Good Fit Anemones for Your Reef Aquarium?

[Ghostweim]

The BTA may not be accepting the clowns as BTAs do not host Occelaris or Percula clowns in the wild. To my understanding they will only host Maroons, Clarkiis and some other species in captivity but not the Occ or Percs.
In the background it looks like you’ve got an Occelaris which is why the Nem is most likely not accepting the clown as a guest.

So which ones are the best for hosting Occ or Percs?

I voted other since my tank is too young - and I would love to get an anemone for my two clowns. I understand that they might not host it, but would love to give it a try.

 

[Jorge Sanchez]

This is a close-up picture of my nano tank 20 gal, showing a small bubble tip anemone...

 

[Reefjockey]

I have a giant carpet nem that I'm considering rehoming. While it hasn't moved since the day I put it in the tank, it has eaten a half dozen of my fish in the past year.

Feel your pain. I also have a carpet that is great at making me guess where a new fish or critter might be hiding. More than once the answer was his stomach.

 

[fishnsoldier]

Dont move as much as most nems, they still can move though.

Dumb question was is a RFA? Not familiar with the acronym. Thanks in advance.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Dumb question was is a RFA? Not familiar with the acronym. Thanks in advance.

Rock flower anemone

 

[doubleshot00]

RFA for the win. (wifes tank for reference)

BTA’s are for reefers that prefer Lanthanum Cloride. Joking calm down.

 

[carbasaurus]

Generally good success with bubble tips. They also split regularly and get me credit at my LFS. Can’t get a clown to pair with them to save my life, but anenome crabs and shrimp bond pretty quickly

 

[Seascapes]

We're talking anemones and clownfish this week so today let's dial in on some anemone talk! Many of us love anemones. The way they look, the way they eat. The way they move in the water column, their colors and more. But not all anemones are suitable for a reef aquarium environment. Let's talk about this today!

What anemone have you found to be a good fit for a reef aquarium?

Do you currently have an anemone in your reef tank and if so which one? (aiptasia don't count)

Red Rainbow Haddoni Carpet Anemone image via @PacificEastAquaculture

I voted other. My Moca clown pair are more interested in the water return and not the nem I had. Maybe because they were captive bred and don't know what a nem is.. I guess. It was a waste getting one and I haven't tried in a while. Nems are beautiful creatures and I would love to get another one. What kind of nems do mocha clowns like? I'm lost at this point.

 

[Silverfish]

Hi,
Think twice before you put an anenome in your tank. The sight of a clown fish pair frolicking in an anenome is awesome. Nothing says saltwater aquarium than that!
Then the anenome grows…then stretches….then stings the crap out of anything within a foot of it bc it can…. and it will!
So like everything in this hobby it’s all about planning for the future. I just want people to know the other side of this decision.
Thanks!

 

[billyocean]

I have RFAs..would love a bubble tip or something similar. Problem is they move too much and split all the time. Everyone starts with one and ends up with a tankfull. I know you can sell them...they are awesome though.

 

[i cant think]

I voted other. My Moca clown pair are more interested in the water return and not the nem I had. Maybe because they were captive bred and don't know what a nem is.. I guess. It was a waste getting one and I haven't tried in a while. Nems are beautiful creatures and I would love to get another one. What kind of nems do mocha clowns like? I'm lost at this point.

In the wild, percula and occys will be hosted by both Carpet Anemones (Haddoni and Gigantean) and the magnificent anemone (H. magnifica). They don’t get hosted by BTAs naturally which is most likely why having an anemone didn’t work.

 

[glency]

I love nems

 

[SlugSnorter]

Dumb question was is a RFA? Not familiar with the acronym. Thanks in advance.

Rock Flower Anemone (Phymanthus spp.)

 

[SHINYSuccubus]

I have a few rbta nems which stay put and bother nothing

your rbta’s stay put?!? i had a gorgeous rbta which split and both he and his split ran roughshod over my entire tank. they killed three separate torches simply by deciding to sit on them for a while and totally destroyed a huge swath of gso’s. they were so beautiful, but after a couple years my tank looked like a desert! they were rehomed, and i now have a plain long tentacled nem who does nothing but engage in an eternal symbiotic love fest with my evil tempered maroon/gold clown Caitlyn. Caitlyn adored the rbta’s as well, but she was able to easily transfer her affections. What a hussy!

 

[Ablondekat]

I currently have a rose BTA, It stays on the opposite side of my 150 gallon tank from my long finger leather. I have 2 large black ocellaris clowns. They are in the leather and want nothing to do with the nem.
I have a 32 gallon bio cube with the longe tenical leather and the 2 orange ocellaris's don't go in the leather. I wonder if they would if I had a BTA in that tank?

 

[Lobotomy99]

We got an RBTA after we already had our clowns in the tank for over 6 months. The clowns wanted nothing to do with the RBTA. The RBTA died within two months of owning it, never moved from its spot (we bought it on the rock it had been on at the lfs) we had three different sources tell us water params we’re fine (some on this site, too) he ate fine for the first month (fed him pieces of fresh scallop from a local fish market) but eventually ended up loosing all zoo, then lost all its tentacles and the disk just disintegrated. We pulled it out of the tank just after the expulsion of the zoo, because I guess RTBA are toxic when they die? Maybe my clowns never took to it because they knew it was sick? Photos inserted from day of arrival up to when it started dying.

 

[beginner_reefer]

I love my RFA's!! I have a mini max carpet nem that I CAN NOT get to attach to anything! I have it in a glass because it just keeps wading up and floating around the tank. If anyone has any suggestions on how to get it to attach to a rock, please let me know!

 

[i cant think]

I love my RFA's!! I have a mini max carpet nem that I CAN NOT get to attach to anything! I have it in a glass because it just keeps wading up and floating around the tank. If anyone has any suggestions on how to get it to attach to a rock, please let me know!

I attach all my nems to the glass and let them move if they want. Or I’ll find a good anchor in the rock to put him in. Both ways I’ll hold them in a cup with my hand over the top of the anemone and hold it there for a good 5 minutes or so until attached.

 

[beginner_reefer]

I attach all my nems to the glass and let them move if they want. Or I’ll find a good anchor in the rock to put him in. Both ways I’ll hold them in a cup with my hand over the top of the anemone and hold it there for a good 5 minutes or so until attached.

Maybe I should place it somewhere and then put a glass over it like you suggested and see if that helps it to attach. My flow may be to high for a carpet nem, IDK

 

[i cant think]

Maybe I should place it somewhere and then put a glass over it like you suggested and see if that helps it to attach. My flow may be to high for a carpet nem, IDK

My mini maxi is right under the highest point of flow. I wouldnt underestimate a mini maxi.