Anemones and coral in an nano tank

[mister_pikel]

Hi, so I just started up a nano tank and it’s been running for about 2 weeks and I used Turbostart to get it cycled quick and now it has 2 clowns, a hermit, and a GSP coral on its own rock. I know you need to wait for a tank to stabilize and mature before getting a bubble tip anemone and I really want one for my clowns but I have a couple questions. 1: I really want to start putting a bunch of beginner corals like GSP (which I already have), Zoas, leathers, etc in but wouldn’t I have to wait until after I got the anemone in case it chose a spot where the corals were at? 2: is it possible to keep an anemone in a nano with other corals by a beginner? 3: I’ve considered torches instead because they can’t move and are supposedly easier than anemones but I’ve also heard clowns will kill them so does anyone have any info on this? 4: I really want a “flowy” feel to my tank if that makes sense so are there any corals like torches or anemones that would be fine with clowns but still flow and be wavy? Thanks in advance! My tank is a evo 13.5 btw

 

[homer1475]

Let me start off by saying... 13gallons is no where near large enough for a pair of clowns. While they are probably fine for now, they will outgrow that tank rather quickly.

BTA's are fine, but are not a normal host for clowns. My one clown lives in an elegance corals, and the other lives in my frogspawn, and I've had others that just host in a powerhead. Clowns are weird, what you want them to do, will be the exact opposite of what they will actually do.

At 2 weeks old, let the tank, and yourself mature a bit before you dump a bunch of money on corals only to loose them.

Your idea of putting the BTA in before the corals is a good one, except BTA's can and will go for a walk about some times.

FWIW, it's much harder to keep parameters stable in a small water volume compared to larger systems. Just a word of caution on that one.

 

[Coral Your World]

Two clowns will do plenty fine in a 13.5 gallon. Just be mindful that there won’t be much room for any other fish.

1. Go ahead with beginner coral once your tank cycles. Go slowly. You and your wallet will be much happier. Hold off on an anemone until your tank matures several months. It will choose a spot then may choose several more. They don’t always stay put and in a nano, that can be a pain.

2. Yes, though wait several months until you get a hang of things.

3. Never heard a clown kill a torch. I have had several coexist, including in my current tank. Have 3 small anemones. My clownfish don’t host any. Instead, they host a frogspawn.

4. Torches, frogspawn, hammers, xenia, cloves, goni, there are plenty

 

[mister_pikel]

Two clowns will do plenty fine in a 13.5 gallon. Just be mindful that there won’t be much room for any other fish.

1. Go ahead with beginner coral once your tank cycles. Go slowly. You and your wallet will be much happier. Hold off on an anemone until your tank matures several months. It will choose a spot then may choose several more. They don’t always stay put and in a nano, that can be a pain.

2. Yes, though wait several months until you get a hang of things.

3. Never heard a clown kill a torch. I have had several coexist, including in my current tank. Have 3 small anemones. My clownfish don’t host any. Instead, they host a frogspawn.

4. Torches, frogspawn, hammers, xenia, cloves, goni, there are plenty

Do you think it would also be able to handle a yellow watchman goby or would that be pushing it? That is the only other fish I was interested in adding but wasn’t sure if it was a good idea in the long run

 

[Coral Your World]

Never have had a watchman goby but believe they can get on the larger side? Could it work, probably, especially if you get a small one, but perhaps consider getting a goby that stays small long term