Anemone

[rosslonghorns]

We have had our 30 gallon setup now for just over 3 months. We only have two fish, Onyx clowns. Also one cleaner shrimp, 6 nassarius snails and a couple hermits. My kids have been asking non stop to get an anemone for the clowns. The tank is focused on zoos only from a coral standpoint. I have a number of questions:

Can you keep an anemone in a 30 gallon?

If so what species is preferred that stays on the smaller side?

How do you keep it from stinging and/or killing corals?

[Gig 'em @ NDstructible]

30 gallons is pretty small to keep an anemone in. A bubble tip anemone is the most common anemone and easiest to keep alive, but they can grow pretty large. My old BTA grew to the size of a large dinner plate taking up half my 50 gallon tank. Small anemones like maxi-mini anemones are preferred for nanos, but they do not host clownfish.

As far as keeping it from stinging other corals, you just have to hope it doesn't go near your corals. I've placed the anemone on the opposite side of the tank and positioned my powerheads in a way to keep the anemone happy where it is and prevent it from moving toward my corals. If you really want an anemone, I would suggest getting a larger tank. I have been able to keep anemones in a 30 gallon in the past, but it never lasted long as the anemone eventually outgrew the tank.

[rosslonghorns]

This is what I thought after doing some more research. I doubt I can talk the wife into upgrading to a bigger tank already. It took enough just to get her to OK setting up the 30 gallon. We previously had an 180 gallon so she understands the money pit.

[Timfish]

I've had decent success with clowns hosting Frogspawn coral. Defeinitely go with the green/brown varieties of Frogspawn, not Anchor, Hammer or Torch. I've seen clowns host other euphyllia species but Frogspawn has "fleshier" and usually longer tenticles. The brown/green varieties in my experience are more adaptable to various light levels, I've seen them do well with just 10 PAR which is very low light.