UPDATE Rethinking clowns and nem... advice? Experiences?

[Kris 2020]

So I’ve been in the hobby for 15+ years. After a couple years in, when I had what I felt was a stable enough environment, I got a rose bta. I still have some descendent of that bta, and have had a Clown pair hosting and sometimes laying eggs throughout. Rbta has split many times over the years, but I just try to keep 1 for the clowns.

My rbta, all these years, has only bubbled when its angry about something. Otherwise it’s all huge and stretched out tentacles. Display is 65 gallons. Thing is, I’m getting tired of the nem stinging the living daylights out of my corals. Its so big. When it splits I keep the smaller one and get rid of the bigger, but it takes no time for the new one to get huge. I don’t feed it. The current clown pair hosts it nicely, the female I’ve had for about 10 years and the male maybe 6-7.

I feel like I’m constantly moving corals away from it, and space is an issue. I try to adjust flow to keep tentacles away from my coral but I’m either blowing it one direction or the other and so it’s always touching something. If I remove it the clowns will likely move to hosting and thereby annoying the crap out of lps or softies I assume. I’m just very frustrated. I know so many seek out this clown hosting nem thing and it’s pretty iconic to this hobby, but my rbta just is always so HUGE and stinging coral and my female clown is a big meanie...I don’t know. I’m just not sure I want this combo anymore but I’m afraid I will miss it if they are gone. Right now I’ve adjusted flow so that the nem is almost behind the rock work, and that’s helped some, but you can see on my green birds nest in the one pic all the dead parts that the nem has reached. Sorry for the crappy phone pics. And if u made it this far, thanks. I know my options so I guess I’m not sure what I’m looking for except advice and experiences you all may have.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

So I’ve been in the hobby for 15+ years. After a couple years in, when I had what I felt was a stable enough environment, I got a rose bta. I still have some descendent of that bta, and have had a Clown pair hosting and sometimes laying eggs throughout. Rbta has split many times over the years, but I just try to keep 1 for the clowns.

My rbta, all these years, has only bubbled when its angry about something. Otherwise it’s all huge and stretched out tentacles. Display is 65 gallons. Thing is, I’m getting tired of the nem stinging the living daylights out of my corals. Its so big. When it splits I keep the smaller one and get rid of the bigger, but it takes no time for the new one to get huge. I don’t feed it. The current clown pair hosts it nicely, the female I’ve had for about 10 years and the male maybe 6-7.

I feel like I’m constantly moving corals away from it, and space is an issue. I try to adjust flow to keep tentacles away from my coral but I’m either blowing it one direction or the other and so it’s always touching something. If I remove it the clowns will likely move to hosting and thereby annoying the crap out of lps or softies I assume. I’m just very frustrated. I know so many seek out this clown hosting nem thing and it’s pretty iconic to this hobby, but my rbta just is always so HUGE and stinging coral and my female clown is a big meanie...I don’t know. I’m just not sure I want this combo anymore but I’m afraid I will miss it if they are gone. Right now I’ve adjusted flow so that the nem is almost behind the rock work, and that’s helped some, but you can see on my green birds nest in the one pic all the dead parts that the nem has reached. Sorry for the crappy phone pics. And if u made it this far, thanks. I know my options so I guess I’m not sure what I’m looking for except advice and experiences you all may have.

You already know the answer... and I've been there... you are either going to break your own heart and never get over it OR you are going to get another tank ...

This was my story:
Why do I have 1 lightning clown fish when I have 13 anemones... Got 8 little nemo clowns (goes with the Walt Disney coral & theme).... Lightning tried to keep them all out of ALL his anemones until he wore his mouth and nose raw from bitings... healed in sump then sold... Its been like 4 months, and I want him back SO badly he had such great markings and amazing personality... also sold & gifted anemones because like you they were killing corals until I got down to six. Built 'cups' for six and they have right upper third of my 180g ... if I had it to do over again, I need another smaller tank and anemones and (now gone) lightning clown would move into new tank. My coral fears would end, because I know as my corals grow, those anemones are going to get less space... I need space OR another tank for at least three - my hot pink I don't yet own, my ultra red, and *one* RBTA (which will split every quarter... sigh - so always either another bubble baby sale or gift (but like you - I keep smaller!)) ... so typing this... wondering if I can buy my lighting back (do know he was only survivor of new home during TX winter storms) and then sell these nemo clowns and reduce my anemone count further... Think that would make me happier... BF still says I can't have another tank... sigh...

