Anemone splitting observations

[Patio]

5 months ago I started with one RBTA that was very happy in my tank. I feed fish every other day with mysis and rods food, heavy. I then turn off the pumps and watch all the corals and anemone start to wrap around some of the falling food. No other direct feeding has ever occurred with any of my anemones in the past 7 years, all thriving healthily to my basic anemone knowledge.

In June I began to notice some red slime growing on the sand bed making its way to zoas on the lower rock column. I have treated with Red Slime Remover by Ultra Life Reef Products with success in the past. I did not have a anemone when previously treating. After my first treatment in June I noticed my RBTA splitting just 3 days after treatment with a full split about 5 days after. I treated again in July and August with the same splitting pattern in 3-5 days. I know have 8 RBTAs and wonder if this is remarkable coincidence or some sort of stress that brings on splitting.

I am planning to setup another tank and begin experimenting.

This is all observation on my part. I have very little knowledge of RBTAs other than owning a few over the years. I look forward to my future experimenting and any comments or insight the RC community can share.

Thanks for reading,

Patrick

 

[romsoccer12]

hey man im sure some people are agaisnt testing animals and stuff but i say go for it because you may have found a new way to make an anemone 100% split on your will without having to do it by cutting. Even though it probably is stressful, its a good discovery, keep us posted

 

[Patio]

Testing on animals is probably a bad idea if you know you are causing harm. The product I will be using states, "Removes red slime safely and effectively from corals and invertebrates." I figure if I stick to the instructions on the label things will remain safe. I have replaced my live rock with some fresh rock because even with the redslime remover helping I was still losing the battle. I will treat my old rock in a new tank with a RBTA tenant. I will be sure to elevate my O2 levels to compensate for increased biological digestion created by the slime remover.

 

[Urchinhead]

You may be having a nitrate et al. spike when the dead algae decay's in your tank from the Red Slime Remover which is stressing the anemone. Since Red Slime is cyano bacteria its usually treated with antibiotics thus Red Slime Remover is usually Erythromycin which is an antibiotic akin to penicillin.

 

[clayw]

:strange:want to sell me one!? ha

...but seriously Patio
-clay

 

[Patio]

urchinhead pmed

 

[Urchinhead]

urchinhead pmed

Sorry mate didn't get a PM from you... What's up?

 

[Patio]

sorry that was for clay.