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par <PAR> for haddoni 1/30/14
Injured Carpet Anemone/Stichodactyla Systems/Health
2/28/2011 Planned lighting, Stichodactyla sys.
4/14/10 Carpet Anemone, treated like a rug...
11/26/09 T5 Lighting For Haddoni Anemones 2/25/09 Hi,
<Hello Brian> I am due to replace the light fixture on my 6 x 2 x
1.5 high 100 gallonish tank. I mainly have Zoanthids and three haddoni
carpets a red, blue and purple. I am replacing a 2 x 250w halide
Arcadia Series 3 pendant. I am tossing up between a 3 x 150w halide
Arcadia Series 4 and a 6 x 80w T5 ATI power module. With the deep sand
bed the tank is only 12'" or 13" deep, will the T5
fitting be sufficient for the anemones? I have had them for about four
years now and don't want to jeopardize their health. <Brian, if
you have kept them (Stichodactyla haddoni) that long, consider yourself
a very lucky man as they are one of the most difficult anemones to
keep. I would not change the lighting. If the lamps need replacing,
replace with the same Kelvin temperature you are using now. The
T5's are not going to be enough light for these anemones. If you
need to replace the 2x250 pendant because it is defective, then go with
no less than the 3x150 fixture. I would make sure that the Kelvin
temperature of the new lamps are the same as the 250 watt lamps. Any
change in Kelvin temperature at this stage may cause some negative
impact on the photosynthesis process of the anemones.> Looking
forward to your reply, <Cheers. James (Salty Dog)>
Brian. Carpet anemone/light, nutrition, reading -- 06/29/08 Hi Guys, <& Dolls James> I have a carpet anemone, the short tentacled one. I had him in my main display tank which has lots of light. Unfortunately, as I mentioned to Eric, my Queen angel started eating him. <This is the relationship twixt Pomacanthids and Actinarians...> So I moved him to another tank (185g) in my system where my naughty boy Picasso trigger lives. <These sample too> I only have 4 x 55w t5 tubes on this tank. <Insufficient> About a quarter of the tank has no lights directly above. This is the area where the anemone moved to and lives. After reading all the info about them on wwm I see they need lot's of light. <Yes> I was going to put a metal halide on this tank. As he likes to stay in the slightly darker area I'm not sure what to do now. He seems very happy. <Perhaps with lots of supplementary feeding...> I also read to feed them small amounts of food like krill and chopped up mussel, shrimp etc. I was feeding him whole prawns and calamari so now I know. <Mmm... don't eat such in the wild... instead much in the way of small foodstuffs, fecal material from the fishes above and about them. Read on my friend. Bob Fenner> Thanks again, James. Carpet Anemone- lighting, stocking - 6/7/08 Hi, <Hello> Sorry I could not find the exact information that I was looking for. I was wondering if I should buy a red carpet anemone. <Probably not.> It is a good price, but I am worried about lighting. I have a current-usa unit. It is the four bulb, 65watt each, power compact. My aquarium is a 90 gallon. <I would say this is too little light for a carpet anemone.> I have had great success with my rose bubble anemone! Thanks for the help! <Ah. Then definitely not. Two species of anemone should never be mixed in an aquarium, due to allelopathic tendencies. Also, carpet anemones require a tremendous amount of light, and have a terrible regeneration rate on the reef.> Travis <Benjamin> Success with a Blue Carpet Anemone, sys., fdg. 2/10/08 I apologize for the delay in answering. I own the blue carpet in the pictures with the Scientific American. You asked me to what I attribute my success in growing this specimen. Considering I move every two years due to my employer- I'm surprised it has thrived. I do tailor my setup to him though and take special care while moving him. But here's what I do for him when we're not on the go. I have two 400w halides (Reeflux 12k) but directly over him I have a 96w actinic power compact by Coralife. I change the bulb from actinic blue to actinic white in the winter. <Interesting> Although that light is there specifically for him- I really think that his food is what has made him so large. I have directed the sump return so that I can drop a big pinch of marine pellet food into the tank and it will blow directly onto him. <Ahh! This "falling bits" (including fecal pellets) IS a large source of carpet anemone nutrition in the wild> I do that daily. Once a week he gets a special target feeding. I put a good deal of Nutrafin max marine flake, PhytoPlan, three droppers of Zoomax, a spoonful of Cyclop-Eeze, a handful of silversides, and five mussels into a blender. I blend it until smooth and I freeze it inside a gallon zip lock bag laid flat. I break off a chunk and dissolve it in a cup of water taken from the tank. I use a turkey baster to feed it to him. I experimented with adding egg to his food but his host maroon clown would abandon him for around 3 days after he ate so I decided to stop the egg. I also take precautions when I place him into the tank after a move. I make sure that only Haitian shelf rock touches him- it seems to work better although the majority of my reef is Fiji. Early on I noticed that it gravitated toward smoother surfaces where it's foot would be surrounded securely without being too restrictive. Fiji's bubbly, super-textured surface made him go on tank-obliterating romps. Until he came up on a section of Haitian- he'd hunker down and stay there. I started building my reefs with the Haitian in the two corners- not extending fully to the glass. I place him in the left-hand corner and after I see that he is anchoring I place another much smaller piece of Haitian in front of his foot. Once he's anchored completely I know that the maroon clown will take the next week moving the rock out of the way- but it seems to make the anemone feel more secure. The reason I speculate that this is so; he has not moved from the left corner where I've placed him in years. He hasn't relocated once since I've used this method. I also give it cooked chicken bits and whenever family or friends are over we stick a mussel on a long chopstick and let them feed it to him. I use Prime for water changes, Kent Marine Essential Elements (when I started supplementing with this as opposed to just traditional single-iodine supplements his growth rate exploded), and Kalkwasser. The rest of my chemicals are home brewed using mostly Kent Marine and Seachem. I use a few different types of resin in my sump. I have not used carbon filtration in a year and I don't use a RO/DI system for water changes where I live now- it isn't necessary. I only use my hand to lift his foot from the glass when I need to. And that's basically it. Nothing huge. Thanks, Janelle Ferrero <Thank you for sharing. Very useful. Bob Fenner> Stichodactyla gigantea, Lighting -- 9/29/07 Hi guys,
<Hello K, Brenda here> I am a big fan of your site for the
individualized help you give the people who write in. <Thank
you!> While I haven't been in this hobby very long, I realize
that every veteran has a differing opinions and experiences to offer. I
live in Japan, where sea horses are local creatures and natural clean
sea water is easy to get a hold of. Not many people acclimate their
corals or anemones in Japan, and some people in Japan install tanks and
put in corals on almost the same day. <Ouch!> So, it really
surprises me sometimes how cautious and meticulous the advice is on
English websites in comparison. <Now you have me surprised!> My
tank is a 36X18X20 acrylic tank (huge by Japan standards, but small by
US standards, it seems) which holds approximately 50 gallons. I have a
sump/fuge where I use a simple skimmer that I plan to upgrade next
month and use one 150W MH clip lamp with two moonlights. I mostly keep
LPS, so this has been more than sufficient lighting. Recently, I
purchased a Sebae anemone, which we call a "white-string
anemone" in Japanese (they appear white in our local waters). The
anemone currently sits below the MH and has expanded widely, which I
take to be a good sign. <Would need to see a picture. Expanding
widely may be a sign that it is trying to get more light.> Most
anemone keepers in Japan say it is important to buy anemones taken from
Japanese waters, as they are subject to much less transport stress and
will have not been fished using chemicals. <Transport is very
stressful on anemones, chemicals are deadly! Here in the US many people
are propagating anemones.> As expected, locally caught anemones
fetch 3-5 times the price as those from Southeast Asia. There are many
people in Japan who have raised Sebae without using MH and compensate
by feeding "regularly." Your FAQs have been extremely helpful
in helping me slowly determine what to feed and what
"regularly" means. It still does not eat much yet, but I have
been feeding it old leftover frozen fatty tuna and krill. My question
is regarding the lighting requirements for carpet anemones of the
gigantea variety, which I know require more light than most varieties.
<Yes, and this is an extremely difficult anemone to keep. It should
only be kept by those with a lot of experience keeping anemones.> I
know there will be warfare if I have both in the tank at the same time,
but I plan to remove the sebae once I decide to get a carpet anemone.
<Good> Planning in advance to see whether I could meet a carpet
anemone's needs will be the determining factor in whether I
actually purchase one. In regards to lighting, is a 150W MH enough?
<This anemone needs more lighting than 150W. I would go with 250W MH
myself.> My tank isn't all that large and the light is focused
only on the anemone right now. I realize that more light will also
reach the anemone better with clearer water, which is part of my
reasoning in upgrading skimmers. <Excellent water parameters are a
necessity here.> Being that Tokyo has limited electrical power
allocated to apartment units, running a second MH is probably not the
best option. Perhaps I should lower the current lamp and raise the
sandbed? <I don't believe this will provide enough lighting.>
Other than buying a LED unit such as the Solaris, do you have any
suggestions? <The best option is to find away to get a 250W MH over
this anemone.> Thanks so much. Your fan, K <I did run a few
questions by Bob. His response is below: Brenda> Bob, <Bren>
What can you tell me about Japanese water quality and collection of
anemones there? <Water quality is variable... and aquarists in Japan
tend to "go overboard" with gear, particularly lighting,
filtration...> There is a question in my in-box that has me a bit
shocked. Particularly the paragraphs below: 'Not many people
acclimate their corals or anemones in Japan, and some people in Japan
install tanks and put in corals on almost the same day. So, it really
surprises me sometimes how cautious and meticulous the advice is on
English websites in comparison.' <Mmm, this is so to an
extent> 'I purchased a sebae anemone, which we call a
"white-string anemone" in Japanese (they appear white in our
