Anemone recommendation

I am in the market for an Anemone. I am either going to get a mated pair of true percs or gold stripe maroons. I really want the maroon but I am a little worried about two of them in a 40 gal. I should have a bigger tank by the time they get too big. The quest I have is not so much about the fish, but what type of Anemone should I get? I want something very pretty and very colorful. It can't get too big. I am leaning towards a bubble tip but that is only because i dont know much about any others. Please take a minute for me and post a pic of the one you have or of one that you recommend. I really appreciate it.
 

spsfreak100

Active Member
Clowns do not need an anemone to live a healthy and happy life in captivity. You can take that statement as a fact.
All anemones will have horible survival rates, and few live over 4 months. An Anemone of any kind should not be bought for the clowns. Anemones may move where they wish, which gives them a high chance of stinging other corals, getting stuck in a powerhead, or getting stung. Anemones are actually not "Real" reef inhabitants. Many have only been recently introduced into reef aquariums. For the most part, anemones do not survive well in the home aquariums. Even if you had the perfect setup, it probably will still die.
If you want something for your clowns to host in, I would recommend a Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton sp.) for your clownfish. These will make perfect hosts for the clownfish, and often will resemble an Anemone. Many other types of leathers including the Devils Hand (Lobophytum sp.), Spaghetti Leather (Sinularia flexibis) and Finger Leather (Sinularia sp.) will also work fine.
Other good hosts include the Colt coral (Cladiella sp., or, Alcyonium sp.), Kenya Tree (Capnella sp.-should be added to a mature aquarium), Alveopora (Alveopora sp.), Torch Coral (Euphyllia glabrescens), Hammar Coral (Euphyllia ancora), Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sp.), Green Star Polyps (Pachyclavularia sp.), Xenia (Xenia sp.?), Frogspawn (Euphyllia sp.
), etc.
There were many I never meantioned, only due to the care level required for them, and the difficulty of keeping them sucessfully alive. Some of these include the Flowerpot (Goniopora sp.
), Plate Coral (Heliofungia Actiniformis
), and Elegance (Catalaphyllia sp.
) to name a few.
Please do not buy an anemone. Save your money and buy it on something that will actually live.
Anemones do best in the ocean, which is where they belong.
Take Care,
Graham :)
 

fshhub

Active Member
graham has offered good advice
I don't like keeping anemones either, for jsut the same reason mentioned.
 

timsedwards

Active Member
wow...need to sit down after that graham!
He makes a valid point, although I may slightly disagree on their survival rate, im sure there are plenty of people on here who have kept them much longer.
However, I have to admit in my experience anenomes do seem out of place and I would agree, belong in the ocean. its not worth the risk to what they could do to your tank if they die.
All the best,
Tim.
 

fshhub

Active Member
there are many who have kept them longer, but the percentages are very low
most die within the first 6 months(prob 90%)
of them, about the same percentage die within 1 yr
maybe 1% of overall live 2 yrs
now 2 yrs may seem like a long time, but thaht is nothing in comparison to the lifespan of anemones, their life should be rated in centuries not years.
I can think of only a small handful that lived beyond the 2 or 5 yr mar, and only know of one that lived for over a decade(and i only read about that one online)
 

derrikd

Member
here is a pic of mine.... had it about a year and half... sorry i do not rember the name.. yes they do move i had him in there by himself for 2 months so he would find him spot. then add stuff around him. i like to watch the clown feed him krill. every time he bringd him dinner. this is him with a peice of krill.
 
E

elan

Guest
i entertained the idea of getting an anemone (i have a thread out there also thats not too old)
After much consideration, with pretty much the same advice given to me, and some from my LFS, i decided against it.
1) they will die prematurly
2) when they die, you will be sorry:
a) they melt away making it difficult to clean up
b) they will release some major toxins being harmful to your inverts.
c) a nasty odor will pleasently fill the room
although i have not experienced any of the above, i suggest you do what i did, take their advice, and get a coral which will be an asset in your tank instead of a liability.
 

overanalyzer

Active Member
There is a great section in Joyce Wilkerson's book entitled Clownfishes that is all about anenome's and their survival rates (which are not very good at all).
I've seen pictures of some breeders who use plastic zip ties bundled together to simulate an anenome.
Personally I think a clown - especially tank raised - will take to a coral equally well as to an anenome.
By the way a breeding pair of maroons in a 40 would be very territorial and would make it hard to keep other fish that are timid.
If you are interested in breeding then I'd pick up the Clownfishes book I referneced earlier. If you want a showy mated pair but don't care about trying to raise or hatch the young I'd go with false percs or try to find a cool pair of skunk clowns ... very colorful and fun clowns.
Good luck!
 

sammystingray

Active Member
I no longer recommend anemones for anyone........I won't keep one, and I think others should stay away from them as well. Of course it's up to each person to decide.
 

krux

Member
here is a pic of my lfs display tank with his sps mother colonies. notice in the lower left hand corner his scroll coral (i think thats what it is called) which a pair of black percs host in very happliy. also there is a close up of one of them guarding its territory. when i get a bigger tank, and get my pair of black clowns, i am planning on setting up the same coral for them to hopefully take to. the yellow of the coral, and the black clowns is one of the most breathtaking things i have seen up close in a reef tank.
 
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