Is an anemone possible in my tank?

[aws2266]

My wife loves our clownfish and wants to eventually get an anemone to host it. I'm setting up a 120g mixed reef with pistol and cleaner shrimp. I've been under the impression that there's not a hosting one that won't eat my shrimp or coral but thought I'd check. My wife is awesome, so if I can do this for her that would be great.

 

[Joe31415]

I don't know much about anemones, but I think it would depend, at least in part, on what kind you got. I don't think I'd worry about the pistol shrimp, how often does it even venture out of it's hiding spot. I hear mine from time to time, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it.
The cleaner, on the other hand, is the one I'd worry about. My cleaner is probably the most social thing in my tank. It's the one I'd worry about running up to the anemone saying 'Hi!!! let's be friends. Can I be your friend? What's your favorite color? Do you like me? Let's hang out. Please! Please! Please....okay, you think about it, I'll be back" "I'm back, let's be friends".
Honestly, I'm always surprised none of the fish (I'm looking at you, Royal Gramma) have yet to snap at it.

 

[aws2266]

I don't know much about anemones, but I think it would depend, at least in part, on what kind you got. I don't think I'd worry about the pistol shrimp, how often does it even venture out of it's hiding spot. I hear mine from time to time, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it.
The cleaner, on the other hand, is the one I'd worry about. My cleaner is probably the most social thing in my tank. It's the one I'd worry about running up to the anemone saying 'Hi!!! let's be friends. Can I be your friend? What's your favorite color? Do you like me? Let's hang out. Please! Please! Please....okay, you think about it, I'll be back" "I'm back, let's be friends".
Honestly, I'm always surprised none of the fish (I'm looking at you, Royal Gramma) have yet to snap at it.

My cleaner shrimp is that way as well. He got snapped at by my emerald crab right after the crab molted.

 

[Dolphins18]

Hey you can certainly get one. With the exception of Carpet anemones, most will not eat your shrimp. No anemones will eat your corals, but they can sting them if they move.
Entacmaea quadricolor is a popular species that wont eat other live fish/shrimp, and most corals will survive its sting if moved (apart from some SPS species)
Clowns may or may not choose to host in captivity.

 

[MNFish]

I have a mixed reef with multiple bubble tip anenomes a cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp...... and no issues at all. For a while I would worry about the anenome because the cleaner shrimp would try to steal all of its food but now I just feed the cleaner shrimp first....

 

[Quietman]

Have a 34 gallon nano. 2 btas (1 split) at same time as tiger snapping shrimp and red banded pistol and a cleaner shrimp. Shrimp died of old age or dinos or a parasite (everything but getting eaten by the anemones).

 

[FragFarm]

I would do a BTA many years of tanks with cuc and shimps and no issues. That being said weaker invertebrates can be harmed

 

[Joe31415]

Perfect timing for a bump. I picked up a Rainbow BTA two weeks ago. Neither of my shrimp (candy cane pistol or cleaner) have bothered it at all. The pistol shrimp never leaves it's hiding spot. The cleaner's spot is just a few inches away. At most, it might steal some food from it or spend 30 seconds "grooming" it every few hours, but that's about it. It treats the frogspawn, that's also right next to it the same.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Go BTA and start there!

 

[tippytango]

I have a small 20 gallon with 2 BTAs. None of my cuc or fire shrimp have ever been threatened. And truly, clowns hosting anemones is the most amazing thing. Never gets old. I watch them happily cuddling the anemones everyday. Do it!
(My BTAs have always extended their tentacles like this, different than most bubble tips—they were this way from their previous owner)