michealprater
Aquarium Advice Addict
I was wondering what supplements do anenomes thrive on. I know lighting is very important, but I was looking for something that will increase there growth and overall health.
Anenome Question
- Thread starter michealprater
- Start date
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reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
michealprater said:
Research
It is, as well as water quality, and many other considerations.
Being left in the ocean is probably the best thing. If that isn't an option, I would recommend a book, and alot of research (there is that word again) on the particular type of anemone you wish to keep. It is not recommended that you attempt an anemone until your tank is matured at least a year.
Jacob Morgan
Aquarium Advice Freak
aha Kevin I remember when you told me the very same thing nearly a yr ago
My tank is amlost 1 yr old (not really sure lol) and I am just now getting rteady to attempt a anemone. I plan on putting one in my 15 gallon wiht 5.3wpg in it..
but yes RESEARCH i have in the past and am now researching my ass off.. bout these things..
do you have one already? sound lsike u do by ure questions.. if so wat tank lighting? maturity? trates? trites? Amonnia? salinity? and all those other good stuff
Jacob
My tank is amlost 1 yr old (not really sure lol) and I am just now getting rteady to attempt a anemone. I plan on putting one in my 15 gallon wiht 5.3wpg in it..
but yes RESEARCH i have in the past and am now researching my ass off.. bout these things..
do you have one already? sound lsike u do by ure questions.. if so wat tank lighting? maturity? trates? trites? Amonnia? salinity? and all those other good stuff
Jacob
OP
OP
michealprater
Aquarium Advice Addict
i was asking the question to try refine my research some. My tank has been up for over 2 yrs. thanks for the help anyway.
Anemoneman
Aquarium Advice Addict
0 amm, 0 nitrite, close to 0 nitrate. Feed them.
If you don't get a healthy specimen to start with, the chances of survival are slim. Methods of collection and shipping are such that specemins are often found in very poor condition at the LFS. It is heartbreaking to see these otherwise (practically) immortal beings pulled from the ocean only to die a few short months later. There is one anemone that I know is regularly tank propogated though. Bubble tip or Entacmaea quadricolor has been tank raised from clones. Attempt to find one of these if you want to try anemone.
Mark
If you don't get a healthy specimen to start with, the chances of survival are slim. Methods of collection and shipping are such that specemins are often found in very poor condition at the LFS. It is heartbreaking to see these otherwise (practically) immortal beings pulled from the ocean only to die a few short months later. There is one anemone that I know is regularly tank propogated though. Bubble tip or Entacmaea quadricolor has been tank raised from clones. Attempt to find one of these if you want to try anemone.
Mark
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
michealprater said:
I am sorry if you found my post lacking, we tend to get on a soapbox about anemones around here, there are a couple of musical soapboxes that you'll find as you go. To be honest, I would like to hear more about your system before I recommend anything. Marks post was also right on the money, course he is Anemoneman. Please provide more specific info on what you have, what your system is and what anemone you would ultimately like to keep.
another silly question time....
Why is it that the tank has to be "OLD" to house anemone? My ignorance tells me that when things are right, they are right, if you care for your tank well enough. What am I missing? I bought the one that died and it looked healthy to me when I got it. I know the shrimp were abusing it and tried to save it, but from what I am reading, you guys are telling me it would have died anyway. I am not following the thought process.
(sometimes you have to hit me in the head with a brick for things to sink in).
And when I read that a certain type is ok for beginners, I should not believe that either?
I only want to do the right thing here, but I also want reasons for the seasons, that is how I learn.
Why is it that the tank has to be "OLD" to house anemone? My ignorance tells me that when things are right, they are right, if you care for your tank well enough. What am I missing? I bought the one that died and it looked healthy to me when I got it. I know the shrimp were abusing it and tried to save it, but from what I am reading, you guys are telling me it would have died anyway. I am not following the thought process.
(sometimes you have to hit me in the head with a brick for things to sink in).
And when I read that a certain type is ok for beginners, I should not believe that either?
