Carpet Anemone Dilemma

[Reef GE]

I bought an established reef tank from someone and have recently set it up in my home. The tank also included coral and other livestock. Included was a large green carpet anemone. The owner tells me that it will not bother my fish or corals and he never had a problem with it. I, of course, I have my doubts. If I moved the carpet anatomy to a 35 gallon tank, I could keep it with clown fish as a Sort of nano tank. Having had no experiences with carpet anemones, my question is whether the 35 gallon tank is sufficient. I hear carpets are difficult to keep...exactly why is that? Because they are predatory or because they need steady parameters. My 35 gallon tank is basically a quarantine tank with a Seachem Tidal 55 hang on the back filter. No skimmer. No other filtration. I would like to put the carpet in there permanently. Any advice? What lighting would be necessary. And relatively inexpensive!?

 

[sprungson]

I have 6 carpets in a 55 gallon tank that's currently under two radion gen 5 XR15 pros. Depending on the size of the carpet, i think a 35g might be OK for a while, but it could outgrow it. One of my carpets is 1.5 feet and im definitely going to upgrade to a 200G because of him. Here is my advice:

• You will need good lights, but it does not need to be a lot of lights. I've only had mine under high quality lights (AP700, Radion gen 4, and radion gen 5).
• You will also need at least 3" of sand or more! When I had less than 3", they did not seem as happy.
• Please also be mindful that a carpet is capable of blocking overflows and flooding tanks when they move. Mine moves occasionally.
• Cover your powerheads (Nem protect is good)
• 35G may be OK for medium term , but you'll eventually need to home it in a larger tank. If you don't feed it, this will buy you more time. But, please share a pic of your tank and the carpet, I might change my mind depending on the dimensions.
• I've had my carpet with no water change and no skimmer for 6 months (but i also did not feed for 6 months). I had only cardinal and firefish that ate copepods and worms. This was only because my life events kept me from focusing on the tanks. My idea practice is daily feedings and 10% weekly water changes. I still do think you could get away without a skimmer. I can tell you my carpet doubled in size during this period.

BTW, my carpets have ate plenty of fish. My tank is all clowns and that one cardinal now. It has eaten a jawfish, a blenny, a wrasse, and a baby tang.

 

[Reefbuds]

Hey dude. I've had a large haddoni for a while now, almost 3 years. For the first year or so I was on top of water changes and close observation of tank parameters. Of course the last year has been much different. Havnt checked parameters in months nor have I done water changes. Not sure if everything is cool because of an old stable tank or if the anemone is just cool with the tank it's been in for so long. Really tho idk man, they are suppose to be super hard to keep.. I think it has to do with stability of the environment in which it has acclimatized to.

But to your question, it depends on the age of the tank and size of the anemone.