Anemones for fish/live rock tank?

[UncleMike]

Hi,

Noob here. I am setting up a 30gal tank for fish & live rock (not a reef tank) and wanted to have the whole clown fish/anemone symbiotic relationship. I was wondering what kind of anemone (if any) were suited for these conditions?

 

[reefs4life]

Hi,

Noob here. I am setting up a 30gal tank for fish & live rock (not a reef tank) and wanted to have the whole clown fish/anemone symbiotic relationship. I was wondering what kind of anemone (if any) were suited for these conditions?

You gotta wait a while to get an anemone. Also, if you're not planning to do a reef but plan on getting an anemone, you might as well do a reef because you'll need to get a strong light for the anemone and it would be a waste to get it just for the anemone. Also some stats about your tank would help, like how long you set it up for, how much LR and LS and what kind of equipment

 

[UncleMike]

Thanks!
I heard there are some that don't require a strong light. I guess damsels it is... especially to start.

 

[reefs4life]

Thanks!
I heard there are some that don't require a strong light. I guess damsels it is... especially to start.

No most anemones, especially ones that host, need strong light. And how old is your tank? You shouldn't add any fish for at least a month after you've added ample amount of sand and LR. Also I know most people think that damsels are great starter fish but in the long run once everything is established they get nasty, very aggressive that is. Ocellaris clowns/false perculas, I think, are hardy enough fish to start with rather than damsels and they have a much better temper in the long run

 

[basiab]

That tank is usually considered too small for anemones. However, clownfish will host other corals that have long tentacles so you could try some of those. In any case, there is no guarantee that they will host anything especially if they are not wild caught.

 

[UncleMike]

Thanks guys!
The tank I have is still going through it' cycle stage (2 weeks in). I am getting 40lbs of live rock tomorrow so I'm hoping it can cure while the tank is going through it's cycle process.
I have crushed coral as my substrate. My goal is to have a dwarf lion as my main fish and a few others to complement it. Due to the semi-aggressive nature of the lion, a buddy recommended I get a damsel to start.

Any and all tips/advice is greatly appreciated. This is my first salt water tank. That's why I want to start with fish/live rock only and not rush into reef/mini-reef.

 

[reefs4life]

you don't really start your cycle until you have live rock so your tank isn't really cycling if there's just water in it

 

[DJYoshi]

Thanks guys!
The tank I have is still going through it' cycle stage (2 weeks in). I am getting 40lbs of live rock tomorrow so I'm hoping it can cure while the tank is going through it's cycle process.
I have crushed coral as my substrate. My goal is to have a dwarf lion as my main fish and a few others to complement it. Due to the semi-aggressive nature of the lion, a buddy recommended I get a damsel to start.

Any and all tips/advice is greatly appreciated. This is my first salt water tank. That's why I want to start with fish/live rock only and not rush into reef/mini-reef.

are you feeding the tank? From my understanding, you can start the cycle by feeding the tank...the food breaks down, and helps to start the cycle. I did it the oldskool way of using 2 damsels & LR to cycle my tank... but as previously stated...be careful with damsels.... I have 2 in my tank that I just can't get out b/c they're pretty damn smart and VERY territorial? Every time my hand goes into the tank to add coral or perform regular cleaning....they smash into me...even when I'm target feeding my LPS they'll dart into the turkey baster.

 

[Scubakev]

I agree no damsels go with clowns

 

[UncleMike]

are you feeding the tank? From my understanding, you can start the cycle by feeding the tank...the food breaks down, and helps to start the cycle. I did it the oldskool way of using 2 damsels & LR to cycle my tank... but as previously stated...be careful with damsels.... I have 2 in my tank that I just can't get out b/c they're pretty damn smart and VERY territorial? Every time my hand goes into the tank to add coral or perform regular cleaning....they smash into me...even when I'm target feeding my LPS they'll dart into the turkey baster.

I did start feeding the tank. Added a few capsules of frozen clams/shrimp to start the cycle. It just started on the ammonia this morning. I'm hoping adding the live rock will expedite the process. Is it cool to have clowns without the anemone? I kind of figured with that whole symbiotic relationship they needed eachother for a healthy environment.

 

[Imbarrie]

Are the damsels in the tank now?
And then you are planning to cure the LR in the tank?

Im confused.

You are definitely fine just having clownfish for a while and then when the tank is ready you can get a nem. As long as the clownfish has not hosted a nem, they will not miss it. Just make sure you get newbie clownfish.

But all the nems need strong lights. The ones that dont, eat fish.

 

[UncleMike]

Are the damsels in the tank now?
And then you are planning to cure the LR in the tank?

Im confused.

You are definitely fine just having clownfish for a while and then when the tank is ready you can get a nem. As long as the clownfish has not hosted a nem, they will not miss it. Just make sure you get newbie clownfish.

But all the nems need strong lights. The ones that dont, eat fish.

No, no, no...
I have nothing in the tank right now aside from water and the substrate.I should be getting the live rock tomorrow. A buddy told me to get a damsel as a starter fish once I was ready to add one due to me wanting a dwarf lion as my main fish and the damsel being aggressive enough to where the lion wouldn't eat it.

I guess then my question would be, is it okay to have clownfish without an anemone if I plan on keeping this a fish/live rock only tank provided the clown has not hosted in an anemone prior to acclimation to my tank?

 

[dacaptain78]

You can add a clownfish without an anemone and it will be fine. Skip the damsel. You don't need a fish to cycle your tank. The damsel will become a PITA down the line.

 

[DJYoshi]

if your ammonia just spiked this week...wait till that drops..then the nitrites spike...finally your nitrates spike and when all is 0 you can stock lightly.... like 1 fish per week..2 tops.... I have clowns without an anemone. they try to find a host to nearly everything in my tank from pulsing xens..to riccordia yumas...they even swim and hang out in either of my elegance coral every now and again...it's hard to mate clowns so I'd just buy them from your LFS as a mated pair....depending on the clown that you get...you can spend 50 - 300 for a mated pair...I think Richie Gozler is getting rid of a few of his clowns when he switches into his 450 tank next weekend since they all won't get along in his new tank... try and pm him: rkaragozler

 

[Imbarrie]

It's not hard to mate Clownfish. Just get two from a well populated tank and wait. Some do some don't.
Spending extra for a "mated pair" could be a waste. When you put them in another tank they may not continue to mate.
Give them a sable tank with good parameters and good food and it will encourage them.
Also say away from some shrimp. I have heard they stress Clownfish because they could take their eggs.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[tommy1618]

clowns dont need a anemone, and not all clowns will take to anemones, its a hit or miss from experience

 

[DJYoshi]

It's not hard to mate Clownfish. Just get two from a well populated tank and wait. Some do some don't.
Spending extra for a "mated pair" could be a waste. When you put them in another tank they may not continue to mate.
Give them a sable tank with good parameters and good food and it will encourage them.
Also say away from some shrimp. I have heard they stress Clownfish because they could take their eggs.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

tis true on your point that they may not continue to mate..... I made the mistake and tried to mate a pair by adding them at different times and 1 killed the other.... and I read that it was hard to mate clowns... maybe I tried wrong..so I just gave up gave the original clown to someone and then got a mated pair for what I thought was pretty cheap.