Tube Anemone?
- Thread starter jaoconnor
- Start date
a_tisticfeyboy
New member
Hey dude, Dash here. Tube anemones, genus Cerianthus, are IMO one of the most awesome critters one can keep. I'll post a couple of links at the end of this, but from my experience, this is the most useful info:
1: Contrary to popular opinion, Cerianthids are not true piscivores. They will eat fish, sometimes, but more often than not fish are too big for them. I've read a lot that indicates they are largely filter feeders; my own experience seconds this. Any anemone will eat fish, if it is big enough, but the true anemones we usually encounter for reef aquariums are actually piscivores, and more of a threat to fish than tube anemones.
2: They are intense stingers, however. Their tentacles can expand in a sphere around the oral disc with a diameter of as much as eight inches, and that isn't taking into account the length of the tube extended, or what direction the cerianthid is pointing itself in. I reccomend up to 12 inches on either side to be safe, although I have found (never read this anywhere else, though) that my tube anemones love current, and would face into it if they could, limiting their death-sphere somewhat. 8}
3: The best part is, they're not photosynthetic! Any kind of lighting would work, and a species tank (nano-ideal) would be a great idea here. If you don't have a deep sand bed, a refugium, a lot of live rock, or something equivalent to generate a lot of food for them (remember, they're largely filter feeders and planktonivores), feed them -- but make sure the food is well-diced. They seem to have trouble with pieces larger than half an inch, in my experience.
4: These guys are burrowers; their tube can grow VERY long under the sand. They also come from environments with very fine substrate. If you don't have a deep sand bed, or you do, but it has large grains, don't despair! Make them a flower pot--or better yet, but the "tube anemone" in a tube! PVC piping with a bottom affixed to one end works great. Just fill it with fine substrate and let the cerianthid "root."
Hope this helps! If you've any more questions, feel free to email me. 8}
--dash
8}
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm
http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/reefref/ceranemone.html
1: Contrary to popular opinion, Cerianthids are not true piscivores. They will eat fish, sometimes, but more often than not fish are too big for them. I've read a lot that indicates they are largely filter feeders; my own experience seconds this. Any anemone will eat fish, if it is big enough, but the true anemones we usually encounter for reef aquariums are actually piscivores, and more of a threat to fish than tube anemones.
2: They are intense stingers, however. Their tentacles can expand in a sphere around the oral disc with a diameter of as much as eight inches, and that isn't taking into account the length of the tube extended, or what direction the cerianthid is pointing itself in. I reccomend up to 12 inches on either side to be safe, although I have found (never read this anywhere else, though) that my tube anemones love current, and would face into it if they could, limiting their death-sphere somewhat. 8}
3: The best part is, they're not photosynthetic! Any kind of lighting would work, and a species tank (nano-ideal) would be a great idea here. If you don't have a deep sand bed, a refugium, a lot of live rock, or something equivalent to generate a lot of food for them (remember, they're largely filter feeders and planktonivores), feed them -- but make sure the food is well-diced. They seem to have trouble with pieces larger than half an inch, in my experience.
4: These guys are burrowers; their tube can grow VERY long under the sand. They also come from environments with very fine substrate. If you don't have a deep sand bed, or you do, but it has large grains, don't despair! Make them a flower pot--or better yet, but the "tube anemone" in a tube! PVC piping with a bottom affixed to one end works great. Just fill it with fine substrate and let the cerianthid "root."
Hope this helps! If you've any more questions, feel free to email me. 8}
--dash
8}
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm
http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/reefref/ceranemone.html
redboxer13
New member
Feed them well cause they ate my favorite Blue Tang, a Gramma, and a gobi. Needless to say it had to go. Beautiful to look at, (neon pink) but it began to get expensive....lol
Wow finally some help. My LFS gave me mine, he had them in one of his tank for 2 weeks and have never come out. None of them are falling appart, or slimming off. So I brought mine home and put it in my 29 gal. With my Lion and Angler. It is proped up against some rocks now ( i burried him earlier and someone said not to burry him so I just set it on the top of the sand and proped it upside a rock. Today I am noticing a thin pink type of stick coming out the top, I brushed up side it with my feeding tongs and it sprung back inside. I'm praying that this means some sort of life. It fells heavy and like there is something inside the one end and I'm hoping that it is the little fella. I have seen so many online and have been so interested that when the LFS said take one and try getting it to open. I didn't want to be "rude" and not take it. 
