anemone in reef tank

[big deddy]

I am considering adding a anemone to my tank for my clowns. Lfs said he doesn't recommend anemone with coral. Said the anemone will move around and sting corals. Also curious about the anemone eating my clowns. I have heard sometimes they do and sometimes they dont. Someone please tell me the pros and cons from real experience.

 

[ReeferPrime]

I have had a cony in my since I first started it depend on your anemone,but from experience he didn't really move .Condy are known to sometime eat clownfish,but I haven't had that happen.Yes maybe they can sting coral,but be careful and if they move near a coral then move the coral or anemone. Pro they look beautiful and are a really good addition con they can kill or coral or fish and may move where you don't want them to and need be feed every now and then.From my experience I would get one .How big is your tank.My is 10 gallon.Good luck.

 

[big deddy]

75 gallon. 30 gallon sump

 

[ReeferPrime]

Then you should be good just follow my advice.

 

[big deddy]

What kind should I try?

 

[Tahoe61]

An Anemone will eat any clowns not acclimated to the anemone. Clowns need a slow exposure to that anemone to allow the fish time to develop the mucous coating that disguises the fish from the anemone. If the clowns are already residing in an anemone then they should be fine.

Keeping an anemone in a tank with corals is not something I will personally do again. The worry associated with wondering if the anemone was going to move into my corals, power head or overflow was not worth it to me.

In a simple soft coral tank I would consider it but not in a stony coral tank. I have done anemones in reefs for years and I am much more at peace knowing I do not have to worry about a wandering anemone any longer.

It's a risk.

 

[big deddy]

Yea the overflow is a concern , but the biggest thing is my coral. I have coral that I like a lot better than my fish. Could I possibly get clowns to host my frogspawn or 1 of my 2 hammers?

 

[Tahoe61]

I am more of a coral person myself.

Clowns are going to reside where ever they want, you could get an anemone and they may have nothing to do with it.

For sure you could try one of the lps, I would try to get a larger piece if the clowns are large. Large Maroons, Tomato and Clarki can be too passionate and stress and kill a coral so keep that in mind. Clowns will often reside in large Toadstools as well.

 

[big deddy]

Mine clowns are small, and show no interest in any of my coral. There again, if the clowns stressed my coral the would be relocated.

 

[zwulfke]

mine took time to start hosting the xenas its funny they love there home

 

[trio91]

Yea the overflow is a concern , but the biggest thing is my coral. I have coral that I like a lot better than my fish. Could I possibly get clowns to host my frogspawn or 1 of my 2 hammers?

i have one that wound up in my filter sock...apparently he squished his way through the overflow of my IM tank....it was a pain in the butt to get him out and i was forced fortify the grid...aside from that, he hasn't really disturbed anything in the tank and is hosting a clown....he does tend to move though

 

[big deddy]

I am thinking that one might stop up my overflow. I don't want a flood if I can avoid it

 

[Tahoe61]

Mine clowns are small, and show no interest in any of my coral. There again, if the clowns stressed my coral the world be relocated.

LOL, you underestimate the power of clown love. You would have to move the coral out of the tank.

 

[big deddy]

Na, I would move the clowns!

 

[trio91]

Personally keep a BTA and a haddoni....but never anything like a condy nem. I think a BTA can be a great add and probably your safest bet to add to your tank but I would use caution.

 

[zwulfke]

My clowns hosted a Cindy for a while then the Cindy started to shrink. I was feeding him till he just died last anem I had till now I have a huge bubble tip a friend gave me

 

[big deddy]

Any trouble with it moving around?

 

[zwulfke]

Not really once it found a spot it stayed put. That was till the condy shrank before death it detached

 

[trio91]

For me, as long as I keep them fed, they pretty much have stayed put, both the BTA n haddoni

 

[3dees]

I wanted a bta but I was worried about it moving and stinging my coral. I went with a haddoni. I put it at the base of the rocks in the sand and it hasn't moved. now if I can only get my maroon to notice it.