Solitary Anemones good or bad?

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me about Solitary Anemones...good or bad especially for clowns? Like the one pictured.

 

[bradleym]

These anemones come from colder water, and have a rather strong sting. They will probably not do well in a reef tank and if they can handle the high temperature they will probably sting clownfish. Sorry for the bad news. If I saw one at my LFS I'd probably still try it in a frag tank because I am a glutton for punishment.

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

These anemones come from colder water, and have a rather strong sting. They will probably not do well in a reef tank and if they can handle the high temperature they will probably sting clownfish. Sorry for the bad news. If I saw one at my LFS I'd probably still try it in a frag tank because I am a glutton for punishment.

Lol nice thank you!

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

These anemones come from colder water, and have a rather strong sting. They will probably not do well in a reef tank and if they can handle the high temperature they will probably sting clownfish. Sorry for the bad news. If I saw one at my LFS I'd probably still try it in a frag tank because I am a glutton for punishment.

Lol nice thank you...how about snails, hermit crabs, and mussels from the same Southern California Waters, will they have a better chance of surviving if given time to acclimate?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Lol nice thank you...how about snails, hermit crabs, and mussels from the same Southern California Waters, will they have a better chance of surviving if given time to acclimate?

Micro Brittles, some snails. Why don't you just start a temperate tank?
It is important you familiar yourself with what you can and can not collect in California. At the very least you need a fishing license with an ocean stamp. Things like Anemones need a scientific collection permit. Start your confusion by reading and understanding California Department of Fish and Game's "rules of the road"

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Micro Brittles, some snails. Why don't you just start a temperate tank?
It is important you familiar yourself with what you can and can not collect in California. At the very least you need a fishing license with an ocean stamp. Things like Anemones need a scientific collection permit. Start your confusion by reading and understanding California Department of Fish and Game's "rules of the road"

I actually finished reading it today and am aware of California's MPA's and what can or can't be collected and I already do have a fishing license. I have a reef tank setup already running around 76-77 degrees. My question was more about how the inverts & anemones will do in those temps and with my fish and zoas etc.

 

[OrionN]

Cold waster anemone will not adapt to reef temperature. They usually have short lifespans, in term of months, in our reef tank.
Not all anemone will host clown fish. Most of anemone species will eat clown fish. Only a handful will host clown fish.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I actually finished reading it today and am aware of California's MPA's and what can or can't be collected and I already do have a fishing license. I have a reef tank setup already running around 76-77 degrees. My question was more about how the inverts & anemones will do in those temps and with my fish and zoas etc.

The temperatures you are running is about max to most California tide pool creatures. I melted one of of my temperate tanks during the heat wave this summer when my chiller blew a internal fuse in the middle of the night. It went from 64 degrees to 82. That is just a few degrees warmer than 77.

 

[WheatToast]

Lol nice thank you...how about snails, hermit crabs, and mussels from the same Southern California Waters, will they have a better chance of surviving if given time to acclimate?

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Sport-Fishing/Invertebrate-Fishing-Regs
Often, invertebrates from our coast require temperates in the 50’s and 60’s (Fahrenheit) and do not do well at tropical temperatures. Famously, the black turban snail (Tegula funebralis) that gets misidentified as the margarita snail (Margarites pupillus) has an upper temperature limit of 64 °F and is notorious for its short lifespan in reef aquaria. The blueband hermit crab (Pagurus samuelis) which is very common in California tide pools is “twice as likely to survive at 20℃ than at 30℃, and at 5℃ than at 30℃.” The mussels would also require frequent phytoplankton dosing to stay alive since they are not photosynthetic.

The temperatures you are running is about max to most California tide pool creatures. I melted one of of my temperate tanks during the heat wave this summer when my chiller blew an internal fuse in the middle of the night. It went from 64 degrees to 82. That is just a few degrees warmer than 77.

While tide pool organisms might be able to temporarily withstand these “max” warmer temperatures (ex. due to seasonal changes and sun exposure), I doubt they would last very long under these conditions long-term.