Is there anything special that I should do to encourage it to come out? I fed some marine snow and zooplankton this morning. Anything that I should be looking for? Thanks for your answers
Is there anything special that I should do to encourage it to come out? I fed some marine snow and zooplankton this morning. Anything that I should be looking for? Thanks for your answers
a_tisticfeyboy
New member
Firstly, the pink thing is a good sign, yes! That would have been one of the longer tentacles. Mine closed up for days at a time sometimes, even long after they were acclimated...and the first thing I ever saw was a single tentacle, kind of feeling around, thinking about coming out.
If it doesn't come out anymore in the next few days, I would look to the current in the tank...if it is causing the tube to brush against the rocks, even slightly, that irritation could be what is bothering it.
You could also try scooping up some sanad and putting it where the cerianthid is currently, like propping up a beanbag against two walls in a corner, and then rest him against that "sand cushion"--it would probably counteract any irritation the rocks could be causing, and encourage some self-burying. When you place it, try to "stretch out" the tube a little bit, rather than just allowing it to be a crumpled pile. The heavier end is where I would prop it up, with the tube trailing outwards-ish from the rocks, maybe to the left a bit (going on this picture). It seems from my experience to make it easier for the tube anemone to get its bearings, or some equivalent.
I buried my first one, out of ignorance. Later cerianthids I noticed would sometimes bury themselves where I left them; sometimes not. I started the habit of scooping sand up against the end up of the tube when they didn't want to bury themselves; it seemed to work--although it could have been coincidence.
Keep me updated! I hope it works.
Oh, and a couple of mine took weeks to come out, too, so that tentacle is a good sign--if it got startled, it could be a few days before it comes out again, or thinks about it, but you're making progress. 8}
And I think putting it with a lion and an angler is an AWEsome idea!!!!!
Good luck!
--dash
8}
If it doesn't come out anymore in the next few days, I would look to the current in the tank...if it is causing the tube to brush against the rocks, even slightly, that irritation could be what is bothering it.
You could also try scooping up some sanad and putting it where the cerianthid is currently, like propping up a beanbag against two walls in a corner, and then rest him against that "sand cushion"--it would probably counteract any irritation the rocks could be causing, and encourage some self-burying. When you place it, try to "stretch out" the tube a little bit, rather than just allowing it to be a crumpled pile. The heavier end is where I would prop it up, with the tube trailing outwards-ish from the rocks, maybe to the left a bit (going on this picture). It seems from my experience to make it easier for the tube anemone to get its bearings, or some equivalent.
I buried my first one, out of ignorance. Later cerianthids I noticed would sometimes bury themselves where I left them; sometimes not. I started the habit of scooping sand up against the end up of the tube when they didn't want to bury themselves; it seemed to work--although it could have been coincidence.
Keep me updated! I hope it works.
Oh, and a couple of mine took weeks to come out, too, so that tentacle is a good sign--if it got startled, it could be a few days before it comes out again, or thinks about it, but you're making progress. 8}
And I think putting it with a lion and an angler is an AWEsome idea!!!!!
Good luck!
--dash
8}
Swanwillow
goby girl
ok, OLD thread, but I've had a tube for.... since May or June. ordered through the pet store, and its been open ever since.
The question is: sometimes it 'deflates' but its tentacles are still out. kinda, limp looking. bad sign? it always comes back in full force a few days later, but its a quick question, and are there warning signs that its not doing well?
The question is: sometimes it 'deflates' but its tentacles are still out. kinda, limp looking. bad sign? it always comes back in full force a few days later, but its a quick question, and are there warning signs that its not doing well?
55semireef
Moved On
Quite common. Mine does it all the time. Its just coming out. Mine extends fully at nigt time and in the morning when the lights come on they hide and start to come back out after my lights have been on 7 hours.
Here is mine:
Here is mine:
Swanwillow
goby girl
see... mine never comes outta the tube all the way. its a great looking orange and green center one, but the center is always a little in the tube. I had to do the flower pot method, due to a shallow sand bed. its built a great tube outta the sand... it comes out about 2 inches. the anemone itself is HUGE... ok, maybe 8 inches across. its height is GREAT though!!! but its always out-never fully out, and only occasionally in. I fed it mysis before, should I continue? more often I bet would help... only other big thing in a 35 gallon is a midas blenny. everything else is zoanthids, so its the showpeice of the tank.
55semireef
Moved On
It probably comes out fully at night.
