Mertenssi carpet anemone

[Pinkskunk]

I know there is only a handful of folks here keep the Mertenssi carpet anemone. can you folks tell me how hardy/delicate they Are compared to Haddoni?

someone have a Mertenssi carpet anemone and asked if i want one and it will cost me $200 plus shipping. that's alot of cash and the nem is dark brown. it is a Mertenssi carpet anemone as i confirmed it from the picture of the foot.

 

[D-Nak]

I would rate mertensii at about the same level of difficulty and hardiness as a haddoni. They seem to ship about the same, and of the 4-5 I've seen, only one was in bad shape at the LFS. It was in such bad shape that it was obvious it was going to die. The one I had died because something attacked it prior to me receiving it, otherwise it would probably still be alive. I'd say they're the equivalent of a rock-dwelling haddoni.

In terms of price, it varies greatly. Many wholesalers only classify carpet nems as Stichodactyla sp. and therefore ship out haddoni, gigantea, and occasionally mertensii, and all are the same price. It's up to the LFS to price it as they see fit. My LFS can get $300-$400 for them, but they market them as rare mertensii to anemone collectors. On the other hand, the one that I acquired was purchased by my friend as an unknown anemone for $40.

I personally put mertensii in a unique class of its own -- for those who want a rarely collected nem even though they tend to be a drab brown. I would opt for a brightly colored haddoni or a nice gigantea over the merts. Though if I could find another one for $40 I'd pick it up!

 

[Pinkskunk]

ok thanks for the breakdown, i will opt for the gigantea then.

 

[phender]

I would second D-Nak's comments. I think they might be even a little easier than haddoni and ship a little better. The problem is they get quite large and usually aren't very colorful, although one of mine was a nice mustard yellow. Once they acclimate to your tank they will expand to at least 50% larger than when you received it. They are capable of catching and eating fish, but aren't nearly as dangerous as haddoni.

To me it would not be worth $200. (And I love them). The novelty of having a rarely imported anemone wears off fast and you are left with a $200 brown anemone.

 

[Pinkskunk]

that's a sound advice so yes, the search for gigs continues.....

thanks Phil.

 

[Winwood]

I would second D-Nak's comments. I think they might be even a little easier than haddoni and ship a little better. The problem is they get quite large and usually aren't very colorful, although one of mine was a nice mustard yellow. Once they acclimate to your tank they will expand to at least 50% larger than when you received it. They are capable of catching and eating fish, but aren't nearly as dangerous as haddoni.

To me it would not be worth $200. (And I love them). The novelty of having a rarely imported anemone wears off fast and you are left with a $200 brown anemone.

I will contradict Phil here a little. Personally I would happily pay $200 for one. I have owned 3 and presently own 1.

For me, I enjoy replicating what is seen in nature. This coupled with my fondness for the clarkii complex, which are often associated with them in the wild, makes me always on the lookout for merten's carpets.

However, most people want a bright colored carpet with bright orange clowns. If that's your goal, I agree with Phil, go with a gig. If subtle beauty and uniqueness is appealing, consider the mert.

 

[M Woodhill]

I have yet to see one in person lol

 

[phender]

I will contradict Phil here a little. Personally I would happily pay $200 for one. I have owned 3 and presently own 1.

For me, I enjoy replicating what is seen in nature. This coupled with my fondness for the clarkii complex, which are often associated with them in the wild, makes me always on the lookout for merten's carpets.

However, most people want a bright colored carpet with bright orange clowns. If that's your goal, I agree with Phil, go with a gig. If subtle beauty and uniqueness is appealing, consider the mert.

Don't get me wrong. I have owned 4 of them over the years. Three of them were brown. One of my favorite things was watching my orange skunks body surf from the top of my 24" merten's to the bottom, something I have never seen happen with other carpets. I lifted the skirts of haddoni carpets in wholesalers holding tanks for 10 years looking for my first mertens. Like you, I appreciate their subtle beauty. I just think most people get a little wound up about something that others covet and will pay big money to get it, only to realize after they make the purchase, its "just a brown anemone" to them.

