Blue Anenome and a Percula

[CarpeNoctem]

I am researching anenome's for my percula clownfish and I came across a beautiful blue carpet anenome. Color forms are blue and bright blue, agressive, high lighting medium flow, feed it fish and shrimp and basic water parameters (meaning nothing out of the ordinary). It is also listed on liveaquaria.com as one of the anenomes that can host percula clowns.

I read that this is a species of anenome that can cause a severe reaction in humans when stung. If so, how would you acclimate and introduce it into the tank without you or it getting hurt?

Secondly, I know that pairing the clowns to the anenome is not guaranteed, so is there something I can do to "assist" my clown to check it out?

Also, while I don't have corals yet, I will have many in the time to come. If the anenome travels to find a good spot in the tank, will it stay put, mostly, if it finds a good spot?

Lastly, and thank you for taking the time to look over these questions, how large will it grow? (i.e. 12"?? 24"?? 36"??)

Thanks for all the effort in helping me find an anenome for my clown. I started searching for an anenome that didn't grow too large, one that wasn't very aggressive and that would accept my clown and vice-versa. But after seeing this blue carpet I find myself trying everything to make it work.

Best regards,

Rick

PS. I don't think what I am speaking of is a Stichodactyla haddoni, to see what I am talking about
Blue Carpet Anenome (Stichodactyla sp.) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=23&pCatId=1393)

Thanks a lot!!!

[shez15]

I have a green carpet and it has not hosted my false perc. I have ,however, seen this pairing many times at my lfs and friend's tanks. As far as "assisting" a clown to host, I've yet to find a formula (trust me, I've looked!) It's really hit or miss.

My carpet has not moved since I put him in the tank. He has grown quite a bit, from 4 inches to about 7 in six months. It eats like a champ, a large silverside twice a week.

I have also read about a possible reaction to humans, but I've never experienced it...I've accidentally touch it several times when feeding.

IMO, if I had to do it all over again, I'd get a rose BTA or a purple LTA. I really like the look of a clown swimming in and out of tentacles and you just don't get that with a carpet. But alas, I've put in too much work and have grown too attached the the guy to give him up.

[Highlander]

I have had a blue carpet anemone for about 5 months and they are indeed beautiful, however in all that time, my ocellaris clown has never got near it. It does live in symbiosis with a little anemone crab which I got after it became clear that the clown was not interested. They can get pretty big, I believe about 24 inches across so you need to be careful not to feed them too much ( mine is about 10" across when expanded) and are fairly aggressive so need quite a lot of real estate to avoid problems with neighboring corals. The stings are like mild bee stings, not really painful however they are really sticky and will leave you with a handful of blue barbs in your hand should you accidentally touch it.

This is what Marine Depot Live has to say

"The Carpet Anemone, Blue has a blue, powder blue color. It likes to eat filter feeding invert food, brine shrimp, micro-plankton a few times per week, when open. The Stichodactyla species is generally aggressive toward other tankmates. Many consider the Stichodactyla species a high-maintenance specimen. Has strong lighting needs. The Giant Anemone, Giant Carpet Anemone requires moderate water flow. Appearance will vary significantly. Lives symbiotically with clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris, Amphiprion percula, or Dascyllus trimaculatus). Feed also with various meaty treats (fish, krill, shrimp). Aggressive when tentacles hook something.

[Dlckwood]

I also have this anemone and my clowns have not looked at it. The way my fish store to me about there stings is that it only hurts if you have an open wound. If you do stay away because it hurts like hell.
DAL:p

[brekke]

Have a blue that's hosting a pair of saddlebacks. Gorgeous, but she likes to wander.
It doesn't really sting if you touch her, but they're really sticky and you hurt them if you touch them.
Mine wouldn't come out of the bag when they shipped her (without water!) so I had to grab a pair of latex gloves to get her out. (As soon as I started acclimating her, she opened right up)

[BonsaiNut]

Over the years I have kept every type of anemone that hosts clowns. I have never found a single one that can sting your hand (where skin is somewhat thick). On occasion an anemone can sting the underside of your arm, or where the skin is thinner. The sting is (to me) barely noticeable, though it leaves you with an itchy sensation for a couple of hours. It is certainly nothing like a jellyfish or a bee sting.

In my opinion, if people were having strong reactions to anemone stings we'd be hearing about it on these boards. I have yet to hear about a single post where someone was 'badly' stung such that they required medical care. There may be people who are highly sensitive to anemone venom, however, so I would caution against being too rambunctious before you know how you will react.

[cyclgrl]

I have a carpet and a LTA. I've touched both, and I can definitely feel the carpet's sting over the LTA. The LTA feels like nothing, but the carpet feels like a (no pun intended) carpet burn; that is, like I ran my hand over a carpet fairly quickly. It was a bit red afterwards for a couple hours. After that, I've stayed out of its way.

Incidentally, the clown-pairings in reference books are hit or miss. I had my anemones first, and I got a tomato clown even though I don't think they are know to pair with a carpet or LTA in wild or captivity. But mine did (chose the LTA) in a little over a week.

So if you are keen on getting an anemone for your clown, just go for the anemone you want the most and hope for the best.

BTW, anemones do get large, so don't feed them too much too quickly or you might have to get a bigger tank (like me).

Cindy

[UNCsux2122]

Dude those carpets get huge fast. I got one like 2 months ago and I started feeding it everyday and the anenome grew from 2 in to almost 8 in now. So if you don't want it to get big fats, don't feed it everyday , but if you want to save money on the size of the anenome, just feed it everyday.
-andrew

[Marc03]

From what i HErd, carpet anemones will eat your fish (except the clown)

[westy1717]

Ive had a beautiful blue carpety anemone for the last three weeks.

Death count so far:

1 yellow tang
1 pakistani butterfly
1 amazing hippo tang
1 green chromis

and get this

1 large brittle starfish.

He went back yesterday.

I feed him silver backs on a regular basis.

Has anyone had this experience?

[cyclgrl]

Took you that long to get rid of the carpet? That's quite a death tool. Did he roam or were your fish just too curious for their own good? Did you personally see him catch one?

[westy1717]

He didnt move an inch.

The paki went first - so i wasnt to upset as he I thought he might one day pick at the starfish.

The the yellow tang went - and of the three yellow tangs I have he was the only one they pciked on and kind of scraggly - but still a good little feller.

Then the little blie hippo. That ****ed me off - but I was feeling a little lazy that particular day - so left him alone.

Then about a week later - the woman turned the lights on in the morning and found a schredded half-moving body of the starfish - the other half hanging out of the mouth of the carpet.

too bad - its really is beautiful.

And the sad part is I have three false perculas in the tank - they had no interest in the anemone - so I bought him a clarkii - and the clarkii had no interest in it.

Good news is thats the worst luck Ive had to this point.

[cyclgrl]

How big is your tank?

[westy1717]

180g.

Ive had it for about 6 months - never had a problem from the get go - broke most of the rules and threw in a load of fish right away ie - 10 fish within the first 2 weeks. Havent lost any other than to the carpet.

Lots of LR, inverts and misc creatures.

The sad part is Im moving from toronto to austin mid_march - so Ill have to start all over again.

[cyclgrl]

180G and all those fish found the carpet? Sounds like they were committing suicide.

Yes, sad to breakdown a tank and start over. Good luck with that.