People with experience with Giganteas, please read

[cpage3]

How ya guys doin,

I wrote recently about two giganteas in an LFS near me. Well they are still there and seem to be getting stickier by the day. My question is that they are not under the most ideal conditions but the owner of the store will do everything he can to try and keep them healthy. right now he has them under 250 metal halides with lumenarc reflectors on a look down type tank which are about 15-20 inches off the water.

he also has a couple powerheads aimed so they blow indirectly at the anemones. There is not a ton of flow in there but more than they had with them when he first got them in (they came in as haddonis but i know they are giganteas).

My question is that they seem to expand and contract in size on a regular basis. with them being shrunk up for a couple hours a day. They are real sticky but donot seem to eat the food we give them.

Are these anemones starving, or doing this because of lack of torrential flow, light, etc.?
Also, what can be done?

I want to get them to start eating but the food I put on their disks just sticks their and doesn't seem to evoke a feeding response (I work at this store).

Is their any tricks to get them to eat?

Any specific foods that they prefer?

Anything that we can change that would give these guys a better chance?


thanks,
Chris

 

[hansonfam]

Okay we'll as i am new with giganteas i probably can't offer alot. But i can tell you what i have learned so far

Sounds like the lfs is trying his best to keep them alive and with your help it just may happen. I now know the flow is a HUGE thing for them. Lot's of randowm flow. Try and get the power heads directed so the tentacles are moving at all times and then lifts the disk regularily.

The expanding and contracting is not a great thing so i have learned. From what i have got it is the begginning of the end but could just be that they are still acclimitizing.

Mine did not eat untill yesterday and it was possibly a coincidence that it was about 5 hours after i finally got the flow "right" Never seen his mouth as tight as it is now that the flow is right. I tried the mysis and got nothing but tried a few peices of krill and they were gone in no time.

Keep trying. I think it is trial and error with these guys.
Do you have clowns available to put in there. I know mine went to ours immedietly and does a fine job of feeding and keeping it clean. I have read it both ways in regards to clowns. Some people say they help it acclimitize and some say they don't. Doesn't hurt to try i guess.

I think just get the flow going some more. And please keep us updated

 

[cpage3]

Is there chemical warfare possible through two touching giganteas cause there is two in there and one moved close to the other and caused it to to shrink up. Or is this just coincidence.

hansomfan- there was multiple clowns in the tank probably about 500 hundred gallons total volume (lookdown is 200 itself) and I took most of them out cause the saddle clowns that were in it seemed to stress it out, because they were digging in its mouth.

now there is only two ocellaris in there amongst the many anemones in the system. Another thing is that the giganteas are in the system with a haddoni and probably 10-12 rose anemones (one being very large), I believe there is an lta in there as well. There is also a couple large leathers in this system.

Could this be the problem or part of it? I was thinking it may be but we run lots of carbon and chage it frequently.

Please the more input the better. Critique, Suggest, give your experience. I donot want to let these guys die.

Thanks
Chris

 

[hansonfam]

Yes i would say the other anemones are a big problem. Can you move any of the other anemones to another tank? And even if so run lots of carbon.

No i don't think them touching is a huge problem. I have seen many pics of giganteas touching each other.But don't hold me to that cause i am pretty new at this myself

I think you were right in moving the aggressive clowns. The last thing they need right now is some clowns digging in there insides...lol

Have you tried to feed them again?
Try dropping the food right on there mouth. Not pushing but just kinda putting it there. That may make them respond. I used to do that with sick lta's and it always seemed to get a reaction.

And the flow you really need to look at. Right now i have 17000 gallons going in my 180 and i just ordered some more pumps as i don't think it is enough. But that gives you the general i dea of the flow. Mine has looked its best since i finally got it positioned enough that he really does move around.

And let me know how its going

 

[Slakker]

I agree - the other anemones need to be moved...too much additional stress for an unhealthy pair of giganteas to deal with.