a carpet anemone may not have been the best starter anemone. A better choice may have been a BTA, good host for most clowns and relatively easy to care for, once they settle in. I'm curious about the size and set up of your tank. Along with the species of clown fish you currently have.
I may also recommend a good quality LFS rather than Petco, while they sell saltwater fish and some inveterates, the knowledge of the staff is seriously lacking. Your LFS may also be willing to trade your current condy, and maybe even the carpet if you decide a BTA is more fitting. I'm not sure what Petco's policy is about such things.

 

[socalzoa]

I know of several people who keep several different species of nems together, for years, without issues. well one issue, spoiled clowns.

 

[Alien2100]

I know of several people who keep several different species of nems together, for years, without issues. well one issue, spoiled clowns.

Just because something seems to work, doesn't mean it's the proper practice.
Example: Many reefers, myself included mix corals with anemones. However, this is an ill advised practice. And it takes care to do it successfully. However, even with that care it can have consequences. Take that a step further and mix different species of anemones in that same tank, and well now you've raised the chances of having a problem in that tank.
You have to remember that these things are not mixed in such close proximity in nature, some not even found in the same areas of the world. You'll find a number of authors that also advise against mixing certain species of anemones for these same reasons. It just creates a toxic environment with everyone competing for space in the tank. And while it may work in some cases, it's not the best practice to advise someone new to the hobby to attempt.