Bubble tip anenome to add(?)

[Tang23]

I have a 40g, 10g sump with two Clowns, 1 Diamond Gobie, 3 blue damsels, 2 domino damsels, 2 scooter blennies & 1 Coral Banded shrimp.
I have a UV sterilizer & protein skimmer, established since May of this year.
I want to add a bubble tip anenome with the hope of the clowns taking to it. I mix up feedings of dry pellets & frozen mysis shrimp, bloodworms &, spirulina brine shrimp
The usual parameters are all good (temperature, pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrite & nitrate). I have a Blade "Coral Grow" LED light.

I can now test for Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium. Where should these be?
What other food needs are required?
What else is there to monitor and ensure success?

Thanks
Ed

 

[Andy Sager]

I have a 40g, 10g sump with two Clowns, 1 Diamond Gobie, 3 blue damsels, 2 domino damsels, 2 scooter blennies & 1 Coral Banded shrimp.
I have a UV sterilizer & protein skimmer, established since May of this year.
I want to add a bubble tip anenome with the hope of the clowns taking to it. I mix up feedings of dry pellets & frozen mysis shrimp, bloodworms &, spirulina brine shrimp
The usual parameters are all good (temperature, pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrite & nitrate). I have a Blade "Coral Grow" LED light.

I can now test for Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium. Where should these be?
What other food needs are required?
What else is there to monitor and ensure success?

Thanks
Ed

This is a good article on requirements for anemones: Keeping Anemones - Reef Aquarium
Your light is fine for bubbletips. For what it's worth, the clowns don't really need an anemone if they have no predators in the tank.
Just so you know, the issue with adding them to tanks that contain fish or inverts that are not normally associated with anemones is that they are now in danger of getting eaten by the anemone. That means that your goby, blennies, blue devils and shrimp are going to be in that position. Dominoes go into anemones. Even tho your tank should be long enough ( I assume it's a 48" long 40 gallon) , I recommend that if losing these fish are going to be an issue for you, I wouldn't add the anemone.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Anemones, like all ocean dwellers, require stable parameters. Focus more on that, than certain numbers. Alk 8-11, cal 380-420, mag 1300-1400 are good targets. Monitor NO3 and PO4 weekly and keep them in check. I’m not convinced a single Blade will suffice on a 40breeder, a PAR meter will give you the answer you’re looking for. Colors will come out at higher PAR. This tank runs around 250 PAR halfway down. They’re carnivores and love an occasional spot feed of mysis, not required however if they have enough light. Large water changes or large swings in parameters may cause them to split, which can also happen during stable time periods. Whether or not it’s because they’re happy, or fighting for survival, is largely dependent on water quality, which is sometimes glaringly obvious, and sometimes not. They’re fairly dirty animals, and a skimmer will be appreciated. I wouldn’t worry about any of your fish being eaten, I’ve never had a fish go missing in this tank, and the only time I suspect a nem would consume a fish is because it died previously and ended up close enough to grab with its tentacles. I’ve never heard of a healthy specimen get picked off like that. My tank has had upwards of 23 anemones in it, would imagine it would have happened by now if nature had intended them to pull live fish out of the water.

Anyways, don’t overthink it, and monitor your water…

 

[Andy Sager]

Anemones, like all ocean dwellers, require stable parameters. Focus more on that, than certain numbers. Alk 8-11, cal 380-420, mag 1300-1400 are good targets. Monitor NO3 and PO4 weekly and keep them in check. I’m not convinced a single Blade will suffice on a 40breeder, a PAR meter will give you the answer you’re looking for. Colors will come out at higher PAR. This tank runs around 250 PAR halfway down. They’re carnivores and love an occasional spot feed of mysis, not required however if they have enough light. Large water changes or large swings in parameters may cause them to split, which can also happen during stable time periods. Whether or not it’s because they’re happy, or fighting for survival, is largely dependent on water quality, which is sometimes glaringly obvious, and sometimes not. They’re fairly dirty animals, and a skimmer will be appreciated. I wouldn’t worry about any of your fish being eaten, I’ve never had a fish go missing in this tank, and the only time I suspect a nem would consume a fish is because it died previously and ended up close enough to grab with its tentacles. I’ve never heard of a healthy specimen get picked off like that. My tank has had upwards of 23 anemones in it, would imagine it would have happened by now if nature had intended them to pull live fish out of the water.

Anyways, don’t overthink it, and monitor your water…

I can tell you multiple stories of customers who had that happen. It all depends on the fish and the tank set up. Most often it happens when a fish gets blown into them vs going into them intentionally. The nem goes into the water flow and a fish gets chased into the flow and then BINGO!!!! Nem lunch. So never say never.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I can tell you multiple stories of customers who had that happen. It all depends on the fish and the tank set up. Most often it happens when a fish gets blown into them vs going into them intentionally. The nem goes into the water flow and a fish gets chased into the flow and then BINGO!!!! Nem lunch. So never say never.

Fair enough. Regardless, I can’t see it being a reason to be concerned, considering the unpredictable nature of the hobby in general.

 

[Andy Sager]

Fair enough. Regardless, I can’t see it being a reason to be concerned, considering the unpredictable nature of the hobby in general.

True but there are those that take loss very deeply so it's just a warning of a potential issue. We live with potential disasters everyday don't we? Every time we get into a car let's say, you have the potential of dying in it. If that fact bothers you, you don't get into a car. Right? I had a customer lose a $50 Juv. Pinnatus Batfish to a $1.99 condylactus anemone. Sh*t happens.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

True but there are those that take loss very deeply so it's just a warning of a potential issue. We live with potential disasters everyday don't we? Every time we get into a car let's say, you have the potential of dying in it. If that fact bothers you, you don't get into a car. Right? I had a customer lose a $50 Juv. Pinnatus Batfish to a $1.99 condylactus anemone. Sh*t happens.

Not to sound dark here, but death is an inevitable part of this hobby. It’s a fact. We can come up with hypotheticals like car accidents all day long, but the truth is, if a dead fish bothers you deeply, you’re in the wrong hobby. Personally it bothers me, but I’m able to move on quickly. Though corals withering away bother me far.

 

[Andy Sager]

Not to sound dark here, but death is an inevitable part of this hobby. It’s a fact. We can come up with hypotheticals like car accidents all day long, but the truth is, if a dead fish bothers you deeply, you’re in the wrong hobby. Personally it bothers me, but I’m able to move on quickly. Though corals withering away bother me far.

I definitely agree with that. Especially with the fish available today in the hobby. As my Vet once told me when I had to bring my dog in to be put down: " Unfortunately, we pick pets that do not live as long as we do so death is always part of pet keeping. The best you can do is give them the best life for as long as you have them."