A clownfish umbrella: What is your experience with bubble tip anemones?

[Peace River]

A clownfish umbrella: What is your experience with bubble tip anemones?

Bubble tip anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) are a favorite of many aquarists, and aspiring aquarists, because of their relationship with clownfish and for their own beauty. In the wild, clownfish often use this anemone for protection as the clownfish, unlike many potential predators, are resistant to the anemone’s stings. Although the risk is diminished in an aquarium, clownfish often enjoy the interaction with their host anemone. An anemone is not required for a clownfish and often, if an anemone is added to the tank, it is best added later once the tank has reached a greater level of stability and a mature environment has been established. Unfortunately, sometimes in the eagerness of setting up a tank, a clownfish and an anemone will be purchased for a new tank with less than desired results. Bubble tip anemones are easier to care for than some types of anemones and more difficult than others. What is your experience with bubble tip anemones?

Photo by @fabutahoun


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.topshelfaquatics.com

“Top Shelf Aquatics helps you feel confident in the quality, reliability, and consistency of getting everything you need for a perfect saltwater aquarium. From corals and fish to inverts and aquarium supplies, you can count on us to provide you with a seamless reefing experience.”

 

[Sleeping Giant]

love my nems and clownfish

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I currently do not have any but maybe in the future I will

 

[CollinReefs]

I had one in a 125 that was hosting a porcelain crab that was successful. I want one in my new nano, however I am very reluctant due to the close proximity of other corals

 

[vetteguy53081]

11 clowns . 3 bubble tip and clowns wont even look at the nems which is fine with me, yet they will go into elegance, mushrooms and euphyllias

 

[bushdoc]

I used to keep BTA for years, but it was growing, splitting and multiplying too much, also wandering around and destroying my corals, so I sold it.

 

[argiBK]

Been there, but have avoided doing keeping them again (they’re banned from my tank). They split and can become a plague on the tank, turning into very pretty aiptasia.

I’ve been recently tempted to keep a very high end CSB, but am worried it would commit allelopathy on my magnificas and giganteas.

 

[BionicReef73]

I started with 2 nems and now have 12, 6 in each tank.

 

[CBonito]

I've NEVER once in 25 years ever had one. Part of that is because if you wanted a Rose they were a fortune (which was nothing compared to now) and the Green ones were ugly so no one wanted them. I didn't anyway.

My clowns hosted a half-basketball sized frogspawn colony...that if I still had today, would have been a lot of car parts man. I remember when those were a few bucks a piece.

Now they want your kids future and all your freaking hopes and dreams for one that isn't ugly.

There will be too much water current in my new tank for them and it would probably be bad to feed all my corals pieces of one when it gets sucked into a pump.

 

[afrokobe]

nothing beats clowns sitting in a nem


Even with all the colors of high end corals, I still love watching my clowns go in and out of the nem in the softie tank.

 

[A_Tired_Shark]

My fiancé and I absolutely love our bubble tip anemones! Currently, we only have a rose bubble tip in our 32 Biocube. We used to have more in that tank, however, the rose bubble tip decided it wanted to be the only one in that tank and killed off the others. We do plan to keep more in the future in other tanks.

As far as the partnership between clowns and bubble tip anemones, I've never had them host. Like ever! The only creatures that ever hosted my bubble tips are my little herd of sexy shrimp. They'll host anything from bubble tips to rock anemones and certain corals.

 

[JoJosReef]

Yes, this looks perfectly natural.

A nice sized black widow and rainbow BTA just on the other side of the tank.

 

[shakacuz]

my CSBTA loves to leave its cup and roam my tank. it’s stung so many of my SPS to death(RTN), it has also got stuck in my nero 3, about 3-4 times within roaming the tank. this last roaming gave it a really low buzz cut and is now recovering.

in my experience they’re easy to keep once you have an established tank but i do dislike how often they decide to move or how they sting everything in their path until satisfied with their spot

attached are a before and after of the CSB

 

[CRABDADDY]

I've had success with my BTAs. For me they're very easy. I waited until my tank was over a year old to add them. My clown loves the anemones.

I do regret adding them to the 40g tank sometimes, as it frequently stings other corals because it's so large and splits often. I have a hard time removing the nems as well. Still, it's beautiful and the symbiosis is always entertaining.

My new 120g system is absolutely going to be anemone free.

I

 

[DHouse]

11 clowns . 3 bubble tip and clowns wont even look at the nems which is fine with me, yet they will go into elegance, mushrooms and euphyllias

A clownfish umbrella: What is your experience with bubble tip anemones?

Bubble tip anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) are a favorite of many aquarists, and aspiring aquarists, because of their relationship with clownfish and for their own beauty. In the wild, clownfish often use this anemone for protection as the clownfish, unlike many potential predators, are resistant to the anemone’s stings. Although the risk is diminished in an aquarium, clownfish often enjoy the interaction with their host anemone. An anemone is not required for a clownfish and often, if an anemone is added to the tank, it is best added later once the tank has reached a greater level of stability and a mature environment has been established. Unfortunately, sometimes in the eagerness of setting up a tank, a clownfish and an anemone will be purchased for a new tank with less than desired results. Bubble tip anemones are easier to care for than some types of anemones and more difficult than others. What is your experience with bubble tip anemones?

Photo by @fabutahoun


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.topshelfaquatics.com

“Top Shelf Aquatics helps you feel confident in the quality, reliability, and consistency of getting everything you need for a perfect saltwater aquarium. From corals and fish to inverts and aquarium supplies, you can count on us to provide you with a seamless reefing experience.”

I have one BTA and several Clowns. One Snowflake Clown has a relationship with this BTA but he will not let any other Clowns near it. That same Clown also loves my Hammers and Frogs and will not let the other Clowns near them as well. What is crazy is most Clowns will feed the Anemone but this one takes food from it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have one BTA and several Clowns. One Snowflake Clown has a relationship with this BTA but he will not let any other Clowns near it. That same Clown also loves my Hammers and Frogs and will not let the other Clowns near them as well. What is crazy is most Clowns will feed the Anemone but this one takes food from it.

Territorial they are and when a hierarchy is developed - it becomes THEIR real estate in the tank.

 

[Nano_Man]

Yep I keep them and the only problem they are filling the tank up splitting from time to time

 

[Reefer Matt]

I never had luck with any nems. I haven't tried to keep any in the last four years though, as I don't really have a need for them. My clowns all host in coral.

 

[jason2459]

Nope, no issues. In fact just the opposite. They took over my tank. lol

 

[zoomonster]

Love hate relationship with RBTA's. Beautiful but multiply like cockroaches and kill most anything in path except maybe shrooms. In the past 10 years I have gotten rid of 100's and got to a point it was hard to even give them away let alone sell. I should have learned my lesson in a tank from around 2000 where they took over. It's been a major undertaking cleaning out my 200 and just keeping some in a 32g. All they really need is nutrients, good light (always been mostly MH or Radions for me) and they thrive to excess. Here's an older pic before cleanout. Be careful what you wish for lol.