How to feed an anemone

[civileng68]

Ok, I have tweezers and I put the food down into it's tentacles. However after a few minutes of grabbing on, it releases.
Do you have to actually put the food down INTO the mouth? I didnt want to hurt it.
Any help?

 

[hkgar]

What are you feeding it. I feed mine Silversides, about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch piece every two days and never a problem

 

[juiced_rl]

I feed mine frozen brine. I mix it up in some tank water and use a turkey baster and release it near his mouth. The tentecles grab everything and he eats it up.

 

[civileng68]

Im feeding it frozen brine (melted before serving).
He grabs it with his tentacles and after a minute or two releases it. Does that just mean he's not hungry?

 

[viper_930]

Try feeding him other foods like mysis shrimp, krill, or silversides.

 

[dea_mt]

don't they also eat phyto?

 

[viper_930]

Liquid phyto is way too small for anemones to consume. In fact, most corals can't even consume it either.

 

[lionfish99]

how about Marine Cuisine or Frozen Squid. And how big should the piece be?

 

[viper_930]

I'm not really sure what marine cuisine is, but if it's solid and not liquid it should work fine. Frozen squid would also be great. The pieces I feed my anemone are usually about 1/2" to 1" around.

 

[lionfish99]

Marine Cuisine is a mix of a bunch of things, basicly "a well balanced diet in one bite"

 

[55gsw]

If the anemone grabs onto the food but then releases it, it means that the food is not acceptable to the anemone. Try things like pieces of raw shrimp, or fish. You can buy raw shrimp/fish at the grocery store then just freeze it and use as needed. It's alot cheaper that way!! Just cut off a small piece, thaw completely and offer it to the anemone. Lots of people put a couple of drops of a SW vitamin on the food as it thaws. A good brand is Selcon but others can be used as well.
What kind of anemone do you have?

 

[tankgirl1]

I don't have an anemone but hope to one day. One thing I have read talks about the sting of an anemone being deadly?? I know this can be true, but for your home tanks how do you feed? Are you close enough for the anemone to touch you, and do you use gloves for protection when feeding? Just taking notes for later

 

[snipe]

Well one anemone I feed I drop a peice of shrimp on top and push it down to the disk so the pesky fish cant get it (if its on top of the anemones tentichles they will take it because they know they wont get stung). For my other one I hold my hand above and infront of it and drop or kinda toss the peice towards it it usually fall in its tentichles and he will close up over it. I dont use gloves though I am close to the anemone but not touching it. Some anemone dont sting like the anemone name implies and some ppl dont even get stung by there anemone at all.

 

[dweakl01]

Originally Posted by tankgirl1
I don't have an anemone but hope to one day. One thing I have read talks about the sting of an anemone being deadly?? I know this can be true, but for your home tanks how do you feed? Are you close enough for the anemone to touch you, and do you use gloves for protection when feeding? Just taking notes for later

Hi Tankgirl1,
I've never heard about hte sting being deadly. I know people who are "hyper-allergic" or have overly-sensitive skin sometimes feel the stings. I have never felt them. As far as feeding goes, I feed my anemone 3 - 4 times per week a mix of frozen brine shrimp and cyclopeeze. I use a pipettor (like from a lab

), and just squirt the mixture into its tentacles, it handles the rest.
-D

 

[snipe]

It can kill ppl who are allergic to its sting just like a bee sting most ppl its just painful but to some without a shot within a few minutes its deadly.

 

[diane4]

I have a BTA and he eats just about anything. I buy fresh fish from the grocery store, swordtail, tuna, talapia. I take it home and cut it up into small fish size sections and feed it to him using aquarium tongs. I put the food near his mouth and he grabs it and eats it. Poops it out later at night, but he does eat it.
I tried tonight to make a mash of several different kinds of raw fish meat and processed it all in a food processor to make a this paste. Offered him a chunk and made a mess. He didn't eat it, he grabbed it and released it. And the loose particles from the mushy mash got in the tank water. I won't do that again.
Just simple chucks of raw fish meat of varied kinds. Shrimp, tuna, etc.

 

[mr_bill]

I hand feed my BTA, it eats shrimp mostly but will also eat raw fish. About 1/2" chunks at a time and the reason I have to use my hands is because the clowns will try and grab it first and although they are trying to help take it down to the anemone the chunks of shrimp are too big and they can't see where they are going. Kinda like if you had a frisbee stuck on your face and decided to run through the hall.

 

[diane4]

I take a chunk of raw shrimp or fish and hold it with my tongs. I put it in the center of my aneomone and wait for him to grab it. Then, for about 5 minutes, I keep the tongs just over the aneomone so the clown poachers don't steel it and rip it away from him. It works
My anemone eats every day. He loved the chunk of swordfish I gave him yesterday.

 

[newfishguy]

Aren't you afraid of touching it?
Saltwaterfish.com puts this in their description:
Anemones have nematocysts, a.k.a. stinging cells, and can be dangerous to the touch. These creatures can cause injury or death. By purchasing this item you agree that you understand this is a dangerous creature and that Saltwaterfish.com is not responsible for any injury or death that may occur.
Originally Posted by Mr_Bill
I hand feed my BTA, it eats shrimp mostly but will also eat raw fish. About 1/2" chunks at a time and the reason I have to use my hands is because the clowns will try and grab it first and although they are trying to help take it down to the anemone the chunks of shrimp are too big and they can't see where they are going. Kinda like if you had a frisbee stuck on your face and decided to run through the hall.

 

[mudplayerx]

Anemones need meaty foods...fresh meaty foods to be exact. Shrimp, clam, squid, fish, etc from the grocery store is your best bet. Just make sure that you chop the pieces very small and that you underfeed, not overfeed. Feed your anemones about every 3 days.