Nem Species Tank

[Titch]

Hi I’m new to the board but not too reefing. After 5 years of keeping a reef aquarium I thought about making a species tank for an anemone. I have already kept a Heteractis Crispa in the past for 3 years before selling it.
I have been looking into making this tank for a while now but after doing some research I’ve found that stated sizes anemones seems to vary from site too site. I already have a Aquarium that’s 36 inches long 18 wide and 20 high. I would like too know please, what species will be ok size wise in this tank?


I have always wanted a Heteractis Magnifica but I fear that my existing tank will be too small for it from what I’ve read? If someone could confirm this it would be very helpful. I just want to see what my options are using what I have already and if it doesn’t suit something I like ill purchase something new.

Any help weighing up the options would be very helpful ty

[Purple Penguins]

I personally do not believe that tank size would work well for a Heteractis Magnifica, also I wanted to note that I personally feel that this Anemone is not a good choice to keep at all, they are extremely difficult and have a very very poor survival rate, I have seen even the most exp people fail with these anemones and I personally feel they should not even be on the market.

also made sure to use the word personally alot due to this is my opinion and may not be others

[Titch]

Yeah I have read alot about this and it does apear to be hard to maintain.

I was looking for a genral view about which nems would be best suited too that size tank. I agree that it is not a good idea to go out thinking i want this or that nem but instead see what I find in good condition. I would just like to know the options. I am in no rush for this to come about and I really enjoy the research.

Thank you for your post even opions help food for thought. Do you own a nem? any first hand tips would be great. The more info i gather the more chance i can see trends.

[Purple Penguins]

I have two nems, a bulb anemone and a sebae anemone,they are in different tanks. I would have to say my fav of the two is my sebae, Im not at all saying your tank is to small for an anemone, I just didnt think the ritteri is a good choice, it seems to be everyones dream anemone but usually ends with dire consequences.

[traveller7]

Titch,

[welcome]

In my experience magnifica demands stability. I have kept H. magnifica in a tank with very similar dimensions(22"H), but it is quite difficult to keep them off the tank walls; i.e. they find their way to the glass putting them in contact with overflows, and equipment. Sort of like this:


I would pass on any tank less then 24"Hx24"Wx24"D. Such minimal dimensions will allow you to build a high enough pedestal the anemone wont touch glass and or climb down, keeping it safer.

Best of luck and kudos for researching prior to experimenting. I had to move mine to a bigger tank.

[garygb]

Ditto, if they have a rock in the middle and don't touch the sides, they tend to be stationary. But, you need to provide random water flow as from some type of wave maker/pulse setup.

[Titch]

ok ill lay all my cards on the table soo too speak

Im 22 (almost) I suffer from medical problem which means i am kinda house bound, its not serious just limiting. Anyway Ive always thought that there is nothing that could compare too the smile you get when you see a little clown wiggling through a great big old shaggy anemone.

I am home all day, most days so i have plenty of time. Money isnt really too much problem because i don't have anything else too spend it on, other than my fish. It would be possible for me to find a spot for a larger tank than the one I have atm but i am trying too be respectfull of other people and keep it in my own space.

I understand what its like to be confined, so I have no intention of starting this tank untill i am sure i can accomodate this creature for the forseable future. From reading your posts I am starting to think that a larger tank would be needed after about 9 months if i start with say a 12" nem? I have also read moving them is not a good idea? I assume this is due too the sheer weight of the creature doing damage too itself outside of the support of the water?

[Titch]

I think i need to look into methods of protecting the nem from the overflow. Also what about going bare bottom and having kind of like boxed in pumps at the bottom of the aquarium, so that the aneomone is moving away from the intakes. I could run tubing up too the surface.

Or possibly a closed loop at the bottom with a boxed cage arround the intake? ofc wave making device on any pump setup.

Thanks for your help so far all ideas welcome even if you think they are silly. You never know what could spark a great idea.

[Titch]

ps traveller7 If you have any more photos of that setup I would be very helpfull.

thanks again everyone

[fatdaddy]

Hi Titch,

I give you credit for researching this first. I think the magnifica is possible, but you need good lighting (250 watt MH bulbs), lots of rock (2#/gallon), and then random feeding schedule. I blundered in to my magnifica which I grew from 2-3" to 12" in about a year, but it's probably miraculous that it survives considering that I was a newbie when I got it.

I currently have mine in a 110 gallon tank with 3 power heads strategically positioned to keep a random flow washing over it. It seems happy enough.

I hear my experience is either very lucky, very rare or both. Mine is a greedy eater of silversides, plankton, etc. It also loves freeze dried anchovies that I bought at asian market. Anchovies are rich in oil, so I think the nem really goes for it. Not sure.

[garygb]

Titch, as a first anemone I would suggest a RBTA (or perhaps a H. crispa, if you want something a little more challenging). Both of these species host numerous clownfish naturally and have a much better track record compared to H. magnifica. I have both RBTA's and H. magnifica and I enjoy the RBTA's very much.

The tank that you have would make a perfect home for RBTA's.
You might start with one or two and if you feed them well you will most likely see them clone after they get 10 inches across or so. You could eventually have a mound of live rock that is basically covered with anemones. If you didn't plan on having any other fish in the tank, a nice pair of maroon clowns would make for a very satisfying set up. They are natural symbionts with BTA's and they have lots of personality. They are aggressive, however, and you wouldn't want to keep any other clowns in the tank.

