Tankmates for anemone...

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stellablu

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My boyfriend has a long 30g tank that has been cycling for well over a month. He just recently placed live rock in the tank a few days ago. Friday he is intending on purchasing his focal point fish.

He is getting Sebae clown(s) with a single or variety of Long Tentacle, Carpet, Bubble, or Saddle anemone. He also wants to get some Atlantic anemone for its looks, knowing fish don't prefer it.

My question is, I want to purchase a fish for his tank but I'm not familiarized with keeping anemone. I want to make sure the fish won't nip at it or upset it.

1. What are some good tankmates that aren't a danger to anemone?
2. What about starfish or brittle stars? (I was told they destroy everything in the tank)

Here are a couple fish I am considering...(not all of them together, just doing research on them all)...Please let me know if ANY of these to your knowledge or experience are a bad idea.
- Domino Damsel (cute and playful)
- Orange Spot Goby
- Green Clown Goby
- Dragonface Pipefish
- Macneill's Assessor Basslet
- Green Mandarin (we both love those little guys, but we would have to purchase him later down the road once tank is a bit more established)

What about Flame Scallops or Peppermint Shrimp?

Sorry about the overload of questions and thanks for any advice ahead of time!
 
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Gealcath

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It depends on the type of starfish, theres sand sifter, knobby, and brittle.


I would skip out on the Damsel, it may look "cute and playful", but it wont be when its nipping fins and harassing fish.


Mandarins require ALOT of pods, hence it requires a mature stable aquarium with a large pod population, some people even raise pods in sumps.
 

TKOS

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Mandarins rarely live in captivity. And anemones rarley live in tanks that aren't well establish (like stable for years). So don't be surprised when your dies as it most likely will. A 30 gallon tank will not be able to handle the desired anemones.

Bare in mind that clowns do not need anemones in captivity. They do very well without them, and generally find something else to host with, including coral.
 

stellablu

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He has his eye on a Sebae who is paired up with a Saddle anemone who is sharing a nice slice of live rock, so he's purchasing the lot on Friday. He figured since the fish liked the anemone and the anemone liked the rock he'd buy all three.

He has more than adequate lighting. I don't know what kind (I'll ask) but I think it is 6 watts per gallon and it has a moonlight. It cost $400 and was recommended to keep anemone (recommended by six different LFS's specializing in reef and SW tanks). The owner of one has a tall 30g behind the counter that has two anemone in it and some kind of goby or blenny. That tank has been set up for as long as I can remember (at least eight years) and he set the tank up, cycled it for two months, introduced live rock and turbos, then two weeks later placed the current anemone in the tank. I realize anemone can seemingly live forever if cared for proper (or better yet, in the wild) but eight years is a decent amount of time in that tank. Another LFS has a "desk size" tank with coral and anemone in it and two tiny clowns. I have to get a picture of that. It's a beautiful tank that has been up and running for a long time, I'll ask how long it has been and take a picture next time I go in. THAT I am not sure I would attempt because it is mayyyyybe 5g. Everyone is healthy and happy so far...I have to post a picture of that. I don't know what to think about it.

This is what I've found about Saddle...

Good Points-
This may be the easiest anemone to keep for long periods of time. Light suitable for soft corals and commonly kept hard corals is enough. I have had one growing slowly for over 7 years in the bottom of a 30 gal. tall aquarium with only 60 watts of fluorescent light. Reasonable nitrate levels for fish seem to be OK for this anemone. For its first 3 years my anemone lived in water that measured 30 ppm of nitrate on a Seatest Kit and showed no ill effects. They will grow faster however given better conditions.

Bad Points- This anemone will eat your fish! (not your clownfish) Dwarf angels, small tangs, blennies and small shrimp seem to be prone to getting eaten. Pseudochromis, hawkfish and some others don't seem to have a problem. The clownfish that accept this anemone also seem to be limited. They are accepted by saddleback clowns, true sebae clowns, Clarki clowns and usually tomato clowns.
 
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slipknottin

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bubbles are the easiest anenomes that clowns will host in (though occasionally they will host in a condy)

That being said, you still need to provide it with very good water conditions, as well as food supplements and good lighting. I would honestly you go with a fake anemone if you insist on having one, I used koosh ball for an anemone in one of my tanks. Also beware that even if you provide the clown an anemone, it may never take up residence in it.

Mandarins will get killed by an anenome, pipefish need to be in a species tank, domino damsel's are quite aggressive for a community tank (they should be ok with clowns, provided the clowns are added first), the gobies and basslets are good choices, but beware that they too may accidently swim into the anemone.
Flame scallops do very poorly in captivity. Peppermint shrimp should do fine in that setup.
 
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