substrate to use for fragging anemones (cutting in half)

[krayziez]

For anemones that we can cut in half to be able to propagate (like bubble tips, mini maxi carpet anemones) I wonder what would be the optimum substrate to use. I want to be able to take them out easily and cut them in half every month. If I use bare bottom, it would be a bit difficult to dislodge their foot but at least it's possible. With sand and live rock, there's probably no way. I looked into gravel but not sure if that's good either. Do they tend to stick to gravel and then I can easily remove them since it would be easy to pick out the pieces of gravel off their foot? I tried using gravel with my flower anemone, but it was able to get its foot all the way to the bottom and stick to the bottom even though the gravel was about 2 inches thick. No idea how that happened lol. I'm hoping mini/maxis are shorter so they wouldn't be able to have a tall enough foot to go down 2 inches deep.

I would like to keep them organized like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrMGPuihnbA

but I'm not sure if these were arranged like this just for the video or if she had them set like this permanently where they didn't move and were stuck to the gravel.

 

[RainbowReefer]

I would use the very large gravel.

Something like #10 in this link would be best, if you dont want to do a plug bottom.

http://www.qualitymarine.com/Substrates/Tideline/#1-Coral-Sand-5---10lb-bags

 

[krayziez]

Have you tried this yourself? Do you have mini/maxis now where you can take them off easily? Or would they just move around forever since they might not like any gravel?

 

[organism]

There was someone on here who uses strainers or holding bins but I can't find their post, similar to this one though

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2479536

Any large substrate you add will trap detritus and lower your water quality so I'd avoid that, plus in general nems will push right through it and attach to the glass anyways. Just make sure you get a small hole strainer since they'll start working their way out of any holes bigger than like 1/4"

 

[organism]

As far as the video those maxi minis were synthetically arranged to look like that for the video, symmetry and geometry are man-made and short lived with anemones since they all end up piling up wherever they feel like. I'll bet the next day after this video there were three big clumps of anemones, sure looks nice though...

 

[krayziez]

How about frag tiles? Strainers could work but they seem to take a lot of room. The seller told me to use petri dishes but frag tiles seem to be an even better choice. I just hope they don't need to find a "hole" and can be OK with a flat surface.

 

[organism]

They're never going to stay on frag tiles, anemones instinctively want to burrow or find a hole. In all honesty it sounds like you're trying to sprint before you can walk... You've only had a tank for about two and a half months so it's probably only been cycled for 2, there are so many mistakes and pitfalls to make before you settle into the hobby that this is the time to take it slow and learn to prevent large mistakes in the future imo

 

[Leishman]

I use pond baskets and PVC elbows.

 

[Leishman]

For mini maxis I use the 2oz solo cups with a frag tile in the bottom. I have yet to have one up and move. Just keep them in low flow till they attach.

 

[InOrderToBeAble]

Krayziez, I'd like to try & talk you out of cutting your anemones. I stopped cutting my stock long ago in favor of a simpler approach: I let them do it. Don't make it harder than it is. I have 50 ultra flowers that spawn release babies throughout spring & summer. They are free-to-be in a 200g fiberglass tank. They find their own happy place and I feed them once a week. They are not hard to remove from sides of the tanks, although if they land on the eggcrate (there's frags in the tank too) I have to wait til they get 2" to remove them. Anyway, I get a lot more to sell this way than by cutting them. A brooding anemone can release 40+ babies. Also, since there is regular sperm release all signs (and the offspring) point to sexual repro. I also do the same thing with my Stichodactyla, but they are not so prolific. If you are set on cutting them, the key is flow for a few days after cutting &, as Leishman says above, a pond basket or 1/4 mesh basket works OK.