homegrown anemone

[kdogg85]

I keep seeing most people say anemone's should be left in the ocean. Does anyone know of someone trying to frag any for aquarium life. Say someone buys a wild anemone, it splits, would the new anemone be better suited for aquarium life? I figure the first few frags would still harbor traits from the wild, but after so much time would the newer frags be better adapted to living in an aquarium? Wouldn't the situation turn out the same as it did for fish that were homegrown? Clownfish came from the ocean, someone decided to breed them in aquarium settings, after time aquarium bred clowns,from what I've read,are more hardy than wild caught. Would this be the same for anemone's, or is it like trying to stop a forest fire with a water pistol?

 

[nxb161]

I really don't know anything about wild vs. captive grown, but my thought is that they didn't really become more hardy (other than cross breeding), but the fact that they were born in a tank and are then sold for tank life, less stress due to less change in parameters. As much as we try to similate ocean water, there is a big difference. Growing up in a tank allows them to adapt better. For example I used to catch smaller fish from the river and put them in my tank/pond. ANything over an inch would never make it, but if I get them really tiny, they adapted just fine.
Anyhow, that is a good point about the anenome. What percentage of anenomes are caught in the wild that are sold in the store? I'm sure certain species are easier to propagate than others.

 

[Crepe]

I thought anemones only split if they are dying in aquaria. Anemones I think only truly reproduce (sexually) in the wild, never heard of it in someones home aquarium.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Not true Crepe. Anenomes are known to split in the home aquaria given excellent conditions. Plus, technically they never reproduce sexually as splitting is an asexual method.

 

[Crepe]

Not true Crepe. Anenomes are known to split in the home aquaria given excellent conditions. Plus, technically they never reproduce sexually as splitting is an asexual method.

I watched a documentary of anemones spewing sperm and eggs into the water....maybe I guess it's just the species.

 

[melosu58]

You both are right. They will reproduce sometimes given excellent conditions but they will also do it during deteriorating conditions to keep the species going.

 

[kdogg85]

So possibly over time, it could happen that they become a hardier aquarium inhabitant? I'm sure someone would have to buy a few and select the strongest specimen, but it seems there are more mysteries than concrete knowledge about anemone's. I just wondered if it was at all possible.

 

[cmor1701d]

I've seen them cut in half, and both halfs closed up within 30 minutes leaving two anemones. Pretty easy to captive raise. But, it depends on the species.
Take the long tentacled anemone. Mine grew to where it was over a foot wide. Even in my 125 gallon tank it took up the entire front corner of the tank. It suddenly deteriorated and died within a few days after growog for a few years in my tank. In the ocean these woudl live 30 -50 years (though nobody knows for sure).