demosthenes
Active Member
What do you think about anemones? Are they too hard to keep? Are they easy? Are they worth the extra effort?
Anemones
- Thread starter demosthenes
- Start date
heavenly damsel
Member
I have 4 anemones and I don't think they are hard to keep at all. They are very interesting to observe and quite active in the tank. Have a personality all their own. I can't imagine my tank without one.
kelly
Member
Demosthenes,
Let me make this perfectly clear, I am not an expert by any means, and the following is from what I have read, heard and know from personal experience.
Anenomes are not found on reefs, and are most likely not suited for reef tanks. Some say you need perfect water conditions, strong lighting, and regular feeding. If you plan on keeping anenomes, you should research them extremely well. What are the water conditions where they come from, including average water temperature, depth, current, etc. The amount of light the anenome gets/uses is determined by water depth.
Feeding the anenome could also be a problem. Are we as hobbyists over-feeding them? How often do the eat in the wild? Once a week, once a month? Most anenomes have symbiotic algae which aids in feeding. Is our lighting cycle long enough or of the right spectrum for maximum production for the algae? Until more research is done, they really should not be kept by those of us with little or no real knowledge of their needs.
If you are planning on experimenting or doing research on keeping them, I would suggest the you keep a log of what you are doing. I would monitor the amount of food, water quality, lighting cycles, type of light, supplements, etc. and their survival rates under each condition. Before anenomes are kept, the requirements for keeping them healthy and happy should be known.
I have kept 2 curlique anenomes for several years, and they are still doing well. These do not look like the average anenome that most people keep in their tanks. They look similar to a large aptasia anenome. I have had a flower anenome for about 2 years now, and it is doing fine under 2 40W tritons, and 1 actinic (I have only fed it once).
I also have 2 condys that I have had about 1 year (I did not purchase them, they were given to me when a pet shop closed down.). One is kept under the above lighting, and is feed about once 3-4 few weeks. The other was moved to my 7 gallon nano with a 32W PC light. Both are doing fine. They were both white when I got them, and now their color has returned. Even thought I have them, I do not recommend keeping anenomes.
Years ago, I killed a few of them, including a nice yellow sebae, and have not purchased any since then. More knowledge is needed before we can actually keep them in our tanks successfully. I have read that they can live over 100 years in the wild. I would not consider mine being a success story by any means, not even the curliques. Time will tell as to the fate of the condys, I figure they have a better chance in my hands (or maybe not) than at the pet shop where another inexperienced or unsuspecting aquarist will purchase them.
I feel once we get the proper knowledge on anenome husbandry, we maybe be able to keep them, but as for the time being I would not recommend them. Others may disagree, and may have been fairly successful, but for the most part more have died at our hands than have survived. I hope this has helped.
Let me make this perfectly clear, I am not an expert by any means, and the following is from what I have read, heard and know from personal experience.
Anenomes are not found on reefs, and are most likely not suited for reef tanks. Some say you need perfect water conditions, strong lighting, and regular feeding. If you plan on keeping anenomes, you should research them extremely well. What are the water conditions where they come from, including average water temperature, depth, current, etc. The amount of light the anenome gets/uses is determined by water depth.
Feeding the anenome could also be a problem. Are we as hobbyists over-feeding them? How often do the eat in the wild? Once a week, once a month? Most anenomes have symbiotic algae which aids in feeding. Is our lighting cycle long enough or of the right spectrum for maximum production for the algae? Until more research is done, they really should not be kept by those of us with little or no real knowledge of their needs.
If you are planning on experimenting or doing research on keeping them, I would suggest the you keep a log of what you are doing. I would monitor the amount of food, water quality, lighting cycles, type of light, supplements, etc. and their survival rates under each condition. Before anenomes are kept, the requirements for keeping them healthy and happy should be known.
I have kept 2 curlique anenomes for several years, and they are still doing well. These do not look like the average anenome that most people keep in their tanks. They look similar to a large aptasia anenome. I have had a flower anenome for about 2 years now, and it is doing fine under 2 40W tritons, and 1 actinic (I have only fed it once).
I also have 2 condys that I have had about 1 year (I did not purchase them, they were given to me when a pet shop closed down.). One is kept under the above lighting, and is feed about once 3-4 few weeks. The other was moved to my 7 gallon nano with a 32W PC light. Both are doing fine. They were both white when I got them, and now their color has returned. Even thought I have them, I do not recommend keeping anenomes.
Years ago, I killed a few of them, including a nice yellow sebae, and have not purchased any since then. More knowledge is needed before we can actually keep them in our tanks successfully. I have read that they can live over 100 years in the wild. I would not consider mine being a success story by any means, not even the curliques. Time will tell as to the fate of the condys, I figure they have a better chance in my hands (or maybe not) than at the pet shop where another inexperienced or unsuspecting aquarist will purchase them.
I feel once we get the proper knowledge on anenome husbandry, we maybe be able to keep them, but as for the time being I would not recommend them. Others may disagree, and may have been fairly successful, but for the most part more have died at our hands than have survived. I hope this has helped.
aceiswild7
Member
yellow sabaes are not natural they are dyed .. theyalways die.. i dont think anyone has had success with them
jim672
Member
"Hard to keep" is a one of those things that's relative. Relative to how much you know, how hard you want to try, how experienced you are, how your tank is set-up, etc, etc.
That said, I have killed 2 sebaes and don't intend to try again. I'm just not comfortable having something in my tank that's not smart enough to avoid being sucked into a power head....
