New Red (Haddoni) Carpet Anemone.....

[Taipan]

Apparently there is a niche market for 'acclimated/established' carpet anemones.....if that makes any sense. Out of the few that I've had the fortune to come across in this hobby - 1 didn't make it past the one month mark in my care. It happens. I share my failures along with my successes. No need to hide it. I generally feel that I can be at ease after the 3 month mark with carpet anemones. For some; they feel comfortable after 6 months or even 1 year. I've had limited success with Ritteri (Magnificent) and even less success with Sebae anemones. Bubbletips - no issues.

Anyway; another fellow reefer out East contacted me made me an offer for my Red Carpet that I couldn't refuse.

As a result; I needed another one to fill the void (and my addiction). I had one special ordered for me and it came in spectacular. A tight oral disc when it shipped and arrived, vivid colours, sticky, and the foot was attached to the shipping bag - all good signs. This one has a bright neon green/yellow center with an underlying base below its tentacles of muted green and even blue depending on lighting and viewing angle. It's hard to determine at this point if the colouration will remain over time. It may fade, stay the same or (hopefully) become more robust. I'll endeavour to post some more pics over time. I'll leave it up to you to determine if it falls into the "Rainbow" territory of classification.

Before anyone comments...."Yes....I'm aware I need a bigger display. I'm working on it. " lol

Pictures taken under various lighting conditions. No digital enhancements were made.

[RossRalliart]

My favorite color haddoni ! You have score a beautiful specimen, I hope it does well for you.

[cichlidconvert]

Gorgeous haddoni!

[mos90]

i have an opportunity to own 1 of these but im worried about it killing some of my sps corals or fish. should i be concerned? i have 3- rose bubbles on the other side of my tank (300g)


btw very nice looking nem.

[Taipan]

You should always be concerned or weary when it comes to a carpet anemone (Haddoni or others) stinging corals and fish. Bottom line; it's a carnivore and predator.

That being said; I've kept a few carpets and bubbletips together in the same display in the past. Without issue. They tend to 'know' and avoid one another. You have to be careful and lucky that the carpet finds a 'happy' spot and doesn't wander. Once it starts wandering it will sting anything in its path until it settles on a spot it likes. Whether right or wrong; I try and build an area in my display that 'boxes' it in to specific area so that it has difficulty wandering and hopes it settles in (deeper sand/coral bed and crevices help). Purists and others will argue that this is a bad idea from day one. They are absolutely entitled to that.

So far, so good......not so much for fish. A Red Carpet once had a Blue Throat Trigger for lunch after it was part of a feeding frenzy and darted right into it. That's the price I pay for having carpet(s) in a mixed reef. I don't like it...lol...but I accept that it may/will happen.

In a 300 Gallon; it should be fine to attempt depending how populated and dense it is with corals and fish. My anemones have co-existed in a 65 Gallon, 120, Gallon, and 180 Gallon. All substantially smaller than yours. My current Display is 120 Gallons. For my case; the worst case scenario is that the anemone does not settle in or has become too much of a liability for other inhabitants - I always have the option of putting it in my refugium (90 Gallons).

Thanks for the compliment. Good luck!

[mos90]

im torn 50/50. the nice thing is that im doing a used equipment swap so its not costing anything out of my pocket. but i have a lot of valuable fish that i dont want to get eaten. also getting a nice anthias harem and a purple tang out of the deal.

[567234ta]

wow beautiful give it cyclopeze and it may even get redder.

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by mos90

im torn 50/50. the nice thing is that im doing a used equipment swap so its not costing anything out of my pocket. but i have a lot of valuable fish that i dont want to get eaten. also getting a nice anthias harem and a purple tang out of the deal.

For what it's worth: If you have to think about it.....you already have your answer. Don't. lol Murphy's Law dictates that it won't just be any fish that gets stung or eaten.....it will be your most prized one. Or even worse.....the one your significant other likes the most. You'll be reflecting upon your loss for a long time to come and will never hear the end of it.

Generally speaking though, most inhabitants 'know' to stay away; but it's always the 'x' factor of a fish chase or feeding frenzy that you can't determine. My triggers and purple tang have all been mildly stung - they now steer clear.

Do what others do.....another display tank Anemone based.

Originally Posted by 567234ta

wow beautiful give it cyclopeze and it may even get redder.

That's a good idea. Thanks.

Some additional pics enclosed. Again; taken under different lighting and angles with no additional enhancements to attempt to capture a 'true' rendition. I can't seem to do it though.

[worm5406]

Do you have a setting on your camera for what type light you are shooting under?

Set it for florescent and see what happens to the color in the picture.

[Taipan]

I hadn't thought of that. I'll play around with the settings and post again soon. Thanks for the advice.

[Deepsea2005]

Very nice Haddoni. Love it.

[Taipan]

Again; taken under different lighting conditions and this time different camera settings. Excuse the mouth/oral disc. I had just finished using a turkey baster to blow away some poop/waste.

[SNAKEMANVET]

Great looking carpet.

[cet98]

gorgeous....!!!!

this is my fav of your pics...


keep 'em coming

[Taipan]

Thanks so much for the compliments. I have a friend that has a DSLR camera that will eventually drop by to take some pics. I really want to attempt to capture the 'true' colours to give everyone a better idea. My cameras are 'point-and-shoot' and of course the mobile phone. Cheers.

[Zuuu]

Did it survive?

[Planetmacro]

Nice red carpet. I've bought brown haddonis that over time under intense led lighting have turned deep blue in color. Never owned a red one. Very large red ones are $300 -$350 wholesale and usually special order. Maybe someday I'll buy one.