I only want to do the right thing here, but I also want reasons for the seasons, that is how I learn.
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hara said:
Old is not the way I would put it, I'd say mature. New tanks are unstable. Stability is just one of the factors that is extremely important to an anemones health. After the tank has been up for a year, it has more than likely stabalized and you have learned to read your tank. You know when something is off, because of the way the tank looks, although you might not be able to point to something specific. In a years time your tank will reveal to you whether it is going to have nitrate issues or phosphate isuues or any other issues, all of which can be determined by the way the tank was setup, the aquascaping, etc...All of this plays a role and all will impact the overall health and stability of the tank. In a new aquarium, levels may be right, but decline over time. I can't tell you how many reefers I know that did not have any problems with hair algae, until their tanks were 1 yr to 18 mos old,but the contributing factors to the algae problem, could be traced back to the day the tank was setup, the way it was setup, or the maintenance of the tank over that period of time. Another factor in encouraging people to wait, is that as the tank matures, they gain experience, anemones are not for new aquarists. I would venture to say that one of the biggest factors for hobbiests getting into S/W is the clownfish/anemone relationship. This means that a very large number of people are going to begin the hobby with a clown and an anemone, and know very little about the care of either. Most will fail, some will have success, but most will fail. In that years time, they might have learned of groups like these, they may have learned that their LFS, could not be totally trusted for info on the care of anemones, they may have learned that a good 80%-90% of the host anemones that are harvested from the ocean, die within a couple of months in captivity, and as Mark said, these creatures are virtually immortal, if left in the ocean.
I hope I've answered your questions, and I hope that trip up to the soapbox didn't offend. BTW, I am curious as to why you bought a Sebae (Heteractis crispa) anemone? Was it the beautiful contrast of the tips v. the stark white body?
The anemone itself looked so very peaceful and inspiring to me. I know that is an odd description. The purple tips and the white base were beautiful, but its movement was very graceful..almost like it was doing a water ballet.
As far as the clown/anemone relationship, to be honest, that did not really have a part in it as the anemone was so small to begin with, I did not feel it would happen anytime soon, if it ever did.
As far as the clown/anemone relationship, to be honest, that did not really have a part in it as the anemone was so small to begin with, I did not feel it would happen anytime soon, if it ever did.
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hara said:
I can certainly understand that. I asked, because I was almost certain, you received your anemone in the condition that 99% of H. crispas are received. A healthy H. crispa is a very plain looking anemone, it is a straw to brown color, usually washing out the color of the tips. The white base is a sign of bleaching and a sign of an unhealthy H. crispa. I concur with Guy's assesment that the shrimp was not at fault, unless you got camels instead of peppermints, then they might actually have attacked the anemone. In an ecosystem, a unhealthy specimen is fair game, had the anemone been healthy, it probably would have eaten the shrimp.
Anemoneman
Aquarium Advice Addict
ROFL!
Exactly. That's where all my shrimp went (5 of them). They would get sooo close to the anemone that their feelers would get stuck, trying to steal food. I think they finally became food. Probably a very healthy snack for the LT.
Mark
MaggiesGame
Aquarium Advice Regular
Now I feel like crap, after reading all of this. A week ago, my husband brought home a (cloned) bubble tip for the clowns. I've only had the tank 7 or 8 months and wasn't really ready for that. BUT, was a gift, so I put it in the tank (pics are in gallery). The 2nd day I had it, it ate a good bit of krill. I haven't been able to get it to eat since. The only time the clowns go near it is to steal the food I'm trying to feed it. I've tried krill, shrimp, clam, and even some frozen Formula One. What do I do? I hate to see it die.
