Should I get a carpet anemone?

xiongsy · Mar 6, 2023

Dave-T said:
Lately I've become very interested in adding a carpet anemone to my tank. I think they're beautiful, and just plain cool. I asked a local LFS to source one for me (my favorite color is blue, I'm not sure which species would be best for me), and they're working on it. But I've since done some more research, and am starting to have doubts.

Details on my system - it's a 240 gallon tank, 72"x28"x28". Sand bed is 1.5 - 2 inches deep. PAR on the sand bed is about 150. The system is about 8 months old, and parameters are pretty stable. Nitrates around 10, phospates around .1.

One concern is whether or not I have room for a carpet. It is a big tank, but my aquascape rocks take up a lot of room on the sandbed. If it got much more than 12 inches in diameter, it might be cramped by the rocks.

I have a pair of ocellaris clowns. What's the liklihood they'd take to the anemone?

My biggest concern is that it might eat my fish or inverts. I know that's something that happens. Maybe my tank is big enough that I shouldn't have to worry about that? I have some expensive fish in the tank, that I have a lot of time invested into in quarantining them and getting them to eat. I'd just as soon keep them. Crabs and hermits are more expendable I guess, but I'd also just as soon not lose any shrimp or starfish...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

I wouldn't do it consider the expensive fish that you've put alot of time to qt. Reason being is because there is no guarantee that your clowns will take the nem as a host. If you find a blue/pink/purple gigantea then for sure regardless if the clowns accept it or not as they are GORGEOUS!

I have two snow storms with two haddoni and no success in getting them all cozy together

OrionN · Jul 25, 2024

Dave-T said:
Alrighty! I am now the proud owner of a red haddoni. I picked him up yesterday. He's pretty large, about the size of a dinner plate. For now, he's in my frag tank. I set him up in a bowl of sand. The lighting is fine for him in there for now, about 250 PAR during my peak period. Flow seems good now. I ordered a Kessil with the concentrator lens to put over my display tank, I'm confident I can light up a spot for him there that will be good. But for now, the frag tank.

And I have some new questions.

* Any suggestions as to how to get him to stay where I want? I will set up the best spot for him in the display tank, but he might not realize that at first! When I put him in the frag tank he floated around quite a bit, I don't want to go through that again if it can be avoided. He also got stuck in a gyre, I was able to disattach him, I think (hope) he's ok.

* What and how much should I feed him? I want him happy and healthy, but don't want to overfeed - he's big enough already!

* I put a couple clarkii clowns in the frag tank with him. This morning, I saw one of the clowns picking at him. Is this normal?

Thanks!

@Dave-T
So 19 months after you got him. Is he still with us? Please give us an update. Picture would be great also.

Dave-T · Jul 26, 2024

Thanks for checking in! Still with us. Very healthy. Getting pretty huge. He occasionally likes to move, sometimes to places that I don't think are as good as the spot I picked for him. I've had some (many) fish losses that I blame him for, but I've never caught him in the act.

Overall, I continue to be on the fence about whether or not I want to keep him, because of the fish losses.

OrionN · Jul 26, 2024

I get them small and not feeding them too much so they stay small. The red here is 4 inches. I am still looking for a small blue.

ChrisfromBrick · Jul 26, 2024

Dave-T said:
Lately I've become very interested in adding a carpet anemone to my tank. I think they're beautiful, and just plain cool. I asked a local LFS to source one for me (my favorite color is blue, I'm not sure which species would be best for me), and they're working on it. But I've since done some more research, and am starting to have doubts.

Details on my system - it's a 240 gallon tank, 72"x28"x28". Sand bed is 1.5 - 2 inches deep. PAR on the sand bed is about 150. The system is about 8 months old, and parameters are pretty stable. Nitrates around 10, phospates around .1.

One concern is whether or not I have room for a carpet. It is a big tank, but my aquascape rocks take up a lot of room on the sandbed. If it got much more than 12 inches in diameter, it might be cramped by the rocks.

I have a pair of ocellaris clowns. What's the liklihood they'd take to the anemone?

My biggest concern is that it might eat my fish or inverts. I know that's something that happens. Maybe my tank is big enough that I shouldn't have to worry about that? I have some expensive fish in the tank, that I have a lot of time invested into in quarantining them and getting them to eat. I'd just as soon keep them. Crabs and hermits are more expendable I guess, but I'd also just as soon not lose any shrimp or starfish...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

I have one for sale or trade. Interested? Green with blue edges