Anemone Research Project

[I'mRisenAquaRat]

Anyone else frustrated with TRYING to keep an anemone? I would like to gather some information from hobbyists who have successfully AND unsuccessfully keep these crazy animals. Below is a start to the questions. DO NOT ANSWER ANY OF THESE YET. Please give me your opinion on what other questions to ask before we start answering them. Then I'll start a new thread.

Anemone type
Anemone size
What do you feed it â€"œ?
How high is he from the top of tank
Is the anemone hosting a clown?
Is the clown aggressive?
What other corals do you have?

Tank size â€"œ galllons
Sump size - gallons
Tank height â€"œ
Tank age â€"œ
Fuge - Y/N
Skimmer - Y/N
Charcoal used - Y/N
Flow â€"œ L/M/High

Substrate - sand/cc/bb
Water - RO, RO/DI
Temp -
Salinity -
pH
Nitrates â€"œ
Calcium â€"œ
Alk -
How do you maintain Ca/Alk â€"œ Bionic/Randy’s/Ca reactor
Mg -
Do you add any trace elements? If yes, what are their levels?
Water change frequency

Type of lights
Age of lights
Light distance from water
Lighting schedule time

 

[kimsie]

I don't know how you'll be using the information - but I find there to be a lack of a good source of a number of each species. Many sites only have 1 or 2 pictures - while individuals in each species vary in appearance so much.

What about some type of question regarding the color of the anemone over the course of it's time with the individual? Has it stayed the same color - or their experience of it changing? Just something to think about - trying to brainstorm over here for you.

I definitely think this information is MUCH needed. There's just such limited information out there.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I think the key missing question is the condition of the anemone when first purchased. I have seen too many threads asking for help for an anemone when it shouldn't have been purchased in the first place.

No facts to back this up, but I am willing to bet that over half of the anemones that die were on their last legs to begin with.

 

[kimsie]

Another question could be age of tank when the anemone was introduced...

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11949068#post11949068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kimsie
Another question could be age of tank when the anemone was introduced...

and to add to that, how long the hobbiest has been in the hobby. Meaning sure the tank might be new, but the the hobbiest isn't new and has successfully kept anemones

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Also how often do you feed, or do you spot feed.

 

[garygb]

You've got a great start as far as questions to begin with. Here are some more: How long have you had this particular anemone? Do you have pics of the anemone? Where did you get the anemone: online, another hobbiest, lfs, etc. Has the anemone grown since you got it originally (how large was it initially and now)? Has the anemone ever assexually reproduced? Has the anemone ever spawned?

It's a lot better to get advice from someone who's had success for several years with a particular anemone than from someone who has had one for 3 months.

 

[phender]

I did an online survey very similar to the one you propose around 1992. It was before the WWW but was done through the UseNet bulletin boards. The people on those boards have become some of the leading experts in the reefing community. Shortly after Joyce Wilkerson did a similar survey through the Breeder's Registry that had very similar results

The results of my survey are posted here http://fins.actwin.com/species/anemone.html

Most of the conclusions have stood the test of time. There are a few things I could add, like the care for Merten's carpets, but not much else.

Reading the article might help you hone in on some specific things you would like to address in your survey that weren't addressed in mine.

 

[WDLV]

That was a great article.... especially for when it was written. I never realized that it was you who wrote that.

 

[I'mRisenAquaRat]

Phender,
Thanks for the insight. I figured I wasn't the first one to try and get some answers behind these animals. I received a few more ideas for questions for some other fellow reefers. It can't hurt to get some additional recent data.

Can anyone else think of any pertinent questions to ask?

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Not sure how useful these would be but off the top of my head...

Does your clown feed the nem?
Size of clown(s)?
Has your nem split?
How often does it split?

 

[WDLV]

total flow rate per gallon?
has it grown while in your care?
do you filter detritus or use it as plankton to feed your corals and nems?

After the light hits the top of the water how far beneath the water surface is your nem?