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hi there! i would like to get a bubble tip anenome, but i figured i should probably do some research first.

anyhow, i have a 10G with 10 lbs of live rock, some hermits, some turbo snails, and a firefish. i'd also like to add a clownfish, like a skunk or percula.

for lighting i have 2 screw in compact flourescents (from a hardware store)... i've heard varying opinions about these. are they any good for inverts? i'm not cheap, i just didn't want to invest a bunch of money in such a small tank when i plan on upgrading to something much larger in the future, y'know?

what's your feedback?

You should wait till you have a larger tank with better lighting. The lighting you have will not work well for an anemone.



Dan

To be safe, I wouldn't add the anemone or fish. It's a small tank, which means it can swing badly, very shortly. I have a 24g SW and I wouldn't even try an anemone. It would be much healthier and happier in your bigger tank of the future.

-Nick

I have a large tank with a very large anemone in it. Its very healthy, but due to the fact that he has a very large tank, with high flow and high lighting.

I wouldn't suggest keeping an anemone unless you have:

a) A large enough tank, because they will grow, and they tend to move around.

b) Lighting, nearly 80% of an anemone's nutients come from photosynthetic processes. You need MH to keep a anemone healthy, but everything in moderation, you cant put a MH fixture on a 10g tank, were not trying to cook anything.

c) High flow, you need a tank that circulates the water alot, if the anemone isn't satisfied with light or flow, it will move around the tank until it is.

What size tank are you planning on upgrading to?

Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

I have to agree here with the size of your tank needs to be larger. And I have to agree that your lighting will not work well. But not because of the type, but the K level, and the frequency of the lighting itself. I have to disagree with all on the MH subject. As I have kept a
Rose BTA for over 5 years un PC lighting (many more watts than yours though, and the K level and frequency were of the requirement for SW tanks). Not only did it florish, but it split twice, and the new ones florished as well. I posted pics on here a couple of years ago. Proper PC lighting will do well for BTAs, and some other anemones. However, there are many anemones that will require MH lighting, such as the carpets and several others.

Now, as with many corals that don't "require" MH lighting, they will do better under MH lighting, but it is not a requirement for these creatures.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

I agree, you do not NEED MH lighting for an anemone. I have a seba that is several years old now and still doing great. I use VHO lighting.



Dan