Help Advice Needed

[Flagfin]

Hi all. Ages ago we bought a smallish green carpet anemone without fully realising how dangerous (to fish) they can be. Over time it grew to a 12" fantastic beast - bright green and really healthy. We had a sudden wake up call when it ate a half grown sailfin tang and a half grown tasseled file fish It was quickly relocated to a nano tank where it has been (not suprisingly) progressively more and more unhappy. Heres where the help's needed. It obviously can't go back in the reef tank nor stay in the nano so we have two choices either re-home (reluctant - we've grown him on so much) or could he be ok in a 500l FOWLR with: Adult pr Bird nose wrass, Marine betta, large sailfin tang, trigger, longnose hawkfish and pyjama tang? I think I already know the answer but was wondering what you guys thought. Thanks for any help.

 

[Lynden]

It's a gamble. Most of those fish are pretty "aware", so they may escape it's stings. Perhaps a pair of clownfishes would help make the nem's presence known.

 

[SkiFletch]

It's a gamble. Most of those fish are pretty "aware", so they may escape it's stings. Perhaps a pair of clownfishes would help make the nem's presence known.

Agree with Lynden on this one. Get a pair of clownfish in there to defend the nem and thus keeping would-be nem dinner away

 

[Flagfin]

Hmmm - good thinking - apart from no guarantee they'll take to it. There is a pair of small o. clowns with it in the nano (hosting) but I think they're small enough to be bird nose wrass dinner! (one inch). Thanks guys

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, Ocellaris and Percula naturally host carpet nems in the wild. A good choice

 

[Flagfin]

OK heres the score - followed advice (which I agreed with and appreciated - thanks) decided to to trans-locate the nem complete with o. clowns. Everything looked great - only to wake up in the morning to no nem anywhere!!!!! Clowns looking really hacked off - any ideas who would have eaten him? Thats my conclusion (and yes I did check the obvious - the dreaded filter intake) no sign. Seriously hacked off but then if this hobby worked out all the time it wouldn't be such a challenge would it

 

[Lynden]

Could be shrunken, hidden under a rock... wait a few days. If no sign of him, assume the worst and start looking for him.

 

[Flagfin]

Hi guys - as I appreciated the advice I though it was only right to update you. No sign of the nem - turned lights on this morning to all fish going bananas and ripping the (presumed dead) nem to pieces and consuming every last piece of him (there was a lot - he did make 12"). I can look forward to a nitrate spike in that tank - great. So the answer to my question was everyone ate him! Still seriously gutted.

Now then what do I do with the O. clowns - I'm well aware that they can live without a nem but they (ok probably me) always seem happier with one, do I leave them as is or do you think I can try a different nem in that tank with those fish. I do reckon they didn't kill him, just ate him when he was dead. The lights and flow are fine for a nems' needs

Any comments welcome as always

Cheers

 

[Musho3210]

i would take a rest from nems for a while before trying again, especially since one died and you dont know why, maybe something is in your tank that you dont want it to be. Wait a few months and if your up to it, get an aquacultured BTA or something.

 

[Flagfin]

I think it's pretty obvious why it died. It was very unhappy in a nano and the stress of the move finished it off? The nems in the other 5 tanks are absolutely happy and there's not a lot different in this tank apart from it's a FOWLR (the others are all reefs). Water params. all similar