Sebae Anemone

[kmatwill]

What is your opinion of the sebae anemone? What are the challenges faced in keeping one healthy? Have you seen a false clown host with it?

[barristan]

better have a big tank!

[kmatwill]

Can you be more descriptive?

[barristan]

If it survives and thrives it will get very large.
This is a pic (http://home.attbi.com/~fb111a1/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-661276.html) mine. I have it in a 55G right now. It would be nearly 12" wide if had the room to stretch out.
I would not do it again.

[kmatwill]

wow. I have a 200gl. I'm just concerned it would attack my coral. What do you think?

[barristan]

A 200G would be a nice size. I don't think it would "attack" your corals. It could possibly sting them if they got too close. Although I haven't had any problems like that.

[Aaron1100us]

I have one in a 29 gallon and it inflates to about 9 inches across. It doesn't move around so I don't really worry about it botering my corals. You need excellent lighting for them to live a long time plus you need to feed them. I think a false clown with work but I'm using two true percs for mine. When you get one, make sure that it has some color, eats and is atleast a little sticky. Oh, make sure the aquarium is atleast over 6 months old.

[EmilyB]

I've had my sebae about two years. I wouldn't do it again.

It IS hosting a pair of ocellaris, but it does sting anything in reach and I have had to pen it in with rocks to keep it from spreading over all the corals.

It is very happy and well fed, but not an anemone I would recommend, even if you do get a healthy one that can regain it's zooxanthallae.

It is not even a particularily attractive anemone once healthy, and many buy it when it is bleached thinking it is more attractive. It's best left in the ocean, IMO.

BTW, my ocellaris (wild caught) spend 1/3 of their time in the LTA, a much nicer anemone in my opinion if you have the requirements.

(Of course I also have a pair of wild caught ocellaris in another tank who won't host with anything but a mangrove root...:p )

I've had the ocellaris for quite a while, before captive breds were available here.

[kevinpo]

I've had my Heteractis crispa (Sebae) anemone 7 years on March 1st. I kept it under VHO's for about 5 years before moving it to my new tank with 400W halides. It doesn't like the direct light and has turned greenish over the last couple of years. It is about 6-8" in diameter but under lower light it will stretch out to just smaller than a dinner plate. It always stays on the substrate which is the normal behavior for this type anemone. It has moved about 6' in the last 2 years. A favorite creature of visitors and a good reef anemone because they rarely climb the rockwork unlike many of the other types. The Entacmaea quadricolor (Bubble tip) is especially prone to this IME.

They are never bright yellow and if you see one like this it has been dyed. If you can find one that is cream or brownish with purple tips on the tentacles it would be best.

HTH,
Kevin
PS: Here's mine with Mom & Dad watching over their eggs :)
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~kpockell/clowns-eggs3-02.JPG