S. Tapetum breeding? pictures

[Avast Marine]

OK, these are the "maxi variety. Have been in my tank for several months and in captivity for over a year. They have never moved until yesterday the red one came down from the rock to say hi to the green one...

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/354176813/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/354176813_40049e2f04_b.jpg" width="1024" height="766" alt="DSCN2538" /></a>

Today, the green one is returning the greeting:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/58279226@N00/354176816/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/354176816_dc109fded5_b.jpg" width="1024" height="766" alt="DSCN2540" /></a>

Since the "maxi's" have never been reported splitting, I am making an awefully big assumption here. Let me have it guys and gals........

 

[phender]

Anemones normally wouldn't have to touch to spawn. They just broadcast their gametes into the water.

 

[Avast Marine]

Could they have already broadcast their gemetes and are now cuddling?
Is this normal behaivior? This is unusual with the speciments at hand.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

IME S. tapetum tends to form groups of individuals- even if not clones.
This has nothing to do with spawning.

 

[chrisstie]

Maybe he's like "hey where did you get this great spot? I'm going to just move in on top of you I like the lighting here!"
haha those are awesome pics thanks for sharing

 

[Avast Marine]

Thanks guys for the info. I didn't think it happened that way but, thought I would share.
Since Phil and Gary are here, let me ask a question. I have another of these "maxi" s. tapetum's in my sump that I have been feeding heavy for the last several months, again this one has been in captivity for over a year as well. I obtained this one for with the intention of manually splitting it. Thoughts?

 

[Baalz]

Ive had an interesting observation with these anemones lately.
I got some from Gary years ago and have tons of the smaller variety. They never hurt any corals or fish that I was "aware" of.
In my 75g tank I kept trying to keep pipefish. The only other fish in there was a pair of clowns and a coral beauty. I probably went through 3 pairs of pipefish and would always notice flesh missing from the tail end of ones that were on their way out.
A few weeks ago I finally saw what was going on. The S. Tapetum had one of my pipe fish and was eating the flesh off its body.
We all know these little buggers are sticky when you touch them. Well it seems they will stick to any slow moving smaller fish and EAT them.
This may explain some smaller fish I have had gone missing over the years. I do not believe they devour the entire body but ingest enough that causes the fish to die. Which gets finished off by starfish, hermits etc.

 

[plaz]

Was the one that killed the Pipefish a Mini Maxi like Fraggle Reef sells?

 

[Baalz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8968223#post8968223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by plaz
Was the one that killed the Pipefish a Mini Maxi like Fraggle Reef sells?

I do not believe those are the same. The ones I have only get half dollar sized at most. But if they share the same traits of tackiness I wouldnt suggest them around pipefish.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8969569#post8969569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Baalz
I do not believe those are the same.

Fraggle Reef sells the maxi minis. I sent Baalz mini minis. Thanks for sharing your observations- it looks like all species of carpet anemones can possibly harm fishes.

 

[plaz]

Thanks for the info!!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

here's a link to a thread showing a Stichodactyla tapetum in the process of "splitting":
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=254632&highlight=mini+split