FAQs on Condylactis Anemones 1 Related Articles: Condylactis Anemones, Anemones, Anemones of the Tropical West Atlantic, Colored/Dyed Anemones,  Related FAQs: Condylactis 2, Condylactis Identification, Condylactis Compatibility, Condylactis Behavior, Condylactis Selection, Condylactis Systems, Condylactis Feeding, Condylactis Disease, Condylactis Reproduction, Atlantic Anemones 1, Atlantic Anemones 2, Anemones, Anemones 2, LTAs, Clownfishes & Anemones, Anemone Systems, Anemone Lighting, Anemone Reproduction, Anemone Identification, Anemone Compatibility, Anemone Selection, Anemone Behavior, Anemone Health, Anemone Placement, Anemone Feeding,

New Print and eBook on Amazon:   Anemone Success Doing what it takes to keep Anemones healthy long-term by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Coral Banded Shrimp Attacked My Anemone - 01/23/06 Greetings from cold, wet Indiana  (dreaming of our upcoming fall trip to Kauai) <<Hello from slightly sloppy South Carolina  (I too am musing about a fall trip, but back to the Big Island)>> I can't believe I have had my aquarium up and running for two years now and it is still alive and I haven't thrown it out the window (although there have been moments....) <<?!>> I am determined, if not lucky.  It has become a very interesting bio-diverse almost self-sustaining ecosystem. <<Ah, well...that's good.>> Most recently I have obtained a mated pair of Coral Banded Shrimp and they have taken up residence in a rock "cave". <<neat>> I have a beautiful Condylactis that is situated near enough to the opening of the cave that its tentacles float and wave at the opening.   Much to my dismay the male CBS seems intent on sparring with the Condy and actually pinched off part of a tentacle (the stinging portion) and ate it. <<Hmm well, I do consider Stenopus hispidus to be one of the lesser reef-safe shrimp.>>    The shrimp have plenty of food to eat so I don't think it's because he's hungry.   What kind of damage will this do to the Condy...can they sustain that sort of injury? <<If the predation doesn't continue the anemone should recover just fine.>> Isn't it poisonous or noxious to inverts? <<Not all, everything has something that can/will eat it...anemones are no exception.>> I've had the Condy eat inverts but not the other way around.  I've had the Condy for two years now and he has been very happy.  Don't want to lose him.  Haven't seen the shrimp pick on him   lately but then I'm not watching 24/7. <<Tis possible it was/will be an isolated incident, but like crabs, many shrimp are opportunistic omnivores and will grab a meal where they can.>> Thanks for your help. <<Not sure this was helpful...>> Still dreaming of snorkeling in Kauai.....Janie <<Some wondrous underwater sites indeed!  Regards, EricR>>

Lighting question & Pink Tip Anemone question   1/22/06 Evening crew Thank you for the awesome website! <Welcome> I have a 55 gallon tank set up the set up is this: 35 40 pounds of LR Two emperor 280 filters I have 36 inch Coralife lights the double florescent 96 watt 10000k and double actinic 96 watt 10000k lights 2 inch bed of live sand brittle star 6 turbo snails Chromis three damsels tomato lawnmower blenny black dartfin goby several blue legged hermit crabs pink tipped anemone couple brittle worms (caught them with the flashlight late at night) My first question is about the lighting I have searched all over your site but have yet to see a definitive answer on lighting. Should I run the lighting in a certain way? Right now I turn the actinic on for about 1 hour in the morning when the sun is coming up then turn on both sets of lights that run for about 9 10 hours I then turn just the actinic on for another 3 hours at night followed up with total darkness till the next morning. Is this ok or should I try something else? <Is about right... could extend the "white light" period a couple hours, shorten the actinic the same...> Also when finding out watts per gallon do I take 96 plus 96 divided by 55? or do i figure each light on its own? <The former.> Next question is my Haitian Pink tipped anemone seems to be doing fine in my tank however I am not a pink tip doctor so I would at least like to make sure that my lighting and water flow is proper for him. It sits in front of the current near the light on a LR. It has a tomato clown that has hosted and I feed it frozen Mysis shrimp with vitamins in it (and a horseshoe crab he nabbed one night leading me to assume his stinging sells  are working ok). He is starting to turn a little bit of a brown shade. I had found a post one time before I bought it that I thought mentioned pink tips turning colors but could not find it again. So is this ok? Otherwise seems to be doing great in my tank. Thank you very much for your help it is greatly appreciated Homer <Is okay... if adapted thus far... getting a good part of its nutrition from feeding, not photosynthesis. Could use more light... Bob Fenner>

New tank and anemones 01-06-06 Bob, <Travis here with you today.> Hello, I am having some problems with my aquarium.   <You came to the right place.> First I have a 29 gallon Eclipse tank with a bio wheel.  I have two pink tip Condys, two damselfish, and an algae blenny.  I also have a handful of snails and red legged hermit crabs. My problems are that on the front of my tank on the glass I have a green and purple algae that I can't get rid of because it is almost glued on and I can't get it off and I was wondering what this is.   <Sounds like coralline algae. This is a desirable algae, but will need to be removed from the glass with a razor blade.> Also my Condys have a brownish tint to the tentacles that is unattractive and I was wondering how to improve their color.  If you can help me cure these problems that would be great. <You could possibly change their coloration with a change in bulb spectrum as some beneficial algae is supported by different spectrums of light. Since this is natural beneficial algae, odds are you are either going to have to live with the tint or remove the anemones. Travis> Parker Aldredge

Few questions... Condy mixed, sized system for anemones 01-01-06 Bob, <Happy New Year. Travis (Fellow Iowa native) here with you today.>   I recently discovered your website and really enjoy reading it. <Good to hear.> However, your advice to other aquarium owners causes me to question whether or not my LFS is giving be wrong information to just sell a specimen. <Ah, the struggle we all find ourselves dealing with.> First off, I have a Condy (yeah I know, basic, but I've never had an Anenome and I wanted to get the hang of caring for one) and my LFS owner told me that any coral or fish would be fine with it. <To be honest there is no such thing as a "basic" anemone, but yes Condys can be a bit less demanding.> But according to you, Atlantic anemone's should never be mixed with pacific coral's and fish. <It is always best to keep animals together with those they share ocean space with in the wild.> I have a 12g nano-cube and it runs great....I have one clown, 1 coral banded shrimp, live rock and sand, 1 Condy, cotton candy coral branch, and a colony of striped mushrooms. I really would like to know if this Condy is a risk to my tank and should be removed. <To be honest a 12 gallon tank is no place for any anemone. Anemones are very demanding, as far as water parameters go, and they tend to wander. Condy's are not natural hosts and have been known to damage/kill fish and corals. I would return your Condy.> Thanks for your time. <Glad to help, Travis> Sincerely, Drew

Research please! Dear WWM crew, I have a Condy anemone, but the problem is why the anemone doesn't like my light, it is power Glo.  Livestock: Ricordea, 2condies, tank is 10gal.<It could be any number of things from insufficient light to bad water quality, please give our web site a look through and you should be able to find all the info you need. Our site is: www.wetwebmedia.com . Cody> Thanks Jason 

