Gig updates

[taylor t]

That's what happens to my bubble algae too! Coralline takes over. Then LR has a new bump added to it's size.

I tried to take pictures, but they were slightly bigger than a grain of rice. I did not see spawn, I think they were already inside, it happened within days of introducing. My wife saw to confirm I wan't seeing things, they all looked the same. I only tried one in the test tube. After it turned to blob, I didn't try the test tube again. I wanted to remove to my QT, but too injured to mess with them at the time to prepare properly. Several were planted on rocks, I just left one I saw flowing in the current in hopes it would settle on it's own, but haven't seen any settle within the macro. Pictures are so blurry trying to capture small ones like this. They were fully inflated, blue column with purple disk, tiny tiny tents. No mistake. All of them, don't remember,4-5, were just floating in the water column, all looked the same, maybe 3-4 day timeline between them. No spawn was seen, water always clear. I think it came with babies inside already. My gut tells me they need still water in the beginning, which my tank has no still spots for them to settle. If I see more, I have QT cycled and waiting with dimmable LED lights I'm confident work well with gigs.

I didn't bring it up, I know nay sayer's need pics, and I don't have any in focus.

 

[OrionN]

That sounds right. The female take in sperms from the water column. Fertilized internally and eggs brooded inside the mother. Babies then egresses though the mouth.
From what you wrote, I am sure that the spawn occurred before she come to your tank. She just release the babies. Which ever anemone you added, that was the female.
So which anemone was it?

Can you tell us how big she was, so we can have an idea of what size they need to reach to be able to spawn.

 

[OrionN]

Information like this are few and far in between. I hope you don't mind me picking your brain about it.

 

[taylor t]

I really looking for a Green Gig. My only Green Gig is a hybrid.

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Your gigs are very beautiful, shape and tents all look super healthy! Your pictures show good coloration, for those of us that can't see in person. I've seen many blue or purples that look "under par" for what they should be, or could be, many photo's are over saturated in blue bulbs and out of focus. A healthy anemone, to me, is more beautiful, than any particular color. I just happened to stumble upon these colors from the LFS, ironically, no browns to choose from. I personally enjoy an in focus, clear, white photo of a healthy BTA over an over saturated, blue, unhealthy gig any day.

Years ago, my uncle had a brown gig, really healthy. A true stunner. It was a dark brown, I haven't seen one like it since. It was a real beauty, it was two toned brown. Dark tips with typical light brown base. I wish I had a camera phone back then, now all phones are camera's. His was under T5 lighting,which was new at the time, not super intense, could be the reason it was darker brown than I see.

Also, I've heard over time, some browns have turned blue, so maybe one of those petco gigs is young, and could turn? I haven't seen this personally, but reputable people have told me they have seen this occur. I have also read this. True or not, I'm not sure, and I'm hesitant to believe until I see with my own eyes, or someone has pics to back up. So far just rumor.

 

[taylor t]

That sounds right. The female take in sperms from the water column. Fertilized internally and eggs brooded inside the mother. Babies then egresses though the mouth.
From what you wrote, I am sure that the spawn occurred before she come to your tank. She just release the babies. Which ever anemone you added, that was the female.
So which anemone was it?

Can you tell us how big she was, so we can have an idea of what size they need to reach to be able to spawn.

Believe it or not, it was one of the two purples, the babies looked fully formed and color took after the purples, blue column and purple disk. 4-5" size, both were cuts, but the one I think it came from was the haddoni looking one, but I'm not positive, I didn't see it release. Pics are above. I'm not sure which one it was, one was shaggy when I brought it home, one looked like a haddoni. Both cut, both looked very different, both came in together to the LFS, and were treated the same way. ALL went through cipro too. Both looked different though. The haddoni looking one was more healed, held itself more tightly than the shaggy looking one, mouth wasn't centered, but had healed reasonably well before I got it. The shaggy looking one's mouth was literally THE edge of the disk, looked like a fresh cut from the day before, but the LFS said he didn't cut it. I posted a pic on another thread. I'm not sure which one released, it could be either one. The haddoni one looked to be more intact as an anemone, but the shaggy one always was more inflated, which I'd expect the babies need room inside in order to survive. The latest gig additions I got, NEVER deflated or looked bad that I can recall.

Information like this are few and far in between. I hope you don't mind me picking your brain about it.

