Anenome feeding/environment questions

[tapar]

If anyone has any tips about how to care for an anenome I would love to hear them. I am particularly interested in what and how often to feed it, how often I should do water changes for it with that being the only item in the tank. Also any tips about lighting and in particular how long to run the lights per day would be great!

I recently purchased a used tank setup that came with a bunch of live rock. I wasn't planning to start tank for a while so I have time to possibly move first and so I can plan out what I want. To give the rock a shot at staying alive, I filled up the 40g sump with the rock and a batch of RODI salt water. I added three koralia 2's to keep the water moving in each sump section. I ordered a little maxi-jet pump to get the water flowing from section to section, but it is still in the mail.

To make a long story short, I was looking at the rocks and noticed something that I didn't expect. An anenome came in with the rocks and had moved to the surface where I could see it! It has light purple tips with a whiteish body. I didn't want it to die so I figured the answer was a small QT tank. I took a 10g tank, added a heater and one of the koralia 2's and one of the pieces of live rock to help create a lower flow area and give it someplace to attach if it wants.

It took forever to figure out how to get it dislodged from the sumps glass wall. In the end I carefully dislodged it using my finger and caught it in a container. I used that to slowly acclimate it to the QT tank water. I added it to the tank and after it got attached to the glass, I added in the piece of live rock and put in the koralia 2 for some flow. It seems ok with the spot it is in as it hasn't moved yet. I waited a while and then target fed it a quarter of a cube of frozen mysis shrimp. It looks like they were eaten, as I don't see any around the tank.

I am in a bit of a pickle because I didn't really expect to be caring for an anenome and had not done the research. I figure it is a hardy variety since it survived in the sump but I want to try and give it the best chance it can have to make it. I am currently using a T5 during the day and turning it off at night, though there are some room lights on at night. I don't have my test kits yet so I am not too clear on my water parameters. That is my next biggest priority because I want to make sure the PH and alk are ok. I did use fresh RODI water and red sea coral pro salt to make the water. I have a refractometer in the mail, but had to rely on a hydrometer to make up the current water. I made it at 1.022 according to the hydrometer.

I have read varying things about anenome care, particularly about how often to feed them so any guidance would be appreciated. How much to feed them is also something I am a bit unsure of. I knew not to use the whole mysis shrimp frozen cube but I don't have a clear idea how much is optimal. I suspect fish have a heavier bioload and need more frequent water changes. I don't have any filtration in the system either so I do expect to do water changes, I just don't know how often I should do them for an anenome. Any tips or suggestions would be welcome. If you want to see what it looks like I have a really poorly filmed iphone video of it on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txoa0oibKeA and think I have attached a couple of pictures.

 

[thegrun]

Here is a very good web site for anemones:
http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

 

[tapar]

Thanks, that is a really handy site!

 

[sponger0]

Best tips for a new anemone, leave it alone for awhile. Dont handle it. Let it become accustomed to its new settings. In time it will find a spot it likes. Second get some test kits or go to your LFS and get some tests done...this is all if you want to keep it. Thired. Get some type of filtration on your tank. If you cant afford a skimmer or anything, look into purigen or chemi-pure. Both will help keep your ammonia down. Also your alk needs to be checked. If its eating thats a good sign. But you really dont necessarily dont need to feed it. They feed off the water column. But if you dont have any fish you may wanna through some mysis in once a week.

Karens rose anemone sight is a very good site for reference.

I dont trust hydrometers so go get a test on your SG too.

This is the best advice I can give as I bought a nem on an impulse...but ive had him for 3 weeks or so and is doing well. I wish you luck as that is a very pretty nem. If you were close Id take it from you lol

 

[chris31]

Great food source is freeze dried krill I feed my bubble tip ever other day 1 piece and I've had mine for about 3 months and it's doing great. Like said by the others what I usually tell people is wait for it to stop moving and find a spot it likes then once it has been in the same spot for 2-3 days then try feeding it but don't force it. If it does eat try the next day and see what happens.but whatever you read or hear do NOT feed it silversides that will kill it .

 

[steelhead77]

......but whatever you read or hear do NOT feed it silversides that will kill it .

This is largely a myth based on a couple ancecdotal experiences from some RC members. Unless you do an autopsy, you can not know why it died. Many people feed silversides with no problems whatsoever.

That being said, there really is no need to ever feed an anemone. I have 7 RBTA's and 4 GBTA's in my tank and I rarely, if ever, deliberatly feed them. I do, however, broadcast feed my tank several times a week with a mixture of mysis, cyclop-ese, prime reef, etc. They manage to get everything they need from light and the water column. Think about them in the wild. They are opportunistic feeders. They are not hunters; they do not move around to catch fish and no-one is coming by every other day sticking a piece of fish in their mouth.

 

[thegrun]

This is largely a myth based on a couple ancecdotal experiences from some RC members. Unless you do an autopsy, you can not know why it died. Many people feed silversides with no problems whatsoever.

That being said, there really is no need to ever feed an anemone. I have 7 RBTA's and 4 GBTA's in my tank and I rarely, if ever, deliberatly feed them. I do, however, broadcast feed my tank several times a week with a mixture of mysis, cyclop-ese, prime reef, etc. They manage to get everything they need from light and the water column. Think about them in the wild. They are opportunistic feeders. They are not hunters; they do not move around to catch fish and no-one is coming by every other day sticking a piece of fish in their mouth.

I'll disagree a little. While I would agree that you do not absolutely need to feed an anemone, it is a good idea to do so. Besides capturing prey in the wild, which they do, Mrs. Clown fish does in fact come around frequently and feed her host anemone. You will see an improvement to your anemone by feeding it a piece of silverside weekly.

 

[chris31]

I highly recommend feeding they do much better when fed.... But I disagree with the silversides