Tank condition is near perfect.....everything at 0, ph-8.4
A week ago, my husband brought home a (cloned) bubble tip for the clowns. I've only had the tank 7 or 8 months and wasn't really ready for that. BUT, was a gift, so I put it in the tank (pics are in gallery). The 2nd day I had it, it ate a good bit of krill. I haven't been able to get it to eat since. The only time the clowns go near it is to steal the food I'm trying to feed it. I've tried krill, shrimp, clam, and even some frozen Formula One. What do I do? I hate to see it die.Tank condition is near perfect.....everything at 0, ph-8.4
Jacob Morgan
Aquarium Advice Freak
lighting?
Jacob
Jacob
MaggiesGame
Aquarium Advice Regular
4 55w MH's.......It moved around a bit and for the last couple of days, it's been hanging upside down under a ledge. It doesn't seem to like the light at all.
Jacob Morgan
Aquarium Advice Freak
wat size tank?
Jacob
Jacob
MaggiesGame
Aquarium Advice Regular
Why does the size of my tank matter? It's a 55
reefrunner69
Aquarium Advice Addict
MaggiesGame said:
Well, 4 X 55W PC is not the same on a 125g tank as it is on a 55g tank
It is quite possible the anemone was not from a tank that had the intensity of lighting that you do. BTAs are wanderers as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out all by itself in a few weeks. I had one disappear for a couple of months one time, to reappear (much smaller) and find a spot it was happy and stay. Do not move the anemone yourself. It will only stress the animal (and possibly damage/injure it) and it will move back to where it wants to anyway.MaggiesGame
Aquarium Advice Regular
No, I haven't touched it...was just mainly concerned with it not eating. Could the fact that it's hanging upside down make a difference? That makes it really hard to feed.
Fishwick
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Anemone keeping/ supplements
michealprater,
I believe anemones need good, direct food, and water that is as close to REAL seawater as is possible.
Anemones are strange critters. I've had some practical experience with keeping them however. First, I don't think that supplements are necessarily the answer as much as believed, but rather the quality and turn over of water. I don't mean gallons per hour, but rather NEW water replacing old water. Second, anemones feed via direct capture, by indirect "netting", which is more similar to how barnacles or mussels feed, and by sugar-producing microorganisms (zooxanthallee)within the anemone.
If you think about natural sea environments, water is relatively in infinite supply, and always "new" relative to a sedintary animal like an anemone. This natural water is constant, and balanced always, but there are not supplements. The anemone lives fine because of renewal water.
Now, since aquariums are finite, you primarily need to provide water that is as closely similar to real sea water as possible. This is where you need to actually do "trial an error" rather than research. Some animals will simply do better that others, despite the conditions of your tank.
I said I had practical experience....I did research in college with anemones. These were animnals from the coast of California. They had less light than anemones in the "wild". They even had filtered "cages" keeping them from filtering plankton and small food via their tentacles, thereby restricting "netting". I specifically was looking at simple growth, as measured by weight. In my research, I realized I had a unique system to work with. All my anemones were housed in a system that used sand-filtered sea water directly from the ocean. Also, 50% of my anemones had "expelled" their zooxanthallee algae because the anemone had been kept in the dark too long over a weekend. Therefore, they had NO commensilistic algae to produce sugar food for them, and light became a non-factor. What I found was my anemones did better with direct capture, or in my case, "hand feeding" fish parts to my anemones directly. Even the anemones without the algae thrived and grew more than anemones that had better light !!
Finally, I took some of my best anemones home, and kept them for over 3 years in my aquarium with tropical South Pacific fish. I used the same sand-flitered seawater in my aquarium as was in the lab. I only did water changes of 10-20% every 3 months! I fed the anemones with direct food, and sometimes brine shrimp. Remember, this was in '78....I had an undergravel filter, but no additional canister filter, no protein skimmer, no wet-dry. I NEVER gave any kind of supplement to them. I beleive it to be the water and food, and, probably that the anemones off the California coast are hardier. They are subject to greater shifts in salinity, heat, ammonia and siltation in tide pools.
Just to let you know, I also love anemones, but realized that most of the species available from the warm waters of tropical saltwater didn't do well in my systems. They would move all over the tank, and end up "shrinking" away to nothing.
