sea anenome

[graz3]

I want to buy a clown fish and i thought it might be a good idea to introduce a sea anenome. There is two things I need to know.

1. is 1, 40watt blue actinic and 1, 40 watt 50/50 (this is what is currently in my tank) enough light to support an anenome.

2. How exactly do you care for one?

Thanks

Rich

 

[tkos]

I would avoid an anenome if possible. The clownfish do not need one and most are captive breed now. Anenomes are hard to care for and placing them in a tank cuts their life span down from 100's of years to maybe 1 year if you are lucky.

 

[fishfreek]

You can get a clown but PLEASE do not get an anenome.

Clowns do NOT need an anenome.

The lights you suggest are not anywhere close to what is needed to support an anenome. Think about how bright the sun is and thats what you need for proper anenome lighting.

Anenome's require very good quality water, and extreme lighting. I would not suggest one till your tank has matured at least 1 year and still would only suggest possibly getting one if you had the lights to support it and the ananome was tank rased vs wild caught.

 

[sokhamik]

all the above is true... and i've read somewhere that some clowns never take to an anemone..

 

[pufferman]

Clowns may be hardy but anemones are definitely not, they are difficult to take care of may harm fish in your tank with the stinging and are very delicate. They should only be in the hands of the most experienced hobbyist.

 

[Guest]

I will add to this thread to take somewhat a different view.

In speaking from personal experience, I have not had an anemone die yet, that wasn't sucked up in a powerhead. I believe they are very cool creatures. I have 4 different breeds within my tank, and all are thriving. I am not saying that what I have and the success so far, will work for anyone else, but hey, it's working for me. I do have a good amount of lighting, and the tank is mature. Clownfish are beautiful fish, and though most say they do not need an anemone to host, I believe it to be false. I can't think of anything more un-natural than a tank with a clown, and nothing for it to form a symbiotic relationship with. They will however, take to certain soft corals such as xenia, ricordia mushrooms, leathers, etc.. and use them as a host. Most, (and I respect their decisions), disagree with using anemones in tanks merely because they are scarcely tank raised and you would be getting them wild caught and thus deminishing reef life...This is to be respected. I bought mine before thinking coherently .

I have a Tomato Clown and I think he is cool, after buying a Carpet Anemone, he has decided to use my Florida Ricordia Mushrooms as a host and is quite happy. So, I think the hypothesis is, yes Clowns do need something to form a symbiotic relationship in, whether it be an Anemone or a Coral of some sort.

And to further that, I think it is man's decision to say that Clowns do not need a host. It was deemed by mother nature that they do this, and no matter how much you breed them in tanks, they still have that instinct. It does not get bred out of them. Think of it as animals in captivity such as a Lion. Yes, they were wild caught, bred in captivity, and even though raised by humans, they will still gain a taste for our butts and eat us if given half a chance. Instinct does not get bred out. It is alive and well. Why do you think they keep them in zoos, and not sell them as pets after all these years of captive breeding. So in closing, IMO, to say that one of mother natures creatures does not need what it was designed to be with, it proposterous and un-natural.

 

[Guest]

Moved to General Discussion out of Fish Only

 

[HoopsGuru]

So in closing, IMO, to say that one of mother natures creatures does not need what it was designed to be with, it proposterous and un-natural.

Clownfish developed a symbioses with anemones in the wild in order to survive. Without their protection, their awkward and sluggish swimming would leave them little chance for survival. Without this natural predation in our tanks, there is certainly no "NEED" for this relationship in the manner that "mother nature" intended. By taking up to something in a tank, they are just displaying there natural behavior for wanting some form of cover, they are not an open swimmer of the reef!

This can be anything though, from a mushroom to a powerhead. Thus, IMO, without this danger it is not wise to promote or encourage the keeping of anemones when as a whole they are doing so poorly in captivity. Even with your 4 that are so far that seem to be doing fine, have you considered how many (most likely multitudes of that 4) that died in collection, shipping, and in the holding tanks at your LFS? This is the problem. With that said I hope your luck continues, although I know that your experience is not shared by the great number of hobbyiests trying these animals .

 

[Guest]

Most, (and I respect their decisions), disagree with using anemones in tanks merely because they are scarcely tank raised and you would be getting them wild caught and thus deminishing reef life...This is to be respected.

