Help?? - info on anemones

danedodger

danedodger

Member
Some idiot at work has gone around me and ordered anemones!!!
We aren't ready for them, no one at work knows enough about them, we don't have proper lighting...ugh I could go on and on why we SHOULDN'T have these critters yet but it's no use, they'll be in my tanks Wed morning whether I'm ready for them or not! So I'd at least like to give them the very best chance possible and hope folks here can help me!
They ordered a condy and a "zebra mat". I know a little about the condys but only a little. From what I understand they are one of the hardier anemones, don't normally host clowns very well though it has happened, and are not quite as "light hungry" as some. Can anyone give me specifics such as minimum tank size, compatibility with other commonly kept critters in saltwater, minimum light requirements, water flow preferences, fish that might be more likely to host one, and anything else pertinent you can think of?
The "zebra mat" I know absolutely zip about and can't seem to find a lot of info on the web under that common name. The best I've been able to do so far is Heteractus spp. comes up when I search for "zebra mat anemone" here and there but there seem to be several varieties making specifics difficult.
Anything and everything you guys can tell me would be MUCH appreciated!! I keep trying to fight against this stacked deck to give the animals at work and customers the very best I can!
 
danedodger

danedodger

Member
I would hope that perhaps you can express how irresponsible your co workers actions are.
Don't I just wish. She's the manager's buddy though so I do all the work in Aquatics, take all the blame if something goes wrong, but it's my coworker the boss trusts in anything to do with the aquatics dept. Otherwise I would've had a chance to delete this order and get more appropriate animals to offer. I certainly COULD complain to the boss but the only thing that would change is me being on the receiving end of even more animosity and outright sabotage from this petty little person.
All I can do is the best I can do in the given situation

As to the condylactis anemone.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/#post1032951
Thank you VERY much, Thomas!! That's exactly what I was looking for!!

As to the zebra mat anemone. I've heard of it, but firmly believe that is a trumped up name. Briefly taking a net look I believe its something like a rock/flower anemone. I can't really say for sure.
Hence my problem. I guess my best option is to clear out a tank so that it'll be by itself when it comes in and try to more positively id it then. I'll call the vendor at work tomorrow and see if they can clue me in a bit more.
 
wesa

wesa

Member
I have a sexy shrimp that just loves her condi. Too bad about the work situation. I hate when people have to play stupid games & make your life miserable. From a business standpoint there are other non-threatening ways to handle her & the boss to cover your ---. Email me if you want a few suggestions. The livestock is what is important & sounds like you have a good handle on it.
 
danedodger

danedodger

Member
I'm all ears and eternal gratitude when it comes to suggestions on how to handle the work situation!!!!! I went to your profile and clicked the link to send an email but it said you're not set to receive emails. My email is DaneDodgers at aol.com if you'd like to use mine instead.
 
wesa

wesa

Member
Thanks for letting me know about the email. I just changed it. Must have had a blonde moment. Not sure how to do the buddy list yet but will figure that out too. Will send you a private email.
 
danedodger

danedodger

Member
The good news is the animals I MOST felt our system wasn't ready for yet didn't come in (the "zebra mat", decorator crab, and green star polyps)!! Yaaay! :jumping:
I did get 5 condys which I'm not happy about but it could've been worse.
I was able to drip acclimate them and I'm feeding them by hand (a tiny pinch of Formula 1 and a krill each which they gobbled up eagerly) to hopefully help offset the lack of adequate lighting for the (hopefully!) short time they're there.
And Thomas, I noticed in that thread you linked here that you were asking about experiences with clowns hosting condys! At work I have four tanks each with a different clown, tomato, clarkii, false perc, and maroon. I thought even if the clowns wouldn't host them I'd do well to put the anemones in those tanks because clowns and anemones just kinda go together like peanut butter and jelly
plus there wasn't anything in those tanks that would likely hurt the condys or that the condys would hurt.
I split them up so they (again hopefully!) won't bother each other, 2 condys in with one tomato, 2 in with a herd of clarkiis, and one in with a yellow coris (I split the one out because he wasn't ordered, he was a "hitchiker" it seems, and I was hoping to adopt him). I was shocked that the very next day several of the clarkiis were hosting the one condy that moved up the side of the tank to park next to the overflow box!! Not only were they hosting it they were hosting it TO DEATH and fighting with each other over it!! I didn't know if the anemone would get used to it or not and didn't want him being hurt (not to mention I couldn't have all those clarkiis beating each other up over it!) so I quickly moved that condy into the tank with the one little tomato who doesn't seem interested in hosting a condy at all so far. He planted himself and plumped back up right away, even accepted the food as eagerly as any of the others, so I'm sure he'll be ok now.
The funny thing is not one of the clarkiis are interested in hosting the condy that planted himself on the substrate (so far). I even moved one clarkii that was the most belligerant about protecting "his" condy into a tank that had one condy planted on the substrate in with the yellow coris but he's not interested.
The clarkiis we get in ARE very skittish, all piling up high in one corner or the other when I feed or wipe the tank or anything, so just the placement of the condy probably had a lot to do with it. I thought it was interesting enough to let you know for your thread
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
IMo. could be risky keeping Clowns with Condies. Just not a natural situation. No clowns come from the Atlantic and the condy does. Often the clowns end up being eaten or stung. I know some claim sucess but I would not do it myself. Just a thought....
 
tanklockhart

tanklockhart

New Member
I also work in a pet store as the aquatics specialist and I can totally identify with your situation. I too have a supervisor that is constantly ordering marine life that is in the expert range of caretaking. alot of the fish and corals i get I have never heard of. She orders them because she wants to "see" them, and then it comes back onto me if I can't keep them alive or sell them before they die. I just got a Zebra mat in yesterday and I cant find any info on them at all. I have it next to my condy and it seems to be doing okay. I feed a mixture of mysis and brine shrimp with chopped sea weed, beefheart. and phytoplancton to almost all of my marine tanks and my corals, featherdusters, mushrooms and anenome all seem to be doing really well. keep your head up and good luck
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaneDodger http:///t/203281/help-info-on-anemones#post_1539442
I'm all ears and eternal gratitude when it comes to suggestions on how to handle the work situation!!!!! I went to your profile and clicked the link to send an email but it said you're not set to receive emails. My email is DaneDodgers at aol.com if you'd like to use mine instead.
If you go to the person making the dumb orders and show them WHY it was a bad choice, and make a note of it that they were told. Then when the critter dies you can show the boss why. Maybe after enough money is spent and wasted, not to mention the death toll, perhaps the person will learn a lesson.
or
Order the fancy lights and necessary tank to house the new critters for sale. Maybe if the boss sees that it will cost more to keep said creatures it will stop future orders.
P.S
If it is indeed a flower/rock anemone...they don't require fancy lights, regular PCs are fine, just put them at the top of the rocks. They don't travel to look for a happy place either and they don't eat fish like regular anemones do. I had two of them for years.
 
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