Carpet anemone...worth it?

[abecker]

I have been debating a carpet anemone for a while but can't decide whether to pull the trigger. For those that have/had ones, what have your experiences been?

 

[Z06-Hec]

I have had one for about 1.5 month. It looks nice, regular green, about 10-12 inches depending on its mood.
None of my clowns host in it so its pretty much boring. But it is nice to look at.
It also hasn't eaten anything I have put on it. I guess its getting what it needs from the lights.

 

[Tahoe61]

To keep the experience stress free I encourage those wanting to keep carpets anemones to create the system and buy those tank inhabitants that will coexist well with a carpet.

In the recent past I attempted to keep a Haddoni with sps, while aesthetically pleasing, once you invest money in expensive corals the worry that your Haddoni may at any time (middle of the night) go for a walk into your corals isn't a stress free experience. I removed the Haddoni in favor of my sps and I am really happy with that decision. If your tank is larger, 100 gallons and up than having a carpet with more expensive corals might not be as worrisome.

If you love your Mandarin keeping a carpet is a risk. Carpet anemones eat fish and it only takes one tiny contact with the anemone.

Yes a lot of hobbyist keep fantastic systems that house a mixed reef and varied fish types with carpets, but it comes with very real risk. For me personally if I ever keep carpets again my systems will be designed specifically for anemones.

 

[trio91]

To keep the experience stress free I encourage those wanting to keep carpets anemones to create the system and buy those tank inhabitants that will coexist well with a carpet.

In the recent past I attempted to keep a Haddoni with sps, while aesthetically pleasing, once you invest money in expensive corals the worry that your Haddoni may at any time (middle of the night) go for a walk into your corals isn't a stress free experience. I removed the Haddoni in favor of my sps and I am really happy with that decision. If your tank is larger, 100 gallons and up than having a carpet with more expensive corals might not be as worrisome.

If you love your Mandarin keeping a carpet is a risk. Carpet anemones eat fish and it only takes one tiny contact with the anemone.

Yes a lot of hobbyist keep fantastic systems that house a mixed reef and varied fish types with carpets, but it comes with very real risk. For me personally if I ever keep carpets again my systems will be designed specifically for anemones.

i just picked one up yesterday from Petco....i felt i had to save the little guy plus they were having a sale that i couldn't resist..in full bloom....he's about 6" and for $30 bucks i couldn't beat that ....but last night i pretty much re-aquascaped the tank (72gal bowfront) and relocated some my corals to the wife's tank in order to accommodate the big fella...ive kept anemones in the past so and have had good luck with them so i figured why not

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, my blue S. gigantea with a trio of ocellaris clowns and an anemone crab in it is by far my most interesting invert. It is way cooler than a bunch of artificial looking SPS corals that never do anything (which I no longer keep). :)

I've had it for a few years now, and it has grown from a little one (maybe 6" across) to probably 20" across.

 

[Z06-Hec]

Thats funny i just saw my local petco (S.I.) also had a large carpet very cheap. I almost bought it as well but didnt want to house it in the same location as my other carpet.
In my 150 tank i designated a nice spot for my carpet but a nice rock wall and put a lot of sand there. It stood in the spot and dig in that same night and while it has moved, its only been a few inches from the glass to the big rock i put to keep him in that location.

i just picked one up yesterday from Petco....i felt i had to save the little guy plus they were having a sale that i couldn't resist..in full bloom....he's about 6" and for $30 bucks i couldn't beat that ....but last night i pretty much re-aquascaped the tank (72gal bowfront) and relocated some my corals to the wife's tank in order to accommodate the big fella...ive kept anemones in the past so and have had good luck with them so i figured why not

 

[Armydogracing]

I have had carpet nems they are definitely beautiful anemones but more often then not they will end up killing one of your fish. I lost a pinkface wrasse to a carpet then the nem decided to go up into my mp40 and ended up killing the whole tank

 

[Akida17th]

FWIW, my blue S. gigantea with a trio of ocellaris clowns and an anemone crab in it is by far my most interesting invert. It is way cooler than a bunch of artificial looking SPS corals that never do anything (which I no longer keep). :)

I've had it for a few years now, and it has grown from a little one (maybe 6" across) to probably 20" across.

