[tman23]

I have an anemone and two true percula (i believe) clownfish now.

If I'm not mistaken I have an AquaClear 70 filter, AquaClear 30 Powerhead, Hydor Koralia 1, Sundial T-5HO 4x39 watt + moonlighting, don't know exactly how much live rock, some snails, a watchman goby, a cleaner wrasse that has disappeared (maybe dead), cleaner shrimp, Bubble Tip anemone, a couple corals, and 2 True Percula clownfish. I might have left a thing or few out...


I am kinda disappointed now that I have this Bubble tip... it doesn't really stay out like I want it to, but probably even more important I am concerned that my true perculas won't bond with it.

What do you think? Know of any success stories?

What type of anemone would be optimal for 2 True Percula clownfish in a 29g?

What clown's go best with Bubble Tips? Any that could be added to the tank without fighting my true perculas?

 

[Neuticle]

Well first off, anemones can be really tough, if he's not open much that probably means your water isn't up to his specs. I'd check the water, if salinity/temp, ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, pH/dkH are in check, then it may be an issue with having a newer tank.

Many people claim that anemones won't survive in a new tank, that the tank must be 6-12 months old. I have found that to be untrue, but my anemones looked much better after my tank aged and became more stable. It looks like he's got plenty of light, he'll move if he needs to.


The clowns will probably eventually take to the anemone, when they age and begin courting, it may take quite a while. Some clown species take to anemones much faster then Amphiprion Perculas.

 

[chatterboxbaby82]

well ill tell u from all that i have read that its really a matter of what u ended up with they all do there own thing. I have a bubble tip as well and when i first added it the clowns had nothing to do with it .. took about 2 weeks and the smaller clown took to it and after another 2 weeks the larger clown kicked him out and took it for herself. They share now and are doing there little dance. but the anemone will move if it wants nothing u can do about it. mine stayed put for a long time then all the sudden moved nothing changed in my tank it jsut up and moved. My tank is just now 6 months old and he stays open alot of the time. All u can do if ur tank is testing good and u got *obviously* good lights and flow is jsut enjoy your tank what happens will happen. I have good lighting on my tank and mine is on the glass now halfway up the tank no idea why. Give it some time and as long as its eating your fine. I know mine was more open and seems happy when i started feeding mysis shrimp. U can try to feed it and see what happens but jsut watch it and normally after about 2 weeks it should get comfortable in the tank.

 

[Elegance Coral]

I have an anemone and two true percula (i believe) clownfish now.

If I'm not mistaken I have an AquaClear 70 filter, AquaClear 30 Powerhead, Hydor Koralia 1, Sundial T-5HO 4x39 watt + moonlighting, don't know exactly how much live rock, some snails, a watchman goby, a cleaner wrasse that has disappeared (maybe dead), cleaner shrimp, Bubble Tip anemone, a couple corals, and 2 True Percula clownfish. I might have left a thing or few out...


I am kinda disappointed now that I have this Bubble tip... it doesn't really stay out like I want it to, but probably even more important I am concerned that my true perculas won't bond with it.

What do you think? Know of any success stories?

What type of anemone would be optimal for 2 True Percula clownfish in a 29g? Crispa, magnifica, and gigantea are the natural hosts for perculas. However, I would not advise trying to keep any of these in a 29gl tank. If given time, they will go into the BTA. It took my ocellaris over a year to move into a LTA.

What clown's go best with Bubble Tips? There are others, but of the more common clowns, it would be clarkii, tomato, and maroon. Any that could be added to the tank without fighting my true perculas? NO.

And the 3 photos are at night. Anemone not much to look at when I took the picture. It's hanging out in the bottom right part of the tank... think it is too sheltered? No. It could expose itself to the light from that position if it choose to. My guess is that the water quality is a little off. Maybe the wrasse died causing a spike in nutrients. I would change some water and see if it helps.

 

[tman23]

Thanks a lot for the help!

This is so cool, my clownfish seemed to have taken to the xenia!

I have been putting some "Premium Reef Blend" Phytoplankton into my tank, but I am concerned about my Bubble Tip getting food.

I tried to give some mysis shrimp. I put it very close to the anemone, but I didn't see it eat any.

Any recommendations on getting it to eat?

Also, what other fish would be nice to my tank?

I'm considering a lawnmower blenny and/or a coral beauty.

I would like to propagate coral in the future, and want the corals to do well. I have heard coral beauties can nip at corals. Also, with the xenia at the bottom of the tank now, I don't know if the lawnmower blenny will get too much aragonite on it.

Also, I hope that the clownfish will reproduce... dead fish babies are not something I'd like.

Am I dreaming to consider a couple seahorses? May the clownfish starve them of food? May the Bubble Tip kill them?

Any other suggestions?

 

[Kakalakasha]

Sea Horses can be kept in a species only tank.
But they can sometimes be kept with pipe fish.
Coral Beauty's always have the chance of nipping at corals.
If you're willing to try it to see if you get a lucky non-nipper, go ahead.
But they're known to nip.

A lot of people want to raise clowns.
It's a toughie.
I have no idea about it I just know it's hard.
There's a couple people on here who have either had clowns reproduce or got ready because they saw signs researched it a lot then they didn't. :drool:

 

[tman23]

no other thoughts?
what about feeding the anemone?
everyone agree about the seahorse?
what about other fish?

