Anemones and why you should wait.

[Velcro]

I've actually had the opposite experience with BTAs. I've added them a month after cycle with no issues. I find them to be quite hardy. Even had one do just fine through a mini-cycle after transferring everything to a new tank.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Excellent article @crabs_mcjones ! Very well written with great information.


That pretty green badge looks nice as well

They're like pokemon, gotta collect em all

 

[LadyMac]

A very good reminder. I had let my tank mature for over a year, however I was having issues with many things even after that year. Brown algae for one. Now it’s cyano. I had gotten an anemone and he looked great. He only moved once but the clowns loved him too fast and too roughly. Many believe they stressed him and it was then that I learned the nem should be three times the size of the clowns. So now I’m still wary. One day I’ll have one. But that time will wait until I get things the way they should be.

 

[CorporalFin]

As someone who is new to the hobby i really appreciate articles like this. Thank you. ;Pompus

 

[mcarroll]

@crabs_mcjones Very well said!!

One thing to add.

The trend toward zero nutrients and tanks that are too clean is also a big complicating factor to success with anemones.

Anemones are gigantic photosynthetic polyps and have a large demand for phosphate as a result.

In a brand new tank, due to lack of much microbial infrastructure to capture and recycle "waste nutrients", food inputs could be the only significant phosphate source and could be inadequate to a large anemone's demand.

Smaller anemones should seem to be more hardy, because they should have smaller phosphate demands.

In those rare new tanks where nutrients are left "unmanaged" it's possible a large anemone might do fine.

Big anemones use A LOT of phosphate. Because of the nature of that need I'm not even sure that feeding the anemone will supply the need…

Dissolved phosphate might be required. Eaten nutrients go to the polyp first, but it's the resident dinos that need the phosphate.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Big thank you to everyone who commented and to those that added extra information I hope that this thread and article will help all those looking to add anemones to their system, and keep a bunch of people from heartache if their anemone doesn't make it.

 

[CorporalFin]

Big thank you to everyone who commented and to those that added extra information I hope that this thread and article will help all those looking to add anemones to their system, and keep a bunch of people from heartache if their anemone doesn't make it.

its really hard waiting but with the support this community gives its is not as bad

 

[Doubbler]

Had my nem since one month in. It was a bleached baby when I got it, and now after over one year, it had split on its own 4 times. This proves your theory is wrong. All you need is the right knowledge and equipment.

 

[CorporalFin]

Had my nem since one month in. It was a bleached baby when I got it, and now after over one year, it had split on its own 4 times. This proves your theory is wrong. All you need is the right knowledge and equipment.

i think it is really cool you were able to do that but i honestly know someone like me doesnt know what you do and i think it was more meant for new people

 

[Doubbler]

i think it is really cool you were able to do that but i honestly know someone like me doesnt know what you do and i think it was more meant for new people

I agree. But I just through my two cents in

 

[Crabs McJones]

I've actually had the opposite experience with BTAs. I've added them a month after cycle with no issues. I find them to be quite hardy. Even had one do just fine through a mini-cycle after transferring everything to a new tank.

Had my nem since one month in. It was a bleached baby when I got it, and now after over one year, it had split on its own 4 times. This proves your theory is wrong. All you need is the right knowledge and equipment.

That is part of the reason my article states "in most instances"

There are reefers out there (such as yourselves) who were able to put anemones in right away or a month later and have success. Unfortunately not everyone can be that lucky or have that level of knowledge or equipment. So again, this article isnt geared towards any one person and their success rate, but a generalization to help many reefers, especially new ones. And it does not necessairly prove I am wrong as there are far more cases of nems dying in new tanks then not, just as you said it all depends on the reefers level of knowledge and equipment available. @Doubbler your nem looks great by the way

 

[CorporalFin]

I agree. But I just through my two cents in

All opinions are valued. It is nice to know anything is possible

 

[cracker]

That is part of the reason my article states "in most instances"

Well said !

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

Had my nem since one month in. It was a bleached baby when I got it, and now after over one year, it had split on its own 4 times. This proves your theory is wrong. All you need is the right knowledge and equipment.

Back in the day sirca 1993-1994 way before the crazy mutant clowns people buy today I used to take home breading pairs that would be brought into the large fish store I was an assistant manager at... Needless to say I have cycled tanks with not one not two but three breading pairs of clowns and their host anemone! 25 years later this is a condy hosting a rescued Amphiprion ocellaris (false percula)

In a 6 gallon modded Eclipse tank 5.3 gallons in the system with a Chinese LED a 40gph powerhead and a small canister filter running a couple sponges and carbon. This is my 3 year old daughters tank it has been running for 1 month 23 days today cycled with one Blue Devil damsel dead rock that was once Fiji LR and a 3"×3" piece of LR out of my main display tank fully Cycled in 3 weeks bare bottom no chemicals 1st water change at 6 weeks 20% an I haven't tested her water in a month.