local waters).' Thanks, Brenda <Yes... "things" are
different in general twixt here and there. BobF> Strontium and anemones 3/11/07 Bob, <Sorry to disappoint, but tis' Brandon tonight.> A few months ago I purchased a blue carpet anemone. <Big buggers.> I introduced it into the tank and it immediately buried its foot into the sand and took up residence. <Definitely a good sign.> It would fully expand and I would feed it dime sized pieces of raw shrimp from the grocery store a couple of times a week. <My buddy and me. I love Anemones and would not trade mine for the world.> It was doing so good that I bit the bullet and dropped a hundred bucks on a very large green carpet. <Bit the bullet indeed. Two huge Anemones in one tank? Sounds like a clash of the titans to me. Seriously, there should never be more than one Anemone in any given system. And there should never be an Anemone in a system that is new and/or does not have an experienced caretaker.> I introduced it and had the same results. <This is sheer luck my friend. The outcome could have been far worse.> I was also adding Reef Solution by Ecosystem (highly recommended by my online retailer) at the rate of ½ tsp every other day to an approx. 70 gallon system. <I 'like' all the products that I sell, as well as highly recommend them. (;^D)> At about the same time, I started looking at my strontium concentration. <Here it comes.> I had always monitored my Calcium level (kept around 420-440ppm) and alkalinity levels (maintained at 3 meq/L), but after reading that strontium is the second most important component next to calcium, <<No... RMF>> I decided that I needed to start looking at it for the health of my clams and SPS corals. I obtained a Salifert Sr test kit and tested my water. The test indicated that no Sr was present. So, I discontinued the use of the Reef Solution (a blend of many components) and started slowly increasing the Sr concentration by using Kent Turbo Strontium. Over the course of a few weeks, I was able to get the Sr concentration up to 10-16 ppm as recommended in the literature I've read. <I don't personally advocate the use of supplements. I believe that if you use the right salt mix, there is no need for this, as you can easily replenish missing or depleted elements with regular water changes.> But during this time, both carpet anemones started behaving strangely. They weren't expanding like they normally had, they started moving around very frequently, and the green carpet quit accepting the shrimp altogether. Both eventually died. <Sounds like poisoning. Or likely too rapid an environment change.> Now, after reading some of your literature, I think I realized what happened. I overdosed the system with strontium and killed them. Do you agree? <Tis' possible.> I've since read that Sr (considered a heavy metal I guess) has no place in a system hosting anemones. If this is true, knowing that Sr is critical for corals, how can a balance be struck? <Sr is present, in all seawater. I don't dose Sr, and I am successfully keeping Euphyllia, Acropora, Montipora, Trachyphyllia, Tubastrea, Galaxea, and many others.> Or do you think I just over did the strontium trying to get my levels up? What do you recommend using for additives in a clam/coral/anemone system? <Tinker with your water at your own risk. Please see above Re: water changes.> I have since discontinued use of the Turbo Sr and switched back to Reef Solution every other day at a1/2 tsp. dose. My remaining anemones (a Sebae and four pink tube anemones) seem to have weathered the storm and are doing ok. <Please see above Re: one Anemone per system. This is a ticking time bomb.> Thanks, <You are welcome. Do try to get the other Anemones into other systems. Brandon F.> Bryan S. Carpet..., just read 10/8/06 Hi WWM Crew I have a 30 gallon tank. Would a Stichodactyla haddoni (Carpet Anemone) fit in my 30 gallon tank? <Nope> Because they get large. I have a powerhead I am going to use for extra water movement for the anemone. Also what lighting requirements are needed for the Stichodactyla haddoni? I am making sure that I research before I buy. Thank you for your reply <Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/carpetanemones.htm and the linked files above. BobF> How Much Sand For S.
haddoni? 7/13/06 Hey all, first time posting.
Just have a real quick question. <Okay> I have been reading and
reading and reading some more on S. haddoni. I plan on adding one to my
tank soon. <... not easily kept...> I am using HQI lighting and
have good flow. My reef has been setup and stable for 2 years. I feel I
am ready for one. I have a blue S. haddoni available to me and I will
be buying it. I have previous experience with many BTA's and I can
say with pride I never lost a single one. All thrived and grew well in
my tank. <Good> My question is. How much sand does S. haddoni
require? Are we talking deep sand bed? Or would a couple inches
suffice? <Either one... not important for the animal per se, but can
be as a means of maintaining optimum, stable water quality> I can
always take more sand from one side and add it to where I plan on
placing him.. or I suppose I could just add more sand to the tank in
general. I have about a 1 or 2" sand bed. It's not huge, but
it's decent size. It is my understanding that S. haddoni likes to
plant themselves in the sand in between the cracks of Live Rock.
<Mmm, the popularly called "carpet Anemones" do live in
soft substrates, but don't "pull" themselves below...>
Although, I have read they may prefer one spot more than the other ..
(I understand it's an animal, it will do and go where it pleases)
<Yes> Any help and information would be greatly appreciated. Feel
free to shoot any other useful information or tips on this anemone,
too. Thanks for the resources you have already given me. Wet Web Media
is a great website.. keep up the good work. :) <Will continue... Bob
Fenner> Lighting For a 30" Anemone Tank - 04/26/06 Hi all. <<Hello>> I just want to say that I am addicted to your site and have learned so much in just the couple days I've been reading. <<Good to hear...and do keep reading!>> Glad I'm not terribly busy at work right now. <<Ha!>> My question is about lighting a 36 gallon, 30" wide bow front reef tank. The tank has 45 pounds of live rock, 40 pounds of sand, and a hang on the back - 3 gallon refugium with multiple macro algae. The refugium lighting is on when the tank lighting is off and vice versa. <<Mmm, if this "mix" of macro algae includes Caulerpa species you may want to consider a 24/7 light cycle for the refugium to forestall the algae going "sexual"...do some (more) reading here, and follow the links in blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/caulerpafaq5.htm >> The livestock is two percula clowns, one coral beauty angel, one star polyp, one pom-pom xenia, one green carpet anemone (not doing so well right now. I'm about to do a water change and see if that helps), a few blue-legged hermit crabs and two turbo snails. <<Be sure to read through our FAQs re "Carpet Anemones": http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cptanemfaqs.htm >> The width of this tank isn't as common as others (24" or 36") so finding appropriate lighting can be a bit difficult. <<Sounds like you need a metal halide pendant fixture, mate>> I currently have a Current USA Power Compact Orbit fixture with one 65W Dual 6700K White/10000K White SunPaq Power Compact Bulb and one 65W 7100K Blue Power Compact Bulb. This works out to be 3.6 watts per gallon. <<Not enough for the anemone, in my opinion>> My LFS says that this should be enough, even for the carpet anemone. <<I disagree>> I just found a 30 inch 2 X 250 HQI Metal Halide Power Compact ( http://cgi.ebay.com/30-inch-2-X-250-HQI-Metal-Halide-Power-Compact-new_W0QQitemZ7718407940QQcategoryZ46314QQcmdZViewItem) on eBay. <<Yikes, pricey...and "more" than you need really>> My question is will 630 watts (17.5 watts per gallon) be too much for the tank? <<The "watts per gallon" rule is a "basic" guideline at best...many things to be considered here. But for your specie of anemone, no, I do not feel this would be "too much". But I also think you could do well with less. A single 250w MH pendant with a 10,000K bulb would be fine for your tank. If you think you "want" some actinic lighting as well, some pendants feature supplemental PC lighting as well>> On a side note, does adding supplements such as Reef Plus help coral growth or are regular water changes just as or more effective? <<I do like the Seachem products, and adding vitamins to your system is always of benefit>> Would dipping the silversides that I'm feeding the green carpet anemone in Reef Plus be beneficial? <<Possibly, but I prefer Selcon for this (more HUFAs/fatty acids). You should also vary the anemones diet (marine fish flesh, shrimp, krill, and squid)>> Thanks for taking the time to read my question. <<No problem, is what we do <grin> >> Hopefully I'll be able to put the computer away for a bit tonight so my fiancée' doesn't kill me. :) <<Not a "pet fish" person, eh>> Ryan Mullinax <<Regards, EricR>> Carpet Anemone/Anemone Systems - 04/01/2006
Hi, <Hello Lizanne> Please help! My Carpet Anemone
looks really ill. He shrunk and where you normally could not see much
of his mouth it is now protruding and looking really tacky. I bought
him about 2 weeks ago and he looked happy. Then he started moving
around and on to his side. I looked closely at my tank and I think I
saw one of the clown fish take a bite out of his mouth flesh. He is not
slimy, yet, but the Fire shrimps seem to be interested in him too. I
had an Anemone that behaved in more or less the same way, it died and
got slimy. I don't want too loose another one. What should I do?
<Lizanne, did you do any research as to requirements in keeping
Carpet Anemones? They are one of the most difficult of anemones to keep
for any length of time. They require a minimum of a 55 gallon tank with
excellent water quality, intense metal halide/HQI lighting system, and
good water flow, preferably wavemaker style. Does this represent your
system? Read here and related links. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm
James (Salty Dog)> Lizanne Coetser Carpet Anemone ... What? sys., beh. 3/18/06 Hey Guys, <Hello Seth> Thanks for this site, it has provided me with lots of info on my travels into the Marine world! I have a question that I was unable to find an answer for in the search. I have a green haddoni carpet that has been in my tank for about 4-5 months now. Has always been healthy and eating and planted himself in the sand of my 55. The 2 Ocellaris (sp) clowns hardly came near him, except for the female who would wander over and nip at some of the anemones tentacles/nubs. Well last week the female decided that she would host in the anemone (which I was happy about) however, I noticed that the anemone has not let go of the floor where he was rooted and is kinda just moving along the sand. It doesn't look like he is sick, as his color is still nice and he eats. But I don't want to have him die in there. Is this normal? Is there anything I should do to help him re-plant himself? Or anything I should be looking for? It doesn't look like his foot is damaged, but I don't really know what that would look like either. I don't see any torn flesh. <Anemones will move if they don't like their present location. Can be caused by changes in water current, poor lighting etc. This anemone does require intense lighting that can only be provided by MH or HQI.> Thanks for the help! <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Seth Blue Carpet Anemone System - 02/28/06 - 2/28/2006 Hi again everyone, <<Hello Julia>> Thank you so much for the great web site and the previous advices you have given me. <<We're pleased to be of assistance.