Carpet nem owners

[Creetin]

Looking for info on successfully keeping them.
I own a S GIG, and would like to hear what you guys/gals been doing to keep it happy.

I am looking for tank conditions. Water temp,salinity,light,feedings,flow ect.
Any help would be appreciated, I know the S.gig is the hard one from the lot, But i would love to keep it happy. When i started in the hobby no nem was easy, and all nems had poor success rates. IMO
This could help others than myself as well.
Thank you.

 

[Nanook]

You have one of the hardest anemones to keep. How long have you had it? Where did you get it from?

 

[Toddrtrex]

"sugartooth" has a couple of them. You may what to send her a PM.

 

[Creetin]

Thanks Todd, I'll ask her to respond here so she isnt constantly pmed for info.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15637808#post15637808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Creetin
Thanks Todd, I'll ask her to respond here so she isnt constantly pmed for info.

Good deal, sure that she will be glad to provide any info that she can. Though I have been slowly trying to convert her to the dark side --- Haddonis instead of Gigs.

 

[Creetin]

Well if this one does not work i will switch to haddoni's.
That pink one is peeking my interests but i will not chance mixing another species again.

 

[sugartooth]

Hi Creetin!
Thanks for inquiring. I am quite flattered to be included as a person to ask about giganteas since I am still relatively new to keeping them.

I agree, I LOVE them and they are my favorite. However, as Tobb mentioned, I also have a thing for Haddoni's.

For me, it is definitely important getting a strong one to start. I also feel they exhibit some 'body language' well and one should be sensitive to how they hold themselves as an indication of what they may need when they are stressed. The ones I can't stand are the vendors/stores that sell them as soon as they get them in.

The following input is just based on my experience. I do have more than 2 right now, and I am in the process of upgrading to a 150 cube. I would like to do a Gigantea only tank with a couple of clowns.

Currently, my tank has 3 tunze and 1 vortech along with the return. It's an Elos system 70. I feed my nems every 2-3 days with a baster, which is usually a mix of Hikari 'S' pellets, Hikari mysis, PE mysis, cyclopeeze, rotifers, Rod's food, and some plankton cubes. The mixture is left to thaw with enrichment added.

I do weekly water changes, about 25% each time. If I happen to feed heavy that week, I do a 40% water change.

I purposely seeded the tank with macro algae. I decided I didn't like the caulerpa because it's so hard to trim due to the growth pattern. This stuff wraps itself around the rocks so tight, it's not easy to remove.

So, then I added red macro to overtake the other type of macro. It's working so far. I hand pluck the macro, otherwise I just leave it and it looks very ugly to most reefers. I happen to think algae is good as long as it isn't allowed to take over.

The reason I think it's important is because when I pull out a chunk of algae, there are so many little critters that run out of it. Not only do I think these guys are important to the tank environment, I also think they provide some good nutritious (and more 'natural') food to the nems.

I also have aiptasia in with them. I would very much like to see them gone, but I just can't bring myself to put peppermints or copperband in that tank for fear that something will happen to the nems. So I just leave them and try to ignore them. I was told any nem would beat out aiptasia so I'm not as worried. It just looks ugly, that's all.

My temperature gets as low as 80 and sometimes as high as 88. It mostly stays between 82-84. I think Anthony Calfo does not like having temps so high, I'm not certain but I thought I saw that somewhere on WebWetMedia.

Good Luck Creetin! As I mentioned before I Love, Love, Love them so much and worry about them constantly. Even the ones I have had for more than a year.

 

[Creetin]

Thankyou! I know there are others than have kept them with success lets here from ya please.
I would like to see some healthy ones.

Sugartooth, You mentioned body language.
What's the diff between a flat one with no folds and one folded over and over tightly mean?
TIA!!

 

[Rod Buehler]

My input would similar to sugartooths

getting a good one is key!

surge tanks that will provide stagnant waters for a few (giganteas are often found in tide pools) but then blasted with a surge

Warmer temps 82+ makes them happiest but they dont mind the swings (tide pools) ( my ideal temp for giganteas would be 84-85)

my salinity usually runs a bit high (1.028+ ) but they dont mind a quick change to the lower side ( rain bath in a tide pool)

mine have been exposed to the air for extended periods with no issues (tide pools that evaporate)

Mine only receive small particles of food (Rods Food) that makes it past my fish, but I do feed heavily, so they get a little every day . Again only small particles and no fish bones. When the gut contents have been studied, it is usually small pods (wish I could find that link)

I also agree about the microfauna. My systems are natural with very deep sand beds that are very old (10years) and loaded with life.

intense halides for lighting

mine rest at the sand/rock interface.

Good luck

 

[Creetin]

Thank you Rod B! My tank is a little sterile. SSB, Over rated skimmer, Cant keep macro alive, tonds of flow and a lower temp. 79-81


I'll bring the temp up a bit, try to grow some macro. Maybe shavingbrush would work nicely. I do have loads of pods, and snails breeding in my tank!!
I know how some feel about the zeovit items, I dont use the system, But i do use a couple addatives. My zoa's and rics along with sponges love sponge power. One thing which i never had before is aiptaisa and as soon as i started dosing it they exploded along with zoa growth. I know they are distantly related to nems, and think they would maybe like the same stuff.


