Anemone Appetite

[sandals]

Please excuse me if this question has been asked before, but I am very unfamiliar with how this site works! I have a question about a bubble tip anemone I currently have. I have always had great success with them surviving for a few years....but the one I currently have I am not so sure of. It seems to be wanting something. His tentacles are long and thin and he is VERY much open. Now I have been feeding him every other night, and it seems to return to normal size for a few hours....but then by the next day it is opened up all the way again. It seems to be constantly wanting food, so maybe someone could give me advice on what they prefer to eat? It readily eats a block of brine shrimp every other night at this current time. I appreciate your responses!

 

[Doan]

Not real fimilar with the bubble tips but it seems to me that everything is going well for you. Please don't appologize we will take any and all questions thats what we are here for. Ohhhh And WELCOME TO AQUARIUM ADVICE!!!!! Now on to your anomone. You may actually be feeding him a bit too much. Every other day seems pretty aggressive. That being said him expanding sounds like a good thing. You have to take into account that anomone's also get alot of thier food much like corals with thier zoxanthlie. Like photosythisis with a plant it's real similar. It seems to me that if it is expanding more surface area more of an opportunity to get food. As long is it's getting bigger and not smaller I would not worry too much about it.

Doan

 

[lex]

Sandals, just curious about keeping anemones myself... since you've had success with what sounds like a few of them, what sort of lighting do you have on your system?

 

[sandals]

lex

I only have a small tank. Probably too small. It is a 30 gallon. I went with the minimum light I was told I could use. It is a twin tube strip with a coralife daylight, and a coralife actinic blue.

The 1st one I had was 7 years ago. I am guessing he live 3+ years. I have had this one for 2 already. Maybe that isn't too long...the fish guy told me they were very difficult to keep going...who knows.

I have never had one take food and EAT like this one does. I just put him in and he has been in the same spot since. I am not a good aquarium keeper....I only check my salinity...and do water changes every other month....Guess it has been luck on my end!

 

[nodoubt471]

if an anenome is fed too much, i have heard it actually produces tons of ammonia. it is best to keep them a little underfed. maybe if you tried feeding it something larger than brine shrimp (ie fortified krill or something similar in size) he wouldn't display his "begging" behavior.

 

[sandals]

I agree on the food

I agree. I plan on getting him some larger type food and see how he reacts. Thanks for all the input!