Could a Anemone eat a fish?

[longislandmike]

Hi,
I was wondering if an anemone could eat a fish? I have always had fish only and decided to venture in to the reef end of the hobby. I always thought there was something magical about reef tanks. I have just add two purple and white long tentacle anemones to my tank. I noticed one of the cardinal fish kept going close to the anemone. When I got home from work today, the anemone was closed and one of the cardinal fish were missing. I gave it some time, thinking maybe he was in a cave or behind a rock, but usually they are all together(I have 3 Cardinals) Maybe now 2? Its now been a couple of hours and nothing

Is it possible?

 

[meowzer]

YES..it is very possible.....I have read many threads about this.....

 

[longislandmike]

O-Boy, The Cardinal fish are my three year old daughters favorite fish

She calls them angle fish. She thinks they look like they have angle wings. I guess I will be sneaking another cardinal in the tank tomorrow. She named all three and says hi to each one every day

Thank you for your help
Li Mike

 

[eric b 125]

thats what anemones do. that's why the relationship b/w nems and clownfishes is so cool. you can feed the nem, though, to satiate its appetite. what kind did you get? how big is your tank? what kind of lights do you have?

 

[btldreef]

Sorry to hear about the "Angel fish" Mike. Anemones do like to eat the more peaceful fish we try to put in our tanks, especially Mandarins. I had a Haitian Pink Tip eat mine once. The only anemone I really like are bubble tips, they seem far less likely to eat fish than some of the other species. Do yourself a favor and stay away from the Condylactis species especially, also beware of Long Tentacles and Carpets, these three seem much more likely to eat fish than others.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by longislandmike
http:///forum/post/3181622
O-Boy, The Cardinal fish are my three year old daughters favorite fish

She calls them angle fish. She thinks they look like they have angle wings. I guess I will be sneaking another cardinal in the tank tomorrow. She named all three and says hi to each one every day

Thank you for your help
Li Mike

Just name the new fish "next meal"...

Two LTA...your fish are doomed, they get huge and those stingers stretch a long way. Your fish will have a hard time getting past them without getting caught for dinner.
I had a beautiful (Pink LTA) fish eater for about two years. When I moved I did not re-add it to the system.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3181743

Just name the new fish "next meal"...

Two LTA...your fish are doomed, they get huge and those stingers stretch a long way. Your fish will have a hard time getting past them without getting caught for dinner.
I had a beautiful (Pink LTA) fish eater for about two years. When I moved I did not re-add it to the system.

I was waiting for you Flower.....

I remember your stories about your "fish eating" anemone

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by longislandmike
http:///forum/post/3181615
Hi,
I was wondering if an anemone could eat a fish? I have always had fish only and decided to venture in to the reef end of the hobby. I always thought there was something magical about reef tanks. I have just add two purple and white long tentacle anemones to my tank. I noticed one of the cardinal fish kept going close to the anemone. When I got home from work today, the anemone was closed and one of the cardinal fish were missing. I gave it some time, thinking maybe he was in a cave or behind a rock, but usually they are all together(I have 3 Cardinals) Maybe now 2? Its now been a couple of hours and nothing

Is it possible?
They seem to consider Mandarins a special delicacy.
Not to down-play your loss or be overly critical; but not researching additions to your tank will make your time in this wonderful hobby/addiction very short lived. A reef is an incredibly complicated place and, unfortunately, most lfs employees are clueless. I'd suggest researching and reading all you can; especially before adding anything to your tank.

 

[longislandmike]

Hi,
Thank you all for your responses. You are right, I should have looked into it better. I do spend alot of time reading and asking questions. You can ask some members here who see me every time they go to a LFS

Its either a small word or I spend to much time in LFS!!!
I was at my LFS when they pointed it out to me. I always loved the look of them, so when they said I am ready, I jumped on it. I went back today to replace the cardinal and ask about it. They were very surprised. He was on the phone with his dealer when I walked in. I spoke to him and he said its a rare thing. I went to another LFS and they said the same thing. I know you all are right on this, an eaten fish speaks for its self (so to speak)

They are now in a 92 corner, and will be soon in my 150 when its able to house them. Both 150 and 92 have Outer Orbit 150 watt HQI + 54 watt T5 Light systems, I was told they are good enough for what I am doing.
Again, Thank you all for your responses, Wish me Luck......well wish little Go Deago Luck (the cardinal)

LI Mike

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by longislandmike
http:///forum/post/3182110
Hi,
Thank you all for your responses. You are right, I should have looked into it better. I do spend alot of time reading and asking questions. You can ask some members here who see me every time they go to a LFS

Its either a small word or I spend to much time in LFS!!! HAHAHA, gee, could you be referring to my husband and I? LOL We live in our LFS's. How else do you think we packed out our tank and a 14G in less than 3 months?
I was at my LFS when they pointed it out to me. I always loved the look of them, so when they said I am ready, I jumped on it.I went back today to replace the cardinal and ask about it. They were very surprised. He was on the phone with his dealer when I walked in. I spoke to him and he said its a rare thing. I went to another LFS and they said the same thing. I know you all are right on this, an eaten fish speaks for its self (so to speak)

