TANK RAISED FALSE PERCULAS /LONG TENTACLE ANEMONE HOST

[Anonymous]

*stands up and kicks self*

Man, I feel like an idiot... This stupid kid managed to pressure me into buying his BTA that had just split in his tank, and my tnak was only about 1 1/2 to 2 months old at that point! In just under a week it was dead...
STUPID! ARGH!

Anywho, touching upon what seamaiden said, Ive read that sea anemones have "no sense of senescence", or in other words, they can live indefinitely. They are a colony of nematocyst cells that can continually replace one another and themselves. So 15 years is nothing... The only sign of success you have is if they dont die, and are always open and eating and stuff... Think about it; what kinds of signs of health do you get from a colorful blob of snot other than open, closed, color/no color, and eating? Clownfish hosting in rose BTAs that Ive seen often go completely unnoticed by the anemone, though Im sure the anemone appreciates something that will bring it crumbs and stuff...
I dont think even moving is a significant sign of anything other than it doesnt like where its at...

I dont know; I think they plot and conspire against me everytime I look at them in the stores... Like theyre saying "Yeah, we'll die in your tank, even though we're surviving in this pittance of good conditions in this cramped dealer's tank"...
*sigh*...

 

[Anonymous]

A blob of snot? How about a blob of snot that stings? <giggle>

 

[DaisyPolyp]

I have been lucky with mine. Bought a Condy and tried to host 2 perculas in it, a month later and they still wouldn't go near it. Began to read up on it and found out that they really like the Ritteri, so I go and get one. Within a week of putting the Ritteri in, both clowns had moved into the Condy. Go figure.

 

[elpescado]

Everybody set for this one....
Genetically speaking, the instinct to host in an anemone is passed on in the genes, but it can be bred out over time, hence some captive bred clowns that have never seen an anemone will quickly take to an anemone and others never will. Some take a little time. (personal observations over the years, and I have cared for litteraly thousands of clowns over the years that I have worked in a petstore.).
When a clown hatches out of an egg it joins the plankton for a few weeks in its larval stage and its early juvinile stage. As the clown grows older it "takes to the reef" so to speak. Not every juvinile clown will see another colony hosting in an anemone, but it will instinctively know to locate and "hitch up" with a host anemone (some exceptions do apply).
That said, if you want to get your clowns to host with an anemone, choose an anemone that is the natural prefered host (not to say that other anemones wouldn't be chosen by the clown), and try that. It is your best bet. But as stated by others previously, captive bred clowns might never take to a host anemone. It is a hit and miss situation.
Not to step on any toes, but metal halide lighting is not condusive to all anemone species. Some species cannot handle intense lighting. Face it, Stoichidactyla gigantea (giant carpet anemone) from deeper water cannot handle the intense tropical sunlight that a Heteractis magnifica (ritteri anemone) enjoys.
[/i]Entacmea quadricolor (bubble anemone) is another lower light anemone that has the tendancy to cower in the shade under intense light (there are always some exceptions, some can adapt) and open large and wide under moderate lighting. Do your homework on any anemone you wish to keep and you will have an easier time with them.
As for when to introduce an anemone, it all depends on the species, and how healthy the anemone is. Many anemones actually do very well in new setups as they are able to absorb small amounts of ammonia from the water. I have found that sea anemones can withstand relatively high levels of ammonia (5 to 10ppm) and nitrite (3 to 5ppm) where many fish become extreemly distressed under such situations. The other benifit to an anemone in a newer setup is that the trace elements are all present in the water (until used up... water changes, water changes and more water changes with a good salt).
good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, but one problem with new tanks is they are frequently operated by new aquarists. The dismal survival rate of most anemones is a good indicator that people should wait until they develop some expertise.

Since I didn't see anybody mention it, the long-tentacled anemone is probably Macrodactyla doreensis.

Clown may take a very long time to get together with an anemone. people are always trying to get perculas to go with bubble-tips, and I've heard of it taking as long as 6 months.

Here is a compatability chart. Skunk clowns go nice with an LTA.

http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib ... ticMap.htm

 

[Anonymous]

Not to step on any toes, but metal halide lighting is not condusive to all anemone species. Some species cannot handle intense lighting. Face it, Stoichidactyla gigantea (giant carpet anemone) from deeper water cannot handle the intense tropical sunlight that a Heteractis magnifica (ritteri anemone) enjoys.

That's a very good point, and I thought it bore repeating.

 

[Anonymous]

Is it true though? I had the impression that Stichodactyla gigantea is collected almost exclusively from shallow water.

 

[Anonymous]

I think the first part of the statement is very true. As for where the carpets offered for sale are collected, I don't know for sure. I'm sure someone around here does, though.

 

[buoymarker28]

I am by no means a scientist...but after running a fish specialty store while in college here is what i have learned about my favorite part of the reef.

Introduce the fish second. I know that may sound strange but a well established anemone fish/fishes will be less inclined to take to a new anemone. If you anemone is established and then you introduce the fish then the fish will usually take cover in an available anemone. They see them as safe havens and, since they are the new kids on the block in a strange world, will ususally take to them like <insert favorite phrase here>

 

[DaisyPolyp]

Symbiosis on the cheap:

a. percula @ petsmart = $9.99
Condylactis sp. @ lfs = $12.99

the pure luck it takes to get them together = priceless

 

[owen]

hummm... Wish someone would of told me that before. I guess I will have to leave them in my tank because they are firmly attached to my rock. My tank is 75 gallon. Is that consered small? Also the live rock that I bought was from a guy that was moving. His tank had been set up for 2+ years, so I didnt have to cure my rock. Would this make a difference? sorry for all the questions, but I am new and trying very hard to learn!!

Star

 

[buoymarker28]

DOn't take them out. I think sometimes people get a little too far to the right. If you own a pet store or a reef specialty store do you honestly think you're going to wait a year before bringing in anemones? No. I've never waited that long for corals or anemones and i've had just as good a luck as others.

If they are thriving and teh clowns just aren't living in them then leave it alone...They'll eventually either host or you'll have clowns a live anemone living seperately.

 

[npaden]

There is a TON if incorrect information that has been posted in this thread. Please read a good book or at a minimum check out the anemone FAQ at: http://www.carlosreef.com/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

It isn't 100% right but might dispell some of the mythinformation that has been spouted forth so far.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

A LFS is just a holding tank. Your tank is where the stable parameters and experience count.

 

[buoymarker28]

Dispaly tanks at the LFS. you know the ones that get you sucked in? Any LFS that has ANY business sense will have one of those gorgeous tanks sitting out front where the customers go....."hey i want thaaat".

I just disagree with the premise that you have to wait a year before you can put anemones and corals in your reef tank. I mean everyone knows that your params have to be stable and within ranges specified (we all knwo what they are). But to tell someone they have to remove an anemone that is living and doing well simply because their tank hasn't been set up for a specified time is IMO not good advice, regardless of what some pdf file found on the internet states.

If it's living and thriving then don't jack with it.