After bta what is the next best anemone?

[skymerle]

I literally went from 3.84 lighting watts to 6.8 lighting watts...much too intense for my bta. I understand the haddoni or saddle anemone is a hardy anemone. There will be no other fish in the tank except clowns. I read that the black & white false percs will host, then I read the false percs will not host in a haddoni. Can someone please give me their thoughts? Thanks!

[lcstorc]

How old is the tank? Anemones are very delicate creatures and should only be added to a well established tank (at least 9 months). There are many web sites that have list of what clowns are likely to host in what anemones. One I looked at when I was investigating was.
http://www.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/ebooks/ch2.html#ch2
HTH

[fishheads]

percs like giant carpets,(stichodactyla gigantea)heteractis magnifica,mertinsii,H crispa,....which you really shouldnt purchase any carpet...its ecologically important,removing them has negative effects on our natural reefs...if you purchase carpets youve removed the carpet plus the possibility of any clown in that area that depends on it for survival....carpets are slow to reproduce thats why small individuals are hardly ever seen...some researchers have indicated that adults are several centuries old...thats why if you keep the anemone and it dies,youve killed it ,and any clown that might ever find it.some collectors literally remove all the anemones from some reef areas..given normal proliferation its unlikely youll see the anemones in that areas for centuries if ever...if you do purchase a carpet...(as i have also,ineed to practise what preach). they need bright ilum.....rose anemone will host most clowns(perc,ocellaris,clark,etc..)perfect for perc. also alot healthier than wild caught specimans....rose anemone readily split in home systems...just a lil FYI,as ive said i have also purchased carpets.....i know im a hipocrit

[cheeks69]

I literally went from 3.84 lighting watts to 6.8 lighting watts...much too intense for my bta.

You don't mention what type of lighting your using but it certainly isn't too much for BTA's, but during the change they should slowly be acclimated.

False percs or Ocellaris clowns are usually quite picky AFA their host anemones and of course they pick the toughest anemones to keep in captivity. Although it can take quite some time for the Ocellaris to accept BTA's they will eventually IME.

[saltwaterfarm]

Were the clowns hosting in your current BTA? How long have you had them? Is the BTA still alive? Did it just hide under a ledge?

FYI, It took several months for my clowns to form a relationship with my purple LTA (M. doreensis).

[skymerle]

Thanks all for response....

Lynn...the tank itself is 5 mths old, however, the ls & lr are about 4 yrs old, the corals are between 3yrs to 6 mths old, 5% of the water is as old as the last water change...lol! The glass tank is not old; all the stuff inside the tank is very well established. The bta I had in my old tank with 2x96 pc and a cinnamon clown. I did move both to the new tank and slowly acclimate them to the new lighting. The bta seemed content although it stayed in the lowest part of the tank and to the side that doesn't receive as much direct light. The cinnamon clown had gotten big and very aggressive...I couldn't have another fish because the clown would kill it. I decided to sell the clown to the lfs and get one or two less aggressive clowns later. The bta has been without a clown fish for 4 mths...it is pretty pitiful. It doesn't eat with as much relish as it did...actually the only food it will accept is bits of scallops. btw, the new lights are 150w mh 10,000k with 36 actinics.
I know my lights aren't suppose to be too much for a bta, but the tank is only 18" deep, plus I have a 3" sandbed. I now run the lights 8-9 hrs a day...this amt of time seems to keep everybody happy except for the bta who still resides in the bottom at the side in the darkest part of the tank. If I turn the rock so that the bta receives more light, the bta moves away to less light. Its like a tango with lr & a bta...I move the lr to the right, the anemone moves to the left. The bta was in the old tank for 9 mths, it has been in the new tank for 5 mths. It sured looked a lot happier in the old tank with the less intense lights. I have friends with an Aquapod, 24g, that can take the bta....they have a bta like mine & two false perc clowns.
I've never wanted any other anemone..just a bta. I just think with the depth of my tank coupled with the amt of light I have, I need an anemone that would be happy in the 'shallows'. Clown fish might not need anemones, and anemones might not need clowns, but they certainly do seem happier when they are together. I want my present bta to do better than it is currently doing and I'm willing to rehome it. I just don't want to be anemone and anemonefish less for too long, but I don't make any hasty decisions either.
So..what about a lta & false percs?

[fishheads]

i have known of 2 people with the same problem that your having,both have ended in the loss of thier anemone...for no reason the anemone retreated under a rock....bubbles usually love bright lights.........its very peculiar...i would definately get rid of anemone(just my opinion)just in case it wastes away,not making a recovery.....again this is my opinion based on cases ive seen personally........yours might be different

[BoomerD]

At 5 months old, your tank is not mature enough for any anemone yet. Doesn't really matter that you have used sand and rocks from established tanks, the tank is still going through various cycles and phases and is not yet stable enough for an anemone to thrive.
The lighting you have is fine for a BTA. I've seen numerous BTA's in all color morphs do GREAT under far brighter lighting than what you have.
The anemone isn't "moping" for lack of a clown, nor is one necessary for the anemone to do well.
IMO, if your tank can't support a BTA, it certainly won't support one of the more delicate anemone species.

[skymerle]

I fully iunderstand what you are saying, and I understand the theory behind it, but I do disagree. I moved all from a 12 g nano to a 20 g to a 50 g and to a 22 g. Every piece of equipment followed...the only change at any time was the addition of a skimmer to the 20g. What changed in all these transfers?...only the vessel.
The key is to ensure, 100%, that absolutely nothing is exposed to air. Plus I make sure the water is cycled between the two tanks for several weeks. It works...a spike doesn't occur unless something dies. The transfer of the fish & inverts is as quick as I can make it to keep it stress free. I've never had anything die in a transfer; I count heads for weeks. I don't take this 'hobby' lightly...I'm very serious about the life in my care.
What has changed this time is the increase in the amount of light the livestock receives on a daily basis.
As for the bta pining away for the clown...well I know it a glob of tissue and you know its a glob of tissue, but what does the anemone know of itself and its environment? We still have lots to learn about life in the ocean, and just because a life form responds favorably in one situation doesn't make that situation the absolute. In the short 4 yrs I've been keeping a saltwater tank I have seen the 'hobby' evolve.
All I know it that the bta's current situation is not a favorable one for the bta and I mean to make a change to better its situation. dr

[cheeks69]

skymerle I had a very similar situation when I upgraded tanks almost 3 years ago. I have a RBTA that placed it's foot so deep into a crevice in my LR and I couldn't remove it and this was a tall rock and it was going to sit directly under a 250w bulb, now keep in mind my old tank had 130w of PC's only ! Although it was definitely stressed and didn't appear it was going to make it it just refused to move but within a couple of months it was back to full health, so they can and will adjust just give it time. Now with the increase in light not only is it unnecessary to feed it often insisting on feeding could lead to severe stress, I would just let it be until it's acclimated to the new tank.