Adding a bubble tip anemone to a fully stocked reef tank?

[muzikalmatt]

Anyone have any thoughts on adding a bubble tip anemone to a reef tank that is 3 years old and already pretty full of corals. The tank is mostly full of softies, particularly mushrooms and zoanthids with a few LPS and SPS. I've been considering trying to place a small one on the right rock structure amongst the hairy mushrooms that have taken over. My thought is that if the anemone decides to walk around or climb that rock structure, I won't be upset about losing some of those mushrooms and if it settles into the gaps between them, even better. There's also some real estate on the back of the rocks without as much corals, but I'd much prefer it be on the front of the scape where it's more visible.

Here's a recent picture of the tank so you can see what I'm talking about. Any thoughts on this idea? Bad idea? Potential for success? I'm certainly not married to the idea, but wanted to bounce it off of the more experienced reefers to see if it could potentially be successful. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Jekyl]

Once you introduce an anemone, it owns your tank. It will move, it can kill coral. If you don't like where it is, you'll have to move the corals, not the anemone.

 

[Intense37754]

Totally agree, we have BTA’s on rocks that we will never be able to separate because the foot is so deep in the rock and they will most likely move, probably while you’re asleep lol. Cover the powerheads too

That is a really nice tank!

 

[muzikalmatt]

Totally agree, we have BTA’s on rocks that we will never be able to separate because the foot is so deep in the rock and they will most likely move, probably while you’re asleep lol. Cover the powerheads too

That is a really nice tank!

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

I'm still on the fence of whether I want to try it or not. One of my LFS's has some really nice small RBTA's for a great price and I've always wanted to try one, but knew the risks of them moving around the tank and stinging corals. If I do pull the trigger I'll definitely be adding foam guards to the powerheads at least until it settles in somewhere.

Any tips on initial placement? High light, high flow?

 

[Jekyl]

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

I'm still on the fence of whether I want to try it or not. One of my LFS's has some really nice small RBTA's for a great price and I've always wanted to try one, but knew the risks of them moving around the tank and stinging corals. If I do pull the trigger I'll definitely be adding foam guards to the powerheads at least until it settles in somewhere.

Any tips on initial placement? High light, high flow?

They are going to move pretty much no matter where you place them. At least I've never had one completely stay put during the break in period.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Anyone have any thoughts on adding a bubble tip anemone to a reef tank that is 3 years old and already pretty full of corals. The tank is mostly full of softies, particularly mushrooms and zoanthids with a few LPS and SPS. I've been considering trying to place a small one on the right rock structure amongst the hairy mushrooms that have taken over. My thought is that if the anemone decides to walk around or climb that rock structure, I won't be upset about losing some of those mushrooms and if it settles into the gaps between them, even better. There's also some real estate on the back of the rocks without as much corals, but I'd much prefer it be on the front of the scape where it's more visible.

Here's a recent picture of the tank so you can see what I'm talking about. Any thoughts on this idea? Bad idea? Potential for success? I'm certainly not married to the idea, but wanted to bounce it off of the more experienced reefers to see if it could potentially be successful. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

bad idea. It will move around and sting corals

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I started out with 1 BTA a year ago. Now I have 4 5 with next to no chance of getting them out.

If you want the kind of motion a BTA could add in the tank, consider adding a torch or frogspawn. These will give you very similar motion as a BTA and best part they don't go on walkabout.

The only nems I have had success with not moving are rockflowers. The trick to them is to size a PCV plug that they can attach in. Once settled in they rarely move. I have had one in the same spot on the sand bed of my tank for nearly 4 years now and not once has it moved from that spot. I have moved it around some while cleaning the sand bed and still it stays there.

 

[Noxsolaris]

My RBTA moved about 2 inches from initial placement on the same rock. Basically from the front to the side of the rock. Medium light and medium-low flow; he’s happy and nestled in for a while I think. Foot is nice and deep in the rock. Just make sure you turn off flow when you initially put him in. Let him get good and attached before turning flow back on. I turned my power heads back on one at a time to make sure he was cool with the flow in that area. My two cents.