Got into a long thread as I was the first poster to the question "How ling should I wait for an Anemone?" still kind of new here but I have been an aquarisist for 40 years keeping both fresh and saltwater/reef tanks 25 years now! Years ago I was keeping a Trdacnid maxima in the same 6 gallon tank with powercompacts amd a Seaclone skimmer aquaclear 10 powerhead growing gorgonians I rescused after a huricane in Clearwater FL using dog tonail clippers to frag them... First pic is tonight second pic is two weeks ago feed the nem every 2-3 days chopped shrimp and scallop from Kroger! Before I seen your reply I emailed myself a link to this thread so I can bump it back up in 6 months and a year just to prove a point...

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

That is part of the reason my article states "in most instances"

There are reefers out there (such as yourselves) who were able to put anemones in right away or a month later and have success. Unfortunately not everyone can be that lucky or have that level of knowledge or equipment. So again, this article isnt geared towards any one person and their success rate, but a generalization to help many reefers, especially new ones. And it does not necessairly prove I am wrong as there are far more cases of nems dying in new tanks then not, just as you said it all depends on the reefers level of knowledge and equipment available. @Doubbler your nem looks great by the way

Reef keeping has nothing to due with "Luck" IMHO it is about skillz and research less technology more biology.

 

[YellowFinsReef]

I probably spent over $700 on anemones before I've figured that anemones shouldn't be added to new tanks. These walking water bags are so beautiful but could be such a nuisance when they move or get shredded by powerheads.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Reef keeping jas nothing to due with "Luck" IMHO it is about skillz and research less technology more biology.

Biology and technology sort of go hand in hand in this hobby do they not? Ro/Di units, skimmers, reactors, testing equipment...all so we can keep proper biology.

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

Biology and technology sort of go hand in hand in this hobby do they not? Ro/Di units, skimmers, reactors, testing equipment...all so we can keep proper biology.

I still run a Berlin style reef bare bottom 1.5# of cured rock per gallon with a big skimmer use API test kits for most everything Salifert for calcium 520 11 alk and magnesium 1470 just got my first dosing pump last year lol 100 gallon size Seaclone skimmer on a 55g no sump no refugium no reactors run carbon in a penguine 400 emperor for 3-5 days out of the month just to polish water 30% water change every 2 weeks Randys recipe 2 +mag once a week doser is my ATO 1/2 gallon of Kalwasser 12 hours at night every 30 minutes. 7 months 23 days 38 corals one Seabae anemone, 17 fish undetectable nitrate or phosphate... Most of the leathers were 1/2-1" frags the candy canes were as small as the tiny green one the pink had 7 heads 5 months ago last count 23!
Edit.
I manually dose 4 drops every morning of Kent Iodine 1/2 recomended dose.

 

[jgvergo]

How do I know if my tank has matured?

A healthy population of Coraline algae is a good indicator of tank maturity.

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

2- A360's on a 93 gallon cube. I couldnt imagine light is the issue but I'm borrowing my local clubs PAR meter in the next month or so (once my name in line comes up) I have it ramp up from 10% to 100% intensity in about 2 hours, stays that high for about 5 hours, then ramps down slowly for 3 hours. Blue to white, back to blue during the same time for color.

Parameters are in line other than alk which dropped to like 7-7.5. I hate the titration tests. (Using all Red Sea) 0's for Ammonia/Nitrite, Nitrate ran at 0 for a couple weeks but once the Red Graciliaria melted away it spiked up to about 15. temp I cant seem to keep completely stable but swings from 77-79 through the day a couple times. SG is 1.026. I have seen an explosion of bristle warms since the Gracilaria melted away.

Tankmates leave it alone. I have 2 mocha clowns, 2 blenny (Tailspot and Starry), skunk shrimp, blood shrimp, tuxedo urchin, a smattering of CuC (fighting conch, emererld crab, and trochus snails) also a porcelain crab thats been hosting in the anemone stump since it was purchased as a pair.

I have a coral QT that is currently empty it could be moved to but I'm almost certain if I try to move it that it will bite the dust. Once it was introduced it hid in a cave for about 10 days, deflated completely, came out for about 36 hours, then retreated back into the cave for another week. It emerged again Saturday morning and has been in this position since then. He is on the back half of tank which is in a corner so photos are tough to get, this is the best I have from yesterday.



Not trying to hijack your article which was very well written.

Have you fed it?