>> It was good meeting Bob Fenner at the Puget Sound Aquarium Society last weekend. Thanks for the informative algae talk, Bob! Anyway, I know you guys are busy so I will get to the point. I just bought a blue carpet anemone (I have waited for years, knowing that I need to provide proper conditions for it and just now I believe that I can make that commitment). <<A difficult specimen to keep indeed.>> It is a "used" anemone, I try not to buy such difficult critters "new" since I do not really want to support their collection in the wild. <<I see...and you're satisfied then that this is not a "dyed" animal?>> I was just wondering, is there a sure way to tell what species it is? I tried to research it on the web, but not all sources agree on the description between Stichodactyla haddoni and Stichodactyla gigantea. <<Can be difficult to distinguish the two. If I recall correctly, the tentacles on S. gigantea are the more compact/uniform of the two.>> Mine has a pinkish tan body, with short blue-tipped tentacles. I do not know if that helps. <<Mmm, sounds like S. haddoni...but then...>> The anemone is going into a 65 gallon hex (it is 25 inches tall) and I have a 400 watt MH light (14000K bulb currently in it) for it. Obviously I have a heater in it as well. <<Obviously <grin> >> I was just wondering, what should I do to optimize the conditions for this animal? <<Have you read through our FAQs re these animals? You can start here, and be sure to follow the indices in blue at the top of the page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cptanemsysfaqs.htm >> How deep should the sand bed be? <<A 4"-6" sugar-fine DSB will suffice.>> How much live rock should I put in? <<Difficult to say exactly. You want enough to provide sufficient biological filtration, but not so much as to obscure the bulk of the sand bed. I think this will be difficult to achieve with your choice of tank style for this animal. Another option is to plumb a large sump/refugium and load this with the live rock.>> Should I use a skimmer? <<I would, yes. These creatures require pristine water conditions.>> Carbon? <<A good idea...and some Poly-Filter too.>> Mechanical filtration? <<Unless you're willing to clean/change out every couple of days I would leave this.>> Refugium with macro algae? <<Oh yes!>> How much water flow do I need (specifically, what power head(s) should I use, if I need any in addition to the current produced by filter/skimmer/refugium return pump/etc)? <<How much flow do you have now? Strive for about 10x the tank's volume in random turbulent flow. Any brand/model powerhead can do, just be sure to not blast the anemone directly.>> Is it OK to put sexy shrimp in the tank? Or any other anemone shrimp? <<Is a risk.>> If so, how many would be OK? Can I mix different species shrimp? If so, which would be the best ones? Any crabs, or other critters? Could a purple banded coral shrimp live in the anemone tank or is it a bad idea? <<I'm not a fan of crabs, but do research specifically any critters you want to add to this system. Some will prey on the anemone...others will become anemone prey.>> What temperature would be best, and what specific gravity? What chemicals should I regularly add to the anemone tank? Calcium? Magnesium? Iodine? <<All should be as for a "reef" system and can be found on our site. "Chemical" additions will likely not be necessary with frequent partial water changes. Looks like you have some reading/researching ahead of you <G>.>> Thank you again, Julia. <<Welcome, EricR>> P.S. I told Bob about this anemone at the meeting, its foot was damaged when I got it. I just wanted to say thanks for the advice on taking care of it then, it is recovering very well :). I wish there had been enough time to ask all of the above questions, so that I would not bug you with them now! <<No worries, you're not bugging us...is why we are here. I'm sure Bob will be pleased to know the anemone is recovering. Regards, EricR>> <Am. RMF> Carpet Anemone Care and its snacks'¦.I mean
tank mates 12/1/2005 I purchased a green carpet from my LFS today
after observing it for 3 weeks (I had hoped this would serve as a
pseudo-QT) <Well as I'm sure you know animals are best
quarantined in a closed system for personal observation. This was a
risk even if a small one.> It was slowly acclimated and looked
beautiful (about 9 in. across) and had dug into the substrate, but mere
hours later it had everted its mouth, and a couple hours later it
deflated <<Better described as a "prolapse", rather
than an inversion. Marina>> <Normal, they expel the
water within them and take on new water..> to about 3 inches. After
reading previous entries I did a 5gal H2O change, and increased water
flow (as recommended in the Reef Aquarium vol 2). <Good but I would
keep a more discipline water change regime, at least 10% weekly on a
reef tank.> It is a beautiful creature and I will feel awful to see
it perish in my tank (which I always thought would be less stressful
than a dealers), is there anything else I can do? <Just provide
pristine conditions. And feed meaty foods of marine origin once a week.
I hope you have done your research on these animals as they are quite
hard to sustain in home aquaria.> 90 gal tank, 15 gal sump/ planted
refugium wet/dry filter; aggressor skimmer <That sounds good.>
Fish: 8 Chromis, 2 ocellaris, dragon goby, bicolor blenny,& fairy
wrasse various small hermit crabs, snails, blue linckia, royal urchin,
crocea clam toadstool leather, Montiporas, xenia, & mushrooms
<Hmm'¦well one thing is for sure, in your research you
overlooked compatibility. Most of your fish are at high risk for
becoming snacks for your new anemone and your sessile inverts are all
in danger as well. This anemone can reach 3 feet in diameter and will
sting anything it touches'¦including you. The anemone was not
a great addition as far as tank mates.> salinity: 1.023 ammonia : 0
nitrite: 0 nitrate: 20-25 ppm <These need to be much lower, less
than 10 in a reef tank. Keep up on the water changes.> pH 8.3 temp:
78-80 I use instant Ocean salt and Kent Coral Accel, Coral Vite and
Essential Elements, and Weiss' Combo Vital at 1/2 recommended dose
due to a light coral load. <<I suggest you do a bit of
research regarding the efficacy of the Weiss products as well.