You can pick away, what ever's left! I know my mertens spawned, so it's a male, and I added some tank water between the two systems, in hopes, maybe we could have a more stable, less finicky, gigtensi.:spin1: doubt it, but worth a dream....

I wish I had more useful info, but I'm still learning...

 

[taylor t]

I really like your clowns. It's always nice to drool over other's people's stuff....

 

[taylor t]

Also, your brown gig has lighter tents. My uncles' brown had dark tips. Just thought I'd note that. Dark brown I haven't seen since, his came in bleached white/yellow at the time. I had my sights at the time to get a purple, I passed on that one. I still kick myself for passing on it to this day. Doesn't matter to me, light, dark, they're all beauties when healthy. Healthy seems far and few between, IMO. My mertens isn't where I'd like it to be, but changing 200 gallons at one time, which is what I think it needs, isn't a reality for me. Even though it's brown, it can be a much more beautiful nem if I kept up more. For some reason, the green gig in the system is loving the water though, so I'm not about to upset the balance.

 

[Deepsea2005]

Verry very nice Gigs

 

[taylor t]

Verry very nice Gigs

Thank you

 

[taylor t]

Here's some under the skirt pics.

Some have dark lines like these.


some look like the spots or lines are white not dark.
above and below are the two greens, they're different, could just be the angle, not sure.




Here's another 75 green. They look dark, the 210 green looks light.



Some of them look like it's dark on them, some look like it's light. Even when the light isn't shining through them, they still look light or dark, different. Maybe it's pouches that carry the used algae out of the anemone? Maybe male or female? Or different characteristic of some sort? I haven't documented, maybe this could start. Check back a few months and see if it's changed? Or does someone know the difference?

Those with gigs, what's under the skirt look like? Are some white, some dark? And of those, are the dark ones quite brown in the disk above, and the ones white, pale on top? Not sure if if matters or not. All mine have a good brown color to the disk, yet some are light and some are dark. ?

 

[ptr13]

Looking good Dave, the garden is just beautiful, thanks for the updated pics!!

 

[Reefahholic]

I notice my 3 gigs seem to do well with fresh water changes daily. I can let my mags go 2-3 days without one sometimes to save on water and salt.

I believe your right about them being pretty stable after acclimation. I haven't had much problem with mine. My mags have been extremely difficult. They will deflate for no reason. Plus one will pass infection to all in the tank most of the time.


Taylor and Minh, have you guys noticed if the gigs will pass infection to everybody if one gets sick or deflates?

 

[OrionN]

I got a sisk Gig that passed the infection to my healthy gig and both died a few years ago. since then, I never have sick Gigantea together with healthy one. I would rather not buy a healthy gig if I absolutely do not have the room to QT him.
Same with Haddoni or Magnifica

 

[taylor t]

Looking good Dave, the garden is just beautiful, thanks for the updated pics!!

Thanks Peter!

I notice my 3 gigs seem to do well with fresh water changes daily. I can let my mags go 2-3 days without one sometimes to save on water and salt.

I believe your right about them being pretty stable after acclimation. I haven't had much problem with mine. My mags have been extremely difficult. They will deflate for no reason. Plus one will pass infection to all in the tank most of the time.


Taylor and Minh, have you guys noticed if the gigs will pass infection to everybody if one gets sick or deflates?

I haven't noticed this, as pronounced as you have. I struggled really bad in the beginning with the original two blues and one green. Looking back, I think my issue was tank maintenance/plant decay under the macro. The green would be strong, then one blue would go down, then the other blue would go down, then QT. Then put them all back together, then they would be ok for a while, then one blue would struggle, then the other would hickup. If I remember right, I think I treated one blue twice, and one three times. I didnt' experience them passing stuff between, that I realized anyways, but I'm pretty sure they can. I almost gave up because of so much QT, I was sick of it. All of mine go through cipro, then are in the DT when they don't deflate ever. From my beer brewing days, I'm really germ conscience, even to this day, I still rinse my buckets after every use, wash my hands and arms before I go in, etc... Looking back, they may have been passing it back and forth, I'm not sure. It could have been the fresh water purging (100% every day water change) that goes on with QT that made them better each time, it may have been the cipro, I'm not sure what helped, but they're both here today.

