$$Which to Buy$$

[nolesfan06]

I believe I'm ready to have an anemone and clownfish. I was thinking about getting a tomato clown or a false percula. Is there a big difference in the care of either? What would be the best anemone for a tomato, a RBTA or a LTA?

By the way this site rocks!!

 

[thomas712]

Care of either would be that you have a:
Well established stable tank
Live rock and live sand
control over nutrients
Good if not great water conditions
Care of anemones would mean that you have:
Proper lighting
Plenty of patients
Proper lighting
And of course many other usual healthy maintenance habits.
What I would suggest depends on what your system is like, and of course details about your lighting. Could you give me a few details about them?
Thomas

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by nolesfan06
I believe I'm ready to have an anemone and clownfish. I was thinking about getting a tomato clown or a false percula. Is there a big difference in the care of either? What would be the best anemone for a tomato, a RBTA or a LTA?

By the way this site rocks!!

Going along with what Thomas wrote; an anemone needs pristine water and a very well established tank. How long has your tank been up?

 

[nolesfan06]

Well....My tank has been up for about 5-6 months. It's a 40 cube tank with 25 lbs live rock. I have a protien skimmer and a emperor 330 to move the water and i heard anemones like good circulation so i am going to buy a powerhead for more current. Tommorrow i am getting a 175 watt metal halide in the mail to go over the tank. The only thing alive in the tank is 10 hermits, 10 snails and a damsel.

So do u guys think i am have an adequate setup to make a home for one???

 

[nolesfan06]

bump

 

[nolesfan06]

Well can I???

 

[jcrim]

FYI tomatoes don't host with anenomes as much as other clowns.

 

[ross]

Get the false perc and the BTA or RBTA, whichever is good. Most clowns dont seem to like LTA.

 

[dea_mt]

you know most clownfish will host many corals just as they would an anemone. i have a green BTA but my clowns mostly hang out under my yellow fiji leather and only rarely hang out in the anemone.

 

[clown123]

my clowns wich are percs only like lts they wont touch the big nice carpet i hate it.

 

[csupdog]

Research is key noles! Definetly without a doubt I would only recommend a BTA, Bubble tip anemone, or Entacmaea quadricolor.
reasons are:
1) you are new this!
2) BTAs are the most successful anemone in an aquarium.
3) with the setup you have, your choices are limited.
Clownfish I would recommend,
Cinnamon (A. melanopus)
Clark (A. clarkii)
Tomato (A. frenatus)
Maroon (P. biaculeatus)
Red Sea (A. bicinctus)
Percs dont like BTAs and rarely go into saddle carpets, they do like Stichodactyla gigantea but I doubt you have one of those.
I have been keeping anemones for 12 years, one thing I learned is, to dedicate a seperate anemone tank. I have a 24x18x18 tank, with 3 BTAs and 5 bicinctus, red sea blenny, a few shoots of Kenya soft branching corals and some blue zooanthids.
Theres no skimmer on this tank, just alot of circulation and 150w HQI/65w PC. Change 10% water every 2-3 weeks.
One other bit of advice, BTAs will wonder around the tank alot till they find a cozy spot, so watch out for intakes on your pumps, they can get sucked up!

 

[jwp5560]

For what it is worth, I have a tomato clown and a BTA. I got my clown first. I had him for about a month before I got the BTA. It took about half a day for the tomato to host but he did. I do have to admit that I was a little worried at first that he wouldn't. Now it seems like the tomato hates to leave the BTA. Usually he only leaves to feed. Very neat to watch. Just be patient I guess. Just my two cents I guess.

 

[nolesfan06]

i've added a couple corals to the tank: hammer coral frag, pulsating xenias, some zoos, and a fuzzy plate looking coral i cant remember the name. if i put the clown in now what is the chance he will host one of these instead of the bta. i'm going to have a bta in the tank in couple weeks.