anemone question

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jtrov

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Jan 23, 2005
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Hi everyone. I am pretty new to the forum and this is my first post. I purchased an electirc green carpet anemone this weekend and have two questions about it. First, the clown first dont seem interested in it so should i feed it. If so what should i feed it. Second, it crawled between some rocks today and i was just wondering if this is normal for it to move around like this and if its allright.
 

Max

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Jan 26, 2004
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First Welcome to A.C.!!! I wish you had of posted prior to buying this guy they have a lousy track record in home tanks . They require very stable conditions in your tank and water as close to perfect as you can get. They will not live in tanks where there is any ammonia, nitrite or a high nitrate level. They also require very good lighting conditions 10000 k halides and acintic lights and a large water flow. Don't be surprised if it moves as close to the lights as it can get to. To answer your 2nd question yes it's normal for anemonies to sulk for a couple of days after purchase. Yes you are going to have to feed it and would even if the clown was giving it a little food. I don't know how big it is so I really can't tell you how much to feed but, I'd feed it every day to every other day. Also if you have fish with it other than than clown it's probably going to eat anything that gets close to it. Most lfs have a no return poly on inverts but, I would really try to return it if you can. I love anemonies to but IMO and IME this is a pretty bad starter. Just a few pointers if it's stuck to a rock don't try to move it you'll very likely hurt or kill it. Your are going to have to more or less build this tank around that critter if you are going to keep it.
A little more info would let us know if it has any chance. Please tell us about your tank what size is it what sort of lights do you have what's your substrate do you skim and what are your water parameters.
I'm not trying to flame you but if you are new to salt water ,"maybe if you aren't ", take this guy back before it dies if the store will let you.
HTH
Chris
 

jtrov

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Jan 23, 2005
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Thank you for your input. My tank is a 90 gallon with a sand base, about 4 inches, and almost 200 pounds of live rock. The water parameters are good i think wih ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite all at 0. Salinity at 1.022, posphates at nearly 0, and calcium at around 400 i think. I am using a cpr wet/dry filter with a skimmer and a refugium with live sand, rock and algae in it. The tank has powerheads spread throughout that are hooked up to a wavemaker. For lighting i dont have metal halide. I currently am using a 8x55 pc fixture. I would say its a medium to large sized anemone. If i decide to keep it and you think it would have any luck, what should i feed it. Thank You
 

Max

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Jan 26, 2004
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Feed it squid, silversides , shrimp anything meaty really. I'd also wear gloves when working in the tank this is one of the few anomone that can sting through your skin. Your tank can support this guy but, I haven't heard of one living under pc's. Usually under halides they will get as close to the light as they so I really don't think that you have enough light.
Also collection and transportation really take quite a toll on these guys. Even if you had perfect conditions and 10,000 halides I really wouldn't give any more than a 50-50 chance.
Fish stores for the most part don't care what they sell you. To a lot of them they only see that anemone as a $100 bill not a pet or something that you're going to care for. They also don't tell you little things like it's going to get to be 25 to 35 inches in diameter and it will live for around 100 years in the wild.
I really didn't mean to sound like a jerk sorry. I just hate to see people bamboozled and if the lfs didn't tell you this that's more of less what they did :( .
Sorry for the tone
Chris
 

jtrov

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Jan 23, 2005
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Thank you very much for your input. I will have to try and see if they will take it back tomorrow. It doesnt sound like its worth trying to keep it. Thank You, Jonathan
 

Max

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Jan 26, 2004
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How did it go did they take it back?
 

rayjay

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Nov 27, 2002
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On another note, corals, anemones and other invertebrates will do better if kept at salt levels near reef levels which is 1.026.
Fish, however, will have no problem at 1.022 or lower.
 

ca1ore

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Oct 18, 2004
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Carpets aren't the only ones that can pack a sting!

I have a large and VERY sticky H. Magnifica that has actually left scars on my right forearm. Probably should be more careful, DUH!

Anyhow, I don't really understand the obsession with anemones when soft corals are so much easier ... and generally stay put.

Simon
 

Gealcath

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Nov 9, 2003
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Mostly the big appeal with Anemones is clown hosting behavior, which may or may not happen which gets the purcheser wondering "they do this on TV so why dont they do it in my aquarium"
 

LonersBlaze

HC Specialist
Mar 18, 2005
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i agree with the gealcath, clownfish are picky (especial true/false percs, which are VERY PICKY).

It really depends, because almost all clownfishes in stores are captivity breed may never have seen an anemone before, but still have the instinct to interact with it and in some case actually live a symbiotic relationship.

It can take days, months, or never.
 
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