Anemones in reef tank

fahad09 · 03/02/2009, 12:26 AM

Are anemones reef safe? Some people have told me no and others yes so i wanted clerification on this. Thanks.

Vapour1ze · 03/02/2009, 12:41 AM

Yes they are reef safe, as long as they stay put. If you have a bunch of nice corals in there plus the anemone and one day the anemone gets ****ed off and starts moving around, basically whatever it touches is going to be pretty bad, some stuff not so bad, but a lot its like pouring acid on it. Especially anemones vs. SPS, as long as they stay put though your all good. Mine has stayed put since day 1 and already tripled in size, hoping it doesn't move. Good luck whatever you decide.

Also keep in mind, I bought a LTA (long tentacle anemone) also called corkscrew anemone, and within a little over a month its gone from about a 5-6 in. anemone to over 12^ inches, So make sure you have the room, They get big.

scottwhitson · 03/02/2009, 12:53 AM

When I get a new reef tank and set it up I will not be putting an anenome in it. I would like to have a tank with just an anenome and a pair of clowns but the one that I have now takes up too much room for more corals and if he ever moves he will wipe out hundreds of dollars in frags.

JohnnyBassMan · 03/02/2009, 02:04 AM

What kind of anemones are you speaking about?

SALT WATER CRAZ · 03/02/2009, 02:18 AM

I keep a bta in my reef sometimes it moves but i just move it back as soon as i can reach it.

atblj5 · 03/02/2009, 07:15 AM

I have a very large Sabae about 22 inches and he is fine stays put on one side of the tank.

They are real cool to have.

fahad09 · 03/02/2009, 12:30 PM

i don't know what anemone i want to get but now that scottwhitson has said that it can wipe out corals if it decides to move, i am not too sure now. do the anemones move when they get uncomfortable with that area that they in or what? in other words, is there a way to keep an anemone in one area?

nikon187 · 03/02/2009, 01:51 PM

No, they go wherever they prefer. They can move for many reasons ( changes in light and flow being the top contenders) Sometimes they just go for a wander

epdp14 · 03/02/2009, 03:34 PM

In the past I had a small RBTA wreak havoc on my softies... it parked itself right between my leather and mushroom frags.

jhildebrand · 03/02/2009, 05:37 PM

yup, no way to stop them from moving. they're also are not too forgiving of water quality issues and can be destroyed by overflows and powerheads easily if they decide to up and float around your tank. adequate protection needs to be in place.

fahad09 · 03/02/2009, 05:43 PM

ok thanks for the helpful information. I will just keep an anemone out of the tank.

calli · 03/02/2009, 06:21 PM

No to hi-Jack... but How would you move the BTA.. a glove? or do you have to have tongs?

fahad09 · 03/02/2009, 06:26 PM

when i use to have an anemone before, i use to move it around with a glove (dish washing glove). i don't know about tongs but gloves work good.

JamesJR · 03/02/2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by calli
No to hi-Jack... but How would you move the BTA.. a glove? or do you have to have tongs?

BTA are pretty harmless to the skin. If you want to err on the side of caution and wear gloves go ahead but I used to handle them bare handed all the time.

JamesJR · 03/02/2009, 07:03 PM

Also, You can keep Anemones in a reef tank. There are a couple of strategies to avoid issues with them moving. The particular strategy you adopt will vary depending on the species. Anemones only wander when they are not adjusted. I used to maintain several large BTA in a 120 and they didn't move your years on end.

1). Sand burrowing anemones tend to wander the least. S. Haddoni, M. dooreensis will stay put for very long periods of time when they are happy.

2). Anemones that settle on the rocks can cause trouble when they wander. The trick to this is to just dedicate a small rock pile to the anemone isolated from the rest of the reef structure. That way if they wander they won't come into contact with any corals. I never once have had a BTA wander over sand to get to another rock pile.
Other hobbysists have had good luck with this method though it may not an option for every hobbyists because it can take a little space to make this work.

Brent RH · 03/02/2009, 07:08 PM

Do they make kits to eliminate the chance of one finding a power head intake? Some sort of container that would sit around the intake. Thats what got mine after 5 months on a single spot. Can they survive w/ my 4 bulb unmoded. TEK? Its of great wonder to me why some reefers with even big tanks take the risk. Mine hid in a stacked cluster of rocks for 12hrs and then came out and found a power head while I was at work. For sure something worth investigating pros and cons in a reef IMO

03/02/2009, 12:26 AM	#1
fahad09 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 364	Anemones in reef tank Are anemones reef safe? Some people have told me no and others yes so i wanted clerification on this. Thanks.