Condy Candy >I want to thank you for an invaluable resource first of all! >>You're welcome. >Secondly, I have a few questions about a Candy (florida (sp) I believe) anemone.    >>That would be a Condylactis anemone. >I recently got one free with my live rock/sand order.  After reading up on it I understand that these are inexpensive and common anemones which also do not have that high rate of success.   >>Well, anemones in general have a poor success rate, however, Condys and BTA's (bubble tips) have a better than average rate of success - BTAs more so with advanced reefers. >When I first put him in the tank (50 gallon with 2x 250w MH and 2x 96w PC) he was small, but opened up after 1 day, and I kept the MH off for the first few days.  I had placed him in a position just next to a small piece of rock in the middle of the tank where there is very high water flow that changes direction due to crossing currents, and he hasn't moved since I put him there.  I am assuming he likes his placement?   >>It would move if it didn't.  Don't be surprised if it does move.  Keep those powerhead and other intakes well-protected! >I have been feeding him almost daily about a ? to ? inch piece of squid in addition to any small Mysid or blood worms that get stuck on his tentacles.   >>I would not feed bloodworms to any of your animals on a regular basis.  They're great for getting certain picky eaters going on feed, but once eating, stick with marine-based foods. >I now know that 1/4 is the optimal size and not to go over that.   >>1/4 what? >He started out completely white with only small purple dots on the tips of his tentacles; however, I have been noticing the beginning of a color change in him and definitely a brown/green hue to him on one side.  Is that the color I can expect and I gather this is his new crop of zooxanthellae?   >>More than likely, it's probably brighter/more intense in your system than from whence he came. >There were 2 days that when I would come home, he would be completely withdrawn, but my fianc?said he had just gone to that state and had been out all day.  I looked closer and my pistol shrimp had made an entrance to his burrow under that rock.  That hole is now closed up and the Condy doesn't stay out and about all day and night. >>Not unusual, but could be a sign of a problem.  Watch for disintegration.  If that happens, you know he's a goner and MUST remove it immediately. >Any words of advice?   >>Those were them up there. >I am kind of disappointed that my tomatoes wont host in him (they are very small still) and was planning on getting a BTA, however, now that I have this Condy, I don't want to encourage chemical warfare.   >>I think you have some things mixed up here, my friend.  You know that the Condy is an Atlantic species.  This means that all clowns, Pacific specifically, never host such an animal in nature.  It's not unheard of for them to host these and other things (Goniopora, hammer corals, frogspawn, powerheads, lift tubes, overflows, et al), but don't keep the cake waiting on it. If you're new, I would strongly recommend waiting at LEAST a year before attempting something like a BTA.  Get more experience under your belt, anemones and sea stars are among the most difficult of inverts to keep. >Such a gorgeous creature, I hope I can keep him alive and well. >>We do too.  Keep that water in pristine parameters (near sea water quality), and you should be on your way.  Feeding him is good, but do change out the bloodworms for something else. >Thanks again, -Darien Ford >>You're welcome, mate.  Have fun with the Condy, and try not to worry too much (but be diligent).  Marina

- Packing Them In - I just started my first saltwater tank 4 months ago.  I have: 2 Damsels (White Tail & Yellow Tail) 23 small blue-legged Hermit crabs 1 Peppermint Shrimp 1 Emerald Crab 1 Pygmy Angel 1 Royal Gramma 1 Purple Pseudochromis 1 Purple (actually Orange) Chromis Anthias [probably mislabeled] 1 Raccoon Butterfly I just purchased a small pink tip anemone, it was only $8.99 Canadian.  I swear the thing has doubled it's size since I put it in (24 hours ago)). I am a little worried for the safety of my fish.  They all seem to be avoiding it pretty well, which I guess is instinctive. The store (Big Al's) which I purchased the anemone from had Royal Grammas, Pseudochromis, Pygmy Angel, Emerald Crab and Peppermint Shrimp were all in the same store tank.  Is there any real danger from this kind of anemone? <Yes.> Brian PS: I forgot to mention.. It's a 30 Gallon (tall) tank I also have lots of live rock. The fish have been very healthy and have been there for 2 months. <Good grief - this tank is really too small for the amount of life you have packed in there. I'm guessing most of these fish are small, but they won't stay that way. You need to consider thinning out your herd or getting a larger tank if you want to insure your long-term success. Cheers, J -- >

Condy Anemone I purchased a Condy about one week ago and it's my first anemone. I have noticed that when I wake up and turn the aquarium lights on, the anemone has shrunk, is completely purple and doesn't look to healthy. After the lights have been on for a few hours, the anemone is back to its white with magna tips coloring and looks strong. I was wondering if the light I have is the cause of the morning appearance. The lights I use are two Zoo Med 50/50 lights (Reef Sun). Can you please advise if this is normal for the anemone after being in the dark or is my lighting the problem. Thank you. Ian <no ,Ian this is normal the longer you have the anemone the more it will stay open. thanks MikeH.>    My Little Condy >I purchased a Condy about one week ago and it's my first anemone. I have noticed that when I wake up and turn the aquarium lights on, the anemone has shrunk, is completely purple and doesn't look to healthy. After the lights have been on for a few hours, the anemone is back to its white with magna tips coloring and looks strong. I was wondering if the light I have is the cause of the morning appearance. >>No, it's the cycle of light at issue here.  You just can't get around these animals being diurnal. >The lights I use are two Zoo Med 50/50 lights (Reef Sun). Can you please advise if this is normal for the anemone after being in the dark or is my lighting the problem. Thank you. Ian    >>It's normal, mate, no worries.  Marina

I Want A Condy!  (Not Rice, Either) >Hi guys,     >>Hello. >I have seen a Condylactis anemone today at a LFS and I have found it really nice and not too expensive. <<"A shrubbery!" RMF>>   I went on WWM and have read many FAQ on them and some articles... I would like to know if it will be safe for my other animals to add it and if it is safe to keep a Condys with corals, clams and other invertebrate. This is want I have right now in my 50g tank: >>Basically, the general answer is no, it's not a good idea to keep mobile cnidarians (invertebrates with nematocysts that bust a move) with sessile inverts. >-2 tomato clown -1 yellow wrasse -1 hippo tang -1 cleaner shrimp -4 snails -1 hermit crab -1 mushroom anemone and a small baby :) Technical feature have tank are: -60 pounds of live rock - 1 inch of sand - 175 w metal halide -blue led light for night -12 times turn over ... I am planning to increase it to 18 times in the next week. -1 CPR BakPak skimmer ( it will be another skimmer in the next week) I will add a big 33 gal refugium with mangrove and some algae on a reverse day period with deep sand bed in the next week too. >>Sounds as though you have quite the set of plans for this system, all good.  However, I wish to caution you against mixing any anemone, as mentioned above.  If your heart is set on anemones, I suggest dedicating the system to them.  Condys are very pretty and easy to keep. >I know that I am asking a lot of question these days but I really want to do the best for my good marine friends :)  Thank you guys !! >>By your listed plans, it truly appears that way.  I am certain that in your research you've also learned that the tang won't last long in a tank that size.  But, the addition of the refugium will help at least with water volume, if not swimming space.  Hope this advice is helpful (you need no changes in lighting or filtration for a Condylactis), and best of luck.  Marina

Lighting for a Condy (10-3-03) Hey guys,<Howdy, Cody here today.> I have another question.. I was interested in purchasing a Condy anemone... I am not sure what its full name is but I wanted to know do these guys need strong lighting.. I have a 60 gal tank.. its 14.5" tall.. currently I have 120watts of light (2 50/50, and 1 marine Glo) is this enough... and if not how much more should I get.. seeing that at the moment its 2 watt per gallon..<They are not as demanding as some of the other anemones but they still require higher lighting than what you have now.  There are too many different lighting choices to give you a general rule but do some research on the Wet Web site and you should be able to find everything you need.  Cody>

Anemone Waste - 8/12/03 Hello, <Hi Ryan> I have a 180 Gallon Reef/Fish with 5 anemones. <Wow. That's a lot of anemones!> The reef is fine. <Very good> The two long arm (Condy?)  pukes a long brown Cyanobacteria looking substance, everyday about 5:00 P.M. <A few things could be happening here. Likely excrement (food byproduct and the like), a reproductive event, or releasing some zooxanthellae (if applicable)> Can you explain this, every now and then they shrivel up and then shake it off and are their normal selves then.   What the.....Sincerely, Ryan <From what I have read, seems to be somewhat a normal occurrence. Check out the  links as I find these very helpful and chocked full of information: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm -Paul>  

Condylactis Anemone Lighting Requirements <Hello again> I am sorry Ryan for being so short. I just did not want to make a long one out of it. I do have about 85-90lbs of live rock but no sand bed I just have some crushed coral and the live rock. <Good to hear> Thx for the link and I am sure I will find the info on what the sand bed does. <Yes, it should help.  Also good to have if you ever want to dabble in corals.> But just incase I am a bigger idiot then I thought Please let me know on the sand deal. <I'll give you the benefit of the doubt!  You're just providing refuge for beneficial life in your tank that ordinarily would perish without the safety of a sand bed.> Thx sooooooooooooo much for the help and all the others there as well <Absolutely.> PS  I don't remember if I mentioned my tank is 24" deep. Is my lighting still good ? I know these Condys like to move. <Yes, they'll move to where they life it.  Your lighting should be just fine, just research the photoperiod and stick to it. Ryan> Michael

