Anemone & Clown help!

[rosebud]

Hey everyone! I have 2 fresh tanks & wanted to try a salt tank. I am finding out how difficult it is. All I want is an anemone & a clown. I have a 10g tank (I know, bad idea but I thought smaller would be cheaper, wrong) It's almost completely cycled & lfs said I can get a clown this weekend. I hear that it's really hard to keep an anemone. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. My lfs store got me the lighting that I need (one is blue, don't know the correct terms yet), got ls, about 3 lbs lr, powerhead. got few snails, crabs & starfish. snails died?
So, please any suggestions before I spend alot of $$$ would be appreciated - thanks!

 

[jacksonpt]

You're right... anemones are hard to keep. Do a search on the boards and you will find tons of info, but in a nutshell, go ahead and get the clown once your tank has finished cycling. Then wait a month, minimum, 6 months ideally. Find out what kind of lighting you are using (most importantly how many watts). Then, maybe you can start thinking about a bubble tip anemone (one of the more hardy host anemones). You're starting with a 10g tank, so you have to go exceedingly slow when adding stock so your tank can balance itself out. Also, overfeeding is going to have to be a major focus for you. It won't take long in a 10g for overfeeding to become a problem. Be very careful, go very slow, and good luck.

 

[rosebud]

Thanks Jacksonpt for the info. I feel better. I'm not giving up yet. Why would my snails die? There's plenty of algae on the glass. Should I get a few more?

 

[bluewater]

I wouldn't recommend getting an anemone. I
didn't know much about them when I first got
mine. Luckily, they are still alive. Most
die after like 2 months. The stats of
keeping an anemone alive past 2 years is
less than 8%.
But since we're on the topic, if you are goin'
to get one, get the BTA. (BubbleTip) They
are considered the hardiest of anemones.
Also.... Since we are on the topic.
What type of clown would best host a BTA?
I had a False Percula in there, but he was
too much of an @$$#olé. Bit my fingers every
time I scrubbed the tank or fed him. Kept
knocking over rocks, snails, and attacking
crabs. (Pyscho clown). Then he started
beating up all the other fish at the LFS where
I dropped him off.

 

[von_rahvin]

i have kept one condy for 3 years. it moves around some and i feed it twice a week. ofcourse this is in a 80 gallon. never really had a problem with them, when they get to big i just trade it in to my lfs and get a new smaller one.

 

[concon]

Snails are very sensitive to the change of salinity, copper. Have you check your salinity lately? How about copper? Is your tank a new tank or an old tank being converted to salt water? Have you use any copper related medication in this tank? If these are not your problem, then focus on something in your tank might eat your snails. Snails sometimes fall on their back and can't get up. When this happens, snails become an easy prey for crabs or other predators in the tank. Hope this will help.

 

[friendofthedevil]

hey rosebud im in the same boat as you except i havent started cycling the tank yet (its a 20 gallon)but im not sure how to set it up any info is greatly appriciated thanks

 

[rosebud]

Hey concon & friendofthedevil! Thanks for the info. Haven't figured out the snail problem yet. lfs said my water is good so I got a few more. Hey fotdevil, I am just starting too & the one thing I learned is you have to be very patient which is not easy. Especially in the beginning. I really just want an anemone & clown & I've been told they are extremely hard to keep especially in a 10g tank. Conditions must be perfect. But I'm gonna try it-I've got too much $$$ in it already to quit. I'm lucky I have a very knowledgeable friend at my lfs helping me. Hopefully you have one too. Hang in there, take it slow & let me know how it's going ok.