Marina>> <What type of lighting do you have? Read here for
more detail on care for your new animal: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cptanemfaqs.htm
> Thank you, Denise <Welcome, Adam J.> Lighting a S. haddoni Hi,<Hello, Ryan with you today> I am wondering if I have enough lighting to support the anemone. I believe that it is a S. Haddoni as it is bright green with stubby tentacles and it is about 10" or so across. We have a 90 gal community reef 48x24x24 with a wave shaped front. Our current lighting is 2, 40w 03 actinics, 2, 65w pc SmartLite bulbs, and 2, 10000K 65w pc bulbs all in 48" hooded design. Is this enough to sustain the anemone. <Almost 4 watts per gallon...I'd say he has a good chance of success> Currently it has moved from where I originally placed it about 3/4 the way up in the tank to about the 1/2 point or even a little lower. <He'll move again> It at least is facing the front of the tank and looks totally awesome. It is curled and tends to swell way up and go down every 10 to 15 min at first but lately it does it about every hour. Since I put it in the tank yesterday it may still be adjusting to the tank. water quality is good probably thanks to 100# of live rock and two Eheim pro II 92 gal tank filters with a remora hang on skimmer. <Great, feed him chopped clams, shrimp, etc. Good luck! Ryan> Any help will be appreciated as I am a rookie. Kevin Carpet anemone question Hello, <Hi> I am a frequent reader and this is my first time submitting a question to you guys. I was interested in purchasing a carpet anemone for my false Percula. I currently have a 30 gallon tank with 25 lbs. of live rock some mushroom corals and a blue devil damsel also about a 3.5 in. sand bed tank has been running for almost two years for filtration I have a CPR USA Bak Pak protein skimmer and biofilter it is powered by a Maxijet 1200 295gph and I have a Rio 90 for circulation. As for my lighting I currently have a Coralife 65 watt 50/50 10000k and actinic. I also have 3 20 watt minis at 6700k, and 2. 20 watt 10 wpf fluorescent bulbs one actinic and one 10000k a total of 165 watts. my water parameters are steady. my question is, in your opinion with the information that I have provided, would it be safe for me to invest in a carpet anemone for my clown. <My concerns are two fold on the anemone. I am very concerned about how big they get. They are known to get huge. Secondly they put out a lot of waste and that could be a very big problem in a 30 gallon tank.> I would really enjoy watching him swim in it. thank you for your time. Oh one more thing do you think I have enough light to keep (SPS) and (LPS) corals in my tank. <The general rule for SPS and LPS is about 4 watts per gallon. In my opinion its also about spectrum, and making sure you have the correct spectrums for what you wish to keep.> Anemone troubles? Howdy Crew, Looking for some info on Stichodactyla tapetum. Found one attached to a colony of pipe organ. I thought it was a Ricordea and chipped it off to give it (and the pipe organ) some breathing room. << No real need to chip it off. >> But when it stuck to my fingers, I thought it a bit odd an looked it up. I'm not positive but from the bit of info I did find, Stichodactyla tapetum seemed to fit the bill. The poor fellow doesn't look so happy after his move. What kind of lighting do they prefer? << Lighting is big. Lots of light, whole spectrum. Also they eat anything. I feed them krill and silversides. >> Any favorite foods? << Leftovers. >> I'd like to place the little guy ~20" directly under a 150W MH. This is~4" deeper, but more direct than where I found it. << Well it will move around. So don't get set on a particular place. >> Of course, if it's not happy it I guess it will up and move ( will it??) << Yep. >>. Thanks for your help. -matt << Blundell >> Carpet anemone Hi, <How goes it?> thanks for any help you can give me on this as I read through your site and could find nothing that pertains. <Let us add something to the archive then> We have a 90 gallon reef, with mostly soft corals, a Midas blenny, assorted cleaning crew, about 120 pounds of live rock, 2 maroon clowns and a fantastic green carpet anemone we've had for about a year. Our salinity is 1.024, <might want to bump that to 1.025> our PH 8.4 and 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites. <all good> We are running a sump with a Berlin protein skimmer and a MD 40 xlt Iwaki pump. Our lighting is power compacts, 4 at 65 watts each. <Ack! Not enough light, at all...and no halides?! You need to upgrade your lighting before your anemone eventually succumbs> Since we've upgraded from a 75 gallon tank about a month ago, the anemone sucks itself down under the rocks every few days and we have to disassemble the one side of the reef to get it out. <It may just be stressed from the move> The two maroon clowns are hosting in it and it is very healthy...the mouth is firm and it eats like a horse <at least you've been feeding it a lot, as that's why it's still alive>...Mysis and Cyclop-Eeze being the main foods fed to the tank. The anemone seems completely healthy and is well taken care of by the clowns <Clowns never really take care of an anemone, besides sometimes scaring off potential predators> and never seems to be in any distress before it sucks itself down into the rocks. The foot is firmly planted and it has good color...Any way we can stop him from moving down under the rocks? <What kind of carpet anemone is it? Some like to have their foot buried in the sand, and that may be what it's trying to do> Can he get himself out again or do we have to keep up the rescue operations? <I would leave him be and watch what happens, unless it's a haddoni or another carpet species that prefers sand> He is in almost the exact same place as he was in the 75 gallon and we never had this problem then. Any help would be greatly appreciated. <Definitely look into purchase some metal halide lighting for your anemone. Slowly acclimate it to the new lighting (check our archives for how) and make sure it isn't a carpet species that prefers sand> Marcye, Orlando <M. Maddox>
Re: New Set Up of Established Tank... Accommodating a Carpet Anemone in Bare-bottom Dear Bob, <Jason> Thanks for the feedback ... <Welcome> As a follow-up to the previous question, with a bare bottom MAIN tank, how should I handle my existing green magnificent carpet anemone? I mean, there is no sand!! <Mmm, if it were me, mine, I would make a sand bed area for this animal... likely an all plastic or glass Pyrex cooking "pan"... with fine, calcareous sand (likely crushed coral)... that though it might look funky, will serve as substrate for this purpose> Option 1: just place it on glass bottom. Option 2: just place it on flat piece of rocks Option 3: place it in a shallow plate with sand ... BUT might have issues with... <This one> a. sand spilling over to the bare bottom glass. b. detritus collecting in the sand within the shallow plate. c. anemone growing larger than the plate allow! Currently, it is already 1 foot across, and I heard it can be as large as 3 feet!! <But base of foot/pedicle is only size concern... other issues not a big deal> I really want to try out a bare bottom tank. However, the anemone is the ONLY reason why I am thinking otherwise! Please advice, and thank you again. Jason <I would go the above route. Bob Fenner> Carpet Anemone...LFS's conflicting stories To the
wonderful crew at WWM, <Hello there> This is the first time
I've e-mailed to ask a question, I have limited access to a
computer but have researched as much as I can on the following topic,
but my specific questions weren't answered. I do apologize if I
missed the answer to my questions.... I did try to read as much as I
could! <Good> My husband's co-worker was given a short
notice re-assignment and needed to move right away. He had a 55 gal
fish tank. We currently have a 180 gallon and a 200 gallon fish-only
aquariums. We've had these set-up for almost 2 years and have done
well with them. Anyways, his co-worker knew we had aquariums and was in
need of selling his fish. I'm fine with fish, but these were two
black Percs that came with what he told us was a white Atlantic carpet
anemone. <... Atlantic Carpet...?> He had already sold the
aquarium and the live rock to another co-worker, he couldn't find
anyone he trusted to purchase the Percs and the anemone (they come as a
group). My husband said we would take them....we purchased a SeaClear
System II 30 gallon show aquarium (built-in wet/dry filtration)...