Condylactis Anemone Lighting Requirements <Hi! Ryan with you> Hi my name is Michael and I have a 92G Oceanic corner tank and have been studying about Condys. I think I want one but I want to make sure about the lighting I have.  In the very back of the tank I have 2- 28W Actinic PC's, in front of that I have a 175W MH 5500K, and in front of that I have 1-96W 10K PC, and in front of that 1-96W actinic PC.  Is this enough lighting for a anemone "Condy"?  I LOVE YOU GUYS!  Thanks for being here.  Michael <Michael, it sounds like you're on your way to providing a good home for anemones.  You'll have about 4-5 watts per gallon with your current lighting- sounds appropriate.  I can't stress enough that you need high water quality.  You didn't mention live rock/sand.  I wouldn't even try an anemone of any sort without a deep sand bed and 1-2 pounds of live rock per gallon.  These links should prove helpful in your research: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/condylactis.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm Best of luck! Ryan>

Condy Anemone Hi guys! I need to pick your brains a bit. I just added a small Condy (Condylactis passiflora) to my nano-reef tank but I want to make sure I'm not taking too big a risk here. The specs on the tank are as follows:10g tank with trickle filter - cycled for about 4 months32w PC 50/50 (half 8800k Ultra Daylight, half Ultra Actinic) lighting <This should be fine for Condylactis anemones> pH 8.3 temp 79 nitrites - consistent 0ammonia - consistent 0nitrates - 0 - kept low by doing small daily water changes salinity - 1.023crushed granite substrate of about 1"about 20lbs LR no protein skimmer do to the design of the tank/filter/light The livestock is as follows:2 small TR Ocellaris Clowns1 small yellow watchman Goby - he will be moved to my main tank as soon as he's a bit bigger 2 Mithrax crabs2 Astrea snails1 Impatiens Cucumber group of mushroom polyps The clowns are between 1" and 1.25" and the Goby is about 1.5" long. The Condy is about 2.5" when he's fully opened, his base is about .75". He's been QT'd at my LFS for a couple of weeks in a tank with other TR Clowns and not harmed any but am I running a big risk of him eating my two?  <Not much. Chances are very good your clowns will actually learn to associate with the anemone. I would introduce them during the early day and leave a light on outside the tank for the first few nights.> When I started my first marine tank (my larger show tank) I lost a Condy and a BTA, the Condy due to a combo of him getting sucked into the filter and low lighting and the BTA due to low lighting. There may have also been chemical warfare going on between the two since they positioned themselves very close to each other.  <Common problems as you now know> I learned from my mistakes there and now should be able to provide proper care for this guy but I want to make sure I'm not going to lose my clowns, I've become very attached to them! Thanks! Ronni <I give you very good odds of having no problems here. Bob>

Condylactis and other cnidarians >Hey guys, >>And gals.  Marina here. >Have a quick question, In my tank right now I have a Condylactis Anemone, Xenia, Long spine Urchin, Sand Sifting Star, and a few fish. I am planning on getting a pair of True Percula Clowns for my tank. I will be getting rid of everything else before I do so. With the Clown fish I plan on getting a host anemone. I know you guys do not recommend anemones but I would really like to get one. >>The issue here is the ability of the aquarist. >Mine I have now has done great probably doubled in size and I keep it very healthy. >>Condylactis are considered almost bullet-proof (no one seems to have trouble growing Aiptasia, so we can include those pests as well).  They are a far cry from something as demanding as, say, a sebae. From what I have read in your FAQ's and other info on your site is that the Sebae Anemone would be the best bet for the True Perculas. Would you agree with that? >>Sebae, or possible a Bubble Tip Anemone, which tend to be more forgiving in general. >Okay now my real question, I need to get my Condylactis Anemone out but it has gotten itself deep down in a crack of my live rock. The only way I could think of to get it to move was to cover the light where it shines on it and hopefully it would move on its own. I do not want to risk tearing its foot by trying to pull it out of the crack. What would be the best way to get it to move to a surface where it can be easily removed? >>Unfortunately, once an anemone finds itself a place it likes, you're going to be hard pressed to get it to remove itself.  You *could* try this method, I can't tell you whether or not this will definitely work.  What about just removing the rock it's anchored itself to? >Also with the host anemone that I get will it be a threat to the Xenia? >>Yes.  Mixing cnidaria, especially motile versus sessile really is not a good idea.  Actually, I'm going to leave no doubt in your (or anyone else's who might read this) and say that it's a terrible idea, especially in the confines of a tank. >I spend a lot of time on your website and can never really find an exact answer. I hope I am not bothering you with my questions. >>ABSOLUTELY NOT!  You are not bothering us, you're helping us add to the vast amount of information that is out there, but that hasn't answered your question.  Don't think for a minute that you're the only one out there who's had the same questions! >Thanks, Chris Hepburn >>You're welcome, and here are some links again--> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cnidaria.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm >>Marina

Toxic spawn? 3/14/03 Quick question about a Condylactis (sp) anemone...last night. seemed to be spewing out a murky film. with in 10 minutes all the fish were dead!. they were floating upside down as I was trying to do an emergency water change...but no luck... they all died as well as 2 cleaner shrimps/banded shrimp as well...all snails and other critters are fine...the tank is  3 years old and had been totally fine until last night. these were all original inhabitants of the tank. fish/anemone. everything was added together. I thought the anemone was dieing ..looked all deflated etc.. but this morning it is fine. inflated to regular size...which is huge! the foot is close to 3 inched across...but seemed to have the same murky film coming from its mouth. although not as much as last night...water is cloudy as well. another water change today...any ideas?. there is no foul smell coming from the tank or anemone...all water param's are fine...weekly changes etc...I am stumped/bummed out...any ideas? Thanks guys Pete <the first thing that comes to mind is a reproductive act where the gametes were toxic. "Toxic eggs" are rather common among reef invertebrates...a sensible evolutionary strategy. In the wild they are simply noxious in the vast expanse of seawater and dissuade most predators from eating them by taste. In a closed aquarium, however, merely "noxious" can become "fatal". Just a guess... it is a bit odd that all but the anemone died. You can rule out a pathogen too as both inverts (shrimp) and fishes died and diseases are almost never shared between the groups.  My regrets, bud. If its any consolation, such events are rare in captivity. But continue to do several large water changes (25-50%) in the next week and use chemical filtration media heavily (carbon/Polyfilters). Kindly, Anthony>

- Condylactis Lighting - Hi guys. <Hello, JasonC here...> The LFS (usually pretty trustworthy) told me that Condys don't need intense lighting. <I'm not sure I agree with that at all. The Condylactis are as photosynthetic as any other anemone. They keep theirs in one of those shelf systems on the bottom shelf....it's almost dark in there!! <Well, they have the advantage that they can replace that anemone when it craps out, giving the illusion that it's lived there for a long time. I would be willing to bet that they kill one a couple of times a year.> Also, they told me that you can only count on Maroon Clowns to pair up with them. <I doubt that... Condylactis anemones hail from the tropical Atlantic and Maroon Clowns are Pacific in origin, although Condylactis anemones do show up in the Pacific.> I thought that ALL anemones required tons of experience and tons of light... what's the deal with my LFS? <Who knows... do read up on the Condylactis here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/twaanemones.htm > Matt <Cheers, J -- >

Atlantic anemone Hi, <Howdy> I read interest you FAQ's regarding the Atlantic anemone.  I have a green one that I purchased as a charity case over a year ago and it has since grown to approx 10" diameter when extended with a 3" diameter disc in my 75 gal tank.  My tomato clown took up residence with it several months ago and though it seems to be a one sided relationship on the clowns side the anemone has thrived.  My question is - I have been told that the anemone will 'sting'  and consequently kill corals and other anemones. <Mmm, well this is possible... but not necessarily so. They do live amongst such animals in the wild...>   I have added several small corals to my tank and they are doing well where currently placed, but if Mr. Anemone decides to move again it will have contact with them. It has stayed in the same place for a few months so I am hoping it is happy there.  Am I waiting for disaster to happen? <Can't say. Some specimens do go "wandering", generally following a deficit in their current situation, very commonly low light intensity, phase shift of "old" lamps. If they're all getting along chemically for now, I wouldn't be overly concerned. You are likely to see something happening if it does decide to move before real trouble. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Nancy D

