which anenome or ????????????? coral ???? or ????

[cowbuoy]

I eventually would like to purchase an anenome for my pair of ocellaris clowns. i know that they don't need one to live but I would like to get one. which type would be the best for the following

[hr]
50 gallon tank (18" high/deep) with about 40lbs LR, 60lbs LS and 200 watts
Compact Fluorescent Lamps
(CORALIFE 36" DOUBLE AQUALIGHT
DOUBLE LINEAR STRIP two 100 WATT BULBS (200 WATTS TOTAL) -
( 1 is Actinic/ 1 is 10,000K) (medium /medium high light??)
1 have two powerheads with a combined output of 350gph plus my multi-skimmer moves 200gph ---- so I am moving over 10 times my tank volume per hour (medium/medium high circulation??)
also I have heard that Clowns are known for hosting in many corals, including frogspawns, torches, xenia, leathers, tree's, and even green star polyps

[hr]
Which (if any) would be better choices??
I would prefer a green or yellow coral/anenome -- or at least colorful

 

[j-cal]

I really like LTA I know corals are easier, but I've never had a problem w/ my LTA and its a bright green w/ white tips.

 

[shep]

I have true4 percs that went to green atar after anenome death and refuse to give up the green star as a host...they even take food to it.

 

[cowbuoy]

Thanks but what is an LTA and what is a green star???
and would they (either) work with my lighting and circulation?
oh sorry green star POLYPS
Thanks again

 

[killafins]

I don't know if ur off this subject but there are no exact amount of lighting for anenome's... there like corals... some like alot... some can't stand alot... etc.... pluse... just don't get them....

 

[killafins]

I posted this in the new hobbyist forum but i thought it could do well here:
Personally, i think half the people on this board arn't ready for an anenome (no offense) it's just because of these reasons...
Here's a few numbers to think about....
***50 percent of anenome's bought are dead within three months.
***5 percent of experienced hobbyists (2 or more yers of experience) had managed to keep an anenome for at least two years. Meaning 95 percent have failed.
1 in 13 anenomes are said to survive for three or more years.... 1 out of 32 will survieve five or more years. These are even worst and very upsetting numbers.
***Now with these animals, 5 years is considered success (which is quite sad) because in nature a clown hosting anenome can live past a couple hundred years. So around 5 years, the anenome is still considered an infant. THe reason why they survive so long is the wild is cause they only grow old when natural disaster, disease or something along those lines happen.
***Now, here's even a worst number... less than 3 percent of anenome's sold have ever made it to age 5...
***To put this all in prospective... these numbers compared to humans.... growing a child to one year would be considered complete success...
All of this information was from a very informative magazine labeled Tropical Fish hobbyist... i majorly paraprhased but the statistics were studied.... the writer of this article on anenome's was Rob Toonen, PH. D doing the ASK THE REEFER column

 

[cowbuoy]

sounds AWFUL!!!!!!!
killafins - what do you suggest as an alternative???
sounds like I am bound to failure
we need to figure out what people that are able to keep them are doing that others are not

 

[searcher]

There are a couple of threads on here regarding alternate hosts for clowns. I think the most recent one was titled unusual hosts. Mine host with mushrooms.

 

[killafins]

it is... but even those who are doing good are actually doing horrible. they are doing good to OUR standards but to theire life term in the ocean it's quite awful.
The major thing people do is esperience people learn the keys to the saltwater aquarium, patience and research. With alot of corals they all want different amount of lighting.
But people don't think anenome's dont'... they all can be in the same amount of lighting. But that's incorrect.
Personally, I don't know what people do differently for these beauties, because in my beginner years (whispers) i bought an anenome and it didn't last the night.
Of course that was before I was part of this lovely forum and that was before i learned the importance of listening to ur LFS, never forgetting what there saying but ALWAYS double checking it.
Maybe someone who is reading this has kept anenome's for a good amount of time and can put in there 2 cents... but personally, i wouldn't count anyone who has kept an anenome for less than 6 years, someone to take there word as the holy scroll to anenome keeping. I would avoid it if i was you...
My long term goal is to keep an anenome in my 20 gallon... i presume i'll be ready for one in 2 years

