Too soon to add Rock flower Anemone?

Cantusaurus · Jul 16, 2020

Hi, I have had my 32 gal. tank up for 2 months, and the parameters and salinity have not been fluctuating, and are not perfect, but are very near perfect.
I have 1 fish, CUC inverts, and a serpent star, all of which are doing great.
No algae surprisingly. Could I add a rock flower anemone to my tank? I have heard they are very hardy, but if it is too early to add it then I understand.
And when I do at some point add it, should I dip it? I have a coral dip that is not too strong, but will definitely do the job, and works for anemones, just checking if that is always recommended.

WIReefer · Jul 16, 2020

This article should help you! @Crabs McJones did a wonderful job on this article helps a lot!

Anemones and why you should wait.

Anemones and Why You Should Wait When is the proper time to add an anemone to your tank? Right away? 1 month? 4 months? WHAT!? A YEAR YOU SAY!? That is correct. In most instances it is better to wait 8 months to a year before adding an anemone...

www.reef2reef.com

92Miata · Jul 18, 2020

Every specialty area on this board will tell you that their animals are the most sensitive and hard to keep, and you should wait forever - even the zooanthid and mushroom people.

Some of the larger anemones are very sensitive, but most of the smaller ones are very hardy. I've kept a lot of BTAs, and found them to be very hardy - much more so than most corals (especially stonies).

For a decade plus, rock flower anemones were basically Florida rock hitchhikers in this hobby. People started tanks with them. They generally did fine.

I like adding anemones early - in my experience, they do well, and they get their moving around out of the way before there's anything else to kill.

Cantusaurus · Jul 18, 2020

Got it, thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I actually got a Zoanthid 2 days ago, and it started opening within 5-10 mins, and all the polyps have opened, and it looks great. I'm definitely going to get a rock flower very soon, and possibly a Ricordea.
I definitely thought of that, (adding the anemones early), in my head I was thinking that I did not want to wait too long to add an anemone, even though rock flowers don't move as much, and have them stinging some corals.