03/02/2009, 12:41 AM	#2
Vapour1ze I'm an Addict. Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Yorkville, IL Posts: 3,036	Yes they are reef safe, as long as they stay put. If you have a bunch of nice corals in there plus the anemone and one day the anemone gets ****ed off and starts moving around, basically whatever it touches is going to be pretty bad, some stuff not so bad, but a lot its like pouring acid on it. Especially anemones vs. SPS, as long as they stay put though your all good. Mine has stayed put since day 1 and already tripled in size, hoping it doesn't move. Good luck whatever you decide. Also keep in mind, I bought a LTA (long tentacle anemone) also called corkscrew anemone, and within a little over a month its gone from about a 5-6 in. anemone to over 12^ inches, So make sure you have the room, They get big. __________________ 93 Reef \| 220 Reef \| Basement Fish Life Support Room \| Empty Savings Account

03/02/2009, 01:51 PM	#8
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	No, they go wherever they prefer. They can move for many reasons ( changes in light and flow being the top contenders) Sometimes they just go for a wander __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

03/02/2009, 03:34 PM	#9
epdp14 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 36	In the past I had a small RBTA wreak havoc on my softies... it parked itself right between my leather and mushroom frags. __________________ Gallery located at danpenning.com Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef, T5s, 30g sump, 3g refugium

03/02/2009, 05:37 PM	#10
jhildebrand Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Green Bay Posts: 782	yup, no way to stop them from moving. they're also are not too forgiving of water quality issues and can be destroyed by overflows and powerheads easily if they decide to up and float around your tank. adequate protection needs to be in place. __________________ 1000 gallons of liability Current Tank Info: 1000 gallon total system volume - 260g mixed reef - Fish room: 270g fiberglass grow out tank, 150g LPS cube, 150g sump, 150g 'fuge, remote DSB frag tub + 14g nano

03/02/2009, 12:53 AM	#3
scottwhitson Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 1,395	When I get a new reef tank and set it up I will not be putting an anenome in it. I would like to have a tank with just an anenome and a pair of clowns but the one that I have now takes up too much room for more corals and if he ever moves he will wipe out hundreds of dollars in frags.

03/02/2009, 02:04 AM	#4
JohnnyBassMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 244	What kind of anemones are you speaking about?

03/02/2009, 02:18 AM	#5
SALT WATER CRAZ Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: michigan Posts: 872	I keep a bta in my reef sometimes it moves but i just move it back as soon as i can reach it.

03/02/2009, 07:15 AM	#6
atblj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.H. Posts: 382	I have a very large Sabae about 22 inches and he is fine stays put on one side of the tank. They are real cool to have.

03/02/2009, 12:30 PM	#7
fahad09 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 364	i don't know what anemone i want to get but now that scottwhitson has said that it can wipe out corals if it decides to move, i am not too sure now. do the anemones move when they get uncomfortable with that area that they in or what? in other words, is there a way to keep an anemone in one area?

03/02/2009, 05:43 PM	#11
fahad09 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 364	ok thanks for the helpful information. I will just keep an anemone out of the tank.

03/02/2009, 06:21 PM	#12
calli Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 512	No to hi-Jack... but How would you move the BTA.. a glove? or do you have to have tongs?

03/02/2009, 06:26 PM	#13
fahad09 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 364	when i use to have an anemone before, i use to move it around with a glove (dish washing glove). i don't know about tongs but gloves work good.

03/02/2009, 07:03 PM	#15
JamesJR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 2,733	Also, You can keep Anemones in a reef tank. There are a couple of strategies to avoid issues with them moving. The particular strategy you adopt will vary depending on the species. Anemones only wander when they are not adjusted. I used to maintain several large BTA in a 120 and they didn't move your years on end. 1). Sand burrowing anemones tend to wander the least. S. Haddoni, M. dooreensis will stay put for very long periods of time when they are happy. 2). Anemones that settle on the rocks can cause trouble when they wander. The trick to this is to just dedicate a small rock pile to the anemone isolated from the rest of the reef structure. That way if they wander they won't come into contact with any corals. I never once have had a BTA wander over sand to get to another rock pile. Other hobbysists have had good luck with this method though it may not an option for every hobbyists because it can take a little space to make this work. __________________ Just when I thought you couldn't be any dumber you go and do something like this....And totally redeem yourself! Current Tank Info: 20 gallon

03/02/2009, 07:08 PM	#16
Brent RH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central Minnesota Posts: 311	Do they make kits to eliminate the chance of one finding a power head intake? Some sort of container that would sit around the intake. Thats what got mine after 5 months on a single spot. Can they survive w/ my 4 bulb unmoded. TEK? Its of great wonder to me why some reefers with even big tanks take the risk. Mine hid in a stacked cluster of rocks for 12hrs and then came out and found a power head while I was at work. For sure something worth investigating pros and cons in a reef IMO