 

[fox2589]

i do know seahorses need very light to no flow at all and lots of stuff to grab/hold onto

 

[Neuticle]

Seahorses would get eaten by the nem, sucked into powerhead, or starve to death if they managed to dodge the first two.

 

[cerobbins]

no seahorses

do you actually place the food in the tenticals of the nem? You should be doing this if you are not. It sounded like you were putting food for it to grab itself.

if your focused more on coral I would avoid the coral beauty, if you like fish better then go for it.

 

[tman23]

In this tank I would like to have nice coral, even if I have to limit my fish.

That said, what would you suggest?

 

[Neuticle]

In this tank I would like to have nice coral, even if I have to limit my fish.

That said, what would you suggest?

With coral, you will be limited by your filter and flow, you will probably be ok with most soft corals and some of the tougher LPS (large polyp stony) corals.


Leather corals, mushrooms, and zoanthids/palythoas would be a good place to start, if those do well then you could get more adventurous with coral choices. If I were you, I'd focus on making sure the $20-30 frags could make it before I spent money on some fancy stuff.

 

[Loverotties]

What are your water parimeters?How often and how much water in your water changes?

 

[tman23]

My clown fish died. I wish I knew what caused this....

specific gravity looks to be a little less than 1.023

Temperature might be a little under 78 F

Ammonia around 0 ppm, possibly a little higher...

Nitrite around 0

Nitrate about 20 ppm

Something happened previously where 2 clownfish and 1 clown tang died within a pretty short amount of time. They were all found within probably less than 10 minutes. Not sure how spread apart their deaths were... I guess from 3 days or less... maybe 48 hours, maybe less... I am not sure

Any ideas??

There looks to be some kind of creature in the tank. Might be a bristle worm. Also, have things that may be be aiptasia.

What do you think could have caused these fish to die?

 

[ZMattie]

My clown fish died. I wish I knew what caused this....

specific gravity looks to be a little less than 1.023

Temperature might be a little under 78 F

Ammonia around 0 ppm, possibly a little higher...

Nitrite around 0

Nitrate about 20 ppm

Something happened previously where 2 clownfish and 1 clown tang died within a pretty short amount of time. They were all found within probably less than 10 minutes. Not sure how spread apart their deaths were... I guess from 3 days or less... maybe 48 hours, maybe less... I am not sure

Any ideas??

There looks to be some kind of creature in the tank. Might be a bristle worm. Also, have things that may be be aiptasia.

What do you think could have caused these fish to die?

Having your Nitrates at 20 ppm is not good, but should not be what killed the fish. Bristle worms are harmless, that is unless you touch them lol. Aptasia wouldnt kill the fish either, although i would suggest killing it before you have a problem that cannot be fixed. Have you seen any signs of ich? There are alot of different things that could be going on. Whats you PH? Whats your Calcium? WHere do you get your water from? Also, I would NOT have any type of tang in a tank smaller than 75 gallons, so im hoping you were reffering to another tank.

 

[jenglish]

My first thought is that based on how you are sort of unsure of your levels I have to ask what testing kit you are using. It sounds like a test strip, if it is you should pony up and get a better test kit to keep a nem happy. THey like very clean water

 

[tman23]

pH at about 8.4 i think

Test kit is an API saltwater Master Kit. Not strips. Thanks though.

 

[jenglish]

ah yes, API can be a bit hard to read sometimes

 

[jenglish]

My clown fish died. I wish I knew what caused this....

specific gravity looks to be a little less than 1.023

Temperature might be a little under 78 F

Ammonia around 0 ppm, possibly a little higher...

Nitrite around 0

Nitrate about 20 ppm

Something happened previously where 2 clownfish and 1 clown tang died within a pretty short amount of time. They were all found within probably less than 10 minutes. Not sure how spread apart their deaths were... I guess from 3 days or less... maybe 48 hours, maybe less... I am not sure

Any ideas??

There looks to be some kind of creature in the tank. Might be a bristle worm. Also, have things that may be be aiptasia.

What do you think could have caused these fish to die?

Generally a mass die off is either a pathogen or something chemical (either a nutrient buildup, toxin in the tank, low oxygen) and not usually predator related. THeres a chance that w/o a skimmer you could have o2 problems, especially in winter when co2 in the home rises and o2 drops. It could have been a pathogen like ich. I would maybe increase the frequency or size of your water changes as 20 is too high of nitrates for most nems. have you tried silversides? they are a Nem favorite food as long as you cut it down to the size of it's mouth. Your nem should be quite sticky and if you place a piece of silverside on a tentacle you should see a feeding reaction. HTH

 

[tman23]

Thanks for the info and advice, jenglish.
I did actually buy a Current Fission skimmer for up to 30 gallons today (barely made it with 29g!). I hope it will help my tank progress toward cleaner water. It should help with the nitrates, right?
My goby seems to be pretty tough. He's survived both of the fish "die offs."
When I had the clown tang (I think I was considering turning my 72 Cichlid tank into salt water and putting the Tang in) he seemed to be rubbing some, and I thought that I had seen some small spots. I'm not 100% that it was ich, but it may have been.
Goby has made it, thankfully. Any other advice?