2 S. gigantea's in same tank

[delphinus]

Hi fellow anemone nerds.

(As some of you know) I currently care for 2 S. gigantea carpets, one which I've had for 2.5 years and one for about 1.5 years.

They are currently housed in the same system but not in the same display tanks (common sump).

Because one of them is growing too large for the tank it's in, I am considering moving it out. I would like to move it into the same display that I have my other carpet in, which is a 24x24x12 semi-cube.

My only concern is that I have no idea what the proximity of the two will do. I'm not too concerned about chemical warfare since they are already in the same system; my concern is really the proximity.

Is there any precedent that I should consider before attempting to move the one? The carpet I am considering moving is currently not hosting any clowns, however there is a pair in the tank I'd move it into, so they'd probably be in heaven.

The close quarters would only be a temporary measure until I have my larger tank ready to house them.

 

[OrionN]

They will kill each other
You should send the most beautiful one to me

Seriously, there was a thread about someone put three S. gigantea in the tank. They are touching each other and did not have any problem. This was shorterm so far(days to week) I don't think he have them very long yet.

 

[OrionN]

Here is ther thread I am talking about. He have them for 2+ months now.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=903740

 

[delphinus]

If I ever have the heart to part with one I'll send it down to you

Anyhow thanks for the link. I had forgotten about that thread.

Sounds like I've got some rearranging and aquascaping to do to get things ready then. Thanks!

 

[BonsaiNut]

Maybe they'll spawn and you will find out their sexes.

 

[sonofgaladriel]

I'd scrub toilets for a month for just one healthy royal blue or bright green gigantea! I can't find any
Here's a link to a woman that has many carpets in the same large tank: http://www.exoticcoral.com/anemones.htm
I'm very jealous of her set up!
Here's one of her pics:

 

[delphinus]

That's an enormous tank though. My new tank at 280g won't even come close to touching that! It's amazing what some people can set up ... I wish I could do a tank 1/10 as nice as some of the onesI see here (including yours!!)

Anyhow, I know how you feel. I had to wait for 4 years, literally, 4 years of visiting all my LFS's on a weekly basis after their shipments came in and pester them about carpets. Finally when one gigantea did come in, the guy told me "I'm sorry, we struck out again." I took one look at the carpet, saw the verrucae, and said "I'll take it." He charged me $20. (Canadian!) That was this carpet then:

A month later it looked like this:

Earlier this year it looked like this (this pic was taken close to 2 year mark):

Today it looks much the same except about double the size as it is in that pic. Interesting how the growth rate has suddenly become exponential after 2 years.

This was my green guy when I got him. Barely 4"-5" across. I actually debated whether to buy him or not, I saw him, recognized him as gigantea, then left the store thinking "I don't have a proper place to put him." Then it was all I could think about for the next 2-3 days. I went back in, there he was still .. I said, that's it, I have to find a way.

That's the carpet in my RC avatar, here's the real pic (taken about a year or so ago):

I don't really have any current pics, here's a picture from back in June though in the semi-cube:

Anyhow ... I'm hoping that my story of waiting 4 years doesn't depress you... it's more intended of ... sooner or later you'll find what you're looking for. And you have some nice stuff already so I know you have a line on some decent suppliers who should be able to work with you.

One final note, last January I saw a blue gigantea at my LFS of choice. Again, it was one of those "well should I or shouldn't I?" type moments. I decided this time I REALLY couldn't make it work to house 3 gigantea's.. so I walked. My LFS guy told me though, "not to worry not to worry.. now I have a source for them .. I can bring them in anytime. So l can get you one anytime you decide you're ready." ... The store declared bankruptcy one month later. I'm back to the visit all-the-other-LFS's-in-the-city-only-to-find-no-carpets phase! *sigh*.

 

[OrionN]

I feed so sorry for you. You got two S. gigantea and can't find a third one

 

[SVXH6]

yea rite!!..lol.. i would like to get one but i have not seen one at all in my area for over 2 years..

 

[delphinus]

:lmao:

Oh dear. Sorry OrionN. I didn't quite mean it to come out that way. More like, persistence is needed.

Oh well thanks for the laugh

 

[catastrofe]

Tony,

Just saw this thread, and I don't think there are any issues with keeping multiple gigantea together (unless different colors make a difference ).

Minh posted a link to my thread and as you can see from those photos I have 3 in very close proximity. Two are touching at both their bases and oral discs/tentacles.

 

[818]

My LFS has been keeping two in their main display. A green and a blue one together for over 7 months and they are sitting side by side. HTH.

