help with first anemones.

[neev]

My tank is 29 gal, 35#LR. I have the light with the 24 hour lighting. It's good.
one maroon clown
one damsel
one goby
one blennie
2 shrimp
crabs and snails.
live sand
ordered my protein skimmer, she get it set up anytime now.
what is the best anemones to start with.I have had 4 mushrooms in there for a while now.
also, where to buy.
jnovak1955@aol.com

 

[ninjamini]

Corn, aspasia...thats about it. Your tank is too small for anything else. It will die quickly and prob kill everything in the process. They dont do well in a tank...unless your really experienced.

 

[coopersx]

I feel the Condylatic Gigantica is the best choice for a first Anemone. There are some serious downsides to keeping this speciman. The negatives first. A lot of these are unhealthy do to poor collection. Even the healthy ones may be damaged by the dealer when they go to remove them from the tank at time of purchase. They can sting other corals and also possibly wage toxic warfare ( I am unsure of this ) releasing a stream of toxic chemicals over a period of time damageing other tank invertabrates and vice versa. I think a lot of invertabrates may do this to each other. Mostly when classes are mixed such as anemones and corals. It is recomneded by many not to mix anemones with corals. Do a tank with one or the other....not both. They also may move about untill a suitable spot is found to there liking . (Murphys law: If it can happen it will...eventually they will come into contact with something according to Murphy <G>) In the process thay may sting or kill other invertabrates, get caught and killed in a powerhead, or possibly burnt from coming into contact with a heater. Another bad point is when they die they can seriously pollute the water taking the whole tank down with it (releasing large quantaties of amonia). I have heard of people netting these when they look bad to remove them. Bad Idea. They will most likely melt in the net polluting the tank before you have time to remove them . They should be suctioned out with a gravel cleaner.
The good points are that I feel they are a hardy speciman if you obtain a healthy one to start with. It is quite possible they will find a spot and stay there. (Don't forget Murphys Law though) If that spot has good lighting and medium circulation. I belive these things can be enticed to stay put by placing a small shrimp in its tentacles every other day or so. I hear they do not need to be fed this way and will probably feed off of Phytoplankton and the like but by hand feeding them may make them feel they found the right spot to stay put since food is eventually finding it's way to them. Have a spot picked out where you want to place it before purchase. Find a rock with a large enough opening in the top or side and try placing his footing in this. Hopefully he will accept this spot. They may prefer this rock to be close to or on the bottom of the tank. Some may seek out higher spots in the tank for more light. You must keep a close eye on these and be ready to intervene if it starts making its way towards your prized coral. They are inexpensive but take note that they can get big and a 30 gallon tank is to small for a large one. They grow faster when hand fed over just allowing them to sift nutrients from the water. If it does live you may need to give him a way at some point in time. ( because of the size should his tentacles get long enough to start touching/stinging other tank members) The good part is you get a chance at trying to raise and care for an Anemone which I feel happens to be a fairly hardy specimen without breaking the bank. Don't forget to be ready to give him away should you be unable to keep him. No since killing anything intentionaly.
Take care, Wayne

 

[viper_930]

Exactly what lighting setup do you have?
How long has your tank been established?

 

[sleeper]

Everyone in my local fishkeeping community says bubble tips make the best starter. I would say the larger the tank the better, but an experienced aquarist can pretty much keep several anenomes in a 29.
Also, it's a pretty funny idea that you can't mix corals and anenomes, if you really think about it. The idea is, just add anenomes first, then corals, so the anenomes have had a chance to settle and adapt and won't go stinging the cr*p out of your corals.

 

[ophiura]

24 hours lighting?
Definitely no suggestions until tank age, actual lighting, SPECIFIC water parameters, etc!! They are not "easy" animals to keep and believe me, you DO NOT WANT A DEAD ANEMONE in any tank, especially a small one! Could cost everything....
Also the issue with corals and anemones is that the anemone can, at any time, move. Conditions are frequently changing in a tank...as bulbs age, spectrum changes, as screens clog, flow changes...lots of things can cause an anemone to up and move.
Just had a friend with a long tentacle in a 30 cube and the thing became a nightmare. HUGE, with a long reach and suddenly started to move onto corals and such. Those corals look far happier with that thing gone.