Gigantea in captivity for over 2 years under PC's

[cpage3]

I was just recently talking to a guy who has a gigantea anemone that he is looking to trade in. He says that he has had it for over 2 years. It is in a 75 gallon aquarium with 3 96 watt PC bulbs over top of it. As far as flow he does not have the torrent of flow that most gigantea owners have. Here are a couple pics.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j21/cpage3/giganteafoot.jpg

My question is how can this be? He is looking to get rid of it because it is taking up too much space in his aquarium, it is over 13" in diameter. The anemone in the photo looks like it is stretched out to absorb all the light that it can but all in all it looks healthy.

Im am very interested in obtaining this anemone and I want to know what you guys think. Should I mimic his conditions or should I slowly acclimate it to more light and flow? Also, what would be the best way to do this?

I will not be obtaining this anemone for a couple of weeks as I am going to california for two weeks, but this gives me time to plan. Let me know your input.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[kris4647]

From what we've heard from current success stories, once you get them in and healthy they are very hardy.

You can tell it's seeking more light in its current set-up, perhaps flow as well. I'd pick it up in a heartbeat and slowly acclimate it to different conditions.

 

[JLopez]

i second that

 

[delphinus]

Thirded

 

[cpage3]

do you guys see anything that does not look right with the anemone, albeit you cannot see the mouth

Chris

 

[kris4647]

The anemone looks fine.

I would hope you have a large tank to accomodate it. It's sad to see something so rare in those conditions.

 

[Rod Buehler]

Are you certain that its not a mertensi?

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12943169#post12943169 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Buehler
Are you certain that its not a mertensi?

Did you click on the link below the pics? It shows the underside of the oral disk.

 

[Rod Buehler]

Yes,

on the bottom half the veraccue look orange and in the upper half the veraccue look purpleish.

 

[Reefvette]

Pics

Pics

Im going to post some updated pics of my gigantea today. Same exact colors.

This is the exact same color scheme of mine.

Most of the long living ones in captivity i have seen are around the same colors. Except for a few very healthy blues and purple (ie. Rods)

 

[Lifes A Beach]

I have one exactly like yours. You can click on this link of where I have posted pictures in another thread:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1409989

I've had mine for 2 months now and it's doing great. I get compliments for it all the time. They are beautiful!

--Barbara
:fish1:

 

[cpage3]

I was under the impression that mertensii had more bubbly tentacles and I think those dots are light purple in actuality.

 

[philip_r5]

wow thats nice looking

 

[E.J. Coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12945264#post12945264 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cpage3
I was under the impression that mertensii had more bubbly tentacles and I think those dots are light purple in actuality.

Looks to me like gigantea that is reaching for light. I would buy it in a heartbeat .... 2 years in captivity .... and I would pay big dollars for it if I had to!!!

Mertensi can also have purplish veruccae I believe. The difference being in the density and shape. I believe that the verrucae on mertensii get more dense as you approach the foot, while gigantea has no verrucae on the foot.... I could be wrong though...