Originally Posted by
YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/2699199
staylor, everyone has their own styles about how and what to feed an anemone. InvertCrazy is telling you to feed frozen or premade shrimp/etc... but I've also heard suggestions on the opposite end of the spectrum... to give an example, there's this lady that owns a fish store (she has awesome deals too)... she's easily in her 70's and has been keeping fish (both fresh and salt) most of her adult life. In fact, when she got married, her husband bought the two of them a 55 gallon tank... interesting wedding gift.
Anyway, this lady knows what she's talking about. She has never target fed an anemone frozen food or premade shrimp her entire life. BUT she has ALWAYS kept zoplankton content very high in the water.
I don't have all the answers but a lot of people use different methods... some only target feed them once a week, others don't feed at all but keep zooplankton in the tank. Whatever method you choose is up to you
Although i am relatively new to this hobby, I have already successfully kept 3 anemones, but almost killed 1 of them... it was my very first one, and I target fed it every day... it kept going back behind the rocks and I had to move it out so I could feed it, but the truth is that it was trying to get away from me because it didn't want to eat, but I was stuffing it's tentacles with food.... what an idiot.
Anyway, I've learned that if you target feed an anemone, it should really only be once in a while, as InvertCrazy said. I have kept an anemone in my tank for almost 3 months now and have not target fed it a single thing... but I keep the zooplankton up and he's already grown to be about the size of a dinner plate (see pic below).
So my recommendation to you would be:
1. to make sure you have a good amount of flow... because you have a HOB filter, you will need to vacuum more often... HOB filters don't do that good a job of effectively cleaning everything out of the tank, hence the need to get what you call the "brown powder" out. Your filtration is supposed to be getting it out, as is your skimmer, but maybe all you need is stronger flow so the powder can get to the filtration.
2. Get yourself a bottle of zooplankton at any local fish store and put 1 capful per 50 gallons every couple of days. You don't need to refrigerate it or anything. It's just a bottle of funny smelling orange stuff. Look for the one made by brightwell aquatics (see pic below)... you will get good quality stuff from that company. As you see in the pic, get the stuff that ranges from 500-2k um in size. you'd be amazed at how that anemone does. But you absolutely need strong water flow... you could fill the tank to the rim with zooplankton and it won't make a difference if it's not traveling across the anemone's tentacles so it can filter it out of the water.
What kind of anemone is it? bubble tip? long tentacle? carpet?
I've seen anemone's do OK under powercompact lighting, but it has to be REALLY GOOD and STRONG powercompact lighting... not like a little dinky 15 watt bulb that just gives enough light for you to see what's going on. You need something that simulates the sun, and in a 50 gallon tank you should have at least 2 x 36 watt powercompacts with actinics in order for the anemone to survive.
Also, he should move around until he gets comfortable. Does he move around a lot?
well i have two of them and one of them just lies on a rock and has stayed there since i got it.....the other one does move a lot but i think that it has found its spot now.....they are both bubble tip anemones.....oh and so if i get the zooplankton you are saying that i should add it every week....and will my skimmer or filter filter out the zooplankton?