 

[The_Skrimp]

They’re a huge headache to be honest. Mine doesn’t really move anymore unless it’s splitting. I’ve had one half of my original RBA splits every few months and the other half hasn’t split anymore and is just growing pretty massive so either way they can be hard to manage. You can get them off the rock pretty easy when they’re on the move otherwise you have to spend twenty or thirty minutes trying to massage the foot to get under it with a old gift card or credit card if you need to move it. I’ve found that if you place them in a crevice in the rock where their foot can attach they’re more likely to stay. I’ve managed to keep mine in one corner of the tank and just move them back if one starts to wander so they pretty much stay put now but you still have to keep a close eye on them. Don’t be surprised if one turns to four by the end of the year especially if you feed them regularly. I only feed mine directly once a month now to avoid splitting.

 

[F i s h y]

For anyone hoping to move a nem, there is a sticky in the anemone forum. (Link won't post for me)

As has been said once a nem is in the tank until you take it out the nem owns the tank. Just do what I did... set up a system for nems...

 

[Eagle_Steve]

For anyone hoping to move a nem, there is a sticky in the anemone forum. (Link won't post for me)

As has been said once a nem is in the tank until you take it out the nem owns the tank. Just do what I did... set up a system for nems...

Here is the link.

Safe and Easy DIY way to remove Nems

Due to seeing numerous post recently about how to remove anemones and shrooms without hurting them or destroying rock work. I felt like this was in order. First off, a little back story. Years ago, when I lived in Florida and collected aquatic life on a regular basis, we always had issues with...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[muzikalmatt]

I started out with 1 BTA a year ago. Now I have 4 5 with next to no chance of getting them out.

If you want the kind of motion a BTA could add in the tank, consider adding a torch or frogspawn. These will give you very similar motion as a BTA and best part they don't go on walkabout.

The only nems I have had success with not moving are rockflowers. The trick to them is to size a PCV plug that they can attach in. Once settled in they rarely move. I have had one in the same spot on the sand bed of my tank for nearly 4 years now and not once has it moved from that spot. I have moved it around some while cleaning the sand bed and still it stays there.

I had a beautiful RFA in this tank for a couple of years, but after neglecting my tank for several months (Lazy Reefer Syndrome) it somehow caught and tried to eat a frogspawn head from a polyp bailout which ultimately killed it. I had the same experience though. I placed the RFA on the rockwork, it moved like an inch and then stayed in that spot for two years and got absolutely massive.

Here's a picture of it from its glory days.

 

[muzikalmatt]

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! It sounds trying to add a BTA to this tank is going to be more trouble than it's worth. I think I may just wait and try adding one to my 10 gallon build once the tank is more mature and build the tank around the BTA rather than trying to shoehorn one into this tank.

 

[b breef]

On initial placement, try to give the nem a little cover option. If it feels a little protected or at least have the option to retract into a small area it will tend to stay put longer. I say longer bc you never know but I have found that giving them a small half cave or deep rock crevices will keep the happy.
They are worth the work

 

[muzikalmatt]

Here is the link.

Safe and Easy DIY way to remove Nems

Due to seeing numerous post recently about how to remove anemones and shrooms without hurting them or destroying rock work. I felt like this was in order. First off, a little back story. Years ago, when I lived in Florida and collected aquatic life on a regular basis, we always had issues with...

www.reef2reef.com

This is genius and makes me want to reconsider trying a BTA.

 

[Dburr1014]

Rock with magnet.

 

[muzikalmatt]

Rock with magnet.

Amazing! Does he stay in that spot or has he migrated off of the frag rock at all?

 

[Dburr1014]

Amazing! Does he stay in that spot or has he migrated off of the frag rock at all?

He stays put. Well, he did split and the clone went walking. It was on the glass when I caught it and I sold it. But the one is still there 2+ years now.

 

[muzikalmatt]

On initial placement, try to give the nem a little cover option. If it feels a little protected or at least have the option to retract into a small area it will tend to stay put longer. I say longer bc you never know but I have found that giving them a small half cave or deep rock crevices will keep the happy.
They are worth the work

I definitely have plenty of overhangs/caves I could put it in. They truly are beautiful creatures and I understand the risks they pose. But much like a lot of the hobby, you have to take the good with the bad. I love my pincushion urchin, but he bulldozes and picks up corals all the time. My pistol shrimp has probably buried more corals than I can count, and my bicolor blenny will eat corals right in front of me...little *******. They're all worth the work and the potential downsides to me though.

 

[reefingaz]

Don’t get discouraged about getting a nem if you really want one. Yes they move at first but once settled in keep parameters stable and your fine. I have a BTA going on 8 years same spot and 2 black widows for over 7 years at the very top of my tank and have Not moved once.