Is my tank ready for an anemone

[JackPinny]

I have a fluval evo 13.5 With upgraded filtration with everything else stock
I have coralline algae starting to appear and my ammonia is 0 nitrite is 0 and nitrate very close to 0
I have 2 clownfish
5 hermit crabs
3 nassarius snails
2 trochus snails
Is my tanks ready for an anemone or any other inhabitants if so what ?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Dup

 

[Jekyl]

No reason for all of the trolling going on. Stick to the topic please. This isn't a forum to air personal grievances. Everyone on here is trying to help. If that help doesn't meet your standards while not being malicious, please keep it to yourself

 

[polyppal]

Absolutely don't put a six line wrasse in with two clowns.


I have 2 small clowns and a goby in mine. I'm going to move the clowns out eventually and probably add a pistol shrimp and just keep that and the goby in that tank. I might add something else, but I'm not sure.


Six Lines can be incredibly hostile and so can clowns as someone else mentioned. You're good with 2 clowns and I wouldn't add anything else if you're planning on keeping them in here for a few years. Ethically, they should probably end up in a larger tank when full grown or nearly full grown.


As for the anemone, you probably need a new light, or an additional light source (some of those actual reef use led bars glued inside the hood would work) and as it was mentioned previously, stability is absolutely key for an anemone. You really need to have your stuff together and run a steady tank to host one properly and have good results.



Edit: I didn't go into detail on parameters and such, but in between the bickering there is some good information. While they're arguing about magnesium and calcium for anemones, that might not be necessary for anemones in particular, but it's proper reef keeping and parameters for your corals and you should stay in those ranges. Just for the love of god don't put that wrasse in there. It will not end well. Period.

Agree. The clowns might pair and/or get along, but that sixline in a nano is a ticking time bomb

 

[i cant think]

I know what I typed. Tanks containing anemones with higher amount of ammonium nitrate have a lower level of dissolved oxygen. Anenomes and many corals cannot thrive and survive in water that has higher than 10-20ppm of NitrAtes. It is best to keep them below 10 ppm at all times in a reef setting. Anemones need:
High levels of dissolved O2, salinity at 1.024 to 1.026, stable pH between 8.1 and 8.3, temp between 76 and 78 F, calcium between 400 and 450, dKH at 8.0 to 11.0, magnesium between 1300 and 1350 ppm, and nitrate at 2 ppm or less .
Been doing this way too long to have to explain.
My main tank runs at 3.36 nitrate and .0266 Phosphate. This below is the result.
SO WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION ?

I know this is about nems and all but Your tank is beautiful, hope I can have a tank like this one day. How old is it?

I’m obviously not on your ignore list if you are commenting. Some people have no clue what they’re talking about and giving poor advice. You are one of them and you are on my ignore status in 3 seconds. Experience goes a long way in this hobby .
you have a Lot to learn before giving Anyone advice

This is completely true, you need experience with certain things. It’s all well and easy to go and say something without experience but IMO, people are more likely to believe you if you provide evidence or have experience with it.

 

[A Young Reefer]

Very unnecessary trolling, anyone is eligible to give advice with the amount of experience he has and the situations he faced. It’s then your choice to work with that advice or ignore it, be thankful and respectful or don’t say anything.

Returning to the main topic: as stated earlier I would recommend waiting abit more before adding a bubble tip anemone, flower anemones should work fine for you.
For fish DONT add a six line wrasse they are very aggressive, maybe a goby of some sort and another small fish should be it. Maybe add some more corals to gain a bit more experience before adding a BTA.

 

[i cant think]

Returning to the main topic: as stated earlier I would recommend waiting abit more before adding a bubble tip anemone, flower anemones should work fine for you.
For fish DONT add a six line wrasse they are very aggressive, maybe a goby of some sort and another small fish should be it. Maybe add some more corals to gain a bit more experience before adding a BTA.

IME, gobies are shy creatures and even a pair of clownfish may be too aggressive for them. I have had gobies with a pair of clownfish in a small tank just hide all day, only coming out for feeding. Also if a goby WAS to get caught in a large nem its most likely to become food. I wouldn’t add any large species of anemone in a small tank with just small fish. Gobies are also relatively slow moving fish making this much harder to do.

 

[A Young Reefer]

IME, gobies are shy creatures and even a pair of clownfish may be too aggressive for them. I have had gobies with a pair of clownfish in a small tank just hide all day, only coming out for feeding. Also if a goby WAS to get caught in a large nem its most likely to become food. I wouldn’t add any large species of anemone in a small tank with just small fish. Gobies are also relatively slow moving fish making this mush harder to do.

Good convincing points.
what fish do you suggest? I can’t think of anything.

 

[i cant think]

Good convincing points.
what fish do you suggest? I can’t think of anything.

