carpet anemone

conger

I've been considering adding an anemone to my 90gal FOWLR (0 amm & trites, ~5 nitrates, 1.024 sg, 8.2 pH), and my LFS has some very nice looking carpet anemones right now. I've been reading a little bit about them, and seem to come across mixed reviews of caring for these.

Does anyone have any strong opinions, for or against, carpet anemones? Also, is 5 PPM nitrates too high? Its hard to get a grasp on the required nitrate level, I just know its low.

gymnothorax

well, your water parameters should support a carpet anemone, but keep in mind that carpets require very bright lighting and iodide supplementation in order to thrive. Also, some fish will cause harm to anemones, what are the current occupants in your tank now?

conger

I use Purple Up (2 capfuls every other day), and I believe that contains iodine. I have a pair of peppermint shrimp, which have molted a couple of times since getting them, so thats a good sign as far as iodine goes as well (I think :)).

I have a 48" Coralife Lunar Aqualight, which gives four 65W bulbs for a total of 260W, hopefully that would be enough?

My occupants include one midas blenny, one small regal tang, and a pair of tank-bred clownfish. For inverts, I have the pair of peppermints, a single emerald crab, about 10 turbo snails, and 5 small hermits.

As far as being hurt by fish, I've actually been reading that carpet anemones will eat anything they touch... so I've been worried about the inverse: a carpet eating the rest of my fish!

Dave66

Your concern is valid; carpet anemones can and will eat any fish or motile invertebrate that contact the tentacles. They are also perhaps the most challenging anemone to keep, demanding perfect water quality, very high light and a good deal of space, since they get larger than a dinner plate in a hurry when properly kept and fed. You'd need to add a pair of 150 watt 10,000k halides if you wish to keep one, but I very much encourage you to do in-depth research on the animal before you accept the challenge of keeping one. Anemones can live for centuries, and it'd be a poor thing if ignorance led to one's demise. Carpets are indeed a challenge, but with proper research and preparation it can be done; mine is in its 15th year.
On the plus side, most species of clown fish eagerly accept carpet anemones as their 'homes'.

Dave

conger

thanks for the info, Dave66. I've been trying to read up on carpets, but I get conflicting info depending on where I look, so I've begun to not trust much of what I've read (and thus why I decided to come here and ask the local experts!). Also, aren't there like 3 different types of carpet, S. Haddoni, S. Mertensii, and S. Gigantea? Thats been confusing as well, as different sites seem to identify and describe the species differently, with some being more easy to care for than the others.