Anemone and anemonefish

[gvv]

I read YT post and what came to my mind...

Over a year ago I lost my first anemone (BTA) and one of the main causes was my maroon clowns that permanently bugging/sucking/digging it.

Than in short period of time I got 2 BTA and they managed to survive as Maroons were going from one tired to the other fresh and as soon as the second one became too tired they returned back to the first one. Besides maroons I had 2 ocellaris clowns as well and I added 2 carpet anemones. They were lucky! One is Atlantic and all my fish never come near it and the second is haddoni, which 2 of my anemone crabs occupied from day one. I should say that crabs are really taking care of it bringing food, helping releasing the leftovers, even they are really thinking about themselves and bringing food for themselves as well... Some time ago I got beautiful anemone shrimp and it occupied Atlantic carpet anemone. It is smaller and not as active as crabs, but also it does not disturb anemone
Returning to the clowns. My family asked me just to experiment and take maroons from the tank to see what will happen to BTAs. I did it (needless to say the task to catch 2 clowns in 90G is a hard task). Several days later everybody mentioned that they really become more beautiful and healthier (even one of them that before got into powerhead and was a little bit shredded). But few days later my ocellaris "found" them. And all this sucking/bugging stuff started again...
Now I took them away and don't plan to return them back until my anemones will at least double in size. I'd better get more crabs and shrimps

What I wanted to say is I'm not sure that anemone and anemonefish are both happy. Yes, the fish is happy, but not anemones... Do you have different experience?

Regards

[redbelly]

I think my LTA benifits from the true perc. When i feed the tank i give large chuncks of shrimp to the perc. The perc then swims down into the LTA and will thrash the piece of shrimp until the anemone has a good grip on it at which point he comes up to the water surface for more food to bring back down. The clown only eats what he initially tears off.
That being said I find that my perc doesnt actually continually swin in the anemone. He is always close by, but not always right in the anemone. Maybe my perc is just different..

[Rudy00]

I think its hit and miss with how the clowns take the anemone,  I think i'm going to hold off on my clowns and get an anemone in there first around the 7-9 month mark and grow it out then add clowns

i wonder if i can avoid some of this clown abuse

i'd suggest mabe making a little box out of some acrylic and placing it around the anemone as to give it some space until it has settled and what not

the bigger the better incase it does need to wander i'd think

[kennyman]

In a small tank like mine everyone has to contribute in some way to the system. I will not have an anemone due to size constraints and without one it seems the only role for my anemone fish to play is to bite my had when I clean the glass. Little nemo sure is cute but I cant see what purpose he is serving with respect to the ecology of my aquarium.

[PowderBlueTang]

Hi GVV
I have a Bta in my 120 gal that I got at one inch in dia. from BA. I put in a marron clown and it found my Bta and has been taking care of it and feeding it. That is great, that way I don't have to look after the Bta!The Bta has more than double in size and looks in excellent health. The Maroon is like a guard dog chases the other fishes away when they get too close and occasionally cuddles in the Bta.

[FishPassion]

My BTA (the other half to yours GVV )seems quite happy with the sebae and is quite content in its corner of the tank. The clown is actually quite gentle with it and spends 90% of the time hovering and guarding over and around it. I had thoughts of selling this anenome but will keep it for the time being as it is now about 6-7 inch disk size and I know that the sebae is a positive factor towards its excellent health as I havent fed it in mths and it has trippled in size. It has been moved from a 33 to the 90 and then I have changed its location a couple of times in the 90 and it still stays put. I know I shouldnt have said that as tomorrow it will be moving around lol