Originally posted by jacksonpt
Carpets are pretty easy to keep if (and this is a big if) you can meet their lighing requirements, ............................... I find that carpets are pretty hardy if you can give them enough light.
while i agree lighting is very important with a carpet, along with most other anemones, the main reason people cant keep them alive is they dont feed them properly.
they are fish eaters, they eat fish. not shrimp, squid, krill, etc.. (when starved into eating it they will eat the listed but its not their natural food and they prefer fish) they need silversides with the bones in them. and they depend on intake of fish as much as if not more so then light.
i feed mine at least 3x per week. i recently traded off one i had for 3 yrs because it outgrew the tank it was in and i didnt have room in another tank. he was 5"when i got him and 18+ when i let him go. he was kept under 2x400w MH in a 75g tank. my current one is 6" and is under 250w MH in a 29g.
hth
kc