Sorry for the ramble on, but I would gladly share what I know if you want to e-mail me your questions at: Fishfansea@aol.com
Good luck
Gary (Fishwick)
michealprater,
I believe anemones need good, direct food, and water that is as close to REAL seawater as is possible.
Anemones are strange critters. I've had some practical experience with keeping them however. First, I don't think that supplements are necessarily the answer as much as believed, but rather the quality and turn over of water. I don't mean gallons per hour, but rather NEW water replacing old water. Second, anemones feed via direct capture, by indirect "netting", which is more similar to how barnacles or mussels feed, and by sugar-producing microorganisms (zooxanthallee)within the anemone.
If you think about natural sea environments, water is relatively in infinite supply, and always "new" relative to a sedintary animal like an anemone. This natural water is constant, and balanced always, but there are not supplements. The anemone lives fine because of renewal water.
Now, since aquariums are finite, you primarily need to provide water that is as closely similar to real sea water as possible. This is where you need to actually do "trial an error" rather than research. Some animals will simply do better that others, despite the conditions of your tank.
I said I had practical experience....I did research in college with anemones. These were animnals from the coast of California. They had less light than anemones in the "wild". They even had filtered "cages" keeping them from filtering plankton and small food via their tentacles, thereby restricting "netting". I specifically was looking at simple growth, as measured by weight. In my research, I realized I had a unique system to work with. All my anemones were housed in a system that used sand-filtered sea water directly from the ocean. Also, 50% of my anemones had "expelled" their zooxanthallee algae because the anemone had been kept in the dark too long over a weekend. Therefore, they had NO commensilistic algae to produce sugar food for them, and light became a non-factor. What I found was my anemones did better with direct capture, or in my case, "hand feeding" fish parts to my anemones directly. Even the anemones without the algae thrived and grew more than anemones that had better light !!
Finally, I took some of my best anemones home, and kept them for over 3 years in my aquarium with tropical South Pacific fish. I used the same sand-flitered seawater in my aquarium as was in the lab. I only did water changes of 10-20% every 3 months! I fed the anemones with direct food, and sometimes brine shrimp. Remember, this was in '78....I had an undergravel filter, but no additional canister filter, no protein skimmer, no wet-dry. I NEVER gave any kind of supplement to them. I beleive it to be the water and food, and, probably that the anemones off the California coast are hardier. They are subject to greater shifts in salinity, heat, ammonia and siltation in tide pools.
Just to let you know, I also love anemones, but realized that most of the species available from the warm waters of tropical saltwater didn't do well in my systems. They would move all over the tank, and end up "shrinking" away to nothing.
Sorry for the ramble on, but I would gladly share what I know if you want to e-mail me your questions at: Fishfansea@aol.com
Good luck
Gary (Fishwick)
Jacob Morgan
Aquarium Advice Freak
nice fish..
I agree supplements are bad. I hve more bad then good mainly cause they degrade water quality thus killin the anemone from lack of proper conditions.. I feed mine shrimp..
as for hard to feed? why? does it not take the food? you should just "dangle" the food by uit and it should get a tentacle to "touch" it and it should be good from there and be ablet o hold onto it..
in the wk or so i have had mine it has thrown me thru loops.. I thuink its dieing but its not its just how it acts.. very interesting creatures first time i saw mine shrink up i thoiught it was deingin when it was only preparing to give off waste.. well just much to learn..
Jacob
I agree supplements are bad. I hve more bad then good mainly cause they degrade water quality thus killin the anemone from lack of proper conditions.. I feed mine shrimp..
as for hard to feed? why? does it not take the food? you should just "dangle" the food by uit and it should get a tentacle to "touch" it and it should be good from there and be ablet o hold onto it..
in the wk or so i have had mine it has thrown me thru loops.. I thuink its dieing but its not its just how it acts.. very interesting creatures first time i saw mine shrink up i thoiught it was deingin when it was only preparing to give off waste.. well just much to learn..
Jacob
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