Anemone or not?

[palisaide]

My 95 gal tank has been up for about 3.5 months now and I've been contemplating the idea of an anemone. I currently have 8 fish and 8 corals (see myinfo for details). I've noticed my larger O. Clown trying to play/host in both my frogspawn and wall hammer corals -- however, the corals don't like it at all and quickly pull in their polyps. I'd like to find something that the clowns can host in, but I'm a little worried about getting an anemone because of their potential to move around the tank and possibly sting my other corals. My LFS said "it could work out really well or it could be very bad." I'm wondering what everyone thinks. I'm planning on adding quite a few more corals (maybe 2 or 3 more fish), so I don't want an anemone to be a problem for them. But, I really would like my clowns to have a nice place to call home (that is, of course, if they actually like the host). Let me know what you guys think. TIA.

 

[Finatic]

I would wait at least another 9 months before getting an anemone. They are VERY finicky animals and do not like unstable water chemistry and will quickly die if stressed. When they die, they disintegrate and fould the tank quickly. I have read stories on here of entire tanks being lost due to a dying anemone.

That being said, if you can wait they are beautiful animals, Mine has found a home in the crevices of a nice piece of LR and has great bubble tips when the lights are on, and stretches out when the moonlights are on with his tentacles in the current. He hasn't bothered anything.

If you are worried about wandering anemones, there is not much you can do abut that, they will go where they want to. You can encourage them to move from a spot by pointing PH in that direction and making it uncomfortable for them, but I wouldn't try to pick him off the rock, if you damage his foot, he is as good as dead.

Now if you are worried about him wandereing around your LR, you can do two things that might help;
1) Get an LTA which likes the sand
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=626

2) Get a BTA and build a bimone(sp?) in your tank (essentially, this is a a pile of LR with a bunch of crags and crevices separated from the rest of the LR structure by a patch of sand). The bimone is meant to give the BTA a nice comfortable place to call home where he can hide his foot from the light and discourage him from moving, b/c as I understand it, they don't like to move across the sand.

But step 1 is to wait for your tank to mature a little more.

 

[melosu58]

Most places recommend a mature tank of at least one yr old for an ananomie. There is a chance that your clown will not host your anenomie. My two clowns ignore my anenomie for a pagoda cup and bubble coral.

 

[roka64]

I agree, wait until your tank matures, and as stated before, there is no guarantee they will host it.

 

[palisaide]

Tthanks for the advice. I'll definitely wait until the tank is more mature before considering one.