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Mini Carpets


dshnarw

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Hey guys,

 

I'm fairly new to the area, but certianly not to SW aquariums, and I've been having problems finding mini (or maxi) carpet anemones - Stichodactyla tapetum. Seems that LFSs around here can't get them/haven't heard of them. Anyone know where I can find a few?

 

Thanks!

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message 90OCreef. She has had a few in the past for sale.

 

I won an auction that she was having and it had four nice ones.

One immediately migrated off the rock and dissapeared and the other three have become many more.

Very colorful

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I've got a bunch of them in my tank!

According to the books, these though pretty are NOT good for tanks, FWIW!

 

Come and get all you can out of my tank! :wink:

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I started with two about a year and a half, maybe two years ago. Last time I counted (six months ago) there were over forty.

Hey Gas, good to hear from you again.

:bb:

 

So as a math teacher, how many a day are you getting? :biggrin:

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I've got a bunch of them in my tank!

According to the books, these though pretty are NOT good for tanks, FWIW!

 

Come and get all you can out of my tank! :wink:

 

 

Consider me there! Only thing I've heard about them is that they spread really bad, so that's not an issue really - as thats pretty much it for the tank anyway. Is there something else (I haven't seen much in the literature about them?)?

 

 

 

 

And no, clownfish won't host in them - the "mini" mini carpets are way too small - couple of inches is "big" for them. The "maxi" mini carpets supposedly get to 12", but eat fish - including clowns.

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Consider me there! Only thing I've heard about them is that they spread really bad, so that's not an issue really - as thats pretty much it for the tank anyway. Is there something else (I haven't seen much in the literature about them?)?

And no, clownfish won't host in them - the "mini" mini carpets are way too small - couple of inches is "big" for them. The "maxi" mini carpets supposedly get to 12", but eat fish - including clowns.

 

Ummm... as mine passes the 6" mark - could that be where my little green chromis went?

 

(At top of picture)

 

e8513fc2.jpg

 

bob

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Ummm... as mine passes the 6" mark - could that be where my little green chromis went?

 

(At top of picture)

 

e8513fc2.jpg

 

bob

 

 

Very nice looking 'nem....

 

I'd bet it was - I remember a while back a guy on another forum lost a 4" yellow tang to his 8" mini carpet.

 

They're also extremely good subjects for propagation by cutting (much easier than a BTA) - especially with the big maxis, since they very rarely split.

 

 

 

(I'll just throw in that anyone who wants to get rid of a few - sell/trade, send me a pm, as I know this forum isn't for selling/trading, and the discussion of these little beauties can continue)

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Very nice looking 'nem....

 

I'd bet it was - I remember a while back a guy on another forum lost a 4" yellow tang to his 8" mini carpet.

 

They're also extremely good subjects for propagation by cutting (much easier than a BTA) - especially with the big maxis, since they very rarely split.

(I'll just throw in that anyone who wants to get rid of a few - sell/trade, send me a pm, as I know this forum isn't for selling/trading, and the discussion of these little beauties can continue)

 

I know of one WAMAS member who has successfully split some. But there was something about them poisoning the water - so you have to split them and let them heal in a separate tank.

 

bob

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Hmm, here's a silly question: how likely is it for an anemone to catch and eat a healthy fish? Yes I know they are big and poisonous. But it seems to me that fish pretty much know to stay away from them and it's not like they are fast. So has anyone seen or have knowledge of maxi carpet anemones catching healthy fish? Sick, dying fish I can believe....

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Hmm, here's a silly question: how likely is it for an anemone to catch and eat a healthy fish? Yes I know they are big and poisonous. But it seems to me that fish pretty much know to stay away from them and it's not like they are fast. So has anyone seen or have knowledge of maxi carpet anemones catching healthy fish? Sick, dying fish I can believe....

 

 

David, I don't know about the maxi carpets as all of mine are the mini variety. But those mini carpets are insanely sticky. It wouldn't suprise me a bit to see a maxi grab an unsuspecting fish if they are as tacky as their little brothers.

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why are they not good for the tank?

 

According to the Anenome Poster that I got I believe from Calfo, they are NOT recommend for mixed reefs and around fish.

 

 

post 4700

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Hmm, here's a silly question: how likely is it for an anemone to catch and eat a healthy fish?
Stichodactyla is is a group of anemones which include the mini/maxi's. One of the most documented captive fish eaters is Stichodactyla haddoni. Although a hosting anemone, they have also been known to eat clownfish. Lost a few naso type tangs and small angels to a Haddoni carpet myself.

 

fwiw: I have had maxi's for many years, have yet to: lose a fish, have one divide naturally, or grow beyond 7". I would not put a fish catch out of the realm of possibility.

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I'll second the Haddoni aggressiveness. I lost at least 1 chromis and a CB Butterfly to my haddoni. (Of course the CB was nipping clams so I wasn't too sad to see him go.) Despite this, I would recommend a Haddoni if you are looking for a carpet anenome, provided that you have the right accommodations for them. They are very fascinating.

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David, I don't know about the maxi carpets as all of mine are the mini variety. But those mini carpets are insanely sticky. It wouldn't suprise me a bit to see a maxi grab an unsuspecting fish if they are as tacky as their little brothers.

Sticky - very sticky. On several occasions one of my cleaner shrimp has had to yank hard to get one of his 'feelers' back. And no piece of shrimp has ever 'bounced' off of it. If it touches - it becomes dinner.

 

bob

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I know of one WAMAS member who has successfully split some. But there was something about them poisoning the water - so you have to split them and let them heal in a separate tank.

 

bob

 

Yeah - they do release some chemicals that can be toxic. One of nano-reef.com's admins cuts them for propagation fairly often. He usually leaves them in a container outside the tank for a few hours, then puts them back (no transfer of the water, of course).

 

 

 

My best way of explaining the stickiness - I was moving things in the tank a few days ago, and one grabbed my finger. When I moved it, the entire rock the mini carpet was attached to came along - probably a pound or so.

 

I'd love to have a haddoni or any of the larger carpets, but I'm stuck in nano mode because of apartment restrictions.

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  • 1 month later...

Anyone in the area still looking to get rid of a few before it gets too cold to ship? I am down on the eastern shore of Maryland. These things seem impossible to find. Thanks guys!

 

Yeah - they do release some chemicals that can be toxic. One of nano-reef.com's admins cuts them for propagation fairly often. He usually leaves them in a container outside the tank for a few hours, then puts them back (no transfer of the water, of course).

My best way of explaining the stickiness - I was moving things in the tank a few days ago, and one grabbed my finger. When I moved it, the entire rock the mini carpet was attached to came along - probably a pound or so.

 

I'd love to have a haddoni or any of the larger carpets, but I'm stuck in nano mode because of apartment restrictions.

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