Jim
That said, I have killed 2 sebaes and don't intend to try again. I'm just not comfortable having something in my tank that's not smart enough to avoid being sucked into a power head....
Jim
fishymissy
Member
I have to agree with Kelly.
Even though I have a flower anemone in my tank, it was not through choice. This animal was a hitchhiker on some LR. I now feel obligated to give this animal the best possible home that I can. But, if I had known it was on that piece of rock, I would have bought a different rock.
Anemones have a dismal survival rate in the home aquarium. When you consider their natural life span of a 100 yrs or more, keeping one alive for a couple of years is a horrible record. MOST anemones don't even make the couple of years mark. MOST anemones will die within months of purchase.
Here is a really good article on anemones
<a href="http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html" target="_blank">www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html</a>
I just wanted to make one thing clear on this. Even though hobbyists must be accountable for the animals they buy....it's important to research before buying, I also feel that the LFS's have a huge burden with regards to these animals. If the stores don't know the survival rate of these animals, they should! This is their business.....I don't know of any other business where ignorance is the rule rather than the exception!!!
Even though I have a flower anemone in my tank, it was not through choice. This animal was a hitchhiker on some LR. I now feel obligated to give this animal the best possible home that I can. But, if I had known it was on that piece of rock, I would have bought a different rock.
Anemones have a dismal survival rate in the home aquarium. When you consider their natural life span of a 100 yrs or more, keeping one alive for a couple of years is a horrible record. MOST anemones don't even make the couple of years mark. MOST anemones will die within months of purchase.
Here is a really good article on anemones
<a href="http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html" target="_blank">www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html</a>
I just wanted to make one thing clear on this. Even though hobbyists must be accountable for the animals they buy....it's important to research before buying, I also feel that the LFS's have a huge burden with regards to these animals. If the stores don't know the survival rate of these animals, they should! This is their business.....I don't know of any other business where ignorance is the rule rather than the exception!!!
jim672
Member
fishymissy,
I understand what you're saying but have to argue...a little...with you. I'm sure you've heard of "caveat emptor"....."let the buyer beware". ANY retail operation CAN employ people who are un- or under-educated about the product they are selling. Think about car salesman, furniture salesman, clothing salesman, etc, etc.
I believe the buyer should be knowledgeable enough to know what to avoid buying.....or to know enough to shop at a place where they can trust the knowledge level of the sales people with whom they are dealing. Admittedly, this knowledge sometimes comes from experience that often comes from buying something that might have better have been left in the store.
Jim
I understand what you're saying but have to argue...a little...with you. I'm sure you've heard of "caveat emptor"....."let the buyer beware". ANY retail operation CAN employ people who are un- or under-educated about the product they are selling. Think about car salesman, furniture salesman, clothing salesman, etc, etc.
I believe the buyer should be knowledgeable enough to know what to avoid buying.....or to know enough to shop at a place where they can trust the knowledge level of the sales people with whom they are dealing. Admittedly, this knowledge sometimes comes from experience that often comes from buying something that might have better have been left in the store.
Jim
ky
Member
This is just my opinion, but I think that they are easy to keep. I have never lost one. In my three tanks I have 7. The longest for, I think, 5 or 6 years. I feel that the key is to leave them alone and not to over feed them. I feed them frozen brine about once a month, other wise I rely of DT's phytoplankton 2 times a week. They go through phases, big some days, and completly hjiding under a rock the next. I think people get a little freaked out when they shrink and try to do something to help them, which in turn makes it worse. I read alot of posts about people feeding them 3-4 times a week, then write a month later and wonder why they died. Just my opinion, but my recomendation is to leave them alone and don't over-feed.
kelly
Member
Ky,
I think that you may be right about over feeding them. Since I cut back to once every 3-4 weeks, I think they look better. I think that most of us have absolutely no idea of their needs, so we just guess, and usually wrong.
I have heard of people feeding their fish a few to several times a day, which I personally think is to often (excluding mandarins pipefish & seahorses). I have also heard that fish should only be feed a few times a week.
It really depends on each individual "critter", and I have yet to come across a good manual/book that explains everything or really goes into detail about a particular fish, invert or coral. Thanks for the input.
I think that you may be right about over feeding them. Since I cut back to once every 3-4 weeks, I think they look better. I think that most of us have absolutely no idea of their needs, so we just guess, and usually wrong.
I have heard of people feeding their fish a few to several times a day, which I personally think is to often (excluding mandarins pipefish & seahorses). I have also heard that fish should only be feed a few times a week.
It really depends on each individual "critter", and I have yet to come across a good manual/book that explains everything or really goes into detail about a particular fish, invert or coral. Thanks for the input.
demosthenes
Active Member
Thanks for the suggestions. I made the topic not because I wanted any, but because I've lost two, dang powerheads! I just wasn't sure if there were any success stories out there, or if they were all disasters. Thanks
lnarobbins
Member
when I fist started up my tank I threw in 2 anenomies. I didn't know any better with in 2 months they both died..I didn't get any more untill 7 months ago I got a bubble tip for my maroon clowns. the anenome is living but is not doing so good I need more light for it. the 2 long tenticaled anenomies and white seba anenomie I have are doing great and the white seba is actually growing.. I feed all of the anenomies once a week except for the white seba the clarks clownfish bring their food to it and share.
me personally I think they are worth the effort. they are great for the clowns and watching the dance between the two creatures is worth the extra effort
thats just my opinion
Alan
me personally I think they are worth the effort. they are great for the clowns and watching the dance between the two creatures is worth the extra effort
thats just my opinion
Alan