Probably a larger goby, Cryptocentrus is a good starting place. Yes the genus known as “Watchman”. These guys are big and don’t stay the 2” that Stonogobiops do, it allows people to have a pistol shrimp aswell.
Pseudocheilinops ataenia is also a good fish, yes cryptic and yes small however they’re rather fast moving.

They’re two fish that I find good for small nem tanks. Or if you go for a tank without BTAs then you can have the smaller gobies and RFAs and MMs.

 

[A Young Reefer]

Probably a larger goby, Cryptocentrus is a good starting place. Yes the genus known as “Watchman”. These guys are big and don’t stay the 2” that Stonogobiops do, it allows people to have a pistol shrimp aswell.
Pseudocheilinops ataenia is also a good fish, yes cryptic and yes small however they’re rather fast moving.

I should’ve been clearer in my post. when I meant goby I meant the watchman, it’s what I am used to refer to as a goby.
Anyways, yes I do agree with what you mentioned.

 

[i cant think]

I should’ve been clearer in my post. when I meant goby I meant the watchman, it’s what I am used to refer to as a goby.
Anyways, yes I do agree with what you mentioned.

Ahh, I get you! Yeah a Crtyptocentrus is an excellent goby. They’re quicker moving but also stay rather cautious, if I didn’t want so many gobies in my nano I’d probably be grabbing a cryptocentrus for that big grumpy face they hold haha.

 

[vetteguy53081]

And, he didn't mean 0.6, he meant .6.... Scratching my head at that one! And besides maybe Hanna, what hobby tests even measure .6?? (No way all those LPS are thriving in an ULNS either.)

Hanna digital. Randy Holmes Farley is our water expert. He mentions repeatedly about low nitrates. Go ahead and challenge him on this. Experience goes a long way and i'll go with his practices first

 

[vetteguy53081]

I know this is about nems and all but Your tank is beautiful, hope I can have a tank like this one day. How old is it?

This is completely true, you need experience with certain things. It’s all well and easy to go and say something without experience but IMO, people are more likely to believe you if you provide evidence or have experience with it.

And yet they will still challenge you pics or not. Tank is 3 years in May and my 135g, 1 year in July but I will likely be tearing it down about that time to transport to Florida.
Im not boasting my experience but rather sharing it. No one runs a Pet Store successfully without some vast knowledge or else I would not have made it even a year. If it werent for divorce, It would likely still be running.

 

[Bribo12]

Stick to rock flower nems. Bubble tips are highly overrated and cause a lot more headache than they're worth especially in a small tank. Plus you can get colorful RFA's for under $100, the same can't be said about the more colorful bubble tip morphs. Plus rock flowers tend to not move/commit nem suicide in your powerhead. Also, there's more than one way to skin a reef. I run higher nutrients in a 20 gallon at about 80-81 degrees and have colorful, thriving sps, lps and softies. For every tank running low nutrients and thriving there's one with higher nutrients that is as well. Part of the issue with so many opinions on here is there is no one right way to run a reef which I guess is also the beauty of the hobby. Don't get me wrong there are definitely wrong way to run one but if you stick to keeping stable parameters you'll go far in this hobby.

 

[Miami Reef]

@vetteguy53081

I think they are confused because you are running 3ppm nitrates but you are recommending 0.6 nitrates.

Also, .6 and 0.6 are the same thing.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Do you want the anemone to host your clowns? From what I have read, if your clown fish start calling the anemone home, their aggression will increase. So you may not be able to keep any other fish. My tank is bigger and I have had no problem with clowns and a six line, however I have no corals, and my clowns are not really hosting or calling any part of the tank theirs.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081

I think they are confused because you are running 3ppm nitrates but you are recommending 0.6 nitrates.

Also, .6 and 0.6 are the same thing.

Hi Miami (my future home area BTW)
Correct that 0.6 and .6 are the same. Wanted to clarify if that caused confusion. Its not that I run low nitrate but I as you may know swear by chemiPure elite which does keep no3 and po4 in check and lowers it. My corals are accustomed to my numbers, Do I recommend .3, heck no.
if youve seen my recommendations (below), I recommend even higher but safe range for ANEMONE.. . . .6

Reason I run ChemiPure Elite is that I have mixed reef tanks and Both SPS and LPS release toxins that can compete against each other and elite will stop those toxins lowering it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081

I think they are confused because you are running 3ppm nitrates but you are recommending 0.6 nitrates.

Also, .6 and 0.6 are the same thing.

Forgot to post recommended parameters- Ran off to church

Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .10
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-11
CA 400- 440

 

[Miami Reef]

@vetteguy53081

Can I visit your tank when you move here?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081

Can I visit your tank when you move here?

Absolutely yes. My home is in Doral, not far from you
If youre not familiar with them, I belong to Florida marine society and SWMAS group.