I've reviewed the acclimation procedures recommended for corals in the BOCP, but I'd like some hints on acclimating a carpet anemone that I'm having shipped in. I maintain a tank for a client that inisits on having one, so I violated my normal "friends don't let friends buy anemones" rule and ordered one from a certain mail order house. [with a pretty good reputation] I'll be picking it up from the FedEx depot and going direct to the destination tank. I'm concerned about ammonia build up and I fear that the normal "drip" acclimation will spike the ammonia and kill the thing. Would it be best just to make sure that the temp and SG are identical and just plop it into it's new home? I would think that immediately improving the water quality would be preferable to letting the anemone continue to simmer in the shipping sewer water. I've got until next Thursday, and I need to do this right. I've kept anemones, but never a large carpet. Any thoughts are appreciated.
acclimating a carpet anemone
- Thread starter karburn
- Start date
Anthony Calfo
New member
Cheers, my friend 
Very good to hear from you. Thank you for raising a very good point and giving me a seguey to share an opinion with hopes to "serve the greater good". Rest assured, I recall and realize you are indeed a conscientious aquarist. The following is not a slight or reflection on you at all. I appreciate the stimulation to mention this issue.
Rearding the anemone... this is a really tough question for me to answer. Like you... I have very strong feelings about the collection and importation of wild anemones.
I'd honestly be a hypocrite if I condoned it. I feel that they are fine for species tanks... but should not be kept "casually" otherwise by aquarists (at least not wild caught specimens... for casual keeping we seek some of those wonderful cultured E. quadricolors)
My complaints are:
... Too many anemones are imported without proper handling or Quarantine in isolation to stabilize them (like this anemone which is going straight into the display). QT dramatically improves survivability for imported animals in a controlled and stable environment. I feel that it is irresponsible to forego QT on any animal. Beyond the imported specimens best chances for life... there is the huge concern of risk to the entire display's others inhabitants (wipe out from decay or infection of new specimen). "Perfect" lighting is no concern in QT of course for the need to acclimate the anemone for having been light deprived on import and the fact that deficiencies in lighting are easily compensated for (at least short term) with extra feeding. QT is crucial for all livestock on import without exception in my opinion. A full 4 weeks.
... Too many anemones are put into tanks with other corals and anemones... a horrible long term strategy and unnatural for most species. Motile cnidarians mixed with sessile cnidarians is a recipe for disater in the long run. More likely the anemone will die in months from aggression or injury because of movement stimulated by the sensation of unnaturally close competitors (cnidarian allelopathy).
... Too many anemones are not given full reef lighting. The most popular species are fairly "high light" animals. Few aquarists are willing to invest in halides for a tank with only one anemone (no other cnidarians).
One of my biggest concerns is that the continued "casual" keeping of anemones by aquarists with less than appropriate husbandry is making many/most of them "disposable" creatures. Very few survivce past one year. Beyond it being an attrocious record of survivability... there are very sobering sustainabilty issues here.
Some say/believe (I'm inclined to agree) that these animals have no defined senosence. The ones we receive in the trade are perhaps decades old (some large carpets pegged at over 100 years old). They also reproduce very slow in the wild.
Studies where storms or collectors have cleaned out a patch of reef of acropora coral, for example, 2-3 years later are fully recovered.
However, patches where anemones are cleared out... are still devoid of any anemones as much as 10 years later! It is heart-breaking- and this is one case where our hobby truly has a clear and negative impact on the environement.
We simply must limit our consumption of anemones and keep the ones we do import to the best of our ability. That means no anemones in mixed reef tanks with other corals/anemones or low light systems, IMO. Of course there are a few lucky aquarists that break this rule (even for years) and get away with it. But as they say... even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes
It honestly sounds to me like this anemone candidate fails several or all of the above criteria.
You will also want/need to QT all new imports for your own clients to be a good aquarist and a good businessman. There are too many rank amatuers reselling freshly imported/resold livestock at the expense of animals lives (morbidity and mortality).
My advice for you, my friend, is to first receive the animal properly. A quick ten gallon tank (bare-bottomed) with a heater and several very strong airstones (no water pumps/power heads for fear of slurping anemone) is almosyt all that is needed. If you don't have the gear laying around... buy it. Its cheap and you'll need it in the future. Put a small bit of live rock in and just do water changes as needed. It won't take many wc's to get you through a month QT.
If the anemone is shipped properly, it will arrive without water. This makes acclimation pretty easy. The anemone is holding waste and a long acclimation could poison its acclimation water if the waste is released. IMO... do a fast temperature acclimation (float bag) and mix small amounts of tank water in at 5 minute intervals for 15-20 minutes. Thats it. Decant the ameliorated bag water and gently place the anemone on the tank bottom.