 

[lpsouth1978]

Honestly, the relationship between clowns and anemones is a HUGE part of why I am in this hobby. I have set my tank up in a way to allow the anemones to be the star. I currently have 2 x ~12" Haddoni in my 40B, with a pair of Clarkki clowns, Melanurus Wrasse, and small Tomini Tang. I accept that I may lose fish and/or corals, but try to keep them higher on the rocks, since the Haddoni prefer sand. I would love to eventually add either a blue, Purple, or red Haddoni for an amazing trio in the 40B. I don't think I could ever be satisfied with a reef void of an anemone/clownfish pair.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Do what I do and satisfy coral addiction with softies that are weeds (Xenia, GSp, some zoas) and you won’t mind the anemone stinging instead will be greatful lol

 

[Kris 2020]

Thanks everyone for your input! Ahhhh what to do what to do.

 

[Kris 2020]

So my rbta had split again and between the 2 nems they were taking up 10-12 inches around on the back upper part of my rockwork. A week or so ago I again rearranged some coral to keep it out of nems reach. And trim down a birds nest that had gotten so big it was throwing shade over others who needed light. Anyway yesterday I decide a nem has to go, and I got the higher up one out (not so gently). But apparently their feet were sharing a crevice and I walked by the tank a couple hours later and my nem (only one now) had most of its foot unstuck and I could see I had hurt it getting out the other nem. So I took him out and put him in the fuge to keep an eye on him but he looks rough this morning. Felt really bad for my clowns last night, like I stole their home. At the same time, they are actually out swimming in the tank instead of holed up in their anemone So it’s nice to see them. I suppose I’m going to let this play out and see if the nem makes it. Or maybe I will try to find a bta that actually bubbles.

 

[dvgyfresh]

So my rbta had split again and between the 2 nems they were taking up 10-12 inches around on the back upper part of my rockwork. A week or so ago I again rearranged some coral to keep it out of nems reach. And trim down a birds nest that had gotten so big it was throwing shade over others who needed light. Anyway yesterday I decide a nem has to go, and I got the higher up one out (not so gently). But apparently their feet were sharing a crevice and I walked by the tank a couple hours later and my nem (only one now) had most of its foot unstuck and I could see I had hurt it getting out the other nem. So I took him out and put him in the fuge to keep an eye on him but he looks rough this morning. Felt really bad for my clowns last night, like I stole their home. At the same time, they are actually out swimming in the tank instead of holed up in their anemone So it’s nice to see them. I suppose I’m going to let this play out and see if the nem makes it. Or maybe I will try to find a bta that actually bubbles.

I wish I could have all bubbles also , unfortunately I have no idea , currently I have 3 nems that bubble and around 7 that don’t .

 

[Birdbrains?]

It seem to be unlikely that you can continue to accept the damage on your corals. I am not sure how you would feel about exchanging your generational BTA for a sanddwelling nem. And I am sorry to hear that your remaining bta sibling is looking roughed up, after the incident but I hope the nem is just exhausted from the double strain of splitting and then attempting to rearrange its footing, and will get back up soon. I would suggest that you consider getting a dedicated nano tank for just the nem and clown show. I keep Polymnus and a macrodactyla that way and it is honestly wonderful to see the clowns treat the entire territory as their own.

 

[Kris 2020]

Continuing saga...by Tuesday my nem in the fuge looked pretty good so I brought him and the rock he was now attached to back to the display tank and put the rock in the lower front corner where I thought it might not be able to sting anyone and I would actually get to see my clowns in it. I thought they would be so happy to see it but so far they have ignored it. I’m tempted to put it back down in the fuge. My clowns have been out swimming around instead of hiding in a nem all the time, and the female is also less aggressive of my hand in the tank etc. Anyone else notice a difference in activity and disposition between clowns that host a nem and those who don’t host anything?

 

[OrionN]

Time for a second tank. You can plump the tanks together to one sump so maintance wise it should be the same. Problem solved.
If you are not a “hardcore” anemone keeper and like coral better then get rid of the BTA. For a smaller lank like your’s consider a H. malu instead.
Any other host anemones will be more difficult than BTA but I am sure you will take care of it fine.