Keeping aipstasia alive

[Flusher]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but aipstasia is an anemone (AFAIK), so here goes:

I've got some aipstasia that I want to keep alive, and thriving. There are a few smaller aipstasia in the basically unlit sump in my larger nano, and there are several in the display of my smaller mantis shrimp nano. I'm more concerned about my mantis tank, since I don't plan to add corals to this tank, and they look awesome in and of themselves. (They also help clean the water, which is why I added them to both tanks.)

Do they have any lighting preferences/requirements? (Those in my unlit sump look pretty sickly white...)

Do they have a special diet? Should they be spot-fed?

Do they need any kind of additives?

What kind of flow do they prefer/require?

Is there anything else I should know?

Thanks...

 

[Thurge]

Being the bain of most reefer's existance I would say that if you leave them alone they will do fine. They will also eventually reach plague poprotions, covering everythign they can.

 

[phender]

edit

 

[traveller7]

If you are hoping they pull extra matter from the water, don't spot feed unless they are shrinking over a one week period. They definitely will use available lighting, but have not been picky. Skip additives.

Good Luck and keep your eyes open for Berghia Nudi breeders, they are always on the hunt for more Aiptasia

 

[Flusher]

Thanks for all the info.

What are Berghia Nudis? A type of nudibranch?

I think aipstasia look neat, and I don't want to spend a fortune on more corals for my second, smaller nano. (On top of that, since it's a mantis shrimp tank, I don't want to get thwacked in the fingers while aquascaping.) I've got one 5 lb. rock in the middle of the tank, and it's lightly covered in aipstasia. It would really look awesome almost fully covered, and keeping the aipstasia centralized on the rock should be easy enough to do.

I might spot-feed, since the only thing in there is a mantis shrimp that doesn't eat often enough to provide enough leftovers to feed the number of aipstasia I'm hoping to grow.

 

[DrBDC]

1 aip can make a couple dozen baby aips per day. You will quickly be a solid mass of aips.

 

[FishGuttz]

I think you might be happier with curly-Q anemones.

 

[55semireef]

I have seen aiptasia live in sump with no light before. It wasn't mine though. I would hate to have aiptasia in my tank.

 

[Flusher]

Here's a pic of my mantis shrimp tank:

 

[55semireef]

Personally I despise aiptasia but I guess you can make some cool mantis/aiptasia tanks.

 

[kewliz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7586185#post7586185 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flusher
Thanks for all the info.

What are Berghia Nudis? A type of nudibranch?

I think aipstasia look neat, and I don't want to spend a fortune on more corals for my second, smaller nano. (On top of that, since it's a mantis shrimp tank, I don't want to get thwacked in the fingers while aquascaping.) I've got one 5 lb. rock in the middle of the tank, and it's lightly covered in aipstasia. It would really look awesome almost fully covered, and keeping the aipstasia centralized on the rock should be easy enough to do.

I might spot-feed, since the only thing in there is a mantis shrimp that doesn't eat often enough to provide enough leftovers to feed the number of aipstasia I'm hoping to grow.

duuuude - why don't you just get rid of the aptasias and put a GSP frag in there? It's bright green and flows in the current like seagrass. That would look way better. PLUS - u can frag it over time and trade things for it.

 

[Flusher]

I've had GSP. It didn't do too well. I actually really like the aipstasia so far. I figure it fits with the mantis. Ha ha.

 

[travisurfer]

i was thinking of a curley cue tank for my clown pair. anyway, i like the look of mojano anemones better than aiptasias. imo.