Input needed: Anemone Care
- Thread starter gemmy
- Start date
btldreef
Moderator
I don't have the patience to explain in detail, but here's my basics:
Established and STABLE tank with excellent water parameters
Proper lighting
Patience
non-aggressive clownfish (some clowns just beat them to death)
good husbandry habits for maintaining your tank
proper flow
a good understanding of any feeding requirements. I've noticed that some species like to be manually fed, while others prefer to just catch left over fish food that floats by while you're feeding your fish.
Proper substrate for their foot. Some anemones like rocks, some like sand...
Starting with a healthy anemone will make the odds better that it will survive
NOT attempting to move it to where you want it, but allowing it to find it's own happy place
Established and STABLE tank with excellent water parameters
Proper lighting
Patience
non-aggressive clownfish (some clowns just beat them to death)
good husbandry habits for maintaining your tank
proper flow
a good understanding of any feeding requirements. I've noticed that some species like to be manually fed, while others prefer to just catch left over fish food that floats by while you're feeding your fish.
Proper substrate for their foot. Some anemones like rocks, some like sand...
Starting with a healthy anemone will make the odds better that it will survive
NOT attempting to move it to where you want it, but allowing it to find it's own happy place
gemmy
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/391409/input-needed-anemone-care#post_3472567
I feel like anything not in "New Hobbyist" or "The Aquarium" gets ignored lately...
Not why I typed blah. I copied and pasted the text I wanted to put in here and it came out blah. I edited to remove the post and had nothing to add other then blah.
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/391409/input-needed-anemone-care#post_3472567
I feel like anything not in "New Hobbyist" or "The Aquarium" gets ignored lately...
Not why I typed blah. I copied and pasted the text I wanted to put in here and it came out blah. I edited to remove the post and had nothing to add other then blah.
rickross23
Active Member
What kind of nem are you looking at? I added my nems recently....my tanks been setup since March 8....not advisable to do this and I'm probably frowned upon, but I got 2 for 76$ and they thrive under my tank....I give it great flow, lights(2 150w MH), feedings 2x a week, maybe more and weekly water changes. I love them....amazing creatures.
bang guy
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/391409/input-needed-anemone-care#post_3472704
Not why I typed blah. I copied and pasted the text I wanted to put in here and it came out blah. I edited to remove the post and had nothing to add other then blah.
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/391409/input-needed-anemone-care#post_3472704
Not why I typed blah. I copied and pasted the text I wanted to put in here and it came out blah. I edited to remove the post and had nothing to add other then blah.
rickross23
Active Member
Yea definitely healthy....also, no gaping mouths on the nems.
jlroar
New Member
IMO I like smaller tanks and going on 3 years with my Sabea anemone and clown-fish I have learned a few things as the original poster had asked for.
[*]
A perfect tank is a death trap.
IMO if a tank is sterile and no algae can survive for long periods of time it is not a place for an anemone. I am not suggesting that you allow algae to run rapid but leave a little room for algae in your tanks life or expect BIG trouble if anything goes wrong.
[*]
Special Anemone food is for rich people to feel good about themselves and a feeder guppy is the smart mans choice.
I have not found that feeding ONLY when the anemone looks bad (tentacles get smaller than normal) or the anemone is new and is bleached is needed. My anemone will be getting a guppy soon but it's been 6+ months since it's last feeding. Guess this means time to change the bulbs. And yes I only feed mine feeder guppies and only 1 per week MAX!
[*]
Sometimes an algae breakout is a blessing.
I rather see algae if the skimmer slows down then a dead tank.
[*]
Live rock and sand that is live really ROCKS!
3 years later and I still have things that came with my live rock living in my tank. 1 blessing was a strange worm like thingy that cleans around my anemone and cleaner snails (forget the name).
[*]
If you are going to add an anemone to any tank that you plan to add corals to make sure you know how to kill the corals!
Corals are great but if they become overwhelming make sure you know how to deal with them or expect your anemone to suffer.
MH lighting for any tank is nice but IMO too dam bright and takes away from the tank itself.
I honestly don't like MH lighting. I find it takes away from the tank but I also enjoy shallower tanks so maybe that is just a personal preference. Going cheap with lighting is perfectly fine as long as you know what you are buying and know what you are looking for. IMO a cheap light with great reflectors is just as good as an expensive light with crappy reflectors.
Adding corals that have zooxanthellae IMO helps your bleached anemone get a re-start.
I accidentally bought my anemone with some starter corals. It's a long story but after all was said and done I believe adding the corals I did at the same time is what helped my anemone have a jump start.
Don't fix what is not broken! but replace heaters each year and skimmers when they show wear.
Your tank may look stale but you really need to leave it alone unless you plan to add a new tank mate.
If you can't see movement from top to bottom your tank has problems!
Say it the way you want to but get your water moving. Your fish may not care much for it but the health of your tank will suffer. Eventually the fish WILL adapt. Make sure you use some foam to cover those intakes or you WILL be sorry!
Anemones will tell you when they are hungry or if they need help and all you have to do is admire them for it.
When the tentacles look a little shorter than normal feed it. If they stay that way then change the bulbs.
IMO if you want an anemone then make the tank around the anemone and anything else in it MUST be anemone safe.
I spent months researching my setup before I put it all together and IMO it paid off. I have had some issues here and there but for the anemone and the clown-fish it has been a nice ride.
[*]
Sabeas like rocks as much as sand!