I love my purple/blue gig about 10" across that hosts 2 my fancy oscellaris clowns! Like Randy states, best thing in my tank I was so happy with it I decided to move away from corals and convert my mini reef into a carpet anemone tank. However, gigantea nems are very difficult and if you haven't raised one yet stick to a haddoni. Even with a haddoni at times you may need to treat so I would be prepared for that with antibiotics (cipro usually) and a 10 gallon hospital tank just in case. It's usual inevitable with gigs so it's mandatory. Your mandarin will get eaten at some point same with gobies usually.

 

[dbraun15]

I have both a Gig and Haddoni...both of them are my favorite inhabitants. Have lost numerous fish to my Haddoni, but you have to be willing to take that risk in order to care for one. My gig is only about 6 in and haven't had any issues with fish. Good luck.

 

[Trex]

I have had at least one S. haddoni in my care for the last ~ 20 years. The oldest one was in my care for about 13 years (( lost it when I introduced a new one that was infected -- this was before the treatment was known )). As long as I have a suitable tank, I will always have at least one.

I personally prefer S. haddoni, mainly because they are sandbed dwelling anemones, which frees up rock real estate for corals. Yes, you will lose a fish or two (( or three, or four )) to one, but that is a trade off. Of course some planning can help reduce that risk, but it will happen if you keep them long enough.

I currently have 2; a green one that I have had for 6+ years now, and a blue one that has been with me for a bit over a year. For about a year or so, I will be down to 1 tank (( building a new house, won't be ready until April, and will be staying at my future MIL's place )), and I am turn about keeping both. Sure that I will, but it will be a challenge.

 

[abecker]

Yeah, I think the idea of losing some fish it what is keeping me from pulling the trigger. I only have a few small corals right now in my 125 gallon along with a hippo tang, yellow tang, damsel, 2 black/white clownfish, and royal gramma. I have also been considering a flame angel.

 

[abecker]

What is the best way to tell the Haddoni from other carpet anemones? At the local stores they have just had them listed as carpet. I haven't ordered any livestock online mainly due to shipping costs and being home to receive the shipment.

 

[trio91]

What is the best way to tell the Haddoni from other carpet anemones? At the local stores they have just had them listed as carpet. I haven't ordered any livestock online mainly due to shipping costs and being home to receive the shipment.

im gonna post up a pic tonight for you guys to see....just in case i was wrong thinking it was a Haddoni

 

[Tahoe61]

It is way cooler than a bunch of artificial looking SPS corals that never do anything (which I no longer keep). :)

:eek:

Hey hey hey, now that was uncalled for. :p

 

[Tahoe61]

Stichodactyla Haddoni has very compact and short tentacles, similar to what you see on a Ricordia., there are also verrucae on the upper part of the column. Gigantea has more of a shag carpet appearance, with longer tentacles not as compact as the Haddoni. The Haddoni is going to be cheaper in price with green being a common color, but you can get much more expensive colored specimens.
I do not see a lot of Mertensii in the hobby or for sale.

 

[trio91]

Photo of my guy

 

[trio91]

A small portion of him is tucked behind the rock

 

[Tahoe61]

Photo of my guy

That looks like a Haddoni.

 

[Lynn52]

I had one for quite a while probably 15 years ago. I, too, got it at petco. It started really small but got to be over a foot across pretty fast. It hosted my Clarkii clown. Over time he ate all my fish, except the clarkii and most of my inverts. He had to go.

 

[abecker]

Also, for QT, what type of lighting would be needed? Would a regular grow bulb CFL be enough for a week or do I need a more expensive light to QT the nem.