Good Fit Anemones for Your Reef Aquarium?

[Tamale]

Added my first BTA today (Rainbow)! Followed all the awesome advice scattered throughout the forum and hopefully it goes well. Put him near a spot on the top with a nice hole and after attaching his foot (did it immediately) he walked right into it after about an hour. Nice and bubbled up and seems settled in for now at least haha

Wish me luck!

 

[Cool Ethan]

I'm strongly considering picking up my first tonight. My lfs got in some gorgeous rainbow BTAs this week that are super tempting.

 

[true perculas]

I can’t post a picture for some reason but my favorite anemones are carpets. I currently have a carpet hosting a pair of true perculas

 

[beginner_reefer]

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

Well.....mine has tossed and tumbled all over the tank and has now sucked up to the wave maker. I really think he is trying to bale on me.

 

[beginner_reefer]

I can’t post a picture for some reason but my favorite anemones are carpets. I currently have a carpet hosting a pair of true perculas

Do you have them at a base of a rock or on the sand bed? I CAN NOT get mine to attach or stay anywhere!! Driving me CRAZY!!!

 

[i cant think]

Do you have them at a base of a rock or on the sand bed? I CAN NOT get mine to attach or stay anywhere!! Driving me CRAZY!!!

I’d try find an anchor in the rock you can hold it into.

 

[true perculas]

Do you have them at a base of a rock or on the sand bed? I CAN NOT get mine to attach or stay anywhere!! Driving me CRAZY!!!

Mine is at the base. It used to be covered by sand but the clowns moved all the sand out so now it’s just the bottom on the tank lol

 

[Kellie in CA]

I like RFA’s and Mini-Maxi’s but…. They always move and always to a super unfortunate area next to something expensive. So they are no for me now.

 

[Wasabiroot]

I'm surprised there isn't a survey option of "no, but i would in the future".

I think bubble tips are probably the best choice. Some of the cheaper anemones work great but can get enormous, and a few others require specialized care when imported from the wild. I would consider adding an anemone to my next build, but with my current 50g having most spots already taken up by corals, I wouldn't want to risk an anemone "walkabout".

 

[JoeM]

I voted “other”. It’s complicated.

I love BTAs and sebae anemones, but they are more trouble than they’re worth in a high-density SPS tank, where limiting risk is the way of the walk.

They are valuable addition to a softy tank, where an anemone’s unexpected/unwanted move doesn’t potentially ring up a three-figure bill in losses.

I’m tempted to try a RFA because my Picasso clown pair has nested and laid eggs on my back glass and they look sad.

 

[Tamale]

I voted “other”. It’s complicated.

I love BTAs and sebae anemones, but they are more trouble than they’re worth in a high-density SPS tank, where limiting risk is the way of the walk.

They are valuable addition to a softy tank, where an anemone’s unexpected/unwanted move doesn’t potentially ring up a three-figure bill in losses.

I’m tempted to try a RFA because my Picasso clown pair has nested and laid eggs on my back glass and they look sad.

Just a heads up your clowns will almost certainly ignore a flower nem haha

 

[i cant think]

I voted “other”. It’s complicated.

I love BTAs and sebae anemones, but they are more trouble than they’re worth in a high-density SPS tank, where limiting risk is the way of the walk.

They are valuable addition to a softy tank, where an anemone’s unexpected/unwanted move doesn’t potentially ring up a three-figure bill in losses.

I’m tempted to try a RFA because my Picasso clown pair has nested and laid eggs on my back glass and they look sad.

RFAs don’t host fish but do host much smaller inverts. Same thing occurs with Mini Maxi Anemones.

 

[紫色141]

这是我的

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I enjoyed the success with my RBTAs They split and stayed on the same peak for about two years. But when 7 turned into 8 urrrg! number 8, “the social one” decided he needed to introduce himself to my sps corals. They weren’t impressed. I might some day try a long tentacle. I don’t recall them splitting.

 

[Coralreefer1]

I bought 2 RBTA’s about a year ago. I now have 9 RBTA’s! My Clarke Clowns are loving life. My Nano Tank is one big group of anemones with some Zoanthids and encrusting SPS thriving on the rock where my anemones are not.

 

[52728299]

If not for anemones I wouldn't have a reef tank.

After having a variety of them from the magnifica, to carpets, and even Condys .......

The ONLY anemone I would ever keep is a Long Tentacle.

Don't like splitters. Carpets are fish killers. Seabaes are fish killers. Magnifica is an all around PITA.

I can keep a LTA put. Doesn't split. It visually dominates it's area of the tank. It's just a nice all around anemone and it's easy to keep.

If you rock in it solidly it won't move. It won't climb over rocks and the only time they let go is if you have serious water quality issues.

How long until a tank is mature enough for a lta give or take? I like the points you made and really like the look of the purple long tentacle.. only anemone I've kept was a sebae he was a good anemone for over a year, hosted my clowns and didn't move after finding his spot in the rock. Until that fateful day it killed my kole tang

 

[bxclent]

I just ordered 2. One for my Nano and one for my Coralife 29.
Wish me luck !

 

[RichReef]

How long until a tank is mature enough for a lta give or take? I like the points you made and really like the look of the purple long tentacle.. only anemone I've kept was a sebae he was a good anemone for over a year, hosted my clowns and didn't move after finding his spot in the rock. Until that fateful day it killed my kole tang

I've been through this twice and I'm about to do it again. Move my LTA to a new tank.

They like clean water. The cleaner the better. Once you can grow some algae and keep some snails (who are always the first to go when something is off) and other inverts put it in. I still don't get the narrative of waiting until having a mature tank for an anemone. They ALL like clean water. As long as you are SURE you are cycled and past the ugly stages you are good to go. They have zero tolerance for nitrite and ammonia.

Creating a rock formation to keep it in place is important. It must be solid. They can and WILL move moderate sized rocks.

Also make sure you give it space. If it does well you have to expect that it grow to basketball size is a few years.

 

[vlangel]

I love anemones and always had. However, I also love diversity, meaning that I really desire to have a mixed reef. Keeping my nem's from causing problems for my other coral has always been challenging.

However quite by accident I designed my current reef with a stoney coral platform and placed my rainbow BTA on it. Much to my pleasure that nem liked the placement I came up with for it and has stayed put. It also has divided a time or so. Now 5 rainbow BTAs reside on the stoney plating coral platform (upper right corner) and it works great. I have a happy thriving nem colony up high and above the rest of the reef and so everyone is happy, (including me).

 

[MaxTremors]

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.

BTAs will absolutely host Occelaris and Perculas. They may not in the wild, but in captivity they will readily host. The problem is usually that captive bred clowns, for whatever reason they sometimes just don’t seem to understand that’s what they’re supposed to do. I don’t think a BTA can tell the difference between a maroon and an occelaris.