Clowns and bubble coral

[bubblegurl]

ive just got home from work and plop down in front of my tank to see what's going on....I have 2 clowns hovering around my bubble coral, rubbing against her and maybe nipping, can't tell. I don't have any anenomes in the tank but do have a frogspawn but they haven't gone near it. Tank is now 6 months old and I wasn't going to try anenomes for a while but are these clowns looking for one? I was struggling with this bubble in august and she's doing really well and I've read this may not be the best relationship. I know the clowns don't need an anenome but should I get one? If I were I was thinking of a carpet anenome rather than a bubble tip. Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[btldreef]

Bubble Corals usually can't take the abuse of hosting clownfish. I do see a potential problem here.
How large is your tank? How stable are your parameters?
Keep in mind that even if you add an anemone, the clowns may still decide that they're in love with your bubble, you may have to look into netting off the bubble so that they stay away from it, or maybe switch it's spot with the frogspawn.

 

[bubblegurl]

I could see the bubble was not happy without the attention. We went out to an lfs with the carpet nems but they were huge. We got a sebae nem instead, much smaller and cheaper. I temp acclimated for about 30 mins, then drip for another 30, moved my bubble over and placed the nem. Clowns were checking it out right away but still going to the bubble. I moved the bubble to the other side of tank and within 5 mins the clowns were in the nem. Female first then the male. They are in it, around it under, everywhere. Is the coolest thing I've seen with this hobby so far!
I'm due for a water change this weekend and haven't checked parameters since last change but they were as follows:
Salinity 1.025
Cal 410
Mag 900
Ph 8.3
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0.25
I've turned my pumps off, will get some netting tomorrow.
I'm waiting for a computer and will post pics.
New question, larger clown is getting bossy. Is this normal

 

[btldreef]

Your phosphate should be reading zero, that needs to be addressed and magnesium is a little low.
I'm assuming you have proper lighting for this anemone?
Bear in mind that just because you placed the anemone in this spot does not mean it will stay there so as well as covering your powerheads, keep an eye on any coral that might get trampled.
Yes, the larger clown is the female, and she's showing dominance.

 

[bubblegurl]

I've been running my skimmer on low, will turn it up and do a good water change this weekend and see where the phosphates are at afterwards. i just bought the phosphate test 2 weeks ago, tested then and again a couple of days ago. Will this help? I know the anenome may move, I have my button and bubble coral on the sand, do they move on the sand or where ever? I put it where my bubble was because of the flow, the bubble was happy there, not too much, not too little.
Anyway, here's a couple of pics of the clowns with the bubble and the new nem.

 

[gemmy]

I'm not trying to scare you, but your anemone is bleached. Don't fret over this, but I wanted you to know. I had a sebae that was bleached like yours and with proper husbandry I was able to nurse it back to health. The tips are supposed to have an ugly brown tinge to them. The key to keeping them successfully is to keep the water parameters in check, strong lighting and I recommend feeding it once or twice a week. Beware these guys love to spread out. Mine is huge now.

 

[meowzer]

Is that the same bubble you had trouble with? (may be thinking of someone else..LOL)
agree about the anmeone.....I don;t have a sebae, BUT I feed my BTA's scallops.....I buy the bay scallops frozen at Walmart $5 a bag...thaw one out....and break a small piece off and place on the tentacle
I ALSO feed small pieces to my bubble coral

 

[bubblegurl]

I'm not trying to scare you, but your anemone is bleached. Don't fret over this, but I wanted you to know. I had a sebae that was bleached like yours and with proper husbandry I was able to nurse it back to health. The tips are supposed to have an ugly brown tinge to them. The key to keeping them successfully is to keep the water parameters in check, strong lighting and I recommend feeding it once or twice a week. Beware these guys love to spread out. Mine is huge now.

I'm a bit confused, the lfs had 3 in the store that looked the same and another one that was a bit of a beige color with the same purple tips, said one was white one yellow, we went with the white bec it was brighter. We saw the same ones in another store last weekend and they looked the same white. The close up pics were taken with lights off and just the flash and I turned the lights on for a quick tank shot bec I rescaped the tank and it looks a bit better IMO.

 

[bubblegurl]

Is that the same bubble you had trouble with? (may be thinking of someone else..LOL)

agree about the anmeone.....I don;t have a sebae, BUT I feed my BTA's scallops.....I buy the bay scallops frozen at Walmart $5 a bag...thaw one out....and break a small piece off and place on the tentacle

I ALSO feed small pieces to my bubble coral
Yep same bubble! It's been doing so good, new bubbles have been coming in, noticed this week it's been growing. Thanks for your help! These clowns wanted in it and it didn't like it. I bought silversides a while ago but haven't used them, would these be ok?

