bits and peices of bta

rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
I have ahd a rose tip BTA for about a month. This Am he was in the overflow box, and I had to scrape him loose to relocate him.
I thought he was smaller, but didn't pay it much attention.
This evening I peeked into the sump, and there were at least four chunks with tentacles.
they were attached to the bioballs and I had to scrape them off to put them in the tank.
What is the chance of these things surviving? Can they be cut up like mushrooms and propogate?
Here's hoping
 
msitework

msitework

Member
I was at a LFS today & she pulled one out of the sump in 4 pieces & guaranteed me that all will survive. She said it happens quite frequently.
 
T

thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by rangermonroe
What is the chance of these things surviving? Can they be cut up like mushrooms and propogate?
The answer is no. BTA's RBTA's are Entacmaea Quadricolor anemones and they only reproduce by lateral fission.
In addition to sexual reproduction, some coelenterates undergo asexual reproduction. Entacmaea quadricolor is one of these. A polyp can divide longitudinally, resulting in two, somewhat smaller individuals, probably within the space of a few days. Each then grows to an appropriate size, divides, and so on. All descendants of the original anemone (the result of sexual reproduction) form a clone, a group of genetically identical individuals. In this species, each polyp is relatively small, but clonemates remain next to one another so their tentacles are confluent, and the associated anemonefish apparently regard them as a single large anemone.
There are some anemone species that can leave parts of it behind to grow a new anemone but E. Quads are not that type.
If it could be done by cutting them up and growing them then I would be independantly wealthy.
Think about it, to my knowledge there has not been one post on any board that ever said that my BTA or RBTA got cut up in my power head and now I have several. No way.
I've been raising them for over 4 years now.
Thomas
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
Thanks,
Thomas, mine wasn't cut up by the powerhead, It apears to have been pullde apart by the strainer in my overflow.
I put the peices in the tank, nonetheless, and the biggest of the peices has inflated tentacles...But we'll see.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
rangermore =
I've been looking around for further information about this. Though I did not find anything I did just recieve word that there have been forced propigation attempts on RBTA's by cutting them down the middle.
So it might seem that if you have half of one left it is possible that it may survive. To me this normally means a death sentance, but you'll make an experiment out of it.
Let me know if any portion survives would you?
Thomas
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
Well, I just found a heathy peice of rbta in the sump:D :happy:
The "parent " is doing quite well, and this peice of offspring has 3 or four tentacles that are normal size and a bunch of llittle ones.
It kind of looks deformed right now, but it has been put back in the display tank. it is dark in my sump and hes been down there a week!
it was attached to the bottom fluttering away in the current.
I am really tickled about this!
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
Just for the heck of it, I looked down in the sump again....And found another one!:happy:
So two of the bits are in good shape.
Do you have to do anything special for them, Cyclopeeze or meaty foods?
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
Well, the last one found died.
The other one was doing well, but began to roam.
I can't find him now.
Do anenomae eat each other?
I have a REALLY big sebae and a large carpet ( which has tried to eat me)
 
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