tube anemones

[rayn]

Anyone know where to find good info on tube anemones? I have read a few articles on them, searched here and on the web, but have yet to find anything definitive on them. I understand they are low light low flow and have to be fed. Also they neea dsb and can grow out under sand for a ways. Any way to tell the size of what one will be? Also what do they eat? Do they fall under normal nem rules of needing a well established tank, or can they go into a newer one? I thought I read somewhere they were more like a coral in structure then a nem, but can't remember for sure. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[bradleym]

Well they get about 12 inches wide, they should be placed in a well established tank, and they eat the same kind of things as anemones but should be smaller pieces. Your best bet is probably mysis and brine shrimp. Also, they don't use light at all so they will need to be fed at least 3 times a week. And yea, low flow, they don't like to have their tentacles ruffled.

 

[rayn]

So what type of powerhead for low flow? Or is it just placement. Either a 29 or 40b, but the 29 is more established.

 

[bradleym]

I would say placement. I have mine along the same wall as a powerhead, below it and off to the side. It is shielded by other flow by being near the rockwork, so the flow is pretty low right in that area. There's a pretty decent flow throughout my tank, but a fairly low flow around my sand bed/rockwork edges so it just happened to work out.

 

[rayn]

Cool. Im doing a species tank for these guys. Is there a limit to how many can be in a tank? Or better can there be more then one?

 

[RicksReefs]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm

 

[rayn]

That articles seems to be the only one out there. Every threaive come across about tube nems has that in it. There has to be more info on them or more experience from fellow reefers.

 

[bradleym]

IDK of any "limit" but I would say don't let them touch and you'll be fine. I have 2 in a 65 gallon mixed reef and I don't see any ill effects. The only time they have acted sick was if I didn't feed them every other day. Clean water and frequent feeding seems to be key.

 

[Kweli]

They can get extremely big, ive seen one with a soft-ball sized tube and fully expanded the tenticals were like 1 foot

 

[rayn]

Wow. But is that the norm? That is my concern. Say two in a 29 on opposite sides, they might be okay. Just have to figure out flow then.

 

[bradleym]

Another major consideration is that some species can expand to form a 30cm-or-so sphere of feeding tentacles from the end of the tube (obviously a large portion of a small tank could be covered by the reach of 1ft long tentacles!).

Sorry I misquoted that earlier! IDK what I was thinking. I think I meant to say they get 12 inch long tentacles. Mine are 12 inches wide right now, so I guess I got dyslexic!

 

[rgentry123]

will these guys host clowns?

 

[rayn]

will these guys host clowns?

From everything I've read, no. They may eat them though.

 

[rayn]

Okay, here is what I have waiting to be placed in the tank. Currently in QT as the LFS has a bad case going on in their tanks.
<a href="http://s496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/?action=view&current=2011-01-12_17-00-53_74.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/dougcobb/2011-01-12_17-00-53_74.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
These two were bought about a week apart. Currently they are fed nightly just a couple pieces of mysis each. Once QT is done they will be moved into a full DSB waiting for them. Currently they are in a 4" DSB in a container.

 

[bradleym]

Dude!! Those rock I am jealous. Good choices.

 

[rayn]

Thanks. The lfs has two more, but smaller and seems without the tube, that is why I wondered about a limit to a tank. I think that two on either side of a 29 should be good. I found them and just became obsessed with them. I placed them in QT and they ate the night after they were in, besides pulling stuff out of the water.
It just seems there isn't much out there on them besides the article that ricksreefs posted and I've read that a couple times.

 

[rayn]

I changed my mind on where they are going to live. I moved them into the 55 and added sand. When I got the purple one it had the fleshy part and the tentacles. Now it has a tail in the sand about a inch long. The pink one had a small half inch tail and it grew to about a inch and half.
Here they are now moved into the 55

I read in a thread that they shouldn't touch. Is there a reason why? When they both open up full the purple one is probably 8 - 10 inches across and the pink one 4-6 inches. There are probably two or three tentacles that come into contact on occasion.