Rock Flower Anemone

[Neokane]

Ok.. So I have a few rock anemone's..

I started with 2, and recently added a 3rd because I like them. They are awesome looking creatures.
Today, one of my first two decided it was going to relocate and ended up on top of the newest rock anemone.. Now, I have read that you cant propagate them by splitting them, but there is also no way to determine sex.

Are these two courting or even mating??
If they are that would be awesome!

If not, how can I promote them to mate (assuming I have a male and female)?

Untitled by Neokane

 

[shifty51008]

They reproduce by spawning not mateing like humans do. I dont know what all is involved with lighting, water parameters and such though that will cause them to spawn though. And even if they do spawn in your tank it will be unlikely any will survive the filtration in your tank

 

[shifty51008]

I was wrong, i guess some will survive if they do spawn

 

[Hypnotize]

They don´t die by spawning... feed them well and every day and in about 6 weeks you could have some babys ^^

 

[Neokane]

Well then I need to set up a buffet for them so they can eat, be merry, and spawn.. LOL

 

[xrayjeeper83]

They don´t die by spawning... feed them well and every day and in about 6 weeks you could have some babys ^^

6 weeks? I've had some for 6 for 3 plus months with no babies as of yet. They get fed about twice a week. Only one is full size, which is what I believe is why I have no babies.

 

[Neokane]

What is "full sized"?

 

[xrayjeeper83]

6ish inchs

 

[bradleym]

They don´t die by spawning... feed them well and every day and in about 6 weeks you could have some babys ^^

To be clear, shifty probably meant the babies. Baby anemones spend the larval stage floating and swimming, so most of them are destroyed by filters, pumps, powerheads, etc. Many others are eaten by corals.

 

[Neokane]

Well Obviously, I am hoping they spawn. I think they are amazing critters. I didn't realize they could get up to 6 inches! Good thing I have them in a 90 gallon tank.

Thanks for the info!

 

[xrayjeeper83]

First pick from DEC when I got my first one, second pick is a month or so old. Its still attached to the same rock you just can't see it anymore

 

[Kevin Kling]

Neokane - I recently had a spawning in my tank and have over 50 "babies" which are now anchored and growing. One of the parent anemones was ~5" and the other ~3" (I have no idea which is male or female). After it happened the 5" one was real small for a week or so (perhaps someone else knows based on this which is which).

Recently I added moon lights and had also gone bare bottom. Not sure if either change encouraged the spawning, however the bare bottom did make seeing the babies easier. I'm now feeding them zooplankton and they seem to me fine but I did notice some disappear initially (I'm guessing to my filter like someone else mentioned)

Good luck! note: mine looked similar to yours - red with a yellow center and red with a dark green center. The babies are red and white w/ a bit of yellow

 

[Neokane]

Thanks Kevin..
I have radions with moon lights programmed in. I don't have a bare bottom tank, but If 50 showed up.. WOW! especially at the prices some of these go for!

I my girlfriend said she did see 2 of the 3 releasing a white cloud ( I assume spawning) but No luck on seeing any babies.. If I even know what to look for.

 

[xrayjeeper83]

The babies look like really really small rock flowers.

 

[bradleym]

The babies look like really really small rock flowers.

Did this really just happen?

 

[Kevin Kling]

Baby Rock anemones

Baby Rock anemones

I tried to post a few pics of the baby anemones. Not great (ipad) if they post correctly but you can see 1 to the bottom left of the parent anemone, several in the 2nd pic, and in the third this baby is actually a different color then the rest (sort of cool)

 

[xrayjeeper83]

That's what I'm waiting for, babies with different colors. That's why I've got multiple colors and types of rock nems

 

[Kevin Kling]

rock anemone

rock anemone

Here is one more pic next to a ricordia to give perspective on the current size. I'm not sure when the spawning took place, but I've noticed the anemones for 4 weeks now in which time they have grown.

note: there are a few similar sized "feather dusters" in the photo as well (such as the one below and to the left of the ricordia) not to be confused with the baby rock anemones

I'm target feeding Brightwell's zooplankton where I have the 2 main groups of these in my tank 2x week but am open to suggestions if there is something better

 

[xrayjeeper83]

I scour my tank daily and nightly looking for babies. You don't have to spot fed em, as long as they are getting light they should be fine, unless you are trying speed up growth.

I can't for the life of my think of what I feed my corals that might be good for them. I know it sends all my rock flowers into feeding mode when I put it in my tank. I'll have to get the name tonight when I get home from work

 

[Neokane]

I scour my tank daily and nightly looking for babies. You don't have to spot fed em, as long as they are getting light they should be fine, unless you are trying speed up growth.

I can't for the life of my think of what I feed my corals that might be good for them. I know it sends all my rock flowers into feeding mode when I put it in my tank. I'll have to get the name tonight when I get home from work

That would be awesome..
I feed them random stuff.. They get a rotation like my fish, Spirulina, brine, krill, Rod's fish food. just a rotation. They seem to eat it all..