anemone feeding frequenct

[MarlinHooker]

so, i've been feeding all my anemones (9) basically every day small bits of shrimp. would it be better to feed them larger pieces just a couple of times a week or does it not make a difference? i only feed my large purple long tentacle plate coral a couple of times a week and it grows like a weed ...

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Most anemones don't need to be fed at all, they get nourishment from sunlight. That said I feed mine once a week a small piece of shrimp that I buy in the grocery store. Raw shrimp for human consumption is much cheaper than buying food for marine life

 

[hotelbravo]

people feed their nems differently some do not feed at all others feed monthly, weekly, and few others feed as often as everyday. contant feeding like the everyday scenario can be harsh on their digestive systems and be stressful which. i prefer the weekly or even bi-weekly option. it also helps feeding them a variety of food i like to change it up and alternate between squid, shrimp, oyster, scallop, and fish.

 

[MarlinHooker]

great, thx

 

[XtremeFromHell]

I feed mine a dried Krill once a week, sometimes it'll catch some floating mysis when I feed the fish

 

[bobbravo2]

I base the frequency of feeding on how "hungry" it looks. The more full and open, the more likely I am to feed. I'd say it varies from once a week, up to as often as every 2-3 days.

 

[DaveRaz]

i never direct feed the two 12"+ rbta in my tank.

 

[ThRoewer]

I feed my anemones (S. gigantea, H malu, H. aurora, 2x S. tapetum) some Mysis daily at the moment, for most to get them growing and in case of the gig because it has still not regained enough color.

 

[MarlinHooker]

since they obviously have mouths why do you hear that they don't need to be fed? seems like if something has a mouth it would need to be fed the 'traditional way' and not just rely on the proper lighting?

 

[OrionN]

since they obviously have mouths why do you hear that they don't need to be fed? seems like if something has a mouth it would need to be fed the 'traditional way' and not just rely on the proper lighting?

They can live with just sunlight and whichever fish food (and fish, snails...) they can catch. Not having enough nutrients, they can shrink to smaller size and still do fine (IMO), in a sense that they look perfectly normal. An anemone experienced reefer will not be able to tell if an anemone is shrinking or growing. In that way I say that they are healthy. Likely they will not be in shape for reproduction like having eggs or/and sperm in them. If one consider that as not been healthy then they are correct, in their interpretation of being healthy.

Anemones will grow and attempt reproduction if they have excessive nutrient. Feeding will be an addition source of nourishment for our anemones in addition for from sunlight and nutrient absorbed from the water.

With that said, If I want my anemone to grow, I feed him. If I do not want him to grow then I don't feed him. I now that my Red Haddoni increase his diameter by about 2 inches after he caught and ate my Yellow Eye Kole tang (6 inches from head to tail).

BTW, BTA and Magnifica, Malu, Crispa will not catch any healthy fish. Gigantea and Haddoni, on the other hand can catch large animals. I have lost several 6 inches tangs to my Gigantea and Haddoni. I also lost 8 inches tropical Abalone to my Gigantea. The foot of one of my Gigantea is a snail cemetery.

 

[Irishdolphin]

I now that my Red Haddoni increase his diameter by about 2 inches after he caught and ate my Yellow Eye Kole tang

Has he maintained that additional 2 inches or has he gradually reduced back to his 'original' size over time? Wondering if size changes in either direction are equally likely or if propensity is to get larger?

 

[MarlinHooker]

so exactly how does one tell an anemone is "hungry"?

BTW, my first carpet has eaten at 2 fish that I know of ... all the rest have gotten smart and go nowhere near where the 2 of them hang out

 

[DropTheB]

I feed my rock flowers every 3 days or when I remember to. Unless you want them to spawn, get bigger, or split (some nems not rock flowers) usually people just let them chill under the light

 

[DropTheB]

I base the frequency of feeding on how "hungry" it looks. The more full and open, the more likely I am to feed. I'd say it varies from once a week, up to as often as every 2-3 days.

Lol your avatar made me laugh:clown:

 

[OCReeferr]

Its hard to tell when it's 'Hungry' but if you have any clowns they are known to bring food back to the anemone while you feed them. Like most people said different feeding schedules have all had good results. I like to feed as often as possible but try to make sure it never 'throws up'. Thats when you know its overfed!

 

[OrionN]

Has he maintained that additional 2 inches or has he gradually reduced back to his 'original' size over time? Wondering if size changes in either direction are equally likely or if propensity is to get larger?

He keep his new size

 

[MarlinHooker]

i know clowns have been seen to bring back food to their anemone but there is no documented scientific evidence of clowns feeding their anemones ... the behavior observerd in people's aquariums is that the clown is bringing food back to a place it feels safe so it can eat it without competition at a later time ... unfortunately for the clowns when they wait to long or go away for too long the anemone simply eats it ... its what they do but the clown is not feeding the anemone ...

 

[MarlinHooker]

I'll going to cut back from feeding my anemones every day and use the extra time to target feed more of my LPS with pellets more often than once a week