With or without a good home pending, this QT is critical. Else... I would bet good money that this specimen will not live to see six months if it even makes it to 2 months old.
With kind regards,
Anthony
Very good to hear from you. Thank you for raising a very good point and giving me a seguey to share an opinion with hopes to "serve the greater good". Rest assured, I recall and realize you are indeed a conscientious aquarist. The following is not a slight or reflection on you at all. I appreciate the stimulation to mention this issue.
Rearding the anemone... this is a really tough question for me to answer. Like you... I have very strong feelings about the collection and importation of wild anemones.
I'd honestly be a hypocrite if I condoned it. I feel that they are fine for species tanks... but should not be kept "casually" otherwise by aquarists (at least not wild caught specimens... for casual keeping we seek some of those wonderful cultured E. quadricolors)
My complaints are:
... Too many anemones are imported without proper handling or Quarantine in isolation to stabilize them (like this anemone which is going straight into the display). QT dramatically improves survivability for imported animals in a controlled and stable environment. I feel that it is irresponsible to forego QT on any animal. Beyond the imported specimens best chances for life... there is the huge concern of risk to the entire display's others inhabitants (wipe out from decay or infection of new specimen). "Perfect" lighting is no concern in QT of course for the need to acclimate the anemone for having been light deprived on import and the fact that deficiencies in lighting are easily compensated for (at least short term) with extra feeding. QT is crucial for all livestock on import without exception in my opinion. A full 4 weeks.
... Too many anemones are put into tanks with other corals and anemones... a horrible long term strategy and unnatural for most species. Motile cnidarians mixed with sessile cnidarians is a recipe for disater in the long run. More likely the anemone will die in months from aggression or injury because of movement stimulated by the sensation of unnaturally close competitors (cnidarian allelopathy).
... Too many anemones are not given full reef lighting. The most popular species are fairly "high light" animals. Few aquarists are willing to invest in halides for a tank with only one anemone (no other cnidarians).
One of my biggest concerns is that the continued "casual" keeping of anemones by aquarists with less than appropriate husbandry is making many/most of them "disposable" creatures. Very few survivce past one year. Beyond it being an attrocious record of survivability... there are very sobering sustainabilty issues here.
Some say/believe (I'm inclined to agree) that these animals have no defined senosence. The ones we receive in the trade are perhaps decades old (some large carpets pegged at over 100 years old). They also reproduce very slow in the wild.
Studies where storms or collectors have cleaned out a patch of reef of acropora coral, for example, 2-3 years later are fully recovered.
However, patches where anemones are cleared out... are still devoid of any anemones as much as 10 years later! It is heart-breaking- and this is one case where our hobby truly has a clear and negative impact on the environement.
We simply must limit our consumption of anemones and keep the ones we do import to the best of our ability. That means no anemones in mixed reef tanks with other corals/anemones or low light systems, IMO. Of course there are a few lucky aquarists that break this rule (even for years) and get away with it. But as they say... even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes
It honestly sounds to me like this anemone candidate fails several or all of the above criteria.
You will also want/need to QT all new imports for your own clients to be a good aquarist and a good businessman. There are too many rank amatuers reselling freshly imported/resold livestock at the expense of animals lives (morbidity and mortality).
My advice for you, my friend, is to first receive the animal properly. A quick ten gallon tank (bare-bottomed) with a heater and several very strong airstones (no water pumps/power heads for fear of slurping anemone) is almosyt all that is needed. If you don't have the gear laying around... buy it. Its cheap and you'll need it in the future. Put a small bit of live rock in and just do water changes as needed. It won't take many wc's to get you through a month QT.
If the anemone is shipped properly, it will arrive without water. This makes acclimation pretty easy. The anemone is holding waste and a long acclimation could poison its acclimation water if the waste is released. IMO... do a fast temperature acclimation (float bag) and mix small amounts of tank water in at 5 minute intervals for 15-20 minutes. Thats it. Decant the ameliorated bag water and gently place the anemone on the tank bottom.
With or without a good home pending, this QT is critical. Else... I would bet good money that this specimen will not live to see six months if it even makes it to 2 months old.
With kind regards,
Anthony
As I suspected...
As I suspected...
As we all know, the customer is not always right. The only reason that I'm attempting this is that the buyer is willing to cover any loss. I happen to have a fully conditioned 10 gallon complete with skimmer (with a protected intake) and some PC lighting. I will go the quarantine route rather than risk crashing the entire tank for the customer, even though he may not understand why. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well as your advice. Cross your fingers!!
As I suspected...