 

[meowzer]

You know....the funny thing is NOTHING of mine ever liked the silversides....I have so many too (used them for fishing....even the catfish won't eat them)....LOL...BUT they all love the scallops....and shrimp too....haha...so I buy them from Walmart thaw, and feed
if yours likes it, they are fine....just make sure you cut up tiny pieces
GREAT JOB ON THE BUBBLE

 

[bubblegurl]

You know....the funny thing is NOTHING of mine ever liked the silversides....I have so many too (used them for fishing....even the catfish won't eat them)....LOL...BUT they all love the scallops....and shrimp too....haha...so I buy them from Walmart thaw, and feed

if yours likes it, they are fine....just make sure you cut up tiny pieces

GREAT JOB ON THE BUBBLE

I haven't tried the silversides yet, been feeding mysis, plankton and cyclopeeze (sp) to the corals. The button now spreads out on the sand and the bubble has really filled in. Notice her tentacles when I feed the fish and she goes crazy at night! Thanks for your help, been meaning to post a pic on that thread, but lazy with the camera...lol
Re the lights, I have t5s and LEDs on the tank. The t5s weren't enough for the corals but the LEDs have made a world of difference. I was assured when we bought the LEDs that they were sufficient for anenomes if we decided to add.

 

[meowzer]

what type of LED's? IDK a lot about them, BUT...maybe with the combo they could be ok....not sure though
what type of T5 do you have too?

 

[bubblegurl]

Will post lights tomorrow, heading to bed....gnite

 

[gemmy]

An anemone that is pristine white is one that has expelled its zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae is the algae that lives in the tentacles of the anemone. The zooxanthellae has a very important symbiotic relationship with the anemone. The zooxanthellae gets its nutrients through photosynthesis (reason for good lighting) and then provides the anemone with nutrients.

 

[bubblegurl]

We have the vertex illumina Blue white fixture and t5 fixture with 1 blue 1 white bulbs. My corals have all grown since adding the LEDs the 2 t5s were not enough. Should I be concerned about the anenome and if so, what should I be doing?

 

[dempseyjosh]

my anemone was white just like yours when I got it(i also got it because i thought the white would look great). After about a year this is what it looks like

I don't think you have anything to worry about if you keep your water quality up, just dont get worried if you start to see it turning brownish

 

[gemmy]

I'm not sure about the fixture, since there are several types of vertex illumina fixtures (from a quick google search they sound like they could be good). Some things to watch for in the anemone are: Roaming. If the anemone does not firmly attach its foot somewhere in the aquarium, it is a sign that the anemone is not doing well in the aquarium. The anemone should be sticky if you touch it. If the mouth is gaping, this is a bad sign, the mouth should be barely visible unless it is feeding time. These are just a couple of warning signs.
Don't be alarmed from what I am saying. My sebae was bleached when I got it. I also placed it in a tank that was less than 6 months old, but I knew what I was getting into. The anemone has been in my tank for a year now and is thriving. It has gotten huge and hosts my 2 clowns.

 

[bubblegurl]

Thanks. It moved a bit last night but less than an inch from where I placed it. I have my mps turned off right now but still have the koralia running, will turn the mps back on once I get some netting today. Hopefully its still happy where it is. I haven't seen it's mouth since last night, was not at all sticky to touch tho, very soft. I did feed it last night as well and it ate right away.

 

[bubblegurl]

I've gone thru and read about sebae's and it seems a lot of lfs stores and online sell them as white. I know what I need to do with it so thank you for pointing this out.my last question is how do I know when it's put it's foot down? It hasn't moved since the first nite in the tank. I turned one of the pumps back on and would like to get the second one on as well. I bought a fish net, cut it up and placed over the pumps but it restricted the flow and the bodies got quite hot so had left them off. Thanks

 

[gemmy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubblegurl http:///t/388055/clowns-and-bubble-coral#post_3420006
I've gone thru and read about sebae's and it seems a lot of lfs stores and online sell them as white. I know what I need to do with it so thank you for pointing this out.my last question is how do I know when it's put it's foot down? It hasn't moved since the first nite in the tank. I turned one of the pumps back on and would like to get the second one on as well. I bought a fish net, cut it up and placed over the pumps but it restricted the flow and the bodies got quite hot so had left them off. Thanks
When it plants its foot, it will be extremely difficult to move. My sebae planted itself in the center of the tank right where I placed it when I got it. I got lucky with mine since it has never moved much. It just stretches and contracts on the rocks where it is.