Thinking about an anemone, persuade me...

The boss has been asking to get an anemone, and I know it's because she loves them and wants to see it host our true perc. I've reminded her several times it is far from certain that the clown will take to the anemone. At any rate, the desire is to have an anemone in our tank.

I've done countless hours of reasearch on this animal, especially since I see so many horror stories and "help!" threads of forums. Our water quality is very good and stable, light and flow are strong. If we decide on one, we will buy it from most likely Diver's Den, where they QT and acclimate anemones for weeks or months, and I will have no worries of health issues.

I'm still not set either way, so I'm opening this up to discussion. Persuade me one way or the other. What is your opinon or experience? Any particular type I should be looking at given a true perc?

 

perculas are some of the most picky of the clowns and even if you get a nem they naturally host it may not. but your best bet would be a bta since this is your first. they are what you would call the easiest of the hardest. although a perc would much rather host a large carpet or ritteri they will host in a bta and the others are very very difficult to keep alive. there are also lta's which area about equivelent to btas in care requirements. but you need to answer a few questions first.

how old is your tank?
what is your lighting?
what are your params?

 

I'm aware percs are the pickiest, and I've been leaning towards a BTA, if you can say that I've been leaning that way. I've read that people have had success with posting a picture of a nemo hosting a clown next to the nem?

Tank is 5 months old, still a little on the new side.

Lighting is 6x54W T5 fixture over a 90 gal.

Flow is right around 50x, although I have a more flow focused on one side to allow for SPS on the higher rocks.

Params:
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate all undetectable
Calc 450-480
dKH 11-12
Mag 1500 (currently lowering as I raised it to fight byropsis)
ph 8.3-8.4
temp 78-79
SG 1.026

I included the parameter swings, which I view as very minimal.

 

with the pic on the side of the tank it has never helped m clowns, there are many ways you can look up that say help. i havent tested every one. also i would wait a few more months before considering a nem, usually people say at least a year old tank to ensure establishment, i would wait like another 4 months

 

Can't say I disagree. I do wonder about that recommendation though, I've seen it before, but why a year? It's not like the 'nem needs a certain algea or bacteria to feed, I think it's more of a param stability thing?

Anybody else want to chime in? This could turn into a good thread to reference when someone is thinking of an anemone...

 

youll get pretty much the same opinion with most other people, some of the people that put a nem in imediately will argue that theirs is still alive after a months and their tanks only 5 months old. but the thing is anemones wont die imediately. they can hang on for up to 5 months in crap conditions before they finally kick the bucket. and also the year thing is a stability thing, because even tho your params look good right now, just the tiniest little thing could spike your ammonia. your tank isnt quite established enough for a nem.

 

if it was my tank, I would not want a Nem in there Sacul1573
I have just visited your tank thread, mostly to look at the pictures
you have a nice selection of corals and some good looking SPS frags

I have limited experience with nems and the experience I have had has been negative
and negative on all 3 occasions I have succumbed to the temptation of a nem due to their ability to go walkabout should the desire or need arise

in a tank with other corals and developing SPS frags any of these in the path of a nem on its travels, are sitting targets ( they cannot get out of the way)

there are many static corals that clowns will choose as hosts

thus for me, the potential to lose other corals due to the stinging ability of the nem
would nowdays be the best reason for me, not to get one

Steve

 

The new-ness of a tank isnt a direct link to the life of an anemone. Its more about the tank itself. The bacteria levels are still growing/dying and getting acustomed to the new confines of the tank. There is still potential for die off & growth in your rock and sand. Correct or varying feeding times & habits. In a younger tank people are still adding livestock, killing livestock, and especially reaching in the tank. Hand and arm disease and introduce alot of foreign bodies into a tank. Tank care, testing water changes all of things happen alot more at the new tank level. All of things things create water changes & imbalances and that it what raises the likelyhood of illness and instablity to the anemone.

 

this is another concern, when you get a nem the nem practically owns the tank. you dont form the tank to what you want it to be more so whats best for the nem. and if you want a nem that bad be prepared to lose at least a couple colonies. nems can live fine in a crowded reef aquarium it just takes lots of supervision. because prolonged contact with corals will kill them.

 

lile BVb said, it is recommended for you to wait at least a year so that your tank is officially "cycled" and stable.

HOWEVER.. i do have to say i bought my first GBTA when my 29G tank was 6 months old. mind you my tank is WAY smaller than yours, so swings were easier to happen, but 2 years later and i still have it and its bigger and healthier than ever. (knock on wood)..

anemones are very delicate organisms but i believe if you are able to maintain your water quality you COULD keep one. that is not to say that you shouldnt wait a bit longer before getting one. i may have gotten lucky.