What is the best way to feed anemones?

You can feed any meaty foods like squid, lancefish, shrimp, clams, and the like. Carpets tend to like fish more than the other foods. You may need to test out different foods.

Some feed everyday and others rarely feed. It all depends on the specimen and how fast you want it to grow.
 
With my RBTA, I use the low tech method of reaching into the tank and hand-feeding it a piece of shrimp. Usually once a week or so. A healthy anemone should have a strong feeding response. Mine wraps up the food and it disappears in a matter of seconds.
 
yes, what kind of anemone? I have a RBTA and I feed it almost every day, probably close to 5 times a week. I just thaw some silversides and put it right into the anemone's tentacles. It eats them right up!
 
True, true. When you feed it, verify that it ingests whatever you gave it and that it didn't spit it back out to decay. My local Whole Foods gives my wife one small squid for free everytime she's in (of course she's spending lots of money on other items from the meat and fish counter) but it is nice of them. They all recognize her and sometimes have it out and wrapped before she even makes it to the counter.

(Being known at several LFSs is one thing...being recognized as the wife of the nut is another entirely :p)

Final comment...the other "food" that anemones need is good lighting. All of the interesting species that we intend to keep alive are zooxanthellic.
 
If you are concerned about putting your hands into the tank, you can use a chopstick or piece of acrylic rod to spear the food and deliver it. Tongs work well. Since bubble-tip anemones tend to work their way to the top of the rock (in search of light) it usually isn't too big a deal. Never tried a straw, though.

Kind of a side question...how long has the tank been up and operational?
 
In the past I had a pair of percula clowns that would grab a chunk of frozen krill or squid and drag it down to the anemone for me. That's the most interesting way to feed them, I think.
 
I just reach in and hand it to her.

picture2299nz.jpg
 
I recently started doing something new. I have done the whole blend a variety of raw, frozen seafood and then refreeze into ziplock bags 1/4" thick. Then break it apart and feed the tank sized chunks as needed. I use to just drop a frozen cube in the tank, but now I drop it in the sump and run it through the return pump. It spits out chunks into the tank of all sizes if kept frozen, but smaller bits if it thaws before going through the pump. My fish and inverts feed more natually and everyone is happy. To keep the nitrates down, I feed less either each day or the same amount every other day. It is a bit of an experiment, but the whole tank gets fed and since it goes everywhere, they don't fight for it!

Light is still the key for the anemone. I have a saddle carpet about 5" in size that catches bits and pieces on it's own.
 
I have found that the best way to feed most is at night, minimizing the amount of activity while doing so. This way, most fish will never notice what is going on. As for method, I have always handed to it (as quickly as possible). I feed mine every other day. It keeps her healthy and in spawning condition :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6917455#post6917455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWallace
In the past I had a pair of percula clowns that would grab a chunk of frozen krill or squid and drag it down to the anemone for me. That's the most interesting way to feed them, I think.
Click to expand...
Interesting yes, but this is a bit of a mis-nomer; the fish are not intending to feed thier host anemone. Instead, they are trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to hoard food, much like a squirrel/chipmunk with its acorns and other nuts for the winter.
These is always the intention of going back to eat the food later, but its never there, ...
 
i have a question about feeding silversides and lancefish. i heard and read that if they get skeletons of fish they spit it out in mucus that is toxic if not removed. is that true?
 
Whatever you feed them that isn't digested/absorbed will be eventually be "pooped" back out through the same opening (the only one into/out of their simple gut). The stuff is nasty but not necessarily toxic. The amount will vary by how much (and probably what...haven't really tested that) they eat.
 
I have a small bubble tip that I hand feed often.

How fast do these things grow, are we talking a few months? it's about the size of a golfball right now.
 
If you feed them a couple small pieces of shrimp, scallop or silverside twice a week, they will grow fast.

These two weren't much bigger than the clownfish six months ago.

Celeste0205.jpg
 
I think good ligting is the only food we have to directly provide. My gbta has split 6 times in 1 year with no direct feedings. My female clown delivers food when she grabs a sizable piece of frozen. The anenomes also catch food in the water column when fish are fed.
 
chop food with hand blender, dump in tank. i've never hand fed my bta, nor do i hand feed anything else anymore.
 
I put a piece of prawn or small silverside in the current from the powerhead and watch my clarki catch the food and take it to the anenome. Truly an awesome sight :)
 
have pair of cinnamin clowns and a bubble tip anemone --stupid female takes food away from anemone if i hand feed it-spits it away
 
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