New with Anemone Hi. I have a pink tip Condylactis when I got up this morning is was a white ball but after the lights came on it came out is this normal?? and how often should I feed ?? <there is so much to learn here my friend... you really need to get the information needed on animal husbandry before you buy an animal... please, my friend... respect for living creatures. Most anemones die prematurely because people see a cheap and cool addition to their tank but have no means to care for it properly. Anemones in fact are more demanding than most corals for light and water quality. Do you have full reef lighting for this creature? Nitrates are near zero? For feeding, please feed meaty foods of marine origin (mysids, Pacifica plankton... never brine shrimp though... all frozen)... very fine or minced... never larger than 1/4"even though they will sting it (large chunks can tear, harm or kill in time). My advice to you is to spend some time in our wetwebmedia.com archives reading articles and FAQs on anemone husbandry. Begin on this page (scroll down for anemone info): http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm   Best regards, Anthony>

Another couple questions: re Miracle Mud filtration, keeping anemones Concerning the Miracle Mud sumps, I have been running mine without any sand in the reef tank (as I was told one should) but now that I am moving my tank over I have a chance to add some live sand.  What do you think?   <I f you want to add sand it will be okay. But remember to get sugar-sized sand and keep the bed either 1/2" or less or 4+". Anything else is a detritus trap> I know there is the theory that a sand bed could potentially produce nitrates which is what the miracle mud is supposed to prevent from happening.  But as with the skimmer, can too much filtration really be a bad thing? <Almost impossible> And will Percula's host with Caribbean anenomes?   <Do you mean the Condylactis anemone? Not likely...But stranger things have happened>   I've heard it both ways.   Is it a take your chances thing? <Well...unless you have the proper setup for the Condylactis, I would skip on this addition. In all probability the Condy will begin moving around shortly after being introduced to the tank and will settle somewhere that you don't like. This has been my experience thus far with anemones> Also, my understanding from reading you site is that the Condy's don't tend to live very long, even under ideal conditions?  The bubble tip are better? <No anemone is considered hardy by fish standards. But compared to the other very fragile anemones, Condys are hardier. First, study the requirements of whatever anemone that you plan to buy and be sure you can meet those requirements from the beginning. This is not a critter that you can buy and then wait to do tank upgrades to match its needs. You need to meet the anemones basic requirements for day one. If you want a bubble tip (Entacmaea quadricolor) try to buy one that has been aquacultured. This will improve your chances of success> Finally, are there some damsels that will host with Caribbean anenomes? <Not many if any will host the Condys. And beware...Even if you painstakingly match fish with the proper host anemone, the fish may not respond. This behavior isn't at all unusual> Thanks for you time. Steve Thornton MD <You're welcome! David Dowless>

Condylactis and Captive Clowns Greetings Bob, Anthony and crew. I am writing not with a question, but to share some observations I have made regarding captive born clowns and Condylactis anemones. I am hoping to clear some confusion some readers might have about the notion that captive bred clownfish will take on almost anything as a host, and that Condylactis being cheap and easy to care for would make a good host. <I have stated... many times... a few decades back that this mix (though it can happen in captivity) is ill-warranted... and often leads to trouble (as in ingestion of the Clowns, death of the anemone)> In general, Condylactis do not host clownfish. In aquariums, Condylactis anemones can be a threat to clownfish. Clownfish can be an equal threat to Condylactis anemones. I have attempted to keep two separate Condylactis anemones with my captive reared maroon clown, with the same results each time... a dead anemone. (Resist the urge to comment here and read on.) <Oops, okay> I have witnessed my maroon clown take each anemone as a surrogate, a somewhat commonplace among captive clowns from what my research shows. In close observation of this relationship, it is easy to see that this is by no means a symbiotic affair. My clownfish eager for a safe host, instantly warms up to the Condylactis. The Condylactis however, shows no shared emotions for the clown. The anemone withdrawals tentacles touched by the clown, and exhibits a general dislike of the clowns affection.  Over the course of a few days my clown becomes aggravated and forceful toward the anemone. The anemone responds to the pushing and poking by becoming more withdrawn, closing up for hours. The clown persists on any given chance that the anemone is open. After a few days I find a limp, deflated Condylactis with a torn foot on the bottom of my tank. This is the second time this has happened to me. The first time the anemone was torn closer to the outside ring of tentacles. I would like to note that in both instances the anemones were on live rock surfaces that may have had sharp areas, so I am sure that the clown did not bite or otherwise intentionally kill the anemone. The tear wounds were rather long unlike a fish bite or a hermit claw, and consistent with having been rubbed against a somewhat sharp surface. I theorize that some Condylactis may take a kill or be killed attitude towards this abuse, and this could explain the reports of clownfish being eaten by Condylactis anemones. After my experiences I would have to disagree with Joyce Wilkerson's suggestion that a Condylactis may be an acceptable surrogate for Clownfishes. If readers must witness fish swimming through their Condylactis anemone without being devoured, I suggest they ignore clownfish altogether and go for a diamond blenny. Otherwise, forget keeping the Condylactis and get a tank raised bubble tip. That is assuming of course one has the proper equipment to care for it. If anyone disbelieves what I have observed, I am sure I can repeat this behavior and document it, though I would rather not risk another anemone. To sum it all up, Condylactis + Clownfish = Bad Idea. Readers be warned. -Randy <Thank you for your input. Bob Fenner>

My Boyfriend Bought Me...Condy! Hi <Hi there! Scott F. with you tonight!> I need some help!!!!  I recently bought  a Haitian pink tip anemone,  and I need some information.  I purchased some frozen food for it today, recommended by a local pet store.  When I feed it do I need to cut it up or leave it in cubes?? <Definitely cut up the food into smaller pieces, and don't overfeed. You can squirt some of the food into the anemones tentacles with a turkey baster (very appropriate this time of year!). How do I care for it??  When I bought it I didn't ask too many questions, cause I thought that my boyfriend knew what to do with it!   Please Help Thanks Christie <Well, Christie, first thing that you need to do is slap that guy! You now know never to buy any animal, especially an anemone, before you study up on it! Enough lecture...Fortunately, these are the among the hardiest of anemones. However, they still require bright light, vigorous current, and clean, stable water conditions in order to thrive. They can get quite large and very colorful with proper care. They generally will not host Clownfishes, being a Caribbean species, however, larger Clownfishes, such as Tomato clowns, do sometimes take up residence in them. These anemones can and will move around in the tank until they find a spot that's just to their liking, so make sure that all filter intakes, powerheads, etc., are configured so that the anemone is not accidentally drawn in and injured or killed should it wander around. With attention to the environment, and proper care, these anemones can live for many, many years. Do a search on this species using the Google search feature on the wetwebmedia.com site for more information. Good luck!  Scott F.>