Good stuff here by suragtooth and Rod.
Thankyou. This gives me some insight.

 

[sugartooth]

I have a shallow sand bed as well, and not as much rock as I would like to have in the tank because of the size of the nems.

So, macro here works for me. But I would caution against you deliberately putting macro in your tank. Many many many people don't like it, and especially hate the look. For me, looks went out the window when I had to put in more than 1 powerhead in an Elos tank!

If you have growing nems, or lots of macro you really have to watch your flow. The macro will slow down flow a lot, so you need to keep it trimmed so it doesn't obstruct the flow before reaching the nem. I think I have about 7000 gph going on right now and would like to add more. About 3500 gph are ebb and flow pattern.

If I had room, I would add another vortech or tunze because I have added nems, and have lots of macro. Here is a not updated shot of my gigantea tank. I feel there is some sort of jinx to putting up pictures so I won't provide the most current shot until maybe the end of the year. .

So you see all the algae and aiptasia......not so pretty but I think the macro is important because I don't have much sand or rock.

I did the same thing for my Haddoni tank. I have a new aquisition in there so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get jinxed by putting this up.

There is a green stripey in the back that is not shown

 

[sugartooth]

Ah! The whole body language thing.

I have been trying to figure that out for over a year!

Here are some things I notice:

- clenched body and tentacles (almost Haddoni-like):: possibly too much directed flow, possible irritation from underneath, possibly too much light at that time, possibly digging deeper w. foot

- limp body and retracted tentacles:: bad situation. I think it's a sign of a very weak nem and needs to be babied big time. Gentle light, gentle flow followed by bursts, and some pvc to prop it up in some spots to help flow get under it's disk.

- outer edge of disk only folded/middle is just puffy and limp:: This one is confusing. I interpret this as a once stronger nem getting weaker or has been weakened. Could also be a sign that it's dirty inside and needs to be flushed (possible infection)
This is was once followed by the 'gametes'(?) going down the oral disk towards the mouth and being expelled. Very bad sign.

- Highly folded and long tentacles w. body relaxed :: Ideal picture for me! However, there are many very healthy pictures of giganteas that I've seen that are not highly folded but have nice think arrangement of tentacles that are nice and long.

When I mean the body being relaxed, it's waving in the flow with a strong anchor (foot). No matter how strong the flow, it seems to just go with it without resistance while keeping it's folds nice and high (which would be resistance!). It reminds me of wu shu kung fu. Think of those large trees that wave in the wind, they sway and branches bob, and at the same time they are strong.

I noticed that if a nem is not properly attached, the body may seem just a little clenched. Note, most likely not the case in weak anemones.

- mouth open, but has tone:: could be digging, expelling, etc.
- mouth open and no tone: very weak and not good sign

You also need to take the behavior into account along with the appearance of the anemone. If the color is not right and you have certain behaviors, then you can guess what may be going on, but how do you know for sure? I don't know, I would ask an expert!

 

[Creetin]

Thankyou for the detailed posts!! Beautiful nems there! I am sure you are doing something right, But i feel ya on the jinx!!
Gives me some to think about. Mine maybe getting too much flow and i will make a water block to detour some flow around the nem.
Ya know alot of threads i have been reading where people have had Gigantea for a period of time also note that the aiptasia in the tank is a pest.
Might be a sign of the preffered conditions??
Dunno if this is true in all, But i would take aiptasia and a happy nem than none and a dead nem.
Aptasia i do have but i added pepps a few mos to get rid of them.
I may have to hunting for pepps at night, and set traps.

 

[sugartooth]

I forgot to add one more thing...sorry for the lengthy posts!

Sunlight.
I believe it's beneficial to have some natural sunlight hitting the tank. Do I know for sure? Nope.


Good luck Creetin!

 

[Creetin]

Tried to feed mine and it isnt interested yet. I accidently brushed my hand against it and it grabbed onto me pretty good.
Its a good sign i would take it. Its mouth is closed up tight and been so for a couple days. I let the clowns out and we will see if they have to go to lockdown again. As my son says time out because he has been there a few times.

 

[adunne]

Can someone point out the key visual characteristic differences between a gig and Haddonis?

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15644389#post15644389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by adunne
Can someone point out the key visual characteristic differences between a gig and Haddonis?

Shorter tentacles on a Haddoni, and the underside of the oral disc will be smoother.

You can see Sugar's Gigs, here is my blue haddoni,

 

[Creetin]

I may be going crazy, But I think mine is splitting.
Has anyone seen one split. Maybe when it stretches out again i can snap a pic of the new mouth forming. The trunk looks to be branching off.

 

[Creetin]

Heres a pic of the forming mouth, I dont think its functional yet, But its there.
Tis is the first time where it had unfolded enough to clearly see it.
I cant get the other mouth in the shot as its on the other end of the animal. I also think i see a third mouth, Not as developed, But its a green pimple about the size of an pencil eraser.
That gunk there is just that, My tangs like to poop over the nem.
Clowns do a good job cleaning it up though.

 

[Creetin]

One thing i have heard, But not seen is a nem eating another nem. Do gigantea's pose a risk of eating another?
I would like a second one maybe a few mos later.

BTA is in a breeder net since it was walking to the carpet. Before they could touch i pulled it.