Anemone that will not move much but will host clowns?

[Steve Maxwell]

Hello,

I have a 75G w/ a ReefBreeders photon 48-w. I have a pair of photon clownfish that will be coming out of QT in a few weeks. I'd like to get an anemone to see if the anemone will host the clowns, but I have quite a bit of coral in the tank that I don't want trashed. Is there an anemone that will not move too much, yet will frequently host clowns, that would be suitable for my tank (size & lighting)? Also should I wait to get the anemone or would it be ok to get it now?

Thanks!

 

[CodyRVA]

They're going to move, its in their nature to do so. One trick i discovered from upgrading to a larger tank was to create a little rock island so to speak for my RBTA. Kept it from getting at any other corals (for the time being). If you don't have that option its a huge risk. I would say to try and get the light/flow as good as you can from the start, but not every Nem is the same. I've had one large nem split and one of the halves went higher in the tank with more flow, the other stayed at the bottom with lower light and flow, its a mystery. Ever think about trying to get your clowns to host something else, that won't move around and kill everything?

 

[Steve Maxwell]

They're going to move, its in their nature to do so. One trick i discovered from upgrading to a larger tank was to create a little rock island so to speak for my RBTA. Kept it from getting at any other corals (for the time being). If you don't have that option its a huge risk. I would say to try and get the light/flow as good as you can from the start, but not every Nem is the same. I've had one large nem split and one of the halves went higher in the tank with more flow, the other stayed at the bottom with lower light and flow, its a mystery. Ever think about trying to get your clowns to host something else, that won't move around and kill everything?

I thought about trying to get a torch coral to host them (don't have one yet but will probably be picking one up this weekend) but what I've read is that if the torch does host them that the clowns eventually end up killing them

 

[CodyRVA]

I can't speak on the torch, i've never experienced this, but I can believe it. Torches seem to be very delicate LPS corals. Any heavy agitation really ticks them off IME.

 

[marine2463]

The best to do with anemones is if ,from the time you put them in they're getting a lot of light and decent flow they should stay put most of the time ...I would go with a bulb tip they stay put most of the time specially with clowns

 

[Trex]

In my experiences anemones don't move all that often*.

Give them the conditions that they require and they will stay put. I recently broke down 2 of my 3 tanks, and now just have a 75 set up in my mother-in-law's basement (( we are building a new place )). That tank has been set up for about 6 months now. One of the S. haddonis hasn't moved since day one. The other was moving a bit. I finally adjusted the flow a bit, and it hasn't moved an inch.

When dealing with corals and anemones, I tend to prefer sandbed dwelling anemones, so that if they do actually move, the damage should be less. But, again, give an anemone the proper conditions and it should stay put for years.

* --- Clones of E. quadricolors will move until they find a spot, one of the reasons I don't like to keep them any longer.

 

[Steve Maxwell]

So what types of anemones are sandbed dwelling? Also I did a little reading and it seems like people have had luck with green star polyps instead of anemones...I might try them instead...or might try both

 

[Trex]

S. haddoni,
M. doreensis
H. malu
Are sandbed dwelling anemones.

H. crispa can be found both on the rocks or in the sandbed -- in my experiences with them, they all stayed in the sandbed.

Personally, I would never keep green star polyps in a tank again -- a weed that darn near kills anything it touches/grows over.

 

[Steve Maxwell]

How are green star polyps if you place them on 1 piece of rock separated from all other pieces of rock?

 

[Trex]

I have never had enough real estate to do that, but it shouldn't cause any issues. Will just have to trim back the mat when it gets to the sandbed/glass.