Heteractis magnifica? Any info

[Siapin]

Anybody have any input about these anemones: Heteractis magnifica?

I'm just looking into them. I love the way they look, and I'm thinking about getting one of them, but I'd like to find out more info before I dive into buying one.

-clown compatibility
-feeding
-lighting
-flow
-do they move around alot?
-how sensitive to temp? (I don't have a chiller)
-what max temp?
-other sensitivities? ie. salininty, alkilinity, nitrates?
-etc.
-etc.
-etc.

I saw one for sale on marinedepotlive.com, but I'd like to pick it in person, or atleast a picture of the actual anemone.

 

[Siapin]

Here's a link to their Ritteri Anemone sale: HERE!!

 

[delphinus]

Be sure to check out the Anemone FAQ found in the thread stickied at the top of this forum "Clownfish & Anemones FAQ". A lot of your questions should be addressed in there, so have it a look over and see where that takes you.

I generally wouldn't recommend this species, and particularly not as a first anemone species. For one, recently imported specimens have a poor survival track record. For those that do survive long term, they grow immensely large and are quite demanding in terms of flow and lighting, and feeding (putting a heavy bioload on a tank). If the conditions it requires are not met, it will wander. Some people queston this species's appropriateness for captivity altogether.

Basically, I would caution you against this species. I know it's not what you want to hear, but there are other species that may be more suitable for a first time host anemone. BTA's are lovely, stay smaller, and far less demanding, for example. And even though your clownfish may not be a "natural" symbiont, in captivity, they might take to one anyhow. Essentially in captivity, "all bets are off", there's no guarantee fish will (or will not, for that matter) make any associations.

 

[phender]

I agree with everything delphinus has said.
The other thing is, the pic that Marine Depot is using is a rather rare color. Collecters sometimes wait years before they find one even close to that color in any kind of good shape.
Most ritteri (H. magnifia) that you will find have a rusty colored or brown base.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

H. magnifica = huge anemone with a very potent sting.

 

[Siapin]

yea, i've looked into buying another rtba, but i'd like ot get a very nice looking one; as opposed to the chinese one that i had before. The one that I had before was just not as pretty as others I've seen.

Anybody have one, or know where I can get a really nice deep red rtba, with bubble tips?