Anemone/reef tank questions

[jrisgr8]

I have a 60g FOWLRLS. I have been thinking about getting an anemone for my clownfish. What type of lighting should I have and are there any extra things my water shoud/should not have? I also have a Lionfish (3-4 in) will he leave the anemone alone? He leaves my clownfish alone just fine. I am thinking about setting up another tank (120-130g) in the future (buying it piece by piece over an extended peroid of time due to cost), and am thinking about turning this one into a reef very slowly. I am very nervous about it though and have not made up my mind yet. Any sugestions and tips would be great.
By the way, the lionfish will be moving to the larger tank eventually.

 

[pyro]

I have no first hand expirience with anenomes...
But, if you search around on the board, you will find that they mostly require very heavy lighting (metal halide), and are more demanding than most corals.

 

[saltydog]

What type of anemone you looking at? The more light the better. I succesfully had a long tenacle for 4 years under 4) 110 VHO's. I just pulled him out last week and traded him in. He took up too much space in my 75 G. He really expanded in the 3 weeks he was under my MH's.
-Salty

 

[jrisgr8]

I had read that clownfish like carpet anemones the best. Honestly though, I am looking for something the fish would like and something this is good for a beginner. I really do not know much about anemones or reefs. Just general stuff really. I do not want to get something that is expensive and super hard to care for, also it has to fit in my 60g. I do not want to get something I am bound to kill because I am a beginner, that is not fair.

 

[peter78]

Well Jrisg8, no matter what people or books tell you, anemones are really hard to take care of. Almost everyone, beginner and expert have trouble taking care of anemones. Those people that have had theirs for years are lucky. Anemones good part of the time will die on you for no aparent reason. They are cool and the worst part of spending time and money doing everything to keep an anemone and a clown together. The clown might not even be intrested in the anemone. But if you are going to get one a bubble tip is more hardy and tolerates more than a lot of other anemones do. 13 diffent types of clown will call it home. A good book to get for this is "ClownFish" by Joyce Wilkerson and a good one for soft coral and anemones is "The Reef Aquarium Vol 2" by J. Sprung and J.C. Delbeek. If you really want a anemone, do the research before.
Sorry I was so preachy

 

[gold strip]

I agree with the bubble.

 

[francis]

Originally posted by Saltydog
What type of anemone you looking at? The more light the better. I succesfully had a long tenacle for 4 years under 4) 110 VHO's. I just pulled him out last week and traded him in. He took up too much space in my 75 G. He really expanded in the 3 weeks he was under my MH's.
-Salty

What do you call on this anemone? and how do u maintaine it? tnx!

 

[saltydog]

Originally posted by Francis

What do you call on this anemone? and how do u maintaine it? tnx!
This was my long tenacle. Plenty of light, moderate current, feed occasionally with fresh shrimp or silver sides. He will move around until he finds a spot he likes. That is a problem. He also stings things along its path.
These are the easiest of the trade anemones to keep IMO.
-Salty

 

[francis]

Stinging is yes a problem. I got a new carpet, & i saw him once that he'd touched my sebae. Now my sebae seem to be sick & it's always half close

My african clown is trying to help him. Is there any chance you think i can do to help the baby sebae?:help:

 

[jacknjill]

Originally posted by Jrisgr8
I had read that clownfish like carpet anemones the best.
they dont care what kind of anenome, but a lot ofthem dont like condis. and carpets are one of the hardest to care for as they are an anenome that needs the most light of any other anenome (mostly) and grow huge