Who told you to put two in a 92G? If it was GC, I have my doubts as to whether he really knows his anemones or not. He keeps them under fluorescent bulbs that you'd lighting your house with and normally has them named wrong. I had to correct him on a couple corals and anemones the other day. I don't like LTA's, they eat docile fish.
They are now in a 92 corner, and will be soon in my 150 when its able to house them. Both 150 and 92 have Outer Orbit 150 watt HQI + 54 watt T5 Light systems, I was told they are good enough for what I am doing. Most certainly are

Again, Thank you all for your responses, Wish me Luck......well wish little Go Deago Luck (the cardinal)

LI Mike
Glad to hear that you were able to replace Deago without the little one catching on. I was devastated the day I realized that my mother replaced my goldfish, Bubbles, as a kid every time I over fed it (which was a weekly occurrence I'm sure).

 

[jstdv8]

So, now im curious. Anemones eat fish in the wild, thats what they do. So how is a bubble tip less threatening to fish in your tank? what would they eat in the wild instead? shrimp?

 

[jstdv8]

and while they are beautiful, i dont think they are very intellegent. they dont know the difference between a fish, a finger, shrimp, ect do they?
The reason i ask is i have inherited a RBTA with my LR i just bought from someone moving out of state and Im trying to decide weather to keep it or not. Ive been feeding it silversides

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3182509
and while they are beautiful, i dont think they are very intellegent. they dont know the difference between a fish, a finger, shrimp, ect do they?
The reason i ask is i have inherited a RBTA with my LR i just bought from someone moving out of state and Im trying to decide weather to keep it or not. Ive been feeding it silversides

LOL...You are correct, they have no brain. They are just a mouth with an anus.
They adapted in the ocean by being opportunistic feeders…if it can be caught in the sticky tentacles it will sting it to hold it still and eat it slowly. Be it shrimp, fish, snails or crabs.
Fish in your tank figure out the danger and stay clear, it stings if it even touches a tiny bit. However as the nem grows it gets harder and harder to get past it, or if a fish gets startled by another and does its dart for a safe rock and misjudges…If the sting is good enough it will shock the fish and it becomes lunch.
Your finger is powerful enough to pull away, and your skin is tougher than a fish’s sensitive skin.
All anemones will eat fish, they do not go hunting, they just wait.
Also keeping an anemone fed will not stop it from killing a fish if it swims into its tentacles. It will sting it to death and just release it uneaten. The “sting” is not voluntary like a bees, its tentacles always has a sting.

 

[jstdv8]

thats what i was thinking. So why does the RBTA stand a lesser chace of killing your tank mates? because the tentacles are so short?

 

[longislandmike]

HI,
Well I have an update on poor, poor little go Diego, he lasted about 6 hours

I turned off all the lights and left on the moon light

. I noticed the cardinals were sleeping low to the bottom and drifting with the current. I checked back about a half hour latter and there he was laying on the bottom on his side. He was still alive but very stunned, he passed shortly after

I called the LFS and they let me swap out the anemone for a piece of coral

The tank is now a peaceful place to live again.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3182541
thats what i was thinking. So why does the RBTA stand a lesser chace of killing your tank mates? because the tentacles are so short?
Yes. And from what I've found, the sting of is not quite as strong as some other corals. With the tentacles being shorter, the fish stands a much greater chance of being able to fight free.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by longislandmike
http:///forum/post/3182646
HI,
Well I have an update on poor, poor little go Diego, he lasted about 6 hours

I turned off all the lights and left on the moon light

. I noticed the cardinals were sleeping low to the bottom and drifting with the current. I checked back about a half hour latter and there he was laying on the bottom on his side. He was still alive but very stunned, he passed shortly after

I called the LFS and they let me swap out the anemone for a piece of coral

The tank is now a peaceful place to live again.

Glad to hear that you were able to exchange it. Which store was it?

 

[sandman181]

Watch out with trying to add an additional cardinal. I tried to add another one and the other cardinal attacked him. Grabbed his fin, no chance for survival.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by sandman181
http:///forum/post/3182823
Watch out with trying to add an additional cardinal. I tried to add another one and the other cardinal attacked him. Grabbed his fin, no chance for survival.
WOW! I've never heard of this with cardinals. I think he started out with one and added two more afterwards from a store where the original one was from. They have them all together in one tank and they've been together for weeks (I live down the road from the store). Maybe that makes a difference?

 

[longislandmike]

Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3182748
Glad to hear that you were able to exchange it. Which store was it?
Yeah, they gave me no problem about the swap. I will send you a PM about the store.
I did start with one cardinal, I then decided to add two more after a couple of days. I had no problem with them fighting, they all stayed together. I did read on them before I purchased them and it said that when you first get them they are friendly, but after some time, they will sometimes gang up on other fish. They didnt last long enough for the gang thing to happen. I am now back down to 1

My daughter asked me tonight (were did they go) I told her they are behind the rocks

looks like I will be adding two more tomorrow. I was also told though, they only last a couple of weeks, is that true? How could that be? They look older then a couple of weeks?
Thanks again everybody, wish me Luck

LI Mike