bare bottom tanks with nems

jlinzmaier · #1 12/15/2007, 11:16 PM

I'm considering converting my tank to a bare bottom.

Has anyone had any experience with bare bottom tanks and trying to keep anemones that prefer sand bottoms (sebae, LTA, etc).

Do they adapt well and stick to the glass or rock, or do they have a tough time in bare bottom tanks?

Toddrtrex · #2 12/16/2007, 12:29 AM

YOu would need to put a tupperware container full of sand for that to work.

Would need something like this (( ignore the PVC stand, was a temp. thing while I fixed something on my other tank. I have sand in all my tanks, but I wanted to keep the LTA happy and in place while I fixed the other tank. ))

brandon7491 · #3 12/16/2007, 12:37 AM

Toddrtrex, u can keep an anemone on a bb tank with out a container full of sand.

Toddrtrex · #4 12/16/2007, 12:44 AM

A sand dwelling anemone will not be happy in a BB tank.

ssagent · #5 12/16/2007, 02:15 AM

It can move and attach to rock.

Racing1 · #6 12/16/2007, 07:53 AM

Most sand dwelling anemones will not attach to rock and stay put. They will constantly move and sooner or later something bad will happen.... If you want to go BB try to find a nem that likes rock....

sarahkucera · #7 12/16/2007, 07:07 PM

ssagent -

No sand dwelling nem will be happy in a bare bottom tank. A nem species that lives in nature with it's foot in the sand will require a tank that will provide a habitat similar to it's natural one. It will not simply "attach to rock"! If you're going to be a bare bottom tank you should stick with a nem species that will live on a rock like a BTA.

SEAFLOWERS · #8 12/17/2007, 10:01 AM

I have an Lta that is bigger than platter, I kid you not living in my BB tank and has never moved. It has attached it's foot underneath a pile of live rock. It maybe unnatural but it can be done. I wish I had a picture, sorry.

Big E · #9 12/17/2007, 11:33 AM

I tried for 10 months to get my Malu to stay put in a bb tank. It would never stay more than 3 weeks in the same spot.

I just recently went with the tupperware conatainer with sand a few days ago. Hopefully it will stay in that.

traveller7 · #10 12/17/2007, 12:13 PM

Heteractis crispa, one of the species frequently called LTA, are found in sand and also on rocky/coral outcroppings. Hence, a hard substrate is a natural condition for some specimens. I prefer to keep them in sandboxes anyway, as it allows me to relocate them with ease ;>)

It really depends on the species of anemone, some will wander continuously, stop eating, and whither away, others tolerate an "unnatural" BB condition. There are few rules to this game, consider it experimenting with a living creature.