perfectdark
Active Member
I wrote this a while back, maybe we can use it as an intro to the sticky...
Anemones and Lighting Overview.
Too often we are lead to think that certain species of anemones can survive under sub par lighting (no pun intended) this is one of the biggest reasons why anemones in general perish in captivity. So where or when did it all go wrong? Well very often anemones are shipped to our LFS are in poor condition. They are often placed under marginal lighting at our LFS. And all too often inexperienced hobbyist purchase unhealthy anemones. Going by the advice of their LFS they are lead to believe that the animal is healthy and that you can keep it under normal output fluorescent lighting.
Let’s start with going by this general rule, all anemones require very intense lighting. Now that we know this, what is intense lighting? Well, that depends on a few different factors. First, the species of anemone you are considering. While some maybe able to survive under PC, HO-T5 or VHO light other species cannot be under anything but metal halide lighting. Next would be to consider your tank size. Forget watts per gallon when determining the correct amount of light for your anemone. Look more towards the size of your tank, and more specifically the height. When you are considering buying an anemone, the lighting you have for it, should be intense enough to sustain it no matter where it decides to reside in your tank. So having a light intense enough to reach the bottom of your tank is important. Research your tank size and the appropriate light that makes this scenario work and your animal will be happy.
Looking at anemones general health requirements, we see them in all different environments under all different types of lighting and still they look healthy. Why is this...? Well for one, there are different stages to an anemone's health. Some anemone's under poor poor conditions, ie, lack of sufficient lighting coupled with poor water quality may deteriorate very quickly. Others with marginal lighting and perfect water and tank parameters may take a year or longer to wither and die. Success with one of these animals is something the aquarist should be looking at in years not weeks or even months. When planning to have one it is important that you research the specific species you are interested in. Make sure you have the proper set up for it, plan for its health long term, i.e., years. This will mean knowing how large the specimen is capable of getting. What the potential hazards are to having one, what happens if and when they die. And being able to identify what an unhealthy anemone looks like. More often than not we purchase unhealthy anemones from our LFS and don’t even realize it. While near death specimens are very easy to identify, slightly stressed or early stages of sickness in some are not easy.
Below is a list of common anemone species and their general requirements for long term care and success.
Anemones and Lighting Overview.
Too often we are lead to think that certain species of anemones can survive under sub par lighting (no pun intended) this is one of the biggest reasons why anemones in general perish in captivity. So where or when did it all go wrong? Well very often anemones are shipped to our LFS are in poor condition. They are often placed under marginal lighting at our LFS. And all too often inexperienced hobbyist purchase unhealthy anemones. Going by the advice of their LFS they are lead to believe that the animal is healthy and that you can keep it under normal output fluorescent lighting.
Let’s start with going by this general rule, all anemones require very intense lighting. Now that we know this, what is intense lighting? Well, that depends on a few different factors. First, the species of anemone you are considering. While some maybe able to survive under PC, HO-T5 or VHO light other species cannot be under anything but metal halide lighting. Next would be to consider your tank size. Forget watts per gallon when determining the correct amount of light for your anemone. Look more towards the size of your tank, and more specifically the height. When you are considering buying an anemone, the lighting you have for it, should be intense enough to sustain it no matter where it decides to reside in your tank. So having a light intense enough to reach the bottom of your tank is important. Research your tank size and the appropriate light that makes this scenario work and your animal will be happy.
Looking at anemones general health requirements, we see them in all different environments under all different types of lighting and still they look healthy. Why is this...? Well for one, there are different stages to an anemone's health. Some anemone's under poor poor conditions, ie, lack of sufficient lighting coupled with poor water quality may deteriorate very quickly. Others with marginal lighting and perfect water and tank parameters may take a year or longer to wither and die. Success with one of these animals is something the aquarist should be looking at in years not weeks or even months. When planning to have one it is important that you research the specific species you are interested in. Make sure you have the proper set up for it, plan for its health long term, i.e., years. This will mean knowing how large the specimen is capable of getting. What the potential hazards are to having one, what happens if and when they die. And being able to identify what an unhealthy anemone looks like. More often than not we purchase unhealthy anemones from our LFS and don’t even realize it. While near death specimens are very easy to identify, slightly stressed or early stages of sickness in some are not easy.
Below is a list of common anemone species and their general requirements for long term care and success.