<Do keep your eye on water quality with this system... as you will
know, the SeaClear integral filter systems are undersized, trouble to
work on/with... better to look into either adding other gear on,
basically ignoring the II gear, or get another rig altogether>
...just for them, no plans to add any other livestock. We worked a deal
with the LFS to hold on to the fish/anemone until the tank was cycled.
I've never dealt with a tank this small.... we let the tank cycle
with a half bag of crushed coral and one 20lb bag of live sand and
about 15lbs of pre-cured live rock for about 5 weeks. (the sand bed is
about 4" deep) The anemone was added to the tank 3 weeks ago (with
the Percs). Up to this point he's been on top of the rock that
he's been on (he was moved into the LFS's tank, and then into
my tank on the same piece of rock....he never did move from that spot
on the rock from the original tank!) The tank is 30 gallons
(36"x 12" x16 high) and he was about 4 inches from the top of
the tank. The LFS does free water testing and always tells me my water
parameters are perfect. 3 days ago my anemone moved for the first time
to under the rock, away from the light. His white color turned mostly
brown and his usually short plump tentacles turned longer and
stringy...he looked as though he was barely hanging onto the rock. The
LFS is telling me that I may have too much light for my white
anemone.... <Mmm, highly unlikely... the brown color change is
actually a step in the right direction> ...but from everything
I've read on your site and others, I'm a bit confused on
lighting for my specific anemone. <Mmm, me too... actually re the
species identification outright... there are indeed some
"carpet" anemones from the tropical West Atlantic... and
Clownfishes will at times/places establish symbiotic relations with
some of these... but...> The previous owner stated that they had
regular lights (whatever that means) and the LFS had normal (old/poor
quality) lights. We purchased a Dual Satellite Compact which Includes
Dual Daylight 6,700°K/10,000°K and Dual Actinic
420nm/460nm bulbs. I turn the actinic on about 1100am, the daylight on
about noon and turn off the daylight about 11pm and turn off the
actinic around midnight, when the actinic goes off the lunar light
stays on for another 2 hours (ish, whenever my puppies wake me up).
This has been the routine since we took them home. Sorry I'm
rambling, I just want what's best for the anemone...the Percs seem
to be doing fine and the anemone does look a little better, he is still
eating and his tentacles have plumped up a bit, but he is still
brownish. (I feed a variety of food...squid, plankton, Mysis, formula 1
and 2, Special VHO, gamma, salt-water multipack stuff too...all soaked
in Selcon or Vita-Chem). I don't currently have a skimmer, still
looking for one a good one...any suggestions? <Many... a small
Remora (Aqua-C) highest> I've seen what "not to buy"
listed on your site! If you could please advise on the lighting I would
greatly appreciate it. <What you have/state is fine for all
species possible... I would switch out one of the actinics to another
"white" lamp in future> Also, my LFS is a fairly new
business, the old FS packed up and moved away. They tell me that
the only pertinent tests are PH, Nitrate, Nitrite and Oxygen....I am
planning on getting my own test kit soon since we now have the
anemone. Could there be another factor contributing to my
anemone's behavior? Any advice you have would be greatly
welcomed. <I would add alkalinity and phosphate to the above
test kit list... The behavior you have described is fine... water
quality may be slipping per the small volume, inadequate
filtration...> Thank you and have a wonderful day, New Anemone Owner
:) PS - sorry about the length of this e-mail...just trying to
give some background! <Delightful to read. Pleased to meet with
another intelligent, sensitive fishkeeping person. Bob
Fenner> Anemone problem Hi Bob Fenner, <Anthony Calfo in your service> Long time no speak. I hope all is well with you. You and your book were both instrumental in my successful reef tank setup. I am now on my second tank and loving it. <outstanding!> Looking back I really haven't had too many problems: Cyanobacteria, hair algae, and flatworms. I've managed to keep all somewhat in check. The flatworms seem to be the peskiest so far. <all common and manageable> I recently added a Macrodactyla doreensis anemone to my tank. It's been in my tank for 5 days now. I've successfully fed him krill twice now. <hmmm... know that large chunks of food are often regurgitated at night leaving you to think that the animal is feeding well. The anemone still starves in time. As a rule, all anemone food should be finely shredded (1/4 or smaller pieces)> It quickly took hold in my live rock, but only lasted there 2 days before moving to the sand. It spent 2 more days trying to get a foot in the sand, but now appears weak and limp. I tried to feed him more krill today but he kept it covered up for hours without ever eating it. Finally a cleaner shrimp stole it from him. I'll put my tank parameters below to see if you see something that looks amiss. 