Reef Safe Anemones?

[rhyan]

I finished cycling my tank about a week ago, and want to add an anemone. Just have a few inverts in right now. No corals yet, but I plan on doing a reef tank. I have heard mixed results from different sources, but wanted to know what the R2R community had to say! I'm going to add a pair of clowns tomorrow (I haven't added any fish yet) and wanted to know if I could get a anemone too. Someone at my LFS said Bubble Tip Anemones are the only reef-safe type of anemone. Some say otherwise... Thanks for your help!

 

[JFrar]

I have a 12 inch carpet anemone in a 85 gallon full mixed coral tank.... It's never moved the 3 or so years I've kept it..... Could be something but I consider it luck, cause I can't tell yA why... And I would never test another one lol...

 

[JFrar]

And I'm only speaking for carpet anemones btw

 

[JIK]

The most reef safe are probably rock flower anemones and mini maxi anemones, in that order. Bubble tips are often kept in mixed reef aquariums but they are very unpredictable and tend to move much more than the aforementioned nems.

 

[Tahoe61]

Save youself money and frustration, do not add an anemone to the tank so soon. An experienced hobbyist would probably have some issues, an new hobbyist is just setting themselves for disaster.

There are no reef safe anemones that will host clowns. All anemones have the ability to move around the tank, eat fish, sting corals, move into power heads and overflows...An anemone in a newly cycled tank will be prone to moving more frequently.

I am not saying do not get an anemone just wait a couple months down the line. Yeah a few hobbyist pull it off but that is not the rule/norm.

If and when you do get an anemone get the BTA.

Good Luck

 

[corallady]

I have a mix reef tank although its not a good idea to get an anemone early in the hobby, I have never had any problems with them.. sure I have had one die, sting a coral or two but when you have a mixed aquarium, you will experience alot of good times and also some problems.. a hammer coral, frogspawn can also sting. Just have to be careful of placement. Imo, anemones are very beautiful, I will always have one or more in my tank. However I would suggest to wait about 5-6months before I get one in my tank..always remember patience pays off in this awesome hobby.

 

[Trex]

IMO/E, your tank is way too new to consider getting an anemone.

As for having them in reef tanks, I have always done it. However, I will no longer keep E. quadricolors in a reef tank -- they take up valuable rock space, and when/if they clone, the clones will move around for a bit.

I tend to prefer sandbed dwelling anemones for reef tanks.

 

[KoleTang]

IMO/E, your tank is way too new to consider getting an anemone.

As for having them in reef tanks, I have always done it. However, I will no longer keep E. quadricolors in a reef tank -- they take up valuable rock space, and when/if they clone, the clones will move around for a bit.

I tend to prefer sandbed dwelling anemones for reef tanks.

I agree. "Cycled a week ago" doesn't mean your tank is at all stable. When you are ready, look into bubble tips.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

Too soon. You have some good advice here I would follow it.

 

[Akida17th]

I agree don't add an anemone until your tank is fully established. Wait about a year or so.....otherwise the poor nem will probably perish

 

[abinder]

I don't agree on the "wait about a year or so" like people like to quote. Granted, a week or 2 is too soon, after about a month it should be okay as long as your water quality, water parameters, and the tank is fully cycled.

A bubble tip anemone is a good way to go for your first anemone (and they are a very hardy anemone). If possible add the anemone and 2 clownfish a few weeks before adding any corals. Once the anemone seems to of found where it wants to 'hang out', don't change the water flow/lighing within the tank. If you do change the water flow/lighting within the tank, the anemone may move around some more.
(Also, don't change your 'landscaping' inside the tank since that can affect the water flow which in turn may cause the anemone to move as well.)

When you start adding some corals, try to add them first a fair distance away from the anemone in case it moves a little.

(I'm speaking from personal experience on this matter.)


Allen

 

[Tahoe61]

(yes Allen and the rest of us have never had anemones) good grief.

 

[eliramos]

Looking back at it now
I think there are a few reasons why you should wait any period of time before getting an anemone.
In hindsight I had my first rbta within a month of my my tank being established and it was awesome but I wasn't prepared to keep up with the water quality temp fluctuations etc that only come with an established tank.
I think the reasons you should wait are not so much because you can't keep it alive or that it won't thrive in an aquarium.
Because as long as you have good water and solid lighting it should be okay.
I think the reason is honestly because there are a lot of mistakes to be made in the 1st year of any reef especially for a beginner.
We all want the clown and anemone relationship. But are you willing to risk one day coming home to all of your corals murdered because your bubble tip took a stroll. Or it wandered into your power head and wiped everything out.
By the end of a year,
For the most part your tank should be set in its ways as far as lighting, feeding schedules dosing temp fluctuation etc.
Even a stock list.
But there's a lot of "tweaking" that goes on in the 1st year that could cause a mess, and some corals/inverts are more forgiving of those, but anemones typically aren't.
And for the sake of the anemone as well as the tank it's in your best interest if you have not or are at least come close to reaching that "happy place" in your tank. To stay away from them.
They are beautiful animals but they will eat a fish if they can catch it"I just lost a large goby to one" they will move if something changes to rapidly etc.
So to sum it all up I think a year is a great idea only because it will save you a lot of trouble, money, the lives of your inhabitants, and possibly the life of the anemone. If you have everything right before hand. And that year gives you all the time to figure it out.
And who knows you may not even want one after a year.
But that's just my .02

 

[KorD]

I would hold off on a nem for a bit if your tank is really new... let your water level out for at least no less then 4 months.. Nems are picky critters and love good clean stable water.
After that, the world is your oyster with getting one.. Rock flowers are the best reef safe, then I would say that BTA are the next best thing.

 

[abinder]

(yes Allen and the rest of us have never had anemones) good grief.

Seriously?
Resorting to a personal attack?

I've seen many posts of people giving advice about anemones without actually having one. And I got my first anemone 2 weeks after my tank had cycled. I have a chiller and heater setup so my tank temp is always within 2 degrees.

Can you say the same?

 

[Miamifish897]

Honestly no anemone is reef safe I've had three bubble tips and now a rock anemone. It is probably a good idea to take things slow and wait awhile but if you are dead set on getting one then make sure you make sure your water is in great condition. I got my first bubble tip two weeks after my tank cycled and nothing happened as long as I did what I needed to do in order to keep things stable. For the most part though owning a bubble tip as your first coral is risky if it dies could cause many problems and if it survives you gotta deal with it moving into a place you probably won't like. I suggest adding a rock anemone, very hardy, bright colors, and hardly move or sting corals. Good luck

 

[Tahoe61]

Seriously?
Resorting to a personal attack?

I've seen many posts of people giving advice about anemones without actually having one. And I got my first anemone 2 weeks after my tank had cycled. I have a chiller and heater setup so my tank temp is always within 2 degrees.

Can you say the same?

There is always that one person or poster Allen that the op is waiting to get the ok from, and tag you're it.

There is a good chance I have been keeping anemones since you were a child Allen unless you are a middle aged adult, in all kind of tanks and set ups.

The average newer hobbyist should not be sticking an anemone in a tank 2 weeks after it cycled, lets error on the side of safety and common sense on this one ok?

 

[abinder]

There is always that one person or poster Allen that the op is waiting to get the ok from, and tag you're it.

There is a good chance I have been keeping anemones since you were a child Allen unless you are a middle aged adult, in all kind of tanks and set ups.

The average newer hobbyist should not be sticking an anemone in a tank 2 weeks after it cycled, lets error on the side of safety and common sense on this one ok?

You just love doing personal attacks on people don't you?
(Remember you're the one that started the personal attacks.)

I really doubt I was a child. I'm 57.

 

[Pete polyp]

An important question that hasn't been asked would be how big your tank is. The smaller nems we often keep can reach 12" across, so they aren't really suitable for a small reef tank. I choose not to have them in my reef tank for the reason already given.... nothing like waking up one morning to finding your nem took a midnight stroll and left a path of destruction behind. Clowns usually find something to host them eventually anyways

Took her over 2 years but she decided armor of God's would be a good place

I'm not completely against anemones, so don't get me wrong. I just prefer (for myself) to have an anemone specific setup if I want them. Something that won't have many other corals and no powerheads or inlets for filters or pumps.

 

[hart24601]

Let's not make this RC with fighting! This is a nice forum.

I have always wanted a nem, but every time I get serious and start looking I always come to the same conclusion that while some have great success there are too many stories of them killing coral and getting sucked into powerheads so I stay away.