Killer carpet anemone

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stokessc

Guest
So..I just had to purchase a carpet anemone for my percula's to play in and they were hosted quickly(1 small step for fish...1 giant leap for anemone's). But, after about 2 weeks of progress, I noticed my other fish getting a bit chummy and too curious with the anemone.
You guessed it. The day before yesterday, I found my scooter blenny lying next to the carpet and yesterday, I found my favorite purple tang in the same spot

So..I pulled "shaggy"(the carpet) out, traded him at my lfs for a new blenny/tang and I think I'm done with anemone's for quite a while. The good news is that one of my percula's has quickly adopted my green hairy mushrooms as a surrogate anemone (I'm really thinking that mushrooms are an excellent substitute since they stay put and don't kill any of my critters)
Anyone else have similar experiences with "killer anemone's"? It was a beautiful symbiotic relationship but not worth losing my prise fish over.
Steve
 

perk3211

Member
I also had a carpet,note had, for almost a year. It proceede on eating 4-5 of my fish. Got it a crab anemone to keep away nosy nieghbors but, it couldn't be stopped!!!
 
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stokessc

Guest
I figured that I would hear from people with similar experiences. So..are all anemones dedicated assassins or do you think that carpets are more fiendish than something like a BTA?
My one clown seems happy with the hairy mushroom but my other percula is still left out. I was thinking about another option on the opposite side of the tank(perhaps frogspawn or another good alternative to anemones).
How do the rest of you provide good symbiotic relationships for your clowns without dealing with the homocidal tendancies of anemone's?
Steve
 

alyssia

Active Member
I think carpets are meaner than other anemones. I have seen many people post on here that their carpets ate their fish.
 

dogstar

Active Member
I agree, any anemone large enough will try to catch a fish if given a chance. Carpets seem to be pretty good at it...some fish are risky keeping with anemones like ones that are not strong swimmers or without bladders like Gobies and Blennys, ect. that can not get away or swim over or around. Plus when adding a new anemone to a tank with established fish, the fish are used to the tank and know it like the back of their hand. When the anemone is added and the fish are not used to it or aware that its there then they can swim into them by habit or if spooked.....I have had mine for years and think I have lost a sleeper goby to the LTA.
 

fishy7

Active Member
I have 2 BTA's and never seem them eat any fish. Now the other day, I did see where my naso was stung pretty bad. He is all better now. Fish learn quickly who to mess with and who to stay away from.
Nature is so cool, those clown fish are in and out all the time and never stung.
 
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