90G with 15 gallon sump 90lbs LR 4x55 Power compacts 2- 10K and 2- actinic 1- 40W 10K fluorescent SG 1.0235 temp 82F ph 8.1 Calcium is ~400 Alkalinity is ?? was around 6 last week. Daily Kalkwasser dripping should've brought it up, but I haven't checked. I also have a healthy Condy at the other end of the tank. He's been in the same hole for over 2 years. <two very different animals and tolerances> I'm not sure what else I should tell you. Hope this is enough. Regards, Craig Douai <the lighting for this anemone strikes me as moderate at best and problematic if the specimen is lower than 12" in this tank. PCs are great quality of light usually, but have weak intensity (ability to penetrate water at depth like MH). If this is the case, then the anemone has been struggling to reach its compensation point. I hope this helps, my friend. Anthony Calfo> Carpet Anemone Hi guys and gals, <Hello Kim. How are you doing? What did you think of MACNA?> Yesterday morning I woke to find that my carpet had been slightly sucked onto/into my pump (talk about instant caffeine)! <Ugh!> You are probably wondering why this happened and where was my sponge guard? Well this pump (used to be a return pump that wasn't working hard enough) was in the top portion (not secured well enough I now gather) of my tank and has (had) a slotted cover that pretty much helped in protecting my fish, but unfortunately while I was sleeping my pump fell to the bottom of the tank. <This happens fairly often. One of the reasons why Anthony and, more and more, I hate powerheads in tanks. Excess heat, possibly killing invertebrates that climb too close to unprotected intakes, occasionally falling down from suction cups that don't stick and blowing sand all over the place, and even more possible problems that I cannot think of right now.> This wouldn't have been a problem if my carpet hadn't decide to move into the same area the night the pump fell. <Murphy's Law> Luckily this guy has a lot of mass so the part that got stuck didn't get far and the main body of the anemone wasn't harmed. He's a fighter! The pump is no longer in use until I can adapt a sponge to it and get a better secure spot for it. I know this event can be pretty traumatic even if they aren't chopped up by an impeller, but it seems to be recovering really well. He is opening up back to original size <A very good sign> and the clowns seem to be trying to nurse it back to health. So anyway, last night I noticed a milky, white substance (it looked like milk) flowing out of the mouth of the anemone for about 30 minutes, which was fluttered away by the clown. I was concerned that this was a delayed reaction to the night before, possibly some toxins or waste, but when I woke this morning, everything was fine in the tank (meaning no fish or inverts were dying of apparent ammonia or toxin poisoning, let alone there was no cloudiness or visual signs of trouble. So, I was wondering what you might think this was? <I do not really know. It almost sounds like a reproductive event, but not likely.> I don't recall ever seeing this happen before, but then again, it happened for such a short while that it is possible I have never noticed before. Was this just a way to remove waste, or a reaction to the stress? <It could be either or an unrelated event.> Also, is there anything care-wise that I can do to aid in the carpet's rehabilitation aside from water changes? <I would feed a little heavier, but nothing too large. I would also use some iodine. Dose as per manufacturer's recommendations.> Food? Lighting change, or lack there of? <I would maintain stability, that would include lighting.> Thanks, Kim <Good luck! -Steven Pro> Lighting for carpet anemone Hello! I wanted to know what kind of lighting you recommended to keep a carpet anemones? My tank is acrylic, so I can only use fluorescent lighting. This is because all other styles burn to hot and could melt the tank. The tank is approx. 2 feet deep. thanks very much <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemonelightngfaqs.htm and the anemone lighting FAQs 2 beyond, and: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cptanemfaqs.htm and the FAQs beyond where they lead you. Bob Fenner> Anemone Husbandry... Hey Guys, <Scott F. your guy
today..> I just bought a new carpet anemone (don't really know
what kind, it has bright green, stubby tips) <Might be Stichodactyla
mertensii...can be a tough one to keep, since it requires a lot of
light and food... Also, you could be looking at S. haddoni, which has
shorter, blunt tentacles. It gets quite large, but is otherwise about
average in care requirements as carpet anemones go...Meaning- it is
touchy...> and went to get new lights for it. I bought
Aqualight 20" quad strip with 96 watts (do you think that is
enough) and I was wondering if I should feed him live food or just let
him photosynthesize? <Well, in regards to the light- I think that
you might need to move the animal high up on your rockwork to get
adequate light. You may want to keep a close eye on the animal's
behavior to see if the lighting is enough (on the surface, it sounds
like it's not...You'll have to feed often, almost daily, in
order to keep the animal in good shape)...And, again- light...lots of
light- and current!> If I should feed him, what should I feed him?
<Various forms of plankton tend to be natural foods.> Also, one
more question, do you think black percula clowns will be more prone to
live in the carpet than orange perculas. <Hard to say...Many
perculas are tank raised, and have never seen an anemone...It is often
disappointing for hobbyists to find that their clowns don't go into
the anemone...Here's to hoping!> Thanks a lot guys. <My
pleasure...really learn all that you can about the species that you
have an it's husbandry...Anemones are simply not easy animals to
keep, and require a high level of care...Good luck! Regards, Scott
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