Need advice: gig or mag?

H

hajas

New member
Recently I acquired a gig from my LFS. I always wanted one and they were willing to trade my RBTAs for it. I've had enough of the multiplying RBTAs. Turns out the gig was showing signs of sickness , but it looked ok to my untrained eye, and I lost it after a couple weeks. I learned the hard way to have cipro on hand, not order it after the fact. Moving forward, I'd like to try another gig or nah . Now the questions:
1) is there much difference in ease of shipping/acclimation between the two?
2) is liveaquaria my best bet online? I don't have many good options locally?

My tank is a 210 and been up and running for over 2 years. I also have a HT setup ready to go, cipro and all. Thanks in advance.
 
One other thing I've been reading , seems gigs are possible fish catchers in aquariums and mags are known to float around the tank if they aren't happy with their location. Any other drawbacks I should know? Thanks.
 
I've only had experience with gigs, but both are notorioisly poor shippers and very sensitive animals. However, from what I have heard anecdotally, mags tend to respond better to antibiotics.

Regarding fish-eating tendencies, gigs are certainly killers. Mags much less so.
 
addictedreefer said:
I've only had experience with gigs, but both are notorioisly poor shippers and very sensitive animals. However, from what I have heard anecdotally, mags tend to respond better to antibiotics.

Regarding fish-eating tendencies, gigs are certainly killers. Mags much less so.
Click to expand...

I agree...
 
addictedreefer said:
I've only had experience with gigs, but both are notorioisly poor shippers and very sensitive animals. However, from what I have heard anecdotally, mags tend to respond better to antibiotics.

Regarding fish-eating tendencies, gigs are certainly killers. Mags much less so.
Click to expand...

gigs only catch sick fish. I observed that from my cardinals. those who were kicked out of the team doomed and ended up either in the gig's gut or on the tank bottom. all the healthy fish stayed fine. It was a verry opportunistic predator that caught weak fish drifting with water flow

IMO gigs are slightly hardier. Since it relied on water flow to bring some fish snack, it's more prone to moving than a mag. Both of mine survived possibly also because I got them when I was in China. The market was closer to HK, Indonesia or the South China Sea itself teems with colorful gigs. It had a variety of colorful gigs to offer and paid few more bucks, those lovely vendors could do anything you wanted:beer:

mags catch slow moving fish. the one I had in ottawa consumed my 2 dragonface pipefish--very slow swimmer and a hawk fish, which landed on a completely wrong spot. It was more proactive when intent to catch a fish as snack. Don't know how but it seemed to have nose and eyes
 
I've had gigs kill perfectly healthy fish including a copperband and blue tang right before my eyes. They are extremely sticky and although it is true that most fish know to avoid them, if they accidentally brush tentacles, they are toast. Mags are not as aggressive.

I also disagree on the moving point. Maybe I am lucky but all gigs I have added have more or less remained in the same spot in which they were introduced. To the contrary, mags are notorious wanderers and powerhead fodder.
 
A mag will wonder around the tank. Sometimes when they like things, they'll stay put for a long time. They will go up and down the rock work and also get on your glass if they aren't 100% happy.
 
All nems can and will eat fish -- I'd rate gigs and mags at the same level. Regardless, it doesn't really matter because it's possible, meaning it only takes one time for it to happen and it'll most likely be your favorite fish. :headwallblue:

IME, gigs rarely more once they're happy. They tend to dig in, which leads me to think they're in it for the long haul. Mags on the other hand, like to spread their foot out on the top of a flat rock -- but it also allows them to be more mobile. The ones I've had more or less stayed in the same spot, but did move around the rock, as if they were "antsy" and couldn't keep still.

Regarding moving, here's my take on mags: they can reproduce by splitting and need a way to spread out. I don't think it's a coincidence that they -- like BTAs that also split -- inflate with water and float away. Mags and BTAs have a much higher incidence of getting chewed up by powerheads.

My personal vote is for a gig. I prefer the colors that they come in -- the bright green, blue, and purple ones especially -- and they are much harder to come by than mags. If rarity is a factor for you, then gigs are the way to go. However, if you are able to find one of the rare color morphs of mags -- such as bright purple with yellow tips -- then to me that's the holy grail of anemones.
 
I think nothing in a reef tank looks better than a bright Gigantea, IMBO (B for bias). A special color Magnifica is also very nice. Neck to neck with the Gigantea. Too bad they are so hard to get healthy. If you just have room for one, I would what ever come your way first. Nice one are not eary to come by nor cheap. They need similar condition, other than change the LR around a little, the same tank can be use for either.
 
Couldn't find my gigs. But these mags are in nice color too:

purple with yellow/gold tips--it stayed put until it vanished one day. presumably shrank then dissolved

dec17ritteri.jpg


purple with yellow tips. it stayed put too

dec27ritteri2012_zpse562bcba.jpg


purple with green tips. it stayed put too

IMG_5457_zpsd7f144e7.jpg


I got 2 chopped up in mp10. a guy told me mags liked mp and advised to change it to a wavebox. I guess its true. Now i tuned my 3 mps into short pulse makin a wavebox effect and the mag seemed happy
 
Shouldve made some pictures of my gig collection. Well, it's all about feelings though. I used to like gigs and dislike mag balling up. then after reading some interesting remarks here and seeing some interesting pictures, i totally switched to mags

re moving, IMO mags and btas move fast and tend to get themselves vertical on glass. sabae--the bleached one I have is still floating in my tank, gigs seems to move on the bottom. the two I had moved along the rock edge. they moved like for the inintial few months but never climbed onto the glass, reducing the risk of being chopped
 
Last edited:
Either species can be the focus of your tank and a head turner. A very nice Crispa can do the same, much harder to get, but easier to keep
 
M Woodhill said:
Couldn't find my gigs. But these mags are in nice color too:

purple with yellow/gold tips--it stayed put until it vanished one day. presumably shrank then dissolved

dec17ritteri.jpg


purple with yellow tips. it stayed put too

dec27ritteri2012_zpse562bcba.jpg


purple with green tips. it stayed put too

IMG_5457_zpsd7f144e7.jpg




I got 2 chopped up in mp10. a guy told me mags liked mp and advised to change it to a wavebox. I guess its true. Now i tuned my 3 mps into short pulse makin a wavebox effect and the mag seemed happy
Click to expand...



Those are very nice Woodhill. I like the first two. But all are very nice!
 
OrionN said:
Either species can be the focus of your tank and a head turner. A very nice Crispa can do the same, much harder to get, but easier to keep
Click to expand...

Where did you score that yellow Mag?

That thing is stunning. Everytime I see it, I wonder where it came from.
 
Reefahholic said:
What's special about that one? The ones you had were all prettier.

It's just balling up..
Click to expand...

its green tentacles with pink tips

and this is a picture showing China's strong robust anemone market. I easily found gigs of all color and this guy is tired of his two red had. I promise everyone's jaw will drop when hearing the price he's taggin on

162753aaszilscjns96cgs.jpg
 
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