Anemones
- Thread starter dodo99
- Start date
Hey dodo, I do not think any of the photo. type anemones could live with only 2 w per gallon. Bub. tips and rock anemones are on the bottom of the scale for light and they need at least 4 or 5 w plus feeding. There are some anemones that are not photo. like tube anemones, there are also some true anemones that do not need light but am not sure if they are ever really ava. at the lfs. Andy
hey L/N, it's ashame aptasia are not pretty. Why no tube in a reef. A low light reef can be very cool. I am not crazy about bub. tip or long tent. anem. in my reefs either moving around stinging every thing, but a tube anem. stays put. I have found their sting no more potent to other animals than a elegans coral or galaxia's sweepers. They are hard to keep at first though. Andy
First off I wouldn't reccomend any anemones for a new reefkeeper. They are very delicate animals and they need a well matured tank.
Assuming that your tank has been running and stable for quite a while, I would reccomend that you upgrade your lighting. Most of the anemones that you see for sale are going to need a fair bit of light. I suggest you figure out which anemone you really want and then try to seek information on how to keep it.
Watts per gal isn't a very good way to measure how much light you will need.
Assuming that your tank has been running and stable for quite a while, I would reccomend that you upgrade your lighting. Most of the anemones that you see for sale are going to need a fair bit of light. I suggest you figure out which anemone you really want and then try to seek information on how to keep it.
Watts per gal isn't a very good way to measure how much light you will need.
coralmaniac":956hb4nd said:
You have to start somewhere. Some people do by asking questions of others. W/Pg is an simple way to get an idea of what might be required to keep an anemone/coral, if someone is new to reef keeping, without over loading them on techy stuff.
I tend to stay away from anemones (this is just my 2 cents so take it or leave it.) they are a pain. They can be successfully kept and have been in the past. However, they are very difficult even for moderatley experienced reefers. I dont touch them for all the reasons mentioned in this thread. Lets look at some pros and cons.
Con
1. sting the ever living crap out of everything.
2. Need alot of light (most do.)
3. You cant have ANY powerheads in the tank or else they will get sucked up in them and die. (had that happen to a huge rose bulb once, sniff.)
4. Some fish will eventually wind up lunch.
5. Most anemones get enormous and can overtake a smaller tank.
Pros
1. great conversation peice (most people notice anemones more than anything else.)
2. Very interesting.
3. can form some cool symbioses (not just clowns, but some shrimps, some hermits, some crabs.)
4. can add some great color and diversity to a reef (again depends on species, some anems are piss ugly.)
So, just do your research (which is what you are doing now, otherwise you wouldnt have asked) and make sure you know, and feel 100 percent confident that you will have no problems with the species youve chosen and you you will be alright. Lastly best of luck to ya buddy.
If you are getting PC's make sure to get the biggest freakin one you can get your hands on with the most watts possible. lighting is like flow, you can never seem to have too much.
Con
1. sting the ever living crap out of everything.
2. Need alot of light (most do.)
3. You cant have ANY powerheads in the tank or else they will get sucked up in them and die. (had that happen to a huge rose bulb once, sniff.)
4. Some fish will eventually wind up lunch.
5. Most anemones get enormous and can overtake a smaller tank.
Pros
1. great conversation peice (most people notice anemones more than anything else.)
2. Very interesting.
3. can form some cool symbioses (not just clowns, but some shrimps, some hermits, some crabs.)
4. can add some great color and diversity to a reef (again depends on species, some anems are piss ugly.)
So, just do your research (which is what you are doing now, otherwise you wouldnt have asked) and make sure you know, and feel 100 percent confident that you will have no problems with the species youve chosen and you you will be alright. Lastly best of luck to ya buddy.
If you are getting PC's make sure to get the biggest freakin one you can get your hands on with the most watts possible. lighting is like flow, you can never seem to have too much.
Andy H.":2h28dks8 said:
No use getting an anemone that he doesn't really want is there? Might as well choose one that he wants and then ask how he can set his tank up properly to keep it. Watts per Gal is totally pointless, Watts per depth is what really matters.
Andy, you can keep in anemone you want..tubes dont move and need a sandy substrate however they will eat anything in their path..not much for a beginner..nothing wrong with low light reefs..Its not that aiptasia are ugly so much as they are a nuissance...I have a fair amount of aiptasia in my mantis tank but really no corals or anything to worry about...Anemones arent for the novice...I tried several starting out and still really attempt to keep one..i have a rock anemone, but he is relatively hardy..I have good water conditions and strong lighting, just cant seem to keep them alive...
Honestly getting an anemone in a cycling tank is completely pointless, its best avoided probably for the first year from set up date...That may even have been my problems...Anemones are delicate animals and need good care so you must provide this to them in a controlled enviroment...
Honestly getting an anemone in a cycling tank is completely pointless, its best avoided probably for the first year from set up date...That may even have been my problems...Anemones are delicate animals and need good care so you must provide this to them in a controlled enviroment...
Hey L/N. All true. I do think it is best to set up a spec. tank for anemones. They can be very cool tanks. I have found after being in this hobby a while I need more challenges than just clear h2o. The anemones were it for a while, now I have moved on. I still have 1 bub. tip and 1 rock an. They are in their own tanks with b/t and clowns, rock anemone and inverts. I also think people new to the hob. should be encouraged to learn and strive for what they want out of this hob. Andy
good article on this topic
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/r_ ... 02697.html
good myth busting article on tube anemones
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... invert.htm
good article on this topic
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/r_ ... 02697.html
good myth busting article on tube anemones
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... invert.htm
Thanks for all the info people. I think I'll just stick to soft corals for now then. I added some hairy mushrooms yesterday. I think I'll be able to attach a 24" 75-watt VHO tube to the hood, still keeping the original lighting intact. The price seems reasonable, if you get a simple retro kit.
One a side note, my percula seems fascinated by the new shrooms. He keeps swimming from his usual territory to hover near the shrooms. Is that normal? Should I place the shrooms closer to his usual spot in the tank? My two blue damsels are very nasty about their territory since they've been nesting...
One a side note, my percula seems fascinated by the new shrooms. He keeps swimming from his usual territory to hover near the shrooms. Is that normal? Should I place the shrooms closer to his usual spot in the tank? My two blue damsels are very nasty about their territory since they've been nesting...
I have had clowns make plate and xenia corals their host. Have heard others have made hairy shrooms their host. If the clown is kind of small I would not worry about it. Some larger clowns can get kind of rough and this might keep the corals closed and maybe starve.
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