Anemone suggestions

b-diddles

b-diddles

Member
I would like some suggestions for an Anemone to go in my tank. I had a 3' in green-tip-anemone last month and it died withen a week. My questions are simple for those with success with anemone's: How do you keep the 'darn thing alive? Here is the info on my tank, perhaps someone can spot a mistake and give me a remedy and a solution: My tank is 55gallons, my water movement is good not great (by this I mean that I have aproximently 1500 GPH filtered or less pending media) I have aprox. 60 LBS of live rock and 60 LBS of crushed coral (switched to this from live sand for the benefitial buffer status and other reasons), My lighting is a combined 265 watt system or 4.8 watts per gallon, My Amonia is 0 ppm, Nitrite O PPM, Nitrate 10 ppm, calcium fine, temperature 78, salt level at 1.021, media changes monthly on smaller filters, and every 6 months on the larger ones to build bacteria. I have carbon, argonite (sp?), Bio balls, and bio glass media as the media. I have smaller corals that it was no where near, no other anemones, fed it silverside (or offered them rather daily) it took it twice. I add food for filter feeders. My clownfish hosted it OVERNIGHT! Tomato clown aprox. 3 in. Yes, it is about the same as the Anemone. In my personal openion, which should not account for much, the clownfish was way to big and his aggressive "wiggle" in the amemone killed it. Any other suggestions?
Thank-you in advance for your answers. God-bless.
 
b-diddles

b-diddles

Member
So in a nutshell, do I have to get a larger anemone if I get one in order for it to live? Or did I do something wrong? And yes I do water changes. I just know this is the first question for me in return so I answered it before asked. What anemones would you suggest for my tank?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Is your lighting pc?....Anemones need much more light...also if it was on the ground, IDK if they like cc
 
alabama reefer

alabama reefer

Member
What type lighting? What about your PH and alkalinity? A few things I see. 1) The anemone was definitely too small for your clown. 2) Your SG needs to be closer to at least 1.025. 3) Anemones don't tolerate nitrates well. 4) Stay away from sand dwelling anemones since you have crushed coral.
 
alabama reefer

alabama reefer

Member
Without any answers to the questions posed to you it is hard to give you an answer. No anemone may be ideal for you without proper lighting or water parameters.
 
b-diddles

b-diddles

Member
Yes, I have PC lighting. With total wattage at 265 for 55 gallons. I must assume that there hast to be an anemone which doesn't need over 5 watts per gallon out there that might host a clownfish. My PH is at 8.0, Alkalinity 2.3, Nitrate 0ppm, Specific Gravity 1.022. No, the anemone was not on the crushed coral. He latched on to a rock and never moved. Which led me to believe he was happy. I have read that a rose anemone is also called a clownfish host anemone. They seem to host easily. I don't know if this would work or not. The LFS said any anemone would work with my light as long as I was 4 watts per gallon or higher. I don't know. Of course there could be extinuating circumstances i.e- the size of my clownfish to the size of the anemone. Any advice? Thanks in advance for your answers.
 
alabama reefer

alabama reefer

Member
The PC lighting puts you behind the 8-ball so to speak. Your lighting did not kill your anemone in a week but it probably would have in a few months. Normally within 3-6 months the anemone will slowly eat itself to death maybe a little longer with vitamin enriched supplemental feedings. Healthy anemones get most of their feeding from intense lighting which is impossible to duplicate with PC lighting. You had a green bubble tip which is the same as rose bubble tip other than color. It will normally attach to your rock work as yours did. There have been a few documented cases of successfully keeping BTA's under PC lighting but the death rate is much larger. BTA's are the least light demanding of the clown hosting anemones and are considered the easiest to keep. Don't let the word easiest full you since the host anemone scale ranges from difficult, more difficult and most difficult. I hope this helps some.
 
b-diddles

b-diddles

Member
Yes, it does. But I do know that there are anemones that will take low light sources but I do not know what kind they are. What doesn't add up is my corals are growing fast and duplicating.
 
jemshores

jemshores

Member
I have had success with a sebae anemone. My clowns hosted it within hours, has doubled its size, and just have the stock lights that came with my nano; which is 2x 18w. I upgraded the return and added a nano K and he is happy. He planted his foot on the LS and has not moved since the day he entered the tank. Takes tiny bits of chopped shrimp 2x a week, and the clowns treat him also!
 
rod buehle

rod buehle

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3045571
It's not a watts per gallon issue...it's an intensity issue or (PAR) do not ask me to explain

You Rock!.. As the Virginia slim saying goes .. You've come a long way baby!
WPG is the worst rule ever invented for this hobby!!!! I have a 10' tank that is only 12 inches deep. (149 gallons) I have a 175 watt halide in the corned and under it is a gigantea carpet. One of the most light demanding anemones out there and its doing well at a little over 1 wpg. I can put a 40 watt NO florescent over a 40 breeder and there is no way that it would support a gigantea or any anemone.
You can put a 400 watt halide over a swimming pool with an anemone underneath the light at .00000006 WPG and the anemone would do well.. you can put a 60 watt over a dixie cup which is a helluvalotta WPG but it aint gunna grow anemones. WPG is a rule that should never be used

As for which anemones would do well.. In tho OPs current set up, I wouldnt recommend any. but if I have to recommend one, a BTA would be the only one.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
You Rock!.. As the Virginia slim saying goes .. You've come a long way baby!
Thanks...Read Read and Read some more.....
 
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