Thinking about getting a nem for my clowns

I have very little experience with clown hosting nems so I would like some advice. Based on my research thus far I would like to try a sebae because it hosts percula clowns in the wild, is a sand nem, and doesn't seem to be a big fish eater.

I plan to make some room for this nem at the base of one of my rocks so that it can burry its foot into the sand and then rest up against the rock.

Does anyone here have any advice on placement, selection, long term care?

Thanks.

Just don't get too attached to where you place it. If the nem doesn't like where you put it the nem will move to where it feels comfortable. Make sure the one you pick out is tan or brown and not white. white ones are difficult to keep alive in the long term. They need intense lighting for long term survival as well as target fed a few times a month.

You're on the right path with going with that nem. I've had one for several years and it's doing great. I feed it a couple time a week and have strong lighting. I've kept them under pc lighting but it was a smaller tank and I fed it a lot. I wouldn't do that again.

Heres the short list of all the anemones percs can be found in in the wild.

H. magnifica
H. crispa
S. gigantea
S. haddoni

Out of all those i would agree that a sebae (H. crispa) is your best bet. I also agree that the nem is going to go where it wants. As for care i dont think you will have any problems caring for any of them. Youve already got good water, flow and light so i say go for it.

Thanks to everyone that responded. I think you have confirmed my decision for me. My next question is that most of the sebaes that I see at the LFS are either bleached or nearly so. Will these nems recover with good care? I really don't want to have to order one online.

If they are all white they most likely will not recover. Not to say that it wont but the odds are stacked heavily against you on that venture. This is why I get very upset when I go to the local Petco. They always have 3 or 4 of them and they are always bleached and as long as people keep buying them they just keep ordering more.

are you sure you have perc or are they occ?

Good call rgrking. Ocellaris and Sebae/H. crispa are not a natural pair.

I also found this ebook that is like THE book for clowns and their nems.

Anemone fishes and their host sea anemones

A lot of breeders refer back to this. It goes into depth on the clowns and nems for them.

the nems that work for Amphiprion ocellaris are:
Heteractis magnifica; Stichodactyla gigantea; S. mertensii

the nems that work for AMPHIPRION PERCULA:
Heteractis crispa; H. magnifica; Stichodactyla gigantea

yep that's pretty much it. There really aren't that many nems that can host and there aren't that many fish that can live in the nems.

and the famous and popular nem called Sebae Anemone is in latin Heteractis malu

I am positive that I have a pair of onyx perculas. I will keep my eye out for a healthy sebae. Thanks for posting that info on the correct nems for the different clowns Glen. Glen do you have a photo of your when you got it and one of it now?

of the nem or clowns?

Originally Posted by rgrking

and the famous and popular nem called Sebae Anemone is in latin Heteractis malu

Aren't malu's and crispa's both sebae anemones? I don't think there is any difference in the care and requirements for the two but they are distinctly different in color and tentacle length.

Originally Posted by rgrking

of the nem or clowns?

The nem. I am curious to see if your sebae is the same as what I often see fro sale here locally.

here's current pics. I'll dig for an older one.

here's an older pic. it's under different lighting obviously lol



and another

Thanks Glen, Your older photos look like what our stores are selling. Your sebae looks nice and healthy. The tenticles have really gotten longer. How big is it and does it move around alot? Does it prefer to be in the sand? I have read conflicting information as to the sebae preferring sand or rocks.

mine is down on the sand and wedged under the front of a rock. I would say it's around 8"-10" across when it's all full. I actually put it there when I moved it from my 100 gallon tank and it hasn't moved a bit. I've been lucky. It's been attached to the same rock for a couple of years lol.

I saw a really nice tanish with red column LTA at my LFS this morning. I might pick this one up as it is $30 and looks nice though a little light in color. I am researching the LTA's now and wet media says they host percula, but other sites don't list them as hosting percs. Have any info Glen?

I may try it either way as the clowns may not care.