As we all know, the customer is not always right. The only reason that I'm attempting this is that the buyer is willing to cover any loss. I happen to have a fully conditioned 10 gallon complete with skimmer (with a protected intake) and some PC lighting. I will go the quarantine route rather than risk crashing the entire tank for the customer, even though he may not understand why. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well as your advice. Cross your fingers!!
Anthony Calfo
New member
Cheers, mate
... As we all know, the customer is not always right.
Heehee... you aren't kidding brother. I worked retail for about five of the last 15 years (and much rather preferred the last ten years in the greenhouse doing most only wholesale) and the stubborn insistence of some fellow consumers (the minority thankfully) to treat our live charges like furniture is hard to fathom. Still... we (the dedicated) do the best we can to mentor them.
I honestly wouldn't make such a big deal about it if it weren't an anemone. Many reef creatures are very easily sustainable. Beyond issues of ethics... indeed, it doesn't seem so terrible to me to compromise on an Acropora or a Xenia for example when they truly are weeds in the native environment. They recover easiliy in the wild and grow easily in home aquariums alike.
But the anemone thing truly is a big deal. I think by any measure, it is one of those animals in our hobby/trade that we must rank as high priority to manage responsibly... or... we risk some legislative body enacting legislation to do it for us. I would much rather be a responsible aquartist and police myself. I can see that you are too! I sincerely appreciate your tolerance of my rant, my friend.
Kind regards and best of luck in your endeavors.
Anthony
... As we all know, the customer is not always right.
Heehee... you aren't kidding brother. I worked retail for about five of the last 15 years (and much rather preferred the last ten years in the greenhouse doing most only wholesale
) and the stubborn insistence of some fellow consumers (the minority thankfully) to treat our live charges like furniture is hard to fathom. Still... we (the dedicated) do the best we can to mentor them.I honestly wouldn't make such a big deal about it if it weren't an anemone. Many reef creatures are very easily sustainable. Beyond issues of ethics... indeed, it doesn't seem so terrible to me to compromise on an Acropora or a Xenia for example when they truly are weeds in the native environment. They recover easiliy in the wild and grow easily in home aquariums alike.
But the anemone thing truly is a big deal. I think by any measure, it is one of those animals in our hobby/trade that we must rank as high priority to manage responsibly... or... we risk some legislative body enacting legislation to do it for us. I would much rather be a responsible aquartist and police myself. I can see that you are too!
I sincerely appreciate your tolerance of my rant, my friend.Kind regards and best of luck in your endeavors.
Anthony
Anthony Calfo
New member
Cheers, mate
... As we all know, the customer is not always right.
Heehee... you aren't kidding brother. I worked retail for about five of the last 15 years (and much rather preferred the last ten years in the greenhouse doing most only wholesale) and the stubborn insistence of some fellow consumers (the minority thankfully) to treat our live charges like furniture is hard to fathom. Still... we (the dedicated) do the best we can to mentor them.
I honestly wouldn't make such a big deal about it if it weren't an anemone. Many reef creatures are very easily sustainable. Beyond issues of ethics... indeed, it doesn't seem so terrible to me to compromise on an Acropora or a Xenia for example when they truly are weeds in the native environment. They recover easiliy in the wild and grow easily in home aquariums alike.
But the anemone thing truly is a big deal. I think by any measure, it is one of those animals in our hobby/trade that we must rank as high priority to manage responsibly... or... we risk some legislative body enacting legislation to do it for us. I would much rather be a responsible aquartist and police myself. I can see that you are too! I sincerely appreciate your tolerance of my rant, my friend.
Kind regards and best of luck in your endeavors.
Anthony
... As we all know, the customer is not always right.
Heehee... you aren't kidding brother. I worked retail for about five of the last 15 years (and much rather preferred the last ten years in the greenhouse doing most only wholesale
) and the stubborn insistence of some fellow consumers (the minority thankfully) to treat our live charges like furniture is hard to fathom. Still... we (the dedicated) do the best we can to mentor them.I honestly wouldn't make such a big deal about it if it weren't an anemone. Many reef creatures are very easily sustainable. Beyond issues of ethics... indeed, it doesn't seem so terrible to me to compromise on an Acropora or a Xenia for example when they truly are weeds in the native environment. They recover easiliy in the wild and grow easily in home aquariums alike.
But the anemone thing truly is a big deal. I think by any measure, it is one of those animals in our hobby/trade that we must rank as high priority to manage responsibly... or... we risk some legislative body enacting legislation to do it for us. I would much rather be a responsible aquartist and police myself. I can see that you are too!
I sincerely appreciate your tolerance of my rant, my friend.Kind regards and best of luck in your endeavors.
Anthony
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