No debate really to be said... I think I stated clearly my opinions. I do not advocate the use of anemones exclusively, fact is, that they will host to many things..and yes I know people who have had anemones over 3 years in captivity, and it is easier these days to keep them. Most die simply because of the way they are harvested, and then starve to death, or to misguided care. I tried to find tank raised, but to be honest, they are almost impossible to find... I find it somewhat wrong also, to completely veer people away from experiencing something they might have great success with. Works for some and doesn't work for others..This is the beauty of a hobby right?

 

[sokhamik]

i agree with hoops.. i was just going to say that they create that relationship to survive, but hoops already said it..

 

[hawksview]

Has anyone ever used the synthetic anemones?I never knew about these until i found them doing a search the other day.They seem to be a little high priced but are they an alternitive?I just added 2 clowns to my tank and was ready to get an anemone until i read this thread.I did not realize that anemones were that hard to take care of.Thanks for the info

 

[HoopsGuru]

I have never used the fake ones, but have read a few stories of clowns hosting in them, how often or easy this is I can't even guess.

I find it somewhat wrong also, to completely veer people away from experiencing something they might have great success with. Works for some and doesn't work for others..This is the beauty of a hobby right?

With mortality rates in the upper 90% for not even reaching a year in captivity, personally I find it hard to do anything but veer people away, especially those new in the hobby. Without a clear understanding of their proper husbandry yet, I would just prefer they stay in the ocean until their chances improve (especially through collection and shipping) to where they at least have a glimmer of hope for survival, and an opportunity for captive propagation without such a strain on the wild population.

I understand your "works for some, doesn't work for others" viewpoint, but I feel the failure rate throws the comparison far out of balance. And even though it is a "hobby" and I use the term very often myself, we are still dealing with living animals here.

Just my viewpoint, and I tend to be more conservative. Obviously, some people do have to try and keep anemones in order to unlock their needs, but in my experience those keeping them in earnest is a relatively small percentage compared to the many I see and speak with that buy one with a clownfish thinking they "need" it.

 

[Mistertalker]

I have had an anemone for nearly 2 years. Not sure what kind it is Ive been told a corn silk. It started to decline when I started to get lazy and didnt feed it. Now I feed it two or three times a week with a large variety of frozen foods, it is doing well. It has devided twice. The bigest problem I have seen is anemone's move areound if there not happy. When they move they sting everything they touch, and they usualy win the stinging war. So far, mine has stayed in one spot for about a year now. It is buddys with a gold striped marron clown.

On the other hand Prior to that I had a standard percula and it was buddies with the annenomie and every corral (especialy frogspawn) in the tank except my plate corral. So if you want to play it safe buy the clown and see how he does in with the corrals first. It may take a while befor he get into being there buddies.

 

[fishfreek]

The only reason I have a bubble tip anenome is because I have someone local who has had them for several years and has had them split several times in his tanks. He gave me a small one with the understanding that if it did not do well in my tank he would take it back.

If I did not have the option of him taking it back I probably would not have taken it in the first place.

 

[sokhamik]

hehe.. although i argue on the side of hoops, i have a carpet anemone.. i bought it from a local fish store that sold it for 10 dollars.. i bought it because i knew that the store only had one or two customers.. and one of them is me.. if i'd left it there in the store, then it would've died because they don't really specialize in saltwater.. they just buy it from left-over wholesales or something like that.. and that is the story why i got mines.. after i had bought it is when i read somewhere that 90 percent die in aquarium use.. but i couldn't do anything about it.. it's doing okay.. it has found a spot and has been there for a while now.. i feed it 2-3 times a week also...

 

[Guest]

Most of the problems I have heard of, is lack of knowing what to do, or to feed to keep them healthy. I have talked to people that are staunch against owning them because they die, only to have them say "you mean I was supposed to feed it?" The majority of people I talk to about anemones in LFS's, think that all anemones live off of their own zooxanthellae an dthus don't need to be fed, or are told to feed them target foods which in fact kill them...It is a shame really, but, I feed mine raw shrimp and fish and give them as much TLC I can, and I pass along that info when I can, to hopefully help those who already have them...