Carpet Nems Disaster ?

Z06-Hec · May 22, 2015

Anyone have any disaster stories about them?

I'm planning on trying one out. In a corner of my 150 Gal 6 foot tank.
large purple tang, about 6+"
2 Medium yellow tangs about 4-5"
Baby blue Hippo about 2.5"
adult Majestic Angle about 4"
adult blue face angel about 5"
2 Wyoming Clowns
2 Nearly naked clowns
1 Blenny
2 gobie

So im not real concerned about the blenny or gobies getting stuck but I want to be sure my large fish dont get stuck.
As it is know i think they are pretty smart, they stay clear from my bubble tips...

Trex · May 22, 2015

What species are you considering? S. haddoni is more likely to eat fish than S. gigantea or S. mertensii.

Personally, I would be concerned about the blue face angel going after the anemone --- had one about 10 years ago, it darn near destroyed my S. haddoni, had to move the anemone to another tank.

Any of the fish are at risk. Don't count on them being smart enough to stay away from it. Over the last 17+ years of keeping S. haddonis, I have lost at least 10 fish to them. Most of the time it was new additions, but a handful of existing fish were lost to them too.

Z06-Hec · May 22, 2015

So the blue face picked at the sticky portion of the nem or the foot? I assume if the nem is footed and has some protection it could be fine no?
My angels are on the semi behaved side anyway. I have lobo, elecgance, frogs, hammers, torches, 6 BTA, Favia, Blasto...

Daniel62 · May 22, 2015

I would say no to a haddoni, not if they might, but when. could you get luck yes, but maybe No. plus haddoni like low flow and a sandbed and what if it does not like where you put it, then can you live with where it wants to be? You already have bta so I am sure you are aware of the powerhead issues. Also a shredded carpet can put a lot more stinging mess into your tank, than can a BTA. just be aware, the choice is always yours

Trex · May 22, 2015

Z06-Hec said:
So the blue face picked at the sticky portion of the nem or the foot? I assume if the nem is footed and has some protection it could be fine no?
My angels are on the semi behaved side anyway. I have lobo, elecgance, frogs, hammers, torches, 6 BTA, Favia, Blasto...

It was fully established, the blue face was picking off the tentacles.
A picture I snapped right before it started,

Z06-Hec · May 22, 2015

What about if any of my clowns decide to try and host the carpet? Does that help the situation at all ?

maroun.c · May 22, 2015

Carpets are less likely to move than BTAs still they can and will move, yet their foot is much thicker than BTAs so less likely to be sucked into a decently screened powerhead and be shreaded.
A pair of agressive clowns like Clarckii might protect the anemone from the fish and sometimes fish from the anemone ( i got unlucky and my maroon threw some fish right into the anemone...) they are very beutiful but you have to acknowledge the risk and high possibility of loosing some fush to them.

bairdimusprime · May 22, 2015

i had a carpet eat my helfrichi firefish.. they have big appetites but are gorgeous nems

Taylor t · May 23, 2015

I added a majestic angel and haddoni together. Once. In minutes, the angel (4") killed (ate) a haddoni. I think the haddoni size was pretty small, maybe 8"? I don't remember the actual size, didn't have it long....

Most fish friendly carpet is mertensi, not sticky compared to the others. I would say stickiness of mertensi is close to BTA, slightly stronger grab than BTA, but not even close to haddoni. Gig hold is pretty strong, but the ruffled folds of a gig with the tent length is what makes gigs deadly, it's the amount of area that has instant hold.

Tangs and carpets shouldn't be a problem, but Angels you listed with carpets, good luck, my guess is a poor ending.

Z06-Hec · May 26, 2015

I think I will give it a shot. Instead of paying $200-$500 for a really nice one, I will get a small regular green one around $120 and see how it goes.
I found one in Bklyn and will pick it up this evening. If that test goes well maybe I can try a nice blue red or purple one.

Trex · May 26, 2015

Z06-Hec said:
What about if any of my clowns decide to try and host the carpet? Does that help the situation at all ?

It has actually been my experiences that having the clowns hosted by the anemone has made things worse. The spawning clowns wouldn't want another fish (( say a Golden dwarf angel )) anywhere close to them. They would chase the angel around the tank. This goes on for days, finally the angel chases back, and ends up eaten by the S. haddoni.
I still have that S. haddoni, in a tank with no clowns, the fish don't go near it at all -- about 4 years now.