 

[Reefahholic]

I got a sisk Gig that passed the infection to my healthy gig and both died a few years ago. since then, I never have sick Gigantea together with healthy one. I would rather not buy a healthy gig if I absolutely do not have the room to QT him.
Same with Haddoni or Magnifica

I better be careful. My yellow/green hybrid deflated twice and I put him in HT. He was getting that near death look, but seems to like a lot of light and very freshly mixed saltwater like Taylor mentioned. The Magnifica seem to do better with aged water. Anyway, the sick gig deflated twice in my tank, but the other are still doing well. I hope he didn't pass infection. I'll know in a few days. I wonder if it makes a difference with tank size? The flow shouldn't have a problems moving the infection around the tank though (big or small).


I have a mag right now that is in HT again. It's my best one, but not anymore. He's probably going to die. He caught infection off the 4 I got awhile back. He kicked it in the qt and them it got him again before I took him out. After not getting better with antibiotics, I removed him and put him in DT. He seemed to do slightly better, but still was not growing or eating. He's loosing all the tips of his tentacles. He's not deflated completely and for a while his mouth was tight. He didn't appear to get any better or worse. He just kinda stayed half inflated for days with no change. Now he's on a dead end road. I have tried everything. A lot of drugs, no drugs, fresh water, aged water, high flow, low flow, high lighting and low, different lighting, etc. nothing is working. every-time I do a WC, I see about 10-15 green tips on the bottom of tank. It's so weird. I've never had this happen before out of all the Magnifica I've treated. Today, I mixed up 500mg in some water and put some liquefied food with it. Sucked it up in a syringe and shot it in his mouth as a last resort. We'll see when I get him. I would like to actually inject him under the skin as a last resort too. I'm gonna try that tonight if no response when I get home.

 

[Reefahholic]

Thanks Peter!





I haven't noticed this, as pronounced as you have. I struggled really bad in the beginning with the original two blues and one green. Looking back, I think my issue was tank maintenance/plant decay under the macro. The green would be strong, then one blue would go down, then the other blue would go down, then QT. Then put them all back together, then they would be ok for a while, then one blue would struggle, then the other would hickup. If I remember right, I think I treated one blue twice, and one three times. I didnt' experience them passing stuff between, that I realized anyways, but I'm pretty sure they can. I almost gave up because of so much QT, I was sick of it. All of mine go through cipro, then are in the DT when they don't deflate ever. From my beer brewing days, I'm really germ conscience, even to this day, I still rinse my buckets after every use, wash my hands and arms before I go in, etc... Looking back, they may have been passing it back and forth, I'm not sure. It could have been the fresh water purging (100% every day water change) that goes on with QT that made them better each time, it may have been the cipro, I'm not sure what helped, but they're both here today.

Well..you and Minh have definitely got them figured out. As Minh and I discussed before, we both agreed it's vital to have the right conditions in a tank. I think that having an older aged tank with proper maintenance regimen is key. You guys both have tanks that are quite aged as noted from the baseball size bubble algae. :spin3:

I like my tank very clean and spotless. Probably more so than the next reefer. I definitely can't tolerate bad algae. I like that look of coralline covered live rock with some nice good growth of different beneficial things though. Minh's tank is loaded with life. I just love it. I could really tell that gig he gave me was extremely happy. he was so deeply implanted into that rock that we had to take a hammer and chisel to it to get him out. I thought about that for the rest of the day. Only the right conditions will make the animal stay put like that. I spoke with Antonio about my Magnifica, and he told me that when they are happy, they rarely move.

Now that I have my new truck, I'm gonna go see if Minh will be kind enough to fill a 5/g bucket with goodies to jump start my reef. I think I'm gonna add more live rock to my sump or some marine pure ceramic balls. I'm a huge fan of marine pure bricks. They are truly amazing and really have helped my tank. Extremely porous and never clog from some reason. I highly recommend them! The surface area is unreal.

 

[ptr13]

Dave, one question, what is the nem that is located on left side of mertensii? Is that another gig, wow thats plenty of nems Dave, very cool!!

 

[taylor t]

Dave, one question, what is the nem that is located on left side of mertensii? Is that another gig, wow thats plenty of nems Dave, very cool!!

No, those were purple and green hairy mushrooms, mostly purple color. No more nems for me. Too many as it is.

 

[ct_vol]

I need to keep up with this forum more often. You've at least doubled your Gig population since I last checked and they all look super happy. Great job! :thumbsup:

 

[taylor t]

I need to keep up with this forum more often. You've at least doubled your Gig population since I last checked and they all look super happy. Great job! :thumbsup:

Thanks Randy! I know how you feel, it comes in waves. Next time you stop in, post up some pics of your blues.