[Titch]

I do like the idea of a RBTA forest tank and i think that would be my second option. However, I really am keen too work on plans for a mag setup even if i decide that i wont get one. Ive always been a firm beliver in following your heart and my heart is with a mag. My brain is just doing a spot check. No rush to do anything atm, also i plan to run the the tank with just a pair of clowns for atleast a year before i get any anemone.

As i said ive kept crispa before but Im looking too try something different this time.

ok soo far from what ive gatherd

1. 24" cube would be a good size tank
2. 250 watt MH 10k
3. high random flow (wavemaker)
4. large skimmer (herd of nitrate problems with mags)
5. drain and pump protection
6. regular feeding, krill too start recovery then progress too more meaty food later on.
7. noted alot of people seem to keep the higher end on the temp
8. seem too do better with clowns
9. healthy animal too start with is key (personal observation of firm coloum seems to be apparent in healthy nem pic?)
10. slow aclimatised
11. possible chance too crash aquariums when moved
12. rock pillar to avoid wandering too the glass
13. patience

feel free to add anything ive missed ty again

[traveller7]

Originally posted by Titch
ps traveller7 If you have any more photos of that setup I would be very helpfull.

That one was terrible for H. magnifica, this is more in line with what you are shooting for:


Central lighting and rock work. Plenty of dark areas and distance to glass. Plenty of height on the rock work to keep the anemones on it(rare a heathy acclimated specimen will run from the light).

[traveller7]

Originally posted by Titch
I6. regular feeding, krill too start recovery then progress too more meaty food later on.
7. noted alot of people seem to keep the higher end on the temp
8. seem too do better with clowns

My opinions/experience are slightly counter to the above.

My magnificas would eat krill/shrimp, but regurgitation rate was too high for my taste(and apparently theirs).

78-80 seemed to be most conducive to mine, 82+ they did not expand as well.

I have had too many clowns which were poor mannered residents. I don't allow clowns near the anemones while the anemones are acclimating to new tanks.

Keep in mind, the above is just my opinion.

Cheers.

[Titch]

In your honest opion do you think its relisticly safe to move a mag to a larger upgraded tank, if i started with what i have already?

So say 1 year with just clowns then another year with the anemone so after 2 years total upgrade too a larger cube tank if all works out.

If you feel that it wouldn't be wise too start untill i have a larger tank, ill go do some measuring/costing and take a look into alternatives.

cheers again

[garygb]

My guess is that since you are doing your homework, you will be successful at keeping H. magnifica. #9 is indeed important.

[fatdaddy]

You can move an anemone, but it's best to allow it to first deflate and then move it in a bucket with the live rock that it's attached to. Just lift it out in the bucket.

The thing to consider is that tanks take a long time to set up and stabilize. There's just no way that you can come home from the LFS with an aquarium, sand, rock, and fish swimming around in baggies like you can with fresh water tanks. I'd give it 6 months of stability before I'd introduce a mag, so if you can have both tanks simultaneously while the larger one cycles and stabalizes, then go for it.

My 2nd 100 gallon tank was setup and fallow for 6 months and it currently hosts BTA's and spawning pair of tomatoes. I'm currently setting up a 220 gallon tank which is currently running, but has no livestock or anemones.

[fatdaddy]

On #6, I'd randomize the feeding with different schedule and foods. Think about it's environment on a reef and then try to duplicate it. Don't let it go more then 2 weeks without food, but I think even a "fasting" period is good for it.

On #12, put the pedastal under your MH light or a pendant. Then have good circulation washing over it. I think it looks for random current as a strategy for catching planktonic food. My magnifica could wander on the glass if it wanted to (and it has in the past). But, it would have weaker current, and less light. I also won't feed it while wondering or on the glass.

For a dumb animal (no brain), it's actually fairly smart.

[Titch]

hmm so it may be a good idea to start up the new tank after haveing the mag for a couple of months to give it ample time to mature again while the mag still fits in the first tank. Then possibley work on a water exchange program to balance out the parameters between the two tanks over the space of a month.

I guess a good thing too know would be how long would have too pass for the anemone to be considerd adapted and unlikey to crash if all parameters remian stable. Im assuming growth is the key here? rapid growth = thrive, no growth or slow growth = long term problems ?

[garygb]

My experience has been that H. magnifica grows more rapidly at first and then the growth rate slows once they are a foot or a little larger across. I think a 24 inch cube would be good for years.

[Titch]

On a side note if i were to keep just BTA's like the tank posted above, is it only clones that can live together or multiple BTA'S from different sources and coloures ?

[traveller7]

In my experience, no tank change for H. magnifica is high percentage. Well established tanks of very similar condition should increase odds.

I have had groups of BTAs get along better then others, but on some occassions there was some unexplainable level of irritation. I have chosen to isolate my colonies by parent line.

[Titch]

oki so emotion aside it would be best for the creatures if I start with the setup I plan to keep long term and im also starting too think playing it safe/exspecting the unexspected is the way too go. Also that each nem is different and you wont really know what will work untill you have the nem in your tank.

oki ill get out the tape measure tomorrow

[Titch]

Sadly after doing some measuring a 24" cube wont fit in the space i had planned, so Im going to have to put this idea on hold for the future. In the mean time im going too look into a BTA clone tank as this seems to be better suited too the resources i have at this time.

Only real question i have about that is how much watts of T5 would you need for a 36x18x20 tank to keep BTA and would a single 150 halide be an alternative option?

[traveller7]

The BTA tank above is lit by a single 150wt 20K DE MH, ARO ballast. PFO mini-pendant turned perpendicular to the tank.

Have used VHO's over that same tank in the past, 4x95wt on IceCaps, to great success. I prefer to use point sources these days to help keep the anemones in place.

Good luck.