 

[wrassecal]

Killafins is basically correct. The good news on the horizen is that tank raised bubbletip anenomes are becoming more available. If you do decide to go with an anenome ( once your tank is ready) I would only recommend one of these. Other easier to keep corals that clowns will sometimes host in are colt coral, green star polyps and hairy/fuzzy mushrooms. Or there is always the chance that no matter what you offer they will host the powerhead

 

[killafins]

bubble tips, IMO... should still be left to experts...

 

[bdhough]

clowns will host in anything that waves. Sometimes not. Just depends. Try a frog or hammer spawn. They come in a variety of colors and would be a bit easier to keep than an anemone

 

[wrassecal]

Originally posted by killafins
bubble tips, IMO... should still be left to experts...
I'm not disagreeing with you, I think to be considered an expert my bta would have to outlive me. I'm just pointing out that bta's are one that is becoming more readily available as tank raised which means if and when we fail, we have not failed the reefs. IMO

 

[cowbuoy]

i guess i am not up on the "LINGO" (to use the phrase from a TV show)
but are frog or hammer spawn a type of coral????????
and whats a LTA --- (i am guessing long tip anenome????? is that a generic type????)

 

[wrassecal]

frogspawn...

 

[wrassecal]

hammer coral...

 

[killafins]

Originally posted by Wrassecal
I'm not disagreeing with you, I think to be considered an expert my bta would have to outlive me. I'm just pointing out that bta's are one that is becoming more readily available as tank raised which means if and when we fail, we have not failed the reefs. IMO
I didn't think so at all... lol... i guess that's a good way to look at it. But yeah i would go with the frog spawn personally.

 

[reefnut]

I would take that hammer coral over an anenome any day...

 

[crazy8]

I'm amazed to learn how bad the stats are for anenome survival. Every LFS I have ever been to has them for sale and they always look good. So for a LFS which is basically running a 3000 gal tank is an anenome easy enough to raise and keep, or do they just bet on the fact that it will be sold before they have to worry about it?
And Reef, I agree.....love the hammer.
But as was pointed out earlier, my clown seems to just love one of my MaxiJet 900's. Sits there and shakes his little tail in the current having the best time.

 

[jacksonpt]

Clown hosting in corals will be very hit or miss. From my experience, there's no way to tell if a coral will host a clown. My maroon clown tries to live in my Xenia, mushrooms, and button polyps. None of the corals appreciate him, and close up immediately. I think he has gotten the hint as he is spending much more time hovering over my carpet anemone (not a natural host for maroons).
Anyways... for your setup, I'd say a tank raised bubble tip anemone would be a good way to go. BTAs don't require as much light as some other anemones (I had one for 2 years under normal output lighting). And since they are becoming more available as tank raised specimens, that means that you are probably getting an anemone that has a better chance of survival, and you aren't impacting the natural reefs.
Here's the big catch though... from my 3 years in this hobby, I've come to the conclusion that the 2 biggest factors in keeping an anemone, regardless of species, are: (1) getting a healty specimen, and (2) feeding. Anemones have very, very slow metabolisms, so you could buy one from your LFS that looks great. It could appear to be perfectly happy, then a month later it dies. You never had a chance because the anemone's health was declining before you ever saw it at the LFS. Like all living creatures, anemones need adequate nutrition to survive. A lot of their nutrition comes from photosynthesis - that's why proper lighting is soooo important. However, you will also need to feed the anemone regularly, with a variety of foods.
If you can get a healty anemone, and keep it nutritionally satisfied, anemones are wonderful (and hardy) animals. However, this is very much easiers said than done.
**flame suit on**