I also don't think there is any reason for a merten's to be any more expensive than any other carpet. They are not rare in nature. They don't cost any more to collect or transport. Its kind of ironic that their drab color causes them to rarely be collected, yet because they are rarely collected, retailers can charge collectors like you and I more for them, even though they usually cost the retailers less than other carpets.

Its been a while to be sure, but my first 3 merten's I bought wholesale for between $15 -$25 and one of them was 15" across.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Mertenssi carpet anemone

I wouldn't risk $200+shipping on an item that may or may not arrive healthy, or alive. It's a very risky undertaking.
But as far as value of a mertens anemone I look at it this way...if I traveled to Fiji or some other part of the world where I saw and liked a certain type of anemone then $200 wouldn't be that much to try replicating something you had observed in the ocean and were very fond of. In essence it becomes a subjective value.

 

[Winwood]

^^^ I'm pretty much in agreement with both statements above. One sidenote however, I've always kind of had a feeling merten's might not be that easy to collect. From personal experience, they are the absolute hardest anemone to get to detach from a rock. It's amazing how much they adhere to their substrate. I killed my first merten's trying to move it, when it was attached to two rocks at the same time. I kinda wonder if divers experience the same difficulties and avoid them because of it.

 

[taylor t]

Mine has been very easy to keep. I would say easier than haddoni. But like Winwood said, don't plan on moving it. The foot is huge, and does not let go.

 

[Rare Angels]

I have two of them currently, one is in a treatment tank as we speak. The first one survived a 4 day shipment when FedEx lost it.

The first specimen was yellow and the second was a dark green. I say "was" because both anemones have bleached completely white after having to go through a antibiotic treatment.

 

[Winwood]

I have two of them currently, one is in a treatment tank as we speak. The first one survived a 4 day shipment when FedEx lost it.

The first specimen was yellow and the second was a dark green. I say "was" because both anemones have bleached completely white after having to go through a antibiotic treatment.

Good luck with yours RA. One of the ones I lost came in completely bleached and never recovered. I don't know if it was a "sick" anemone, but it held on forever before it finally succumbed. Perhaps with antibiotics, it might have recovered, but this was before people were having success using them.

 

[taylor t]

I have two of them currently, one is in a treatment tank as we speak. The first one survived a 4 day shipment when FedEx lost it.

The first specimen was yellow and the second was a dark green. I say "was" because both anemones have bleached completely white after having to go through a antibiotic treatment.

Best of luck! Please share some pics, they are far and few between. Mine was bleached shortly after I received it too. It regained it's color, but it took on more of a green. Now, all the green color is gone, and it's all brown, with a color that's hard to describe on the tips, so I just call it brown. It's like a fluoresce orange or yellow on the tips, depending on which lights are on. I think I may have some pics on a thread already, if I have time I'll try to find some to show the shift from green to brown over time. I remember posting pics of it bleached too. Maybe 2009?

...post some pics please...


Does anyone know what happened to Christina's mertens? I don't remember the screen name, something like WickedNH0LC32....what ever the scientific number is for salt...? I thought it was purple? Was it sold, still there, or fall off the face of earth? Anyone remember?

 

[Rare Angels]

Sorry but I didn't take any pictures of the first mertens while it was in treatment. I really didn't think it would make it after being in transit for 4 days. Here is a picture of the anemone in my display tank....I know it really bad

 

[Rare Angels]

Here are few of the second mertens.

Just after being transferred to treatment tank.


A couple of days later.

 

[Rare Angels]

last picture is in the treatment tank still but having finished a fully round of antibiotic. I am watching it for a few days before putting it in the display.

 

[Rare Angels]

you can see how bleached it is. It went from a rather dark green color to completely bleached in 1-1.5 days. I've never had an anemone that bleached this quickly before.

Both anemones do still have some zoozanthellie (sp?), the tips still glow under blue light.

 

[BonsaiNut]

Good to see Rare Angels on the forum

 

[Trek Rider]

I have had my mertens for a little over a month. It has grown and darkened as it has acclimated to my conditions. It is a great addition to my tank and well worth the wait and price.