To nem or not to nem…

[FishTacos2]

Just pulled the trigger on a new Waterbox 110.4.

Currently running a Waterbox 15g peninsula which is about 4 years established with 2 nice sps colonies, several dendros, torch, goni. And some acan Zia etc. I also have a BTA which has split (now 4 heads) that hosts a clown fish.

Nems were cool in my nano tank but not sure I want them in my larger mixed reef tank.

I would like to transfer my rock structure and coral to the new tank to help establish the bacteria, cooepods, etc. I also want to keep the coral.

The problem is the nems. Do I really want nems in my mixed reef /sps heavy?

Is there any way to remove them should I decide not to transfer them with the rock?

 

[Tahoe61]

If you're on the wall and undecided my opinion is go without the anemones in the new system. It's a lot harder to get them out of bigger tanks.
The easiest way to remove the anemones is to point the flow directly at the foot/base of the anemones. Once they start to move about remove them.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Beautiful nano! I expect your new WB will be just as nice!
There are several good ways to remove anemones from the rock if you choose not to add them to the new tank. Look up "anemone cannon"; you can point a powerhead at them (or otherwise irritate them) so they start to move and then capture them when the foot is not embedded in the rock; you can remove the rock from the tank and hold it so the nem is hanging upside down - this can take a while but eventually it will release its foot and fall back into the water.

Good luck!

Edit: here is one version of the cannon... Post in thread 'Any reefers in Vermont?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/any-reefers-in-vermont.869856/post-13105642

 

[LegalReefer]

Don't do it, would be my recommendation. They can multiply to plague proportions if not controlled, and while they're beautiful, if you're running an SPS focused tank, they're inevitably going to cause problems, stinging things you'd rather have growing beautifully. I had one in my 20-gallon, and now have two dozen choking out a plating montipora. They already claimed another monti and setosa, and did a number on my purple stylophora before I finally knuckled down and started choosing to treat them as pests rather than pretty. Be careful, would be my recommendation.

Beautiful tank, by the way. Good luck with the new one!

 

[Fish Styx]

I would not put BTAs in an SPS dominant tank. In fact, I removed the ones from mine about 2 years ago.

They will continue to split and move throughout the tank. As your colonies grow, it will become increasingly difficult to remove them without creating an abundance of "whoopsie" frags.

You can remove them now, before transferring the rock, by using a nem cannon. A quick forum search will tell you all you need to know.

Sand-dwelling nems, absolutely (IMO).

Happy reefing!

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Nems are nems. Definitely a love and hate relationship lol. Hence why I did a dedicated tank for mine. Though I feel sad my clowns don't have one. I may add in in the 25G I'm building for them.

Woke up today to my first split. And boy oh boy is the 5G getting full.

Either powerhead in their direction to get them moving. Or I grab an icecube to free their foot.

 

[edsbeaker]

I’m in the same boat. I love BTA’s , and don’t mind when one starts moving around, but I don’t want it to split and deal with many roaming around. It’s hard to resist getting one though.

 

[exnisstech]

I would pass. You can alway add one later if you choose. I kept bubble tips in this tank. But when I tore it down I did not bring any nems overtobthe new tank. I had as many as 50 at one point a few years back and just didn't want to deal with that again. I keep a blue haddoni with a clarkii in one tank so I can get my nem clown fix from them.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

I would pass. You can alway add one later if you choose. I kept bubble tips in this tank. But when I tore it down I did not bring any nems overtobthe new tank. I had as many as 50 at one point a few years back and just didn't want to deal with that again. I keep a blue haddoni with a clarkii in one tank so I can get my nem clown fix from them.

Amazes me to this day places still trying to sell RBTAs for $100 when they are so easy to reproduce.

 

[Kooma]

Amazes me to this day places still trying to sell RBTAs for $100 when they are so easy to reproduce.

Feeling like the sucker for buying from one of those places and realizing this after... Thankfully mine was a bit less than that.