Anenomie aggression?

Fishster

AC Members
Jun 12, 2001
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Calgary, AB
This is a questions more out of curiosity sake as I do not yet have one and won't until conditions are right. Anyway how aggressive are aneomies twards other tank inhabitants like shrimp, crabs and small fish? Is there a possability of them eating other tank inhabitants?

Thanks
 
Yes, and no. Anemones aren't aggressive in the same sense as an aggresive fish might be. Most fish/inverts recognize the hazard of hanging out in an anemone, and will simply avoid one. The threat to corals/stationary inverts is much greater. Anemones are mobile, and if something is occupying their chosen spot, they will knock it over, and sting it in the process. Anything they pass by while moving is likely to get stung. Their tentacle tend to float around, and can snag other stationary objects. Careless fish can get stung, but this usually isn't fatal. A sick fish might be eaten, but usually a large healthy fish can get away.

We have a curly-q anemone in with our trigger, lionfish, eel, and burr fish. The burr fish gets stung frequently--he's kind of oblivious to everything--think of a big dumb puppy. He's also gotten tagged by the lion fish (he actually was swimming above the lionfish and basically speared himself--the lionfish was not impressed and shook him off. The lion fish now will move out of the way of the burr fish). He has white patches for a while, and they heal up within a day or two. He has learned to avoid hitting the tentacles with his eyes.

I'd avoid anemones until your tank is well established. It's been my experience that the 'nice' ones--carpets, LTA, etc--are sensitive, while the junk ones--aiptasia, curly-q's--are resilient and almost impossible to kill. Clowns won't host in them, however, and they are nasty to tankmates.
 
Thanks for the reply, the type of anenome I was looking at has a tube on the bottom that they seem to bury into the substrate. I know it is a weak description but does that ring any bells.
 
Agression isn't the concern, cuz well, it just kinda sits there... The concern is how powerful the sting is... A bubble tip for example, has a weak sting, hardly close to being dangerous... However, a carpet anemone can pack a REAL punch and be fatal... Same with some corals...
 
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Originally posted by OrionGirl
A sick fish might be eaten

Funny you say that...had a small perc clown that has been not to well lately. Moving kinda slow...the normal tell tales. Well just went to check out the tank, and can't find the clown. Looked all over...behind rock....in filter.....on floor and nothing. My anenome is pretty big....about a 1/2 inch at the base of it tenticles....

Its the only thing i can think of...:D
 
very common... I know they're beautiful, but I personally thing anemones are too dangerous to keep with fish... This of couse doesn't apply to the wimpier ones like a bta or a sebae, just the big bad uglies like a carpet... I've even heard reports of a carpet stinging a person to the point of nausea...
 
I have two Bubble tips that I have had for well over 4 months now and a Carpet (the carpet is in a different tank.) My experience has been a little bit different than the rest. I was once feeding my Ghost Ribbon Eel (P. brummeri),(I have both Bubbles in here). I was throwing some shrimp to the bottom for him and the top to the tank slammed on my arm and my forearm went right into the bubble. It stung like mad (within two minutes after contact I had a nice pretty bruise:( !). I find my carpet more annoying because once they stick to you they won't let go. One must shake them off their skin. As for the tube question it might be a Tube Anemone which is highly predatory. They will eat all fish that come near them. Either that or it may be a Long Tentacle Anemone that has sunk its base into the sand (they do that pretty frequently.
 
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