anemone experts?-Inverts-3reef Forums

elbeesea · 01-22-2007, 08:57 PM

Does anyone know of an anemone expert to help shed light on why my anemone "strangled" it's tips off? I posted yesterday, but no one seems to know, and I want to know what to do with the "baby" tips that are actually alive. About half the tentacles on my anemone "squeezed" off their tips - Very weird! Is there an "Anemone Society" or university that researches such things?

Birchell · 01-22-2007, 09:09 PM

that sounds really cool. sounds like some kinda asexual reproduction!! can you get any pics??

elbeesea · 01-22-2007, 10:14 PM

the pix aren't very good - don't have that skill mastered yet. I took these late in the day yesterday after most of the "action". Earlier in the day there would be 5-6 going thru the process at any given time. It's all very strange - the 3 "babies" are still alive... I want to get in touch with someone that knows what I should do with the "offspring" if that's what they actually are... I know this isn't how anemones reproduce, but I wonder what these little clones are. I couldn't get good photos of them, but I have three little worm like things, each with the pink tip - about 1/8" long. When I touch them with a chopstick, they turn dark grey, and/or curl up.

Birchell · 01-22-2007, 10:46 PM

wow, that is cool. It is going to be hard to find someone that will know for sure what that is. It really looks like what polyps do when they drop a head, or a piece of them to reproduce. If that is what your anemone is doing, that would open a whole new chapter in what we know about anemones. Ive only heard of them splitting, and some acounts of the going sexual and releasing baby anemones from the mouth. The only person that I know that mite know what is going on is Coral Reefer, and I think he is offline now. What kinda anemone did you say it was?? And thanks for the great pics!!

Michael

PS: what are your tank specs? Lighting, skimmer, type of water,ect....

elbeesea · 01-23-2007, 08:39 AM

My tank: 25gal nano, started July 05. It's a gift from my son who has an awesome 250 gallon and wanted to get me hooked. I was scared to death in the beginning, cuz I'm just so not the person that measures and quantifies chemicals etc., but so far I've had success.

Inhabitants in order of adding: yellow tail damsel (she will forever have a home in my tank after all she went thru in getting