Question on anemone <<Hi Jerry>> Will Condylactis get along with other Condys? also if you have to 50 watts on a 30 gallon would that equal 100 watts which is 3.3 watts per gallon is that acceptable for this species? also do they have algae in there tissue? like a plant thanks JM <<I wouldn't get another one if that's where you're going! You don't have the first one saved yet! One thing here Jerry. I want you to think about this. I know that stores sell these for cheap, but they are not really the best for beginners, AAMOF, they don't tend to live very long in captivity. Now for the kicker. They live **FOREVER** in the wild. They are essentially immortal in the wild and usually live less than a year in captivity. You have to do your best to make right by something that would live forever if it wasn't in the store and then your tank. Now to the light. This is important as I've been trying to get you to understand. It's like this. You know how bright the sun is? Well even if you were able to gather all of the 50 watt bulbs in the world together over your tank, it would never come close to the sun. It's the same for the 50 watt lights you want. It will still only be 50 watts INTENSITY no matter how many you use. You need BIGGER, MORE INTENSE lighting than regular aquarium lighting, like Metal Halide, Very High Output Florescent, or Power Compact fixtures. Please go to this link and read about lighting: There are some good posts about not getting two anemones as well. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemonelightngfaqs.htm Craig>>
Re: question on Condy anemone <<Hi Jerry>> Hi thank you I will put another 20 watt on the tank and he should do well I think will they die if he gets 2 watts per gallon? I've had him for 4 days and he looks good and he eats flakes I give him and he isn't sick will he sting if I go to move him higher up on the rock? Thanks JM <<Okay, Jerry, you didn't read the link below, did you? Jerry, we want to help you keep your anemone alive. Will you please read the link so you can get the help you need? As I wrote you yesterday, this anemone needs *high intensity lighting* not more wattage of *LOW intensity* lighting. That means Metal Halide, VHO, or Compact Florescent lighting at 3-5 watts per gallon for an average 18-20" deep tank. The flake food is fine on occasion but will not sustain this anemone for long. He eats anything because there isn't enough light. I would not suggest you move the anemone or try to handle it, this will do more harm to an already stressed animal. He needs more light, better food, and to be left to find his own place when those conditions are met. If you were to move him, first, you could injure him and second, he would move back to the highest point in the tank/light anyway. PLEASE read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm  and follow the links from there.>> <<Good luck, Craig>>
Re: question on Condy anemone thank you I am buying a 50/50 55watt hood and a 40 watt sunlight hood to put on the tank will this sustain his need? I read the link and it is very helpful with the 50 and 40 I should have enough wattage I wish the pet store lady would have told me this will he live one more week till I get the hood updated? Thanks JM <<Hey Jerry>> <<Sounds better. You might try AHlighting supply, Champion lighting supply, or Marine Depot for affordable lighting. 90 watts will be the minimum and your Condy will still want to be close to the top of the tank, so you may want to build the rock up higher in an isolated area directly under the strongest light and give him the option of getting up close. If you can afford more light, like two 65 pc's, one for each side or two long fixtures, the higher light intensity and reflector would be appreciated by the anemone. The only other thing is to stop off at the store and buy some seafood for your dinner and then share with your anemone. I hope this works out for you. Try to get the lights ASAP and feed marine meats in the meantime. One thing this will do is prepare you for other light demanding inhabitants later on. Have FUN!>> <<Cheers, Craig>>
Condylactis anemone hi me again this is a picture of his disk and tentacles does he look ok his tentacle are open and bright his mouth is shut and he always eats good <<Yep, looks good to me. Glad to see his disc is more brown than white, this is good. Keep him fed and well lit. Good luck! Craig>>
Condylactis anemone <<Hi Jerry!>> Hi I got it through and bought a 70 watt ballast and have a 70 watt daylight and a 30 watt actinic blue t12 I think hell like it better than the 30 watt I had on when I got him do they reproduce in captivity? like split into more anemones? or do you need another one two mate? thanks for all your great information <<Glad you got more light. The more the better (up to a point!). I haven't heard of Condy's splitting like the other varieties or of them being bred in captivity. Just get him in the proper conditions to survive for an extended period. Most people, including public aquariums, have dismal successes over one year with these anemones. It has been done but they are difficult to put it bluntly. Give it your best shot! Craig>>
Question on anemone (Condy care) <<Hi Jerry!>> hi I'm gonna take your advice on my Condy anemone I'm buying 70 watt daylight and a 30 watt actinic blue I hear anemones love actinic blue heel appreciate this and I was wondering could I feed him guppies the lady at the pet store feed the saltwater fish them so I figured he'd like them will he last 4 more days till I get my new light setup? I plan to buy him silver side the day I get the brighter hood thanks on your great advice JM <<This sounds better. The more light up to 5 watts per gallon, the better!!! Bubble tips like more blue, your Condy would just love lots of light! I wouldn't feed guppies. Stop at the store on the way home from work and go to the seafood section. Buy some small shrimp (uncooked, not pink), prawns, scallops, etc. Just cut it into 1/4" or smaller pieces and feed it to him (on a piece of clear stiff air tube). You don't need special fish food! He will need to eat two more times before you get the lights. Hope this works for you, Craig>>
Condylactis anemone <Hi Jerry> I think I feed him too much, I feed him half an inch, he still gobbles it down. <Don't overdo it.> I notice when he's about to move his foot bloats up looks like its gonna explode and it shrinks gets bigger than shrinks gets bigger than shrinks is this how they move? thanks JM <Yep, Have fun. Craig>
Re: Condylactis anemone He died today very bad news. At least he was still whole. I knew when I saw him today he was bloated 3 times his size and looked like he was gonna explode my nitrates are still low. Thought I'll try again. I wonder what made him die after 3 weeks of having him? I have good water good light good food huh? What anemone do you recommend that is easy to take care of and lives long? Thanks very disappointing. <I'm sorry to hear your anemone died Jerry. Your tank is very new and even though you say the nitrates are still low, you want perfectly pristine water for anemones and a well established tank. I would run with what you have for at least a year while you let things settle in a bit. I know this sounds like a long time, but as you can see, anemones like things really stable and your tank is too young to be really stable yet. When your tank is ready I recommend you shop around for a Bubble Tip Clone (Entacmaea quadricolor) perhaps the hardiest anemone in captivity. My condolences on your Condy. This is a common problem, don't feel alone. Craig> 

Haitian anemone I purchased a Haitian anemone (This is what the store called it although I don't seem to find much info on the internet using that in a search engine) a few weeks ago. <Take a look on our site (WetWebMedia.com) under "Caribbean Anemones" or use the Google search engine there... do you see this Condylactis?> My water levels all test out fine and everything else seems fine. Yesterday I watched him completely shrivel down to nothing and disappear into a barnacle. Latter he came back out and seemed fine but again today he has shriveled back up. Up until this point he has never done this. Is this normal? <To some extent yes... this species does shrivel up and recover in the wild> I am pretty worried about him. He seems to eat well. The pet store told me to feed him every day but reading on your site about the other kinds of anemones I have only been feeding him once a week.  <Less often would be better> Is there another name for him that I could look up to get some information about how to care for him? <Likely Condylactis gigantea. Bob Fenner> Thanks

Condylactis Changing Colors Hi Bob I recently added a Condylactis anemone to my 25 gal reef. I run a Lee protein skimmer and a Fluval canister with hex, live rock and foam media. Livestock includes 3 yellow tail damsels, 2 false Percula, 1 cleaner wrasse, 1 scooter blenny, 2 camelback shrimp, 5 hermit crabs (blue & red leg), 1 pink sea cucumber, 20 lbs of base & live rock, feather Caulerpa, 1 small leather coral, green star corals (very nice & healthy), yellow polyps (somebody is eating these) & hairy mushroom corals. I currently have 3 18 in fluorescent bulbs (Zoomed 50/50, Zoomed 10K & Hagen marine). The reef has been in operation for about 8 months with really good success. After I built a new hood to accommodate more lights, I started seeing significant coralline and Caulerpa algae growth. I do 20% water changes each 3 to 4 weeks. <Okay> After about 3 weeks the anemones color has gone from bright white to a brownish color on the tentacles. Otherwise he seems fine with good extension and appetite. He usually eats scraps of the thawed brine shrimp I feed the fish and I occasionally feed him a cube of thawed Krill. He moved once from the crushed coral substrate to a rock near/under an overhang. Is something wrong with him or is he adapting his color to bend in with a darker background? <Not so much to blend... but to get out of the light... Different algae are being favored that live inside the tissues of the anemone and it is their numbers that you are seeing as the coloring here. Not to worry... if all else is going well in this chock-full system, your Anemone will adjust. Bob Fenner>

