Reef Anemones: Friend or Foe? How do you make it work?

[Vegasgundog]

I started with one rose bubble tip that took my clowns six years to host and it split a couple of times. A year ago I upgraded to a 120g and the rbts have been splitting regularly and destroyed many corals around them. luckily they have stayed put for the most part right in the center of the aquarium. Several were caught as the went on a walk about. With my wife's blessing the mothballed bc29 is in our bedroom with 8 rbts and 2 clowns, the plan was to have a clown harem but only 2 survived from the Llfs. The 120g has 2 large rbts and one stinker hiding. The 120g clowns are annoyed but ok with what they have. Close to removing one or 2 more rbts and starting over with just one. At one point I was totally regretting rbts in my aquarium.

 

[jordan10]

Bubble tip cove lol Idk I guess just got lucky they stayed there after they split. I some time wish they where gone they take up Real estate. But everyone that looks at the tank likes them.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I ordered a Hoddoni should be getting here this week. If it takes fish it will go.

Haddoni anemones WILL eventually eat fish. It is a scenario any reefer needs to accept if keeping one. I always treat ALL Haddoni with Cirpo as soon as I receive them. They generally do not handle shipping very well and usually have bacterial infections that will cause them to slowly fade away in the DT.

 

[Isabel’s Hobby]

I have one for 4+ years and it has spilt several times and I have sold them to my LFS I try to keep just one and it is perfect. When they split they like to move and that it where it becomes a problem most of the time. I had one deciding to put herself into my Monti and The Monti had no chance of survival there was no removing the anemone either because of the Monti being so fragile. But other then that...I just watch them and if I see them move i usually bring them back well the one i keep that is. My clowns love to host between the anemone and the elegance it is really cute.

 

[Raytina]

At some point in your reefing career you've either housed an anemone in your reef tank or you've thought about doing it. Admit it! Anemones can make a beautiful addition to any saltwater aquarium with their color and movement in the current but throw corals into the mix and you could get yourself into some trouble. They move, they sting, they smother! They can even turn into a million powerhead pieces! So let's talk about this today!

1. Do you house an anemone in your reef tank?

2. How do you make your anemone happy and your corals safe?

I have had several over the years! Right now I have 6 rainbows that were just 2 a mon ago. I also have a rose bubble. I have had rock flowers and mini maxis. I love them all

 

[Ardeus]

I love my mag. Old video.

 

[b4tn]

Mine makes me very nervous. I started it in a nice spot with comfortable flow and good light. It walked all the way across the back of the tank and settled in the lowest flow and lowest lit back corner of my tank. It sat there for months before deciding to move Again to where it sits now in the front corner. It won’t split! Just keeps getting bigger and I don’t even feed it.

 

[thermoJoe]

I got a BTA a few months back, now it's two. Neither have moved, but I'm questioning what their long term prospect is in the tank, as I can now appreciate how fast they grow. The rest of the tank is mostly acros, so the BTAs will have to go if they start to get out of control (which seems likely now). We'll see. They are pretty, but the clown pair seem to mostly ignore them.

 

[Eb1air]

Me myself is having a multi tank syndrome. In the near future I'm going to do a 40 breeder tank build devoted to nems n clowns. Bubble tips n rock flowers.

 

[Netfish and Chill]

I currently have a RedSea Reefer 300xl with only 1 zoa, 2 leptos, 2 white clowns, 1 Orchid Dottyback, 1 Gold Midas Blenny and my Rainbow BTA. I put the BTA in first with a Reef Rax anemone rock to try to avoid the wondering anemone syndrome. It has kept the BTA off the rock, but it has moved out of the rock and onto the side of it/on my overflow. The hole isn't deep or very rough, so it doesn't have many areas to grip onto. I found a small rock with a hole and some rubble to put under it so the BTA can slip its foot through and grab onto something of substance. These should fit almost perfectly into the Reef Rax base pretty well. I will try this setup tomorrow when I get home from work and see how it goes!

 

[Bradig326]

I had a Rise

 

[sawdavis]

I love my rock flower and tube anemones because they stay put (except one flower that is roaming but does not sting other corals like the BTA). And I LOVE my tube anemone. I don't think any of them are difficult to keep. In fact I got my rock flowers my first year in reefing and my tube about a year later. Other than direct feeding them regularly, they don't seem to be that sensitive to water parameters and don't require a lot.

 

[Conrad Noto]

Haddoni anemones WILL eventually eat fish. It is a scenario any reefer needs to accept if keeping one. I always treat ALL Haddoni with Cirpo as soon as I receive them. They generally do not handle shipping very well and usually have bacterial infections that will cause them to slowly fade away in the DT.

If it takes small or weak fish not a problem. If it takes one of my large angels it will go. Nem is 6" my angels are each between 8-14''.

 

[madweazl]

Q. Do you house an anemone in your reef tank?
A. They do what they do in my tank. It isn't a padded room.

Q. How do you make your anemone happy and your corals safe?
A. I don't mess with them in any way, shape, or form. I don't feed them and I don't try to influence where they go. I don't mess with them at all. Two have stayed put and one roamed a bit and ended up about a foot away. I have three now (bubble tips); the original split twice.

 

[Proteus Meep]

The Anemone's Moto,

Your never alone....with a clone

Never had one and would only ever have one in an anemone only setup but no past or current desire to do that I like my mixed reefs too much and couldn't cope with the collateral damage and chaos factor

 

[McPuff]

Bubble tips are much easier, and much less capable of destruction, but aren't a natural host for many of the more common clowns. They can also split like crazy.

True on both accounts for me. My clowns don't go near the bubble tips.

Splitting... I had 1 rainbow bubble tip about a year and a half ago. I have over 50 now and I've probably sold another 20 of them. They are very pretty though and since they are not in my DT I don't really care how prolific they are or become (for now). :0)

 

[Rivus]

I had to get a BTA when starting to keep the clowns happy, I was a newbie. I now have 4 and the clowns ignore them all. I got rid of the 2 in my nano when they took over, got a lot of credit at the LFS! But the 4 in my 45 are on some nice rocks with lots of other corals. Of course once then get big, I won't have lots of other corals. I don't feed them, they just grow and split on their own.

 

[SRQreefer]

I have one for 4+ years and it has spilt several times and I have sold them to my LFS I try to keep just one and it is perfect. When they split they like to move and that it where it becomes a problem most of the time. I had one deciding to put herself into my Monti and The Monti had no chance of survival there was no removing the anemone either because of the Monti being so fragile. But other then that...I just watch them and if I see them move i usually bring them back well the one i keep that is. My clowns love to host between the anemone and the elegance it is really cute.

What’s your secret with maintaining the bubbles in the tips?

 

[wheels 45]

I would love to get a BT anemone for my 32 gallon Coralife biocube. Never had one before and Iove the look of them.. If anyone has suggestions for an anemone, I am open to other ideas.

 

[musicsmaker]

Interesting timing. I had some rock anemones spawn in my nano tank last night. I was able to get some footage of it: