Has anyone successfully kept an anemone for over 1 year?

fender

fender

Active Member
With the recent post regarding their lighting needs, etc. and with all the books I have read that seem to steer ppl away from them, it seems as though they are very difficult to keep. I have read that no one knows what their lifespan may actually be and that the specimens we grab for our tanks have the potential to live for centuries in the wild.
What does it take to have one not only live but thrive in a tank? Has anyone here had long term success with one?
 
rickt4du

rickt4du

Member
I have had a curley que for over a year. Wish it would go away. Way too big and stings everything.
I used to feed it, I guess too much, now it just gets what it can. It still grows!!!!
On the flip side, I lost a Long Tentacled after about 6 months. I have no explaination.
[ August 15, 2001: Message edited by: Rickt4du ]
 
amphiprion

amphiprion

Member
My bubble tip anemone is almost two years old. It has split 4 times. I have kept two and traded the others for corals. I got a tanked raised anemone and not a wild caught one. It's in a 72g bowfront tank with pc lighting 4 - 55 watt bulbs and 2 - 96 watt bulbs. Mated pair of Maroon clowns inhabit the two I have kept in the tank. I feed them at least 2-3 times a week - Silversides, Shrimp, scallops; also phytoplankton 2 x's a week. Why are they thriving when others have had such problems?
I really can't say - I don't starve my reef - I feed it heavily and trust my high powered skimmer to clean up the excess. Lighting is crucial I believe - many try to keep them with inadequate lighting. Also Bubble Tips are the hardiest among a species that isn't very hardy. I have lost a couple of Sebae anemones - won't try them again. Is two years considered a success? I think for such a long lived animal, it's too soon to tell. If it's alive in 10 years, then I can probably brag about it ;)
 
blueberryboomer

blueberryboomer

Active Member
We have had the best luck with carpet anemones, we have two that we have had for about 8 months now, they both are doing great. Later Lisa :)
 
alianated

alianated

Member
My LFS has a couple bubble coral that have lived well into 2 years.
Apparently, bubble coral (per his experience) are great if you get a good one. He says out of all types he has ever gotten, those guys (when they are healthy from the go) outlast everything else.
just some thought
 
amphiprion

amphiprion

Member
scy...
What does your tank consist of? Why do you think you have had success where so many other's have failed?
 
fender

fender

Active Member
Thanks for the replies, I really want to get one once I get my tank to where it could successfully support one. I just wanted to hear some success stories to know that it is possible. An article I read indicated that no one had been able to keep one for over a year and that it was unheard of to have one reproduce.
It seems as though the author may be a little off, or outdated.
 
scy

scy

Member
Hello Amphiprion,The tank is a 75gal with lr-ls.Chevron Tang,Regal Angel,Springeri,Pink Skunk Clown,Lyretail Hog,and a Flame Wrasse,Mushroom Rock,1-40watt.Actinic 2-30watt Actinic White(notice how much light)i skim 24/7 and i feed the tank 3to4 times a day.All but 1 fish in this tank is over 5 1/2 years old,the Jordani is about 3.
 
alianated

alianated

Member
So are you saying you only have mushrooms over 6 years??
I saw lots of fish, but was curious about your anenomes that lived that long.
 
scy

scy

Member
Hello Alianated,I was asked a ? on what the tank consisted of by Amphiprion,thier are still 21 anemones in this tank on top of what i listed.The original anemone was bought in April of 1995.
 
alianated

alianated

Member
Yes Scy I know..
But the question was brought up because we were wondering what anenomes you had so much luck with (to live that long)
So I was asking if you meant you had 1 mushroom that has lived that long, or if you had only mentioned the mushroom and had other corals as well. It wasnt to second guess you, just that if you have specific corals that lived that long, well, we wanna know which ones!! :p
From what I have gathered and seen, keeping a fish 2,3 or even 4 years isnt all that unusual. Keeping MULTIPLE (kinda how you made it sound) corals alive for 5 years, would be much more impressive a thing to accomplish. So when we saw that (me and the others asking specifically about the anenomes) we naturally were curious what corals you have that have lasted that long.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top