Feeding to make anem smaller?

jpgnmt

Member
I had a theory that my anemones have longer tentacles if they are hungry so I tried feeding them every other day to see if they would be happy and small. Can't decide if it worked. When I got them, they were tiny bubble tips but now seem like giant long tentacles. Any thoughts on feeding vs size?
JP
 
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shrimpy brains

Guest
Does it actually eat the food you give it every other day? If my lta is not hungry, it will not hold the food and releases it into the tank. I think you will find most peeps feed their nems about once a week.
My opinion would be, feeding it every other day would only make it grow faster, and the tentacles will get larger right along with it!
 

bulldog123

Member
I was told this same thing before. My gbta is the same way and I am trying to feed it more as well. This doesnt seem to be working. Hopefully someone with more experience can help.
 

meowzer

Moderator
BTA tentacles change....sometimes they are stubby (BUBBLY) and sometimes not making them appear longer.....I doubt it has to do with feeding them
IMO, and IME feeding 1x a week is plenty
 

roadie996

Member
Originally Posted by Shrimpy Brains
http:///forum/post/3126232
Does it actually eat the food you give it every other day? If my lta is not hungry, it will not hold the food and releases it into the tank.
my LTA eats it then spits it back up 5 minutes later
 

t316

Active Member
I'm with small triggers....I took a baseball size one from a friend maybe 6-8 months ago. It was a split off from his. I thought it was cool and a great addition, plus my clowns needed more interaction. But this mug has split 4 times (yes, 4 freakin' times) and a couple of them are over 8" wide. They are starting to hide light and/or touch some of my other corals. I will be taking some of them soon to the lfs for a trade in.
 

small triggers

Active Member
i would if i could get them outta my tank. they. of course, have their foot in the rock at the base of my LR under 4 BIG pieces, about 10 lbs each.
 
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shrimpy brains

Guest
Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3127981
i would if i could get them outta my tank. they. of course, have their foot in the rock at the base of my LR under 4 BIG pieces, about 10 lbs each.
Try putting a ph as close as possible. Aim it right at them. Put some smaller rocks close by. They will most likely move, hopefully crawling across smaller rocks, which you can remove with teh anemones.
 

aquaknight

Active Member
About the BTA's splitting, interesting. I've always found that they typically split after I let the tank parameters slip a little, and did a big WC to bring them back. I've had my current BTA not split for over a year, including two tank moves. Actually frustrating a tad, as I'd like another or two, for a couple other tanks.
About overfeed, err feeding every other day, I'd be careful. Anemones don't have really complex digestive systems. If you ever feed one too big a food you know what I mean, like a whole silverside. Sure they will take it, but after a day or two, I've always found a half digested silverside rolling around. I would worry food everyday for anemones used to meals only once a blue moon in the wild, going undigested.
Most of an anemone's diet comes from it's symbiotic relation with zooxanthellae, just like corals. Feeding should be what it is, purely supplemental.
 

jpgnmt

Member
I have settled on once a week and just enjoy whatever shape they take during the rest of the week. My LFS has a show tank with an anem that has split once in the last two years but the foot on one of them is about 12" long, they don't feed them specifically but he sure looks like he is searching for food. The two attached photos are of the same anem, open in the first and dining in the second. This one is on the front of a rockwall and is my Clowns favorite at the minute

 
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