3 Responses to “Saltwater fish aquarium- what do i need to have some sea anemones?”

1. Deuce Bigalow Says:
   February 9th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

   first of all, you are going to have a hard time keeping them alive in such a small tank…you will need a protien skimmer…any nano sized skimmer will do. can you edit and tell me what the brand of hang on filter is? There are different kinds of anemones with different needs as far as lighting and feeding. The big problem is the tank is so small that nitrates will build up very quickly…be ready to do lots of water changes…your question is a littletoo broad….do you want clownfish…what other fish/inverts do you intend to keep. some Anemones stay fairly small…like rock anemones and some get really big like carpet anemones. So please fill in the blanks a little and we can help you better.

2. darkcirca Says:
   February 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am

   You are going to need a lot more lighting to sustain an anemone. That is going to be your first concern. You will want metal halides or T5 lighting with individual reflectors, depending. You will also probably want more live rock.

   How are your levels? Nitrate staying below 10? A refuge is usually pretty important, it helps in maintaining nitrates if you have chaeto or another macro algae.

   You also need a powerhead or two, depending, flow is important.

   A protein skimmer is important. CPR makes a decent one that is a hang on back, I’ve used it before and was happy with the out come.

   Depending on the type of anemone, and how often they are fed, they can get large. You will only want one, and even then it’ll be pushing it in a small tank. They eat krill, mysis, silversides, and other things. You usually directly feed it by placing the item in the tentacles.

   I’d stay away from an anemone all together personally. They can harm corals and kill fish if your fish aren’t smart enough to stay away (it happens, I lost a Hippo Tang to one in the past). I don’t have an anemone anymore, more to the fact I like the reef setup better.

3. Mars Hill Says:
   February 13th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

   Posted by Mars Hill

   Different anemones have different needs, but high water quality and high lighting are a must for all of them. 25 gallons may be suitable for some of the smaller anemones, as long as you keep your water parameters stable, but larger tanks are generally more preferred.

   I would recommend upgrading your lighting to a High Output (HO) T-5 fixture with a ratio of 4 watts per gallon or more. Protein skimmers aren’t necessary if your Nitrates are low, but they are very beneficial. You can check out the link below for more information on anemone husbandry.

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