Nem Questions

[Sour137]

Hello all, so I'm coming up on my birthday and the tank's birthday here soon, and I'm considering adding an anemone to the tank for my Clarkii clowns. Before I go and spend the money, I have some questions about them.

1 - What conditions do you look for in your tank before adding a nem?
2 - How do you select a nem? What do you do to ensure confidence in the health of a nem?
3 - Should every rock, coral, and frag be glued in before allowing a nem to run around?
4 - From what I have read, the BTA is one of the easier corals to care for, what are other newb nems that a clarkii might enjoy?
5 - Is there any equipment which you have found useful when caring for a nem?
6 - Are there any nem pests?
7 - How often do they come up locally, or how can ensure that the nem was harvested from sustainable reefs, or better yet aquacultured?
8 - Do nems require supplemental feeding? Will BRS reef chili work for feeding or should I look into other products?

Thanks if you can assuage any of this uncertainty!

 

[Balz3352]

1. Stability. And strong lights. If you have stable reef parameters you're good.
2. Know your source is a big one. Nem should also have good color and foot should not be ripped.
3. Not necessarily.
4. btas are awesome.
5. Strong lights. Other than that Nope. Normal reefing tools are perfect. If any.
6. Not specifically that I'm aware of. They theoretically could carry water born pests because they are inflated with water. (again goes back to knowing source)
7. Very common. I bet there is more than one reefer on here that is at least thinking about getting rid of one.
8. Not required. Just strong light.

Note: not guaranteed that your clowns will find and call the anemone home.

Just fyi and I do this because it is commonly mistaken anemones do the hosting clownfish not the clownfish

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

RJ hit the nail on the head with his response, I'd add a couple of things.

1. Use common sense, watch the nem closely for the first several days and make sure it doesn't up and die on you. I had one in a small tank when I first started out and it seemingly melted overnight and turned into a gooey mess. Besides melting, if the nem won't attach and keeps inverting, or actually becomes a ring shape it's probably time to pull it. While the nem is wandering around you'll want to make sure power heads, wave makers, gyres, overflows, etc are either covered or out of it's wandering way. I've never had a nem collapse my rock work before, but they do move around at first and they will win a stinging contest with corals....so it might be nice if you could move things out of the way as it settles in.

2. I'd try to match the nem to the size of the clowns a little bit. For example if you have ity bity baby clowns a smallish nem would be fine, but if you have large clowns who decide to check out an ity bity nem they might "love it to death" by aggressively rubbing in/on it. So look for one that is size wise in the same ballpark as the clowns.

Just an idea, but if you got the nem to successfully attach to a piece of LR in your frag tank (I think you told me you had one set up), then transferred it to the display tank maybe it would stay put a little better. However, nems can be jerks some times and do what every they want irregardless of where you want it to be.

I have 3 small rainbows available, between 1.5" and 2" when open and inflated. I'd consider them small anemones.

 

[SynDen]

Hello all, so I'm coming up on my birthday and the tank's birthday here soon, and I'm considering adding an anemone to the tank for my Clarkii clowns. Before I go and spend the money, I have some questions about them.

1 - What conditions do you look for in your tank before adding a nem?
2 - How do you select a nem? What do you do to ensure confidence in the health of a nem?
3 - Should every rock, coral, and frag be glued in before allowing a nem to run around?
4 - From what I have read, the BTA is one of the easier corals to care for, what are other newb nems that a clarkii might enjoy?
5 - Is there any equipment which you have found useful when caring for a nem?
6 - Are there any nem pests?
7 - How often do they come up locally, or how can ensure that the nem was harvested from sustainable reefs, or better yet aquacultured?
8 - Do nems require supplemental feeding? Will BRS reef chili work for feeding or should I look into other products?

Thanks if you can assuage any of this uncertainty!

1 - An established stable, well lit tank. The year mark is usually where most tanks hit this point. You should be able to tell when your tank hits the 'well established' mark, as things will start to grow better and it will seem to get into a better rhythm.
2. Color is the key here. If a nem is bleached or faded in color it may be stressed and not the best choice, although with proper care, most nems will recover from most things as long as the tank is stable and has good lights. Some people really think the white nems are pretty but the truth is that it is likely very stressed, and could die within a few weeks if not give better care asap.
3. Not really a concern with a nem, I would be more concerned about doing this if you have an urchin or turbo snails in the tank. Nem even on the move, dont pick up frags and move or carry them. they will just slowly move over them.
4. Ya one of the easier and come in a variety of colors. Another nem that isnt very hard to care for is a carpet nem, whoch your clarkiis would love, im sure, but carpets are fish eaters so place with caution.
5. lights and flow pumps. Nems need decent flow too, although they dont like direct flow
6. Yes there are a few, although the most common one in our tanks, is likely just peppermint shrimp(s). Peppermints often times eat apsatia nems, its why we like them, but they can sometimes go rouge, and start picking at other nems. Most are fine and wont do this, but some will, so always keep an eye on them if you put them in your tank
7. Greens, Rose, and rainbow nems are the most common and many of our sponsors will have at least 1 on hand. Sunbursts I would likely only get from Gonzo or Aquatic Art, although they have been showing up a lot less lately.
8. Not required at all, especially if you have clowns hosting it. Once the clowns host it, they will feed it for you. Only time I would feed one is, if you have a nem that is sick/fading in color, and doesnt have a clown hosting it, then I would feed it small pieces of mysis but otherwise dont worry about it.

 

[asn-naso]

I'd say you want to wait at least 6 months after the tank has stabilized. I agree with the BTA, they are very hardy. I have rainbow BTA's in my tank, and one has split so many times, I now have 6-7 of them. If they were easy to remove from the rock I'd probably sell a few.

 

[Mermaid Gardens]

I have a rainbow$60 and a green$30 BTA I would be willing to part with as soon as your tank is stablized. My green split about 3 months ago, and my rainbow about 2. I've been meaning to take them down to the LFS, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Both of these came from fellow reefers, but I'm not sure of their exact linage. Most of us will sell one when we get an extra hence a sustainable stock.