So i inherited a tube anemone...now what?

BIGG D

BIGG D

New member
I didnt really want this guy. My house was the rendevous spot for a pick up that never happened...and I kinda got stuck with this fella. I dont know anything about'em. I floated him in my tank nearly all day. Finally decided to begin to aclimate it to my tank when this guy never showed. I didnt know long he would last in a baggie.

Long story short...he is in my 75 covered with sand, tenticles out and seems to be fine. Pretty cool lookin! The "tube" is about 8" long but has a trailer of somekind that is another 8-10" long. I just dug out a trench in my sand and covered it all up with the opening exposed.Problem is, I am tearing this tank down and may want to move him to my 175 but have a few questions.

* Can he be removed from this tube he has created? Will he build another?
looks like placement and relocation would be easier with out this cocoon.
* Will my copperband mistake it for aptasia and get stung?
* Should it be placed out of reach of corals? ( I kinda have a spot
picked out but its pretty close to my prize Monti-cap)
* Does it move on its own.

Any guidance most appreciated.
 
They are indeed very cool. My experience is that your copperband won't make that mistake, if he does he won't do it again because he will be eaten. Seriously these guys can be very active feeders. You can just dig up the tube to move them. Yes they will grow/build a new tube but best if they stay in their old one. They can move I think, more like roll around until they find a place they like. They will kill whatever they touch and can grow quite large.

They are very cool animals and a center piece to any tank. I never had mine eat a fish but I fed him often as I have heard they do.
 
I have one as well and they are amazing animals to watch. Everything I read said that you needed to have a deep sand bed and it needed to be kept away from all other corals.

Many even suggested that it be in a designated species tank. I placed mine in a corner that is flanked by LR. All of the fish seem to know to keep their distance.

Wetweb media had quite a bit of info.
 
I have seen a few posts about placing the anemone in a pcv pipe full of sand and burying the pipe? Sounds easy enough and you can place him where you want him.

Anyone have experience with this??
 
They are such nice looking anemones! I havent done too much research on them but once I do I plan on getting one for my tank.. If one will work out in my tank.

Good luck with yours!
 
When placing in your new tank, put the tail where you want the head to end up. The tail digs in the sand until the head is left above the sand. I had mine in the front corner away from corals. It ate fish pellets or meaty seafood. It never ate or caught live fish. My baby banggais swam around the tentacles and never came to harm. Cool animal.
 
I had one twenty five years ago and I loved it .I didnt know much about them at that time.Mine was purple with the brite green center in a 55gal tank with 19 other fish from 2to6 inches long and 6 or 8 inverts including a huge carpet nem .I only lost 1 fish however I think it was sick and going to die anyways my fish would swim close to it also.I did have a Yellow tang that would nip at it a few good stings he learned I think he thought it was a feather dutser because if you walked in the room an starteled it would retract like they do . The tale or goop at the end of the tube you can seperate and remove it is waste . If he is not happy he will leave that tube and spin another cocoon after he finds a place he likes.He finallly died in a earth quake do to loss of power and got too hot in the tank .I tried to replace him but at that time I couldnt find one that didnt look like it was on its last leg. How big is yours or how long is its tenicels.
 
Thanks for the input guys!
I moved it over to my 175 this past weekend. I had intended to do the PVC thing, but i had a tough time working it in and getting sand poured in around it. It just seemed to stressful for the anemone. Too much handling.

So...I just buried it in as much sand as I could with its head up.
Seems really happy. I shoot some mysis or what ever frozen goodies I am feeding that night down to it and it eagerly accepts.


Hey gac2133!
Mine is purple with a bright green center as well.

I really like it!
 
i have a quick question... We have had our tube anemone about 2 months, we have buried him in the sand, but he doesnt stay fully buried. He eats well, color of the tentacles are still very vibrant, but the lower 1/2 of his tube seems to be sloughing off? Is this normal? like a shrimp molting, or is there something wrong? PLease help... thanks.
 
molting ?

molting ?

I've been told they can shed their tube if it is damage and make a complete new tube. Mine did that! His first tube was about 2". When i moved him the old tube was empty but the new tube was about 4" long. Yours maybe making itself a new tube.
 
Update on my tube anenome:
He is doing great!!! We put him in a pvc pipe (after his whole tube came off, very disgusting) One of my fish was picking at him, so we tried to bury him a little deeper in the sand. well, during this process the tube came off in my husbands hand. he had a very thinn skin-like tube, and his tenticles were still intact, so we put him in a pvc pipe. It was touch and go the first week or so. he was listless, wouldn't grab anything to eat, barely swayed in the current. but the past week, he is bright, upright again, and eating like a maniac. YAY!!!

I do have to say, I am surprised that more people do not have these anenomes, they are beautiful and mesmorizing to watch. Mine is a deep purple with the green spots on the tenticle and green center.
 
that was one of the more informative articles I have seen about the tube anemone. I wish there were more articles like this. the ones that I read just touched on the feeding habits, and to dispell the myths that they are fish killers. nothing in detail about the anatomy of the tube itself (and the possibility that it will come off)
Thank you for posting it.
 
Finally got the camera working, my daughter took this pic
 

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