Bare bottom tanks: good or bad for anemones?

[dcom]

Hi guys I am re-purposing my tank to became an anemones only tank.
I've been getting several anemones from different stores in the area for the past 3 months and although most time they attach to the glass or a rock and stay there, sometimes they dont attach at all, just move around and dye few days latter.

I personally dont think substrate matters but since I would like to prevent their death as much as possible, I started wondering if my current set up been bare-bottom could possibly be not ideal for anemones. Maybe they need substrate to cover they foot... although Iv'e found they are supposed to just attach to the glass/rock in the absence of substrate.

In peoples experience?
Would you say anemones "need" substrate to flourish?
Would you say its better to have substrate specifically for an anemone tank?
Would you say it is absolutely not necessary and they should just attach to rocks/glass?

 

[davocean]

Depends on the kind of anemone, some are sand dwellars, some rock dwellars.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Long Tentacles need sand to bury their foot. Carpets and Sebae should have the sand option (Sebae are difficult and generally finicky).

BTA need a rock crevice for their foot so may be a good choice for bare bottom. Ritteri also like it up on the rock generally.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I did not vote in the poll. I would recommend adding an entry like "Depends on the Anemone." to see if opinions sway that way.

 

[dcom]

I did not vote in the poll. I would recommend adding an entry like "Depends on the Anemone." to see if opinions sway that way.

Added, thanks

 

[dcom]

Depends on the kind of anemone, some are sand dwellars, some rock dwellars.

Long Tentacles need sand to bury their foot.
BTA need a rock crevice for their foot so may be a good choice for bare bottom.

But is it a need? or is it preferred?

A few people in my area (including a couple of local lfs) has mentioned how anemones may prefer certain condition (like having a rock) but should do fine without it. They dont seem to establish significant requirement differences within anemone types.

I am just not sure about it. If mistaken I would like to learn about it and set up my tank to the best of my capabilities as I would to see these anemones thriving for years...

 

[NY_Caveman]

Well, LFS, even good ones, may be lax or trying to make a sale. You know your LFS better than me. I would say for Long Tentacle sand is a must. For the others you may get away with it.

I have owned a Ritteri and a Sebae. I started them low on crushed coral substrate. After a while, the Ritteri moved up into the rock work. The Sebae never moved. They were healthy for years.

I have been researching BTA a lot lately as I am setting up a smaller aquarium. All research points to them wanting a sturdy rock hole/crevice to bury the foot, so definitely do not need sand.

 

[davocean]

I would assume an anemone not given it's preferred substrate would probably just wander looking for it, most likely ending up crawling up glass, possibly find a pump or intake or something.
Just does not sound like a good idea, why not build and plan for their needs is my thinking.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I would say there is a difference between what they naturally want and what they can live with. But I am not the anemone police and generally believe captive animals adapt.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I would assume an anemone not given it's preferred substrate would probably just wander looking for it, most likely ending up crawling up glass, possibly find a pump or intake or something.
Just does not sound like a good idea, why not build and plan for their needs is my thinking.

I would agree with this. Anemones are strange creatures and the closer you get to making them happy, the less they will move around and wreak havoc.

 

[estebanb450]

I have a anemone and 3 clown fish tank only bare bottom and I have about 25 BTA with about a 20 pound rock. solid maint schedule and no casualties i started with 1 about 2 years ago

They attach to the side glass, bottom glass rock where ever they are free to roam but usually they attach to the rock

 

[dcom]

why not build and plan for their needs is my thinking.

Thats why I started this post.
In days prior, all information pointed me to consider that glass and rocks was a perfectly valid environment for any type of anemone.

If mistaken, I am willing to either add substrate to my tank or avoid the anemones that need a substrate.

 

[dcom]

I have a anemone and 3 clown fish tank only bare bottom and I have about 25 BTA with about a 20 pound rock.

BTAs, rock flowers and mini carpets are the ones that in my experience dont seem to mind the absence of substrate at all.
I have had no casualties of any of this types.

BTAs stay on the rocks and seem happy.
Rock flowers stay mostly on the rocks and a few on the glass.
Mini carpets prefer to be at the bottom between the rock and the glass.

Condys, long tentacles and ritteris have been the finicky ones in my barebottom tank

 

[DHill6]

Hawaiian Red has been stuck to the BB for months, put itself there from a rock and hasn’t moved. Melts down to nothing and pops back up , eats well.

 

[chizerbunoi]

I have had lots of luck with BTA, Condy, Ritteri and Pizza. I have a Sebae attached to the rock but it moves frequently. I also had a LTA but it was never happy without sand. It eventually died.

Here is a link to my journal.