Should I get a carpet anemone?

[Dave-T]

Lately I've become very interested in adding a carpet anemone to my tank. I think they're beautiful, and just plain cool. I asked a local LFS to source one for me (my favorite color is blue, I'm not sure which species would be best for me), and they're working on it. But I've since done some more research, and am starting to have doubts.

Details on my system - it's a 240 gallon tank, 72"x28"x28". Sand bed is 1.5 - 2 inches deep. PAR on the sand bed is about 150. The system is about 8 months old, and parameters are pretty stable. Nitrates around 10, phospates around .1.

One concern is whether or not I have room for a carpet. It is a big tank, but my aquascape rocks take up a lot of room on the sandbed. If it got much more than 12 inches in diameter, it might be cramped by the rocks.

I have a pair of ocellaris clowns. What's the liklihood they'd take to the anemone?

My biggest concern is that it might eat my fish or inverts. I know that's something that happens. Maybe my tank is big enough that I shouldn't have to worry about that? I have some expensive fish in the tank, that I have a lot of time invested into in quarantining them and getting them to eat. I'd just as soon keep them. Crabs and hermits are more expendable I guess, but I'd also just as soon not lose any shrimp or starfish...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[Jekyl]

What lighting do you have? Depending on species they can require extreme par values.

 

[Jekyl]

Also, have a hospital tank and cipro on hand before bringing it home.

 

[secret_reefer337]

I just started collecting carpets, so far I have red, purple and green haddoni and one blue small gigantea. The two have a very different flow requirements. So far they ate doing good in my tank. They cover a lot of real state and I have to re-scape my tank to accommodate. So far no casualties in terms of fish eating.

The best people to guide you are @OrionN @Rtaylor @Eagle_Steve

 

[Dave-T]

What lighting do you have? Depending on species they can require extreme par values.

I’ve got LEDs, 6 GHL Mitras over the tank. Coverage is very good. Like I said, PAR is 150 on the sand bed. I could crank it up a lot more, but I’m trying to keep my LPS happy.

 

[Jekyl]

I’ve got LEDs, 6 GHL Mitras over the tank. Coverage is very good. Like I said, PAR is 150 on the sand bed. I could crank it up a lot more, but I’m trying to keep my LPS happy.

Some species I've seen kept at 1 to 2000.

 

[Dave-T]

Some species I've seen kept at 1 to 2000.

Sorry, "1 to 2000"? What does that mean?

 

[Jekyl]

Sorry, "1 to 2000"? What does that mean?

Par. You said you're at 150. Just letting you know some of the different needs out there.

 

[Dave-T]

So you’re saying their needs are from 1 PAR to 2000 PAR? This is for carpet anemones specifically? 2000 PAR is definitely not happening! That would burn a hole in the bottom of my tank all the way to the center of the earth.

 

[Jekyl]

So you’re saying their needs are from 1 PAR to 2000 PAR? This is for carpet anemones specifically? 2000 PAR is definitely not happening! That would burn a hole in the bottom of my tank all the way to the center of the earth.

1000-2000. Haven't kept myself for these reasons. It's not all carpet, just certain ones thrive in that range. The experts that were tagged earlier can weigh in better. As I know they keep these types. In the wild they're a shallow water species as opposed to deeper waters like BTA, LTA, etc...

 

[Jekyl]

@Lost in the Sauce have some better advice? Im a novice on the carpets.

 

[Spare time]

I would only add one if clown fish were the only fish in the tank or are very defensive over the anemone. Adding one of these is essentially adding a deadly fish trap into the tank

 

[Dave-T]

I would only add one if clown fish were the only fish in the tank or are very defensive over the anemone. Adding one of these is essentially adding a deadly fish trap into the tank

Thanks. That’s the line of reasoning that has me concerned. Although I’ve also seen it said that that is more of a concern with smaller tanks, not large tanks, which I have.

I’m hoping one of the carpet experts will chime in!

 

[DaJMasta]

They don't need extreme light, but mid to high light, so if you've got sps probably a similar requirement. You'll want to regularly feed it a chunk of something, but if you feed enough to the tank it will probably get what it needs. 12" is under the fully grown size of any of the giant carpet nems, but may not be a lot of a problem as in rocks they will fold somewhat. Clowns can be fine with it if you have the right species, not all species can host in each carpet nem.

That all said, you absolutely need to accept that like any other anemone they can and likely will pick a different spot than you want them to. They are also extremely sticky and can likely eat any fish you have. With healthy fish I don't think you can expect regular losses, but they are fish eaters and sting hard enough to take down larger aquarium fish.

 

[Uncle99]

You post you have “expensive fish”
That may result in an expensive dinner.
Risky.

 

[Dave-T]

You post you have “expensive fish”
That may result in an expensive dinner.
Risky.

Yes, like a $500 gem tang...

 

[OrionN]

I don't think you have enough light to keep them happy. Both Haddoni and gigantea required a lot of light. Some exposed to air at low tide. TaylorT Keep his gigantea at 1500+ PAR to several thousand.
Mine get around 700+

 

[jabberwock]

Maybe look at Rock Flower Anemones? I have 5 in a 25 gallon lagoon. They are doing great, and I really like them.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

So the deal I had to make with myself when I started getting carpets, is that anything in the tank MAY be eaten. FoxFace seem to be the most likely to get nabbed due to their love of eating poop out of the carpet's mouth. .

150 max par sounds too low to me on the sandbed to keep a haddoni happy. I've never kept gigs so I defer to others there.

Yes, like a $500 gem tang...

I've kept a a gem with haddonis without worrying about it.

The tank size is right, I'd have no issue throwing a big carpet in that size, most fish will stay away from it.

Can you butt a supplemental light source for a few hours a day where your carpet plants?

 

[Dave-T]

I do have a magnificent foxface in the tank.

As I said, my lights are cranked way down. I could get the par on my sandbed up to 300-400 by turning the lights up, but then my corals won’t be happy. Don’t people keep carpets in a mixed reef?

Or - aren’t some carpets happy on rock? If I put one up in SPS neighborhood, that’s at around 400 PAR. I could even crank up the light over there for part of the day, if that’s all it took. I just wouldn’t want to burn out any corals though.