should i Anenome?

[phlibbyreefer]

I have a 125g tank set up for about 5 months. About 25 corals, most frags couple small colonies. Some sps most soft or lps.

I always thought to avoid anemones like the plague because they can a nuisance that will move along your tank stinging corals and fish. Is this mindset correct? Or is there anemone to be peaceful in my reef tank and not cause issues?

 

[Bob Loblaw]

...

 

[i_declare_bankruptcy]

It depends on what you want in your tank. Objectively, yes, they *can* be a nuisance. Yes, they are certainly sensitive creatures and you should be confident in your tank's chemistry before adding.

If you view it as a nuisance in that mindset then I'd suggest not getting one -- because it will move -- and you will see that as a nuisance vs. the cost associated with having an anemone. You will need to be OK with the potential for damage to inhabitants but after really perusing the anemone threads myself and watching lots of YT videos, it seems like that aspect is a bit overstated.

I added my first anemone a few weeks ago to my 4.5 month old tank and have been successful so far. Although it has, like most people experience, moved to a less desirable area of the tank.

My research indicates that if they're stinging or killing your fish, then you may have other problems going on as most fish will actively avoid things that sting them!

IMO my personal worry points of an anemone are:
Tank not being ready, anemone dying
Anemone abruptly dying and causing a tank issue
Anemone moving and stinging corals
Anemone getting caught in a powerhead
Anemone eating sick fish

First two can be resolved with a stable tank. You can wrap your powerheads (though this is a pain). You can make sure your fish are happy and healthy with good husbandry.

Really the only situation where you don't have much power is the moving aspect. Anemones move especially if they're unhappy so forcing it to stay in a spot (idk how you would even do that) is not an option. It's up to you if that's a risk you want to take, but I would operate on the assumption that the anemone will move and not the hope that it won't.

 

[davocean]

I agree it depends on species, each are very different.

We usually advise minimum of 6 months tank run time, which you are close to, and I'd take a little time reading what may best suit your clowns and tank, and take time finding a healthy one after deciding which species, which might take some time.

Many clowns do accept non natural host anemone matches, but ideally a natural match is best if you can provide proper conditions.

Tell us what clowns you have and we can tell you what type of anemone they would normally be found in the wild, that would be best start.

 

[i_declare_bankruptcy]

Also, IMO (I'm not an anemone expert) BTA's are the easiest to start with as they can heal better than most other commonly available anemones. BTA's can come back from slightly messed up feet and other ailments if in good conditions whereas most other anemones can't or it would more difficult.

I'd personally suggest never buying one with a torn foot regardless of what your LFS tells you. It's just not worth it at all. Carefully look it over and pass on it if there's a tear or anything else weird going on. Some LFS's can be kind of rough when taking them off of where they're attached; don't be scared to ask to see the foot and pass on it if they just damaged it taking it off the rock.

 

[jd371]

I'm setting up my 20g QT tank into a nem tank for this very reason. I now have 5 RBTA's and not enough real estate in my 75g. Lucky they are all on a single rock that I can remove.

 

[davocean]

BTA's can be very forgiving in the way that even not providing their real needs can seem like success in the manner that they will just split sending out clones for better chance of survival, and reproduction often makes people assume all is well.

They are also very easy to come by for this reason.

Personally while they are indeed forgiving, I think BTA is actually more difficult to keep in a mixed reef, as they wander much more, and sting what's in their path.

They also are not really a natural match for our most commonly kept clowns, and this is why we see so many posts asking why clowns do not accept them for a host, or take a great deal more time to do so.

I think there are other options actually much easier to contain, and often are an actual host match, or more readily accepted as an alternative to a natural match.

Sand dwellars like LTA or Malu are often accepted much quicker than BTA for some reason, and they don't climb rockwork like BTA's

 

[Ron Reefman]

Let me just toss in the fact that if you place a RFA (rock flower anemone) in a pvc end cap and place it in the sand, the odds are 99.99 to 1 that it will never move. That is the kind of environment they live in naturally, 1i.e. holes in rocks with a shallow cover of sand. And they are quite hearty and if you get a colorful one, they fluoresce like crazy under blue leds. The only downside is they don't host clowns.

 

[Captain Quint]

Also, IMO (I'm not an anemone expert) BTA's are the easiest to start with as they can heal better than most other commonly available anemones. BTA's can come back from slightly messed up feet and other ailments if in good conditions whereas most other anemones can't or it would more difficult.

I'd personally suggest never buying one with a torn foot regardless of what your LFS tells you. It's just not worth it at all. Carefully look it over and pass on it if there's a tear or anything else weird going on. Some LFS's can be kind of rough when taking them off of where they're attached; don't be scared to ask to see the foot and pass on it if they just damaged it taking it off the rock.

+1 and additionally if you see the BTA 'ballooned' up and floating all around the holding tank please do not buy it. Most healthy will be stuck to the glass or LR it the LFS has in holding tank with LR in it.