i'm getting an anemone...need advice

first i would like to say that i've done LOTS of reading on anemones and that my tank is well established (several years old) and water parameters are really good with nitrates <10.

i'm looking for advice on an anemone--mainly i want to get an anemone to host both my clownfishes; which are an odd pair as the female is oscillaris and the male is a true perc (long story). what i've found is that although these are the most 'common' aquarium clowns they pair up 'naturally' to only bubble tip anemones?

i've been looking around at LFS's and the anemones I like the most are long tentacle anemones--these seem to be the healthiest and prettiest and also are hardy; but i'm worried that my type of clowns may not host? but i've seen pics where false/true percs did host long tentacles so i'm wondering if i should try.

ultimately I just want to get the best and prettiest anemone for my clowns. with an understanding that there's no guarantee that the clowns will host i'd at least like to set myself up for success. could the long tentacle work? hells no? what's your favorite anemone and why for true/false perc pair?

thanks!

 

I have heard that they love the bubble tips but they should host in a long tip too. Its always kind of a gamble when it comes to hosting. The bubble tips are also very pretty and probably more hardy than a long tip. My personal preference for an anemone is the sabae but it is not as hardy and my perc would not host in it.

Glad to see you did the research before jumping in with one of these animals. They are not for the faint of heart thats for sure. What kind of lighting do you have?

 

what type of lighting do you have and what other type of corals do you have.

 

48" 4 x 54watt Aquatic Life T5/HO Lighting. i just upgraded to this light a week ago and LOVE it! so bright. i realise that Metal Halides are more powerful but i didn't want to deal with the added heat or get a chiller and also electric bill is steep i know i can't keep certain hard corals but owner of company told me the T5's would be enough to keep some anemones and soft corals.

i don't have any other corals or anemones. this will be my first animal of the sort. i wanted the anemone first as i know they can move around and sting things. i plan on letting the anemone settle for a couple of months b4 getting any other inverts. really, my whole 'dream' and reason for upgrading to a reef tank has been to have an anemone with a pair of clowns. i got the clowns, the odd true/false perc pair; and now have lighting an water params so carefully looking for the right anemone.

 

are there anemones that "play nicer" with other corals/fish/etc. i mean, the anem and clowns are the main thing for me but i would like to get more inverts (within reason after things settle down with the anemone. this is also a factor in my decision--is the anemone somewhat peaceful after settling down?

 

In my experience once they have found a good spot they will settle in. Keeping them settled down means keeping a very very close eye on water params not changing flow and making sure your bulbs are always in good condition. If things change that they dont like they will wander off looking for a better spot.

 

thanks, i am mainly looking for advice for the best anemone to get considering i'd like my true and false perc to host. it seems bubble tips may be way to go? but i also really like the long tentacles and carpets...anybody with experience with oscillaris, percs and anemones?

 

I'd say get a bubble tip! I think my green one looks great, they are a lot hardier, and the clowns will most likly host it. My oscillaris pair dove into it like a minute after I put it in the tank and love it to this day. It's crappy now though cause ever since I put the anemone in they bite the crap outta my hands whenever im doing some maintenence, but at least its really funny to watch lol.

 

I'm looking as well for an anemone...
The rose bubble tip seems like a real winner... but boy oh boy... powerheads make me really uncomfortable. Is there a way to put something in the intake area so they don't get sucked in piece by piece?

 

I think most people will agree that bubble tips are the most hardy easiest and most likely to be a good host to your percs.

Carpets are one of the harder ones to take care of I wouldnt recommend one for your first nem.