 

[WheatToast]

Off the top of my head, some California native/nonnative marine life that are known to “survive” (and possibly thrive in a few cases) in reef/tropical marine aquaria (though not always at warmer temperatures, such as past 78 °F for a few species) include:
Brown macroalgae:
- Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum)*
Green macroalgae:
- Hen pen (Bryopsis plumosa)*
- Bladed sand moss (Caulerpa prolifera)*
- Killer algae (Caulerpa taxifolia)*
- Fine chaeto (Chaetomorpha linum)*
- Curly chaeto (Chaetomorpha spiralis)*
- Dead man’s fingers (Codium fragile)*
- Gutweed (Ulva intestinalis)*
- Common sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)*
Red macroalgae:
- Cotton candy algae (Asparagopsis taxiformis)*
- Red wiry turf algae (Gelidium robustum)
- Red spaghetti ogo (Gracilaria pacifica)*
Cnidarians:
- Aggregating anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima)
Mollusks:
- Eastern mudsnail (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
- Wavy turban snail (Megastraea undosa)
- Chestnut cowrie (Neobernaya spadicea)
Crustaceans:
- Striped shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes)
Fish:
- Swallow damselfish (Azurina hirundo)*
- Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)*
- California butterfly ray (Gymnura marmorata)
- Horn shark (Heterodontus francisci)
- Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus)
- Gray smooth-hound (Mustelus californicus)
- Brown smooth-hound (Mustelus henlei)
- Bat ray (Myliobatis californica)
- Thornback guitarfish (Platyrhinoidis triseriata)
- Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates)*
- Shovelnose guitarfish (Rhinobatos productus)
- Bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo)*
- Leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata)
- Round stingray (Urobatis halleri)
- Crosshatch triggerfish (Xanthichthys mento)*
- Banded guitarfish (Zapteryx exasperata)*

*Almost certainly going to thrive at, say, 78 °F

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Sport-Fishing/Invertebrate-Fishing-Regs
Often, invertebrates from our coast require temperates in the 50’s and 60’s (Fahrenheit) and do not do well at tropical temperatures. Famously, the black turban snail (Tegula funebralis) that gets misidentified as the margarita snail (Margarites pupillus) has an upper temperature limit of 64 °F and is notorious for its short lifespan in reef aquaria. The blueband hermit crab (Pagurus samuelis) which is very common in California tide pools is “twice as likely to survive at 20℃ than at 30℃, and at 5℃ than at 30℃.” The mussels would also require frequent phytoplankton dosing to stay alive since they are not photosynthetic.

While tide pool organisms might be able to temporarily withstand these “max” warmer temperatures (ex. due to seasonal changes and sun exposure), I doubt they would last very long under these conditions long-term.

Excellent info. Thank you very much for that info!

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Off the top of my head, some California marine life that are known to “survive” (and possibly thrive in a few cases) in reef/tropical marine aquaria (though not always at warmer temperatures, such as past 78 °F for a few species) include:
Brown macroalgae:
- Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum)
Green macroalgae:
- Hen pen (Bryopsis plumosa)
- Fine chaeto (Chaetomorpha linum)
- Curly chaeto (Chaetomorpha spiralis)
- Dead man’s fingers (Codium fragile)
- Gutweed (Ulva intestinalis)
- Common sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
Red macroalgae:
- Cotton candy algae (Asparagopsis taxiformis)
- Red wiry turf algae (Gelidium robustum)
- Red spaghetti ogo (Gracilaria pacifica)
Cnidarians:
- Aggregating anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima)
Mollusks:
- Eastern mudsnail (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
- Wavy turban snail (Megastraea undosa)
- Chestnut cowrie (Neobernaya spadicea)
Crustaceans:
- Striped shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes)
Fish:
- Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)
- California butterfly ray (Gymnura marmorata)
- Horn shark (Heterodontus francisci)
- Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus)
- Gray smooth-hound (Mustelus californicus)
- Brown smooth-hound (Mustelus henlei)
- Bat ray (Myliobatis californica)
- Thornback guitarfish (Platyrhinoidis triseriata)
- Shovelnose guitarfish (Rhinobatos productus)
- Bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo)
- Leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata)
- Round stingray (Urobatis halleri)
- Crosshatch triggerfish (Xanthichthys mento)
- Banded guitarfish (Zapteryx exasperata)

Wow thanks for this info too. If you don't mind where did you find this? Thanks!

 

[WheatToast]

Wow thanks for this info too.

No problem!

If you don't mind where did you find this? Thanks!

It's been approximately five years of endless reading and web-surfing across books, field guides, databases, product pages, reefing forums, reef articles, online aquarium encyclopedias, and personal experience with California seaweeds in captivity that has culminated in this post...

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

No problem!

It's been approximately five years of endless reading and web-surfing across books, field guides, databases, product pages, reefing forums, reef articles, online aquarium encyclopedias, and personal experience with California seaweeds in captivity that has culminated in this post...

I laughed when he asked... The answer was in your first few words...
"Off the top of my head...."