My Sabea from the start has never really moved from where it is perched up on a rock never ever going down to the live sand I have.
My 29 gallon aquarium uses 3 white and 1 blue bulbs each using 55 watts so I have 220 watts over this tank. Yes bright but IMO easier on the eyes than a dam MH and I don't even have to worry about the heat issue. I also setup these lights so that the white lights start over the anemone so that none of the 3 lights directly above the anemone is blue which IMO is just cosmetic in nature.
My setup is around my Sabea anemone and have no idea if any other anemone would suffer in my tank nor at this point would I even think about any other anemone as my tank is strong and made around my Sabea so if you wish to follow my advice above with anything but a Sabea then you are on your own.
I have had 3 bubble tip anemones in the past but honestly was an idiot and didn't research them and killed them quite quickly due to my own stupidity. After researching and reading hundreds and hundreds of posts I found my formula above as the norm for people who seam to have long lived Sabea anemones which was my ultimate goal. I have also found that 1 year for a Sabea is a milestone but going on 3 is difficult to find so research, take notes but compare, and ask others that own the EXACT one you are interested in. My tank temp, salinity, and even the salt I use was the norm for people I have found that had several years with there Sabea. Everything else in the tank either adapts to my Sabea specs or must find another home (just can't buy)
edit: fixed several spelling errors and added some extra info.
[*]
A perfect tank is a death trap.
IMO if a tank is sterile and no algae can survive for long periods of time it is not a place for an anemone. I am not suggesting that you allow algae to run rapid but leave a little room for algae in your tanks life or expect BIG trouble if anything goes wrong.
[*]
Special Anemone food is for rich people to feel good about themselves and a feeder guppy is the smart mans choice.
I have not found that feeding ONLY when the anemone looks bad (tentacles get smaller than normal) or the anemone is new and is bleached is needed. My anemone will be getting a guppy soon but it's been 6+ months since it's last feeding. Guess this means time to change the bulbs. And yes I only feed mine feeder guppies and only 1 per week MAX!
[*]
Sometimes an algae breakout is a blessing.
I rather see algae if the skimmer slows down then a dead tank.
[*]
Live rock and sand that is live really ROCKS!
3 years later and I still have things that came with my live rock living in my tank. 1 blessing was a strange worm like thingy that cleans around my anemone and cleaner snails (forget the name).
[*]
If you are going to add an anemone to any tank that you plan to add corals to make sure you know how to kill the corals!
Corals are great but if they become overwhelming make sure you know how to deal with them or expect your anemone to suffer.
MH lighting for any tank is nice but IMO too dam bright and takes away from the tank itself.
I honestly don't like MH lighting. I find it takes away from the tank but I also enjoy shallower tanks so maybe that is just a personal preference. Going cheap with lighting is perfectly fine as long as you know what you are buying and know what you are looking for. IMO a cheap light with great reflectors is just as good as an expensive light with crappy reflectors.
Adding corals that have zooxanthellae IMO helps your bleached anemone get a re-start.
I accidentally bought my anemone with some starter corals. It's a long story but after all was said and done I believe adding the corals I did at the same time is what helped my anemone have a jump start.
Don't fix what is not broken! but replace heaters each year and skimmers when they show wear.
Your tank may look stale but you really need to leave it alone unless you plan to add a new tank mate.
If you can't see movement from top to bottom your tank has problems!
Say it the way you want to but get your water moving. Your fish may not care much for it but the health of your tank will suffer. Eventually the fish WILL adapt. Make sure you use some foam to cover those intakes or you WILL be sorry!
Anemones will tell you when they are hungry or if they need help and all you have to do is admire them for it.
When the tentacles look a little shorter than normal feed it. If they stay that way then change the bulbs.
IMO if you want an anemone then make the tank around the anemone and anything else in it MUST be anemone safe.
I spent months researching my setup before I put it all together and IMO it paid off. I have had some issues here and there but for the anemone and the clown-fish it has been a nice ride.
[*]
Sabeas like rocks as much as sand!
My Sabea from the start has never really moved from where it is perched up on a rock never ever going down to the live sand I have.
My 29 gallon aquarium uses 3 white and 1 blue bulbs each using 55 watts so I have 220 watts over this tank. Yes bright but IMO easier on the eyes than a dam MH and I don't even have to worry about the heat issue. I also setup these lights so that the white lights start over the anemone so that none of the 3 lights directly above the anemone is blue which IMO is just cosmetic in nature.
My setup is around my Sabea anemone and have no idea if any other anemone would suffer in my tank nor at this point would I even think about any other anemone as my tank is strong and made around my Sabea so if you wish to follow my advice above with anything but a Sabea then you are on your own.
I have had 3 bubble tip anemones in the past but honestly was an idiot and didn't research them and killed them quite quickly due to my own stupidity. After researching and reading hundreds and hundreds of posts I found my formula above as the norm for people who seam to have long lived Sabea anemones which was my ultimate goal. I have also found that 1 year for a Sabea is a milestone but going on 3 is difficult to find so research, take notes but compare, and ask others that own the EXACT one you are interested in. My tank temp, salinity, and even the salt I use was the norm for people I have found that had several years with there Sabea. Everything else in the tank either adapts to my Sabea specs or must find another home (just can't buy)
edit: fixed several spelling errors and added some extra info.
rickross23
Active Member
How bigs the sebae? It will get HUGE!