20 Gallon Anemone Tank

[thomas_neil]

I'm planning my new tank and wanted to turn my 20 gallon into a symbiotic pairs tank. I'm thinking rose bubble tip, black widow, and a Colorado sun burst for the BTA and a pair of clowns. For this pair I'm wondering what clowns will host the best. I currently have the OG clowns and a rose bta and they don't even know it exists. My next question will be will these anemones get along in a 20 gallon cube?

My next pair will be to try and get some sexy shrimp to host a rock flower nem. Maybe do a couple lower in the tank.

Last I'd like to do a pistol shrimp/goby pair. Probably the yasha goby since they stay smaller and one of the smaller pistols. My concern with this would be the pistol shrimp messing with the sexy shrimp and the rock flower nems.

I want to keep the nems and pistol shrimp goby pair out of the main display tank, but these are my wife's favorite things in the hobby, so I want to set something up that she can really enjoy.

 

[garygb]

I'm planning my new tank and wanted to turn my 20 gallon into a symbiotic pairs tank. I'm thinking rose bubble tip, black widow, and a Colorado sun burst for the BTA and a pair of clowns. For this pair I'm wondering what clowns will host the best. I currently have the OG clowns and a rose bta and they don't even know it exists. My next question will be will these anemones get along in a 20 gallon cube?

My next pair will be to try and get some sexy shrimp to host a rock flower nem. Maybe do a couple lower in the tank.

Last I'd like to do a pistol shrimp/goby pair. Probably the yasha goby since they stay smaller and one of the smaller pistols. My concern with this would be the pistol shrimp messing with the sexy shrimp and the rock flower nems.

I want to keep the nems and pistol shrimp goby pair out of the main display tank, but these are my wife's favorite things in the hobby, so I want to set something up that she can really enjoy.

Maroons, tomatoes and cinnamon clowns are sure bets, as they are naturally hosted by BTAs in the wild. And, yes, if you maintain your parameters well, a 20 gallon is fine for BTAs; however, whether the different variants of BTAs will get along, time will tell. I have BTAs, but they are all clones from the same original one I got over 15 years ago. So I can't speak to success mixing those variants. A skimmer, GAC and regular water changes would likely mitigate any allelopathy, if any might exist.

 

[thomas_neil]

Maroons, tomatoes and cinnamon clowns are sure bets, as they are naturally hosted by BTAs in the wild. And, yes, if you maintain your parameters well, a 20 gallon is fine for BTAs; however, whether the different variants of BTAs will get along, time will tell. I have BTAs, but they are all clones from the same original one I got over 15 years ago. So I can't speak to success mixing those variants. A skimmer, GAC and regular water changes would likely mitigate any allelopathy, if any might exist.

Probably should have elaborated on the equipment and schedule a little more. I have an AI prime on it currently, skimmer, heater, ATO, Mighty jet mini, and an MP10. Ill have this tank next to the main display so it will be easy to just change out 2 gallons a week while I do the main tanks water change. I want this to be a lower maintenance tank with just bi weekly to monthly PO4 and NO3 tests. Only real uptake should be calcium for the shrimp and snails, but weekly water changes should keep that in check.

I'll be taking everything out that's currently in it and starting over/transfer coral to new tank.

 

[blazer613]

I'm interested in setting up a nem only tank too. I have a 13.5 sitting here completely clean and empty - just upgraded to a WB 25. I'm about to upgrade my 50 gallon tank and plan on using all new sand and rocks in the new tank so I can pull some from the 50 to setup the 13.5. I'm thinking that it would be nothing but nems and clowns. Thoughts and/or advise on making this happen?

 

[D-Nak]

I would not recommend mixing BTA morphs in a 20 gallon tank. Folks with much larger tanks are anecdotally reporting having problems mixing them (CSBs and ChSBs usually being the losers). Allelopathy is a very slow process. I oftentimes recommend taking photos and looking back at them; many times you'll see a slow decline of one or more anemones. Typically you don't notice it when looking at the tank on a daily basis. Until one day, the anemone that's slowly receding disappears or dies.

Regarding the shrimp, since they inhabit different areas of the tank--pistol shrimp will stay close to their burrow, especially if accompanied by a goby and anemone shrimp never leave their host--you should be totally fine.

 

[thomas_neil]

I would not recommend mixing BTA morphs in a 20 gallon tank. Folks with much larger tanks are anecdotally reporting having problems mixing them (CSBs and ChSBs usually being the losers). Allelopathy is a very slow process. I oftentimes recommend taking photos and looking back at them; many times you'll see a slow decline of one or more anemones. Typically you don't notice it when looking at the tank on a daily basis. Until one day, the anemone that's slowly receding disappears or dies.

Regarding the shrimp, since they inhabit different areas of the tank--pistol shrimp will stay close to their burrow, especially if accompanied by a goby and anemone shrimp never leave their host--you should be totally fine.

Thanks! Ill stick to just one kind of bubble tips and rock flower nems. If there are any problems with the rock flowers I can always move those into the main display.

 

[garygb]

Thanks! Ill stick to just one kind of bubble tips and rock flower nems. If there are any problems with the rock flowers I can always move those into the main display.

I have BTAs with RFAs without any issues.