Condylactis/Clowns? Bob! I am in need of your help once again! Can you tell me of any Anemonefish will host with a Condylactis, Atlantic? Thanks so much again. Dave <Well, as you likely know these animals are "an ocean apart"... and not "naturally" symbiotic... but sometimes, some do mix... including all the popular tank-bred species... But no guarantees... often as not the Anemone eats the erstwhile Clown... I would read over the general Anemone pieces on the www.WetWebMedia.com site again... I've placed more images of the anemones, and made/placed a table there ala Fautin of who goes with who in the wild. Bob Fenner>
Re: Condy Question Sorry to keep bothering you Bob, but I had another question about Atlantic Condys. Will my pink skunk host with it? It has already hosted with a long tentacle anemone which will not be in that tank anymore. What are the chances of the two forming a new bond? Thank you so much again. Dave <Only experience can/will tell my friend, for you and your livestock. Bob Fenner>
Condy question Bob, I have 3 Condys in my 30 gallon tank. One is rather large being about a 4 inch base and opening as large as a grapefruit, the other two are small. I have lost 4 clownfish and 4 damsels since placing the large one in the tank. I found the remains of two just below it, partially eaten. The others seemed to get listless and eventually die with no marks upon their bodies. The tank is established, the nitrates are good, the nitrites are 0 as is the ammonia. The ph is good and the salinity is at 1.023 and the temp is 79 degrees. The only thing I could think of that might have killed them was the Condy, is this possible? Also, what would you recommend to put in with him if this is the case? Thanks, Ginger <Hmm, well, you don't mention about the tanks filtration, circulation... but yes to the Condylactis anemones being capable, likely as the cause of mortality here.... Yes also to the possibility of clowns and other fishes "learning" to live in the presence, even associate with these Atlantic Anemones... (all Clownfishes are Indo-Pacific)... If I were trying to keep these disparate animals together I might keep the new clowns in a separate tank (a ten gallon quarantine/hospital system will do) and slowly (like a gallon every few days) move some "anemone tank" water over to their system... And a note re the filtration mentioned before... do provide some fine particulate/mechanical sieving to remove anemone material in the water column... and some activated carbon (replaced about once a month) to counter some of the possible ill effects of dissolved matter in the water as well. Bob Fenner, who would really just keep tropical West Atlantic with these Condylactis. Please see Anemone sections on the site: www.wetwebmedia.com >
Re: Condy question Bob, Thanks again, I was just at the site and it was wonderfully helpful. I am thinking about maybe Banggai cardinal fish and an Atlantic blue tank with maybe a royal Gramma and red spotted hawkfish later.......still more researching to do. My husband would love a Picasso triggerfish but from the research I have done, that doesn't sound like a good idea. Thanks again, Ginger <Do keep investigating... your tank is small and this is really going to limit your choices... Perhaps a larger system for your anniversary (any event will do... the Deed of Gift date of the Statue of Liberty is just around the corner...) for the larger tank... and then using the smaller one for quarantine/new specimens... Bob Fenner>
Re: Condy question Thanks Bob, I do have a good protein skimmer system on the tank as well as a Penguin Bio Wheel 330 filtration system. I will go to the anemone site but would also like to ask for some examples of West Atlantic tropicals please? Ginger <They're listed on the site: Acanthurus coeruleus, Bodianus rufus, Opistognathus aurifrons, Gramma loreto... many, many more, and references. Bob Fenner>

Condylactis Bob, Can a dead Condylactis poison a tank?  <Oh yes> Over the last two weeks I have lost all my inverts (20 snails, 10 hermits, 3 emerald crabs, 2 stars, mushrooms and 2 Condys). The first to go was a Condy that I was unable to find and remove it just disappeared in my live rock. Shortly thereafter the same fate befell the other Condy and again I was unable to remove it. Couple of days later I had a 4 degree spike in temperature which lasted approximately 24 hours. Since these episodes I have lost all my inverts as listed above. <Not able to say whether the conditions that led to the loss of the Atlantic Anemone had whatever to do with the loss of the rest... but the temperature spike definitely didn't help> During this period I have performed 2 water changes (15% each) and the second time I added Chemi-pure. I have not replaced my filter media for fear of total system collapse but I am considering this as my next move. Three days ago I proceeded to add 10 more snails and within 24 hours all were dead. All the fish look fine except for the three Damsels whose fins are tattered. I believe this to be a result from my cutback from feeding the fish which I resumed yesterday.  <All sounds reasonable> My live rock has supported my other live stock during this period. All water parameters are fine, I drip Kalkwasser at night and add baking soda in the morning which keeps my pH pegged between 8.5 - 8.45. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Nick <Would have done much larger water changes... 50%, with pre-made water... but otherwise pretty much what you have done... Best now to wait, watch, hope and not over-react. Bob Fenner>
Re: Condylactis Bob, Thanks for your quick response. As a follow up to my original inquiry (see below) I have now lost two damsels, the third is also doing poorly. The signs are all the same parts of their body/scales look faded and their pectoral fins are shredded. My Kole tang has been hiding in a cave and only darted out to grab food and darted back. His scales between the eyes and in front of his dorsal fin are fading though it looks more like scratches but his fins are fine. All other fish seem fine and are eating. Last night I cleaned out one of the filters and this morning I added stress coat. Tonight I will do another water change (25%)and clean out the other filter. The only remaining items in the tank are the live rock, lawnmower blenny, scooter blenny, flame angel and two clowns. Any other suggestions? Nick <Let's see... really just to do as you're doing... and wait of course on adding anything more in the way of livestock till a couple of weeks have gone past with none of the symptomology listed here... Good luck. Bob Fenner>

Condylactis Bob,  I'm happy to have found you again through WetWebMedia, you have really helped me with your information. In the past, I have sought your advise through FFExpress but as of late it seems they are utilizing multiple sources to address inquiries.  <I understand> I prefer to use one source and stick to their advice, namely you.  <Again, I understand, well, I think so!> My questions are regarding Condylactis; I purchased two of them a couple of days ago. Upon acclimating them to my 75 gallon tank they immediately attached to my live rock and even repositioned themselves over the next couple of hours. They looked good, the tentacles were turgid and from their movement I can see they had enough water circulating around them. Then yesterday one of them moved to a location, which can best be described as "cave like" still attached to the live rock  and it's tentacles were not as turgid but were still searching about it's surroundings. The other remained in the same location and was fully open. I was curious, so I feed both of them freeze dried plankton, which they both eagerly ate. Should I be concerned about the Condy in the cave?  <Nah. Natural, expected behavior... not much to do anywise...> I have 220 watts of pc lighting (110 actinic, 110 full spectrum), which is short of the recommend wattage by about 1 watt per gallon. All water parameters are excellent, except for phosphates which  are high and I have discussed with you in the past. Additional questions: Will the members of my clean up crew, blue crabs, snails, etc harm the Condys?  <Likely not> Do Condylactis come in different colors as my LFS explained?  <Yep, and a few species> Of the two I purchased one has a white base with white medium to long tentacles and purple tips. The other has an orange to peach colored base with brownish tentacles. Thanks in advance for your help.  Nick  >> <Be chatting my friend, Bob Fenner>

Hands across the water I just got a Condylactis Anemone, will a Percula clown take this as its host, also I am worried about my Long-Spined Porcupine he blow up a couple times after I put in the Condylactis Anemone, is this just because he was scared or with they not get along. Also is the Condylactis Anemone poisons, and what does it eat. thanks >> If the Clown goes in, it will likely be a one way trip... Condylactis Anemones are from the Atlantic... No Clownfishes found there... The Puffer is probably acting out... but may well eat the Anemone if so inclined (though there are instances of symbioses between these groups... just not dependable... recommendable to try). Condylactis anemones are mildly venomous (never ate one, so I don't know about how poisonous they might be)... but other animals do eat them in the wild. What do they eat? Most anything meaty.... don't overfeed them... once, twice a week some small bits. Bob Fenner, who encourages you to "study up" ahead of livestock purchases....