Sam

 

[delphinus]

Update

Well .. for better or for worse, I finally managed to move the brown carpet today. Unfortunately he was attached to the bottom glass which complicated things a little. Ordinarily I move an anemone by moving the rock it's on and minimize handling of the anemone itself.

Anyhow this was obviously not possible this time so I put on some disposable plastic gloves and went to work at tickling the foot off the glass. I used a plastic drywall knife (8") to help work my way under the foot.

I was unprepared for how many tentacles would get pulled off in the process. I would estimate at least 5% of the tentacles pulled off and onto anything that came into contact with the anemone (my gloves, some rock, plastic tool, etc. I'm a little worried I've traumatized the anemone a little. However it has been an extremely healthy robust anemone to date so hopefully that will carry it over until it's settled again.

If the move was a success, hopefully I'll have some pictures to post back in a day or two.

 

[catastrofe]

Tony,

If the anemone was healthy to begin with, the lost tentacles shouldn't be an issue. One of mine got caught in a powerhead and lost a bunch of tentacles. One day later I couldn't even tell.

 

[delphinus]

Cool, thanks for the reassurance. It's starting to look a little better now after a few hours. Still sulking a little, but definitely looking better than right after the move. So hopefully that's a good sign.

 

[ultraxr]

None of my LFS in my area have S. giganteas. I'm completely in love with the "green guy" one Delphinus has!!! now to find one locally or online.

 

[Jadran]

Tony, I noticed two Chocolate Chips in one of the pics.. Can you plz. give some some info about them? Stuff like how long are they inside, whats on the menu and are they well behaved.. I ask because some people here at RC claim they witnessed these starfishes ate their anemones..

thx, M.

 

[delphinus]

I have the 2 CC stars because I have rocks that are covered with Myrionema hydroids and I was hoping that they would eat them off the rocks. A fellow reefer had tried that and said they cleaned up his rocks in a matter of months (in fact I have that very CC star from that guy). So I moved the worst covered rocks into this tank, I just made a decision not to have any corals in with the anemones. Unfortunately they haven't really done anything to the hydroids, in six months there aren't any fewer hydroids. Ironically in another tank I think my copperbanded butterfly is taking down the hydroids.. Making him my hero instead of these CC stars (those hydroids really got out of control on me).

I haven't a clue what the CC stars are eating .. they don't bother the anemones in that tank. I assume they're just catching the stray food intended for the clowns and anemones.

I have a cowry in there too who seems to munch on soft corals. So if I have a rock that gets covered in plague mushrooms I just move the rock into this tank and let the CC stars and cowry clean it right up. Only thing is I think the CC stars don't touch the mushrooms, I've never seen them go after them. .. for that matter I don't see the cowry go after them either .. mostly I just notice the mushrooms don't proliferate as badly as they do outside of this tank. So someone is probably eating them ... they just spread far too rampantly in my other tanks.

Incidentally I think I noticed an aiptasia or two in there as well, so just goes to show that these 2 CC stars don't even go after aiptasia.

I guess it's always a crapshoot when you try to use a biological control against a biological problem.. To me it's the same story as when I bought peppermint shrimp to eat aiptasia, and they didn't; or when I bought emerald crabs to eat valonia, and they didn't; or when I bought a tang to eat caulerpa, and he didn't; or when I bought my copperbanded buttery to eat aiptasia, and he didn't (at least at first).

Although things have a way of working themselves out. My tang who doesn't touch caulerpa goes nuts on valonia, and like I said I think my butterfly does go after the hydroids (and possibly smaller aiptasia nowadays since I noticed I don't have any small ones anymore. I had to manually nuke the big ones though.)

So I guess at this point the CC stars are mostly just ornamental (i.e., just something to look at). Despite their reputation, I like stars .. reminds me of the "ocean" .. LOL.. And they're far easier to keep happy than say linckia or those other stars for which we have no idea what they actually eat and we just hope they're not starving to death..

 

[Jadran]

sorry to hear about your pest problem 8 months ago I experienced some nasty buttons outbreak, it went really bad, so I had no option but to replace all the rocks and so...had a pleasures to deal with various pests before but this stuff was really out of any control..noone could even ID it... I think that sometimes radical move is much better comparing to long run frustration and suffering..

CC stars are mostly just ornamental (i.e., just something to look at). Despite their reputation, I like stars .. reminds me of the "ocean" .. LOL..

lol, same here. I making another anemone aquarium, (no corals at all) and hope to get it up and cycling before the end of 2006. Looking forward to get some cool reef unsafe creatures which I could house in such system..

 

[delphinus]

Here's a pic from tonight...