Re: Anemones, local and not Hi, Bob. Thank You for Your quick reply. One more question. Is the anemone 'Entacmaea quadricolor' a good anemone for my tank which has only 2 x 20 W fluorescent bulbs. One is a 50/50 type. Or are there other, better anemones that don't require too much light?  <You could use such low intensity lighting with a Bubble Tip Anemone... but I wouldn't... won't be as happy, healthy as if you had two, three or more intensity lighting... I encourage you instead to look into the "local" anemones: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/twaanemones.htm Perhaps just the easy to keep "Condys". Bob Fenner> Thanks, Bernd
Re: Anemones, local and not Hi Bob and thanks again. I checked your website about Condylactis anemones. Can 'passiflora' and gigantea adjust to low light? I might be able to collect those myself. Thanks, Bernd <Yes indeed my friend. Bob Fenner>

Condylactis passiflora symbionts, Clownfish/TWA Anemone associations on the website it shows symbionts for the Condylactis gigantea, but I did not see any for the Condylactis passiflora. I have a 37gl tank I would like to set up with the appropriate symbionts. <Various references list all but the Blenny as being associated with both Condylactis species> I also noticed that you stated a clown would be eaten by a Condy. and I saw this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=53289 and was wondering if this person was just lucky or time would tell. <There are a few accounts of Clownfishes (none found in the Atlantic) forming associations with Atlantic and other not-natural anemones (and other stinging-celled life... and non-living objects... shoes, rubber-bands)... though generally they're consumed by tropical West Atlantic actinarians. If you'll read further through the WWM FAQs you'll see a modified response. Thank you for writing. Bob Fenner> thanks chip

Condylactis - Answer from Anthony I have recently been reading about long term success of reef tanks. I have an LPS tank with sump and refugium. This tank also includes a Condy Anemone (s?). Will this anemone be a problem in the short or long term with the LPS corals or clams. <as long as it stays in place I have little concern although it is never to be recommended. Anemones and coral are recipes for disaster in the long run due to the motile nature of the anemones. It is very likely that it will roam within years if not months and in a tank of other stinging cnidarians a serious battle will be waged. A very unnatural combination if nothing else. Enjoy the one that you have but do resist getting any more> The tank has 200 Watts of Smartlight and 55 gal of tank water. Last question, is a green brittle star a good scavenger for my refugium or maybe in main tank?? <O. incrassata (green brittle starfish) is one of the only non-reef safe "serpent" starfish. They have been observed eating small Tridacnid clams and will catch small fish and crustaceans while they sleep. Not an outright menace, but in time it will catch something. I'd remove it to the refugium myself. Still... a very beautiful echinoderm> Yellow tang coral beauty 2 false Percs cleaner wrasse fire shrimp torch bubble flowerpot Condy thanks, Jeremy <kind regards, Anthony Calfo>

Condylactis - Answer from Steve I have recently been reading about long term success of reef tanks. I have an LPS tank with sump and refugium. This tank also includes a Condy Anemone (s?). Will this anemone be a problem in the short or long term with the LPS corals or clams. The tank has 200 Watts of Smartlight and 55 gal of tank water. <The problem with keeping any anemone in a reef tank is that they can wander and sting your other animals.> Last question, is a green brittle star a good scavenger for my refugium or maybe in main tank? <No, green brittle starfish are notorious fish eaters.> Yellow tang coral beauty 2 false Percs cleaner wrasse fire shrimp torch bubble flowerpot Condy thanks, Jeremy <You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Re: Blue Condy Pic of the day Thank you! I've never seen any anemone or coral of any kind in captivity that can compare with their beauty in the wild. <Me neither. Bob Fenner> > Bob, Steve or Jason, > Would you please email or repost the blue Condy pic of the day from Cozumel? > I put it on my computer at work and was not able to put it on my computer > at home due to unexpected company, and now I can't find it in the pics of > the day. I'm not computer literate enough to know how to email it from work > to home. I loved that picture it is truly beautiful. Thanks in advance. > <Here it is. Bob Fenner> > Susan in Atlanta

Condy anemone <Anthony Calfo, in your service> What are the lighting requirements for a Condy anemone? <depends on where it was collected, but can be categorized as moderate to high light> I bought one yesterday and currently have a 50 watt bulb on my 125....  <indeed... it would shrivel and die within months> BUT, I have 4 Coralife ballasts to put on my tank if that will help it.  <if they are standard fluorescent bulbs (40watt?) it will still be too weak for the depth of a 125 gallon tank. Such lights do not penetrate deep enough. The necessary lights to keep this anemone will cost 100X the price of the anemone...hehe. Do need to research before you buy animals, my friend> He found a spot near a rock not long after I introduced him into the tank. Would the Custom Sea Life PC's work, too?  <now we are talking, goombah!> I also bought some live phytoplankton for him to eat as well........  <fine zooplankton as much or more please> Any info would be great, as I am having a hard time finding info on this anemone. <not the hardiest in captivity but popular because they are inexpensive. Best regards, Anthony> Thanks, Kim
Re: Condy anemone Thank you for the info , goombah! :) <hehe...> As for lighting goes, would VHO be even better?  <not necessarily better than PC, But very good. I like them a lot> or what about a MH Pendant (the round ones)? <excellent but more complicated and intense than you may need if you do not end up with a full blow reef. My vote is for PC or VHO and keep the anemone as high as it will allow you.> the goombah! <Ha! The silverbacks...aging Italian gentlemen...ewwwwh!>

Condy Hi Bob, <Anthony Calfo in your service> A quick question regarding my anemone....I've never really fed him and I have read quite a lot on this site. I did however feed him lately with some minced krill.  <very fine... it is important in the big picture to feed fine/minced foods> Afterwards he just never blossomed again.  <totally unrelated> Its been about two weeks....his colour doesn't seem to be off , but he's just not doing anything.  <do check complete water quality... is your alkalinity low or has your salinity strayed?> I concerned about he rest of the system, what should I be careful of? <if you have had this animal for weeks or even some months without feeding, then you are at least looking at a problem with attrition/starvation. Some hang on for weeks... others go many months, but all underfed anemones will die within a year to say the least. Confirm that water quality is fine and coax with various meaty foods of marine origin> Roland <best regards, Anthony>

Help! (Atlantic Anemone spawning event?) My name is Ray, I live in Tucson, Arizona. I have a saltwater fish tank. I have two CONDYLACTIS in my tank as well as many other fish and corals etc. Well both of my Condy tonight had a stringy spider web type of substance coming out of them. Inside the stringy substance there appeared to be thousands of white granules (they looked like eggs). Because of the powerheads, it looked like it was snowing in my tank. All of the fish were going nuts eating the granules..... What happened??? Were they eggs? If so, what do I do? <Perhaps these were reproductive products. Not much to do at this point but keep a close eye on your livestock. Bob Fenner> Ray Chapman

GIANT Caribbean anemone Aloha Bob (Anthony...Howzit Brah...) thanks again for the info on the coralline dilemma.. slow process but it seems to be starting in small spots. Some new live rock and less chemicals. I figure it will surprise me...;-) My new question is about my Caribbean anemone...it is HUGE!!!! it started out as a silver dollar sized little dude and is now a huge pink wig!!!! The tentacles touch either side of the tank..65 gallon hex.  <Mmm, this is/would be a very big one... about the largest I've ever seen (wild or in captivity) is 20 cm./8 inches across... Maybe this is a Pacific species?> Fish are cool with him..( they do have space.. heheh) He did eat one of my banded shrimps...a juicy meal I am guessing...my shrimps are 3 inches long! ...here is my question....do they split when they reach a certain size?  <Can... given good or stressful conditions> or will it outgrow the tank? <Sounds like it already has> He is attached to the center piece rock. looks great but wondering of tank size limitations for it. Any help is always welcome. Most info I can find on it lacks in the reproduction side for these guys. <Please take a read through the Anemone FAQs files starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm Aloha, Bob Fenner> Mahalo POG

Sick Condylactis? Hello WetWeb Guys! 4 days ago, I bought a Large Condylactis Anemone, pink. It floated down to a crevice in the rock and stayed there looking very content and animated as it's tentacles drifted in the current. Today, it is sitting on the bottom of the tank a couple inches below it's original perch. It doesn't look quite as happy. It's tentacles are not waving about, but just kind of hanging straight up. You know, like a dead arm in the water. It's not moving about like before either, so of course I'm concerned. <Anemones do not wave their tentacles. It is the current that moves them and the current is probably weaker in this spot. Resist the urge to move the anemone to where you like it. They will usually find a spot they like.> I was at this link of yours: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/atl_anemfaqs.htm but didn't see anything about symptoms of a sick Condylactis. So, I'm asking you. My nitrates are a bit high right now, about 60ppm, because I haven't had a skimmer for 2 days. <Are you using a source of purified water, RO or DI? They are my strong preference. Two days is not a lot of time to accumulate nitrate.> I just bought a new one, a AquaC Remora PRO HOT Skimmer, and I'm waiting for it's arrival. <A good skimmer. It should help, but may not completely alleviate your nitrate problem.> My salinity is a nice 1.023, right on for a change. I did a 7 gallon water change yesterday. Temp is 79F. Do you have an answer? Thanks, Pam <Time will tell if this animal has a real problem or merely adjusting. Not much to do except provide an ideal environment. -Steven Pro>
Re: Sick Condylactis? Just to answer your one question, I am using aged water that I store in a 30 gal bucket, aerated, salted, warmed and ready to go. <Good> Anemones don't wave their tentacles? Hmmmmm, maybe it was the powerhead I removed above him for my 30 gallon bucket! ~Pam <That is probably the reason for the change. -Steven Pro>

Tomato Clown Hi guys! This is not really a question. I recently and stupidly bought a Condylactis anemone, Florida pink tipped, and after searching I could not find anything that was listed as a host or at least nothing that I could find at the LFS. <There are no clownfish in the Caribbean, so no natural clownfish host anemones there.> So, I bought a tomato clown and by the grace of god he did it for a month. Now they live together the clown feeds and cleans the anemone. I just thought that it was a really neat thing you might appreciate. Josh <This is an uncommon event. Sometimes the clownfish go for it, other times not. You have a better chance with captive raised clownfish vs. wild caught. Thank for the report. -Steven Pro>

Clownfish & Condylactis Dear Bob, I noticed that in your article on clownfish, you deem Condylactis anemones unsuitable for clownfish. <Mmm, yes... in so much that these associations too often result in the Clowns being consumed> Well, I have 2 Indonesian two-banded (?- that's what they were called in the shop) clowns who love their three Condylactis and took to them in about 3 days. <Yes, this happens> In return the Condys are hardy, robust and beautiful, as well as cheap and eco-friendly. Keep up the good work anyway! Massimo Redaelli, Brighton UK <Thank you for your input. Will post for others edification. Bob Fenner>
Re: clownfish & Condylactis What an amazingly fast response! By the way my clowns were only about 2cm long (now about 4) and luckily they are doing fine. <Good to hear... they are likely captive-produced (the premier facility for this is Tropic Marine Centre: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/tmcpropc.htm and these successively tank bred species have proven to keep the trend of being much hardier... tolerant if you will, of aquarium conditions. Cheers, Bob Fenner> Cheers,
M

Dead Condylactis Anemone Hello my favorite people at WWM.  <cheers Pam> I need to find out why my Condylactis died. It was fed regularly with liquid plankton and assorted frozen marine food. My tank conditions were/are very good these days thanks to the chat link on your site. Nitrates 20, nitrites 0, Ph 8.3, salt 1.024. I only had it for about 4 weeks! Thanks for your input! Pam <there are many possible reasons. Any symptoms you can share? Did the animal become infected/necrotic (slimy/snotty) or did it shrink until it disappeared? Any other behavior symptoms will help with a diagnosis. Anthony>

Re: Dead Condylactis It shrunk till it disappeared. When I scooped it up in a Dixie cup, it seemed to be losing pieces and made the water cloudy. Down the toilet it went. Pam <sounds like a problem with a physical parameter (inadequate lighting, current etc. A toxin in the water could have caused the same. And infection/pathogen on the other hand would have taken the animals' life VERY rapidly. 24-24 hour rapid necrosis. Do consider if water color is not tinted (reduces light if carbon is not regularly used), aged bulbs, anemone too deep in tank, lamps not bright enough, etc. Another possibility is feeding foods that were too large causing damage. Nothing larger than finely minced ocean meats (1/4 inch or smaller). Large chunks of food are VERY bad for anemones. Just because the blind stinging animal stings it and pulls it in doesn't mean its good for it. Take humans and smoking for example <G>. Regards, Anthony>

HELP! new anemone owner! Hey Bob. I constantly read your FAQs they are great! Here's my problem. I just bought a new Haitian pink tipped anemone. It has been at the LFS for months and months so I know it's in good condition with no cuts or anything. <<Sadly, these can look fine for months and months, but actually be in serious decline from lack of proper light and foodstuffs.>> but there's one problem, when I put a shrimp pellet or something in its oral disk, it's tentacles sort of fold up around the food like normal and it eats it, but no sting. Shouldn't it be at least a little bit sticky? <<I would think so, but this does vary from species to species.>> It might have stung me once or twice but it was so faint that I could barely feel it. <<Well also on the hands where calluses are the thickest. I bet if you stuck it higher up your arm it would feel different.>> please help me I really like this little guy and want to keep him alive! Clint <<Well, Clint, the trick now will be lighting, circulation, and feeding. If you've got adequate lighting then you're off to a good start. I would continue feeding, perhaps moving to something besides pellet foods, to something like frozen silversides. Keep a close eye on your water quality. Cheers, J -- >>
Re: HELP! new anemone owner! thanks! <<You are welcome.>> I have good lighting and circulation, in fact I had to move it so it wouldn't be blown around by the whisper filter too much. its kind of small maybe 3 inches across or less. would it be okay to feed it a piece of a shrimp like once a week to supplement the pellets? <<You could - I don't know enough about these pellets, and more often than not I prefer to use food I can identify - fish, squid, clam, etc.>> and one more thing, would it be okay to have a FEW soft corals in my tank? <<Again, it depends on your lighting. You didn't really reveal anything about it, just that it is 'good' - what type of bulbs, what output wattage? These are important to giving you a good answer.>> not right away but slowly add them? <<No matter what you add, you should add slowly.>> maybe a max number of 5 different easy species? <<depends on the light.>> and some mushrooms and polyps of course? <<don't see why not.>> or would the anemone sting them? <<only if placed right next to each other.>> I have plenty of space to go around so it seems like it should be fine. what about "chemical ware fare"? <<depends on the corals you select.>> sorry for all the questions but this is my first marine tank. <<Many of these questions have been asked and answered and are posted within WetWebMedia. You should avail yourself to this resource.>> Thanks for all the help. Clint <<Cheers, J -- >
Re: HELP! new anemone owner! <<Hello again, Clint...>> my lighting is 2 Coralife 20K high intensity purified super daylight lamps (that sounds kind of like of just boosting the selling power of these bulbs by using the words "super and purified" but that all came from the box. <<Sounds like standard manufacturer babble.>> it also says that fish coral and macroalgae thrive in its glow. bright high intensity output and the technical info says 360 degree output (please explain this I have no idea what that means) 15 watt fluorescent. <<Sounds like more box babble to me.>> 15 watts doesn't seem like very much to me but the box said coral likes it and the pet store owner assured me it was fine. <<Yeah, 15 watts is a little low, and even with the two together 30w is really not enough for your anemone or soft corals that you wish to place.>> please help! the corals I was thinking about were maybe a leather coral, bubble coral, and a xenia. Thanks a lot for all the help your advice is very useful o me. <<You have other options when it comes to lighting, and without something more intense, or many more of the 15w bulbs, you'll be quite challenged to get those corals to thrive. Check out these URLs: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/index.htm  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fixtures.htm  >> Clint <<Cheers, J -- >>

Condylactis host question I have a 37 gallon aquarium that I plan on being a reef tank with maroon clowns being the show fish. Right now my lighting is in order. Showing a lack of patience and a large interest in anemones, I purchased a Condy pink tipped tubes with a white body. Now the question is will any fish host with this anemone? <No natural hosts. Some captive raised clownfish will host in just about anything.> One more side question, what will be my best choice host for the maroon clown? <E. quadricolor. Please read up on anemones and their care. Here are three articles you should read: http://trickstr.tripod.com/survey_r.htm http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm  Sincerely, Steven Pro>

Condylactis anemone <Hi Jerry!> Thanks, he just moved under the rock. Today he was at the highest point of the rock, I think he likes it in my tank I'm gonna feed him today. I feed him every other day frozen silversides (man those stink). I wish they came live. Is silver sides natural Condy prey? Thanks JM <In the wild they would likely take whatever small prey they could sting and catch. Don't forget to feed a variety of raw marine meats. Good to include shrimp, clam, mussel, etc. Small bits, no bigger than 1/4". Anemone does not live by silversides alone!. Craig> 

Condylactis anemone <Hi Jerry> Ok, 2 hours after I wrote this email he moved for the first time out of his spot. He moved under a rock. Weird, he can't get any light under there. I think I may have too much light. The tank is longer than it is deep, it's 13 inches deep. I don't know, what do you think? <Not to worry, these anemones are known for moving around aquariums quite a bit. That's part of the deal. You can read about your anemone at WetWebMedia.com . Type "Condylactis Anemone" in the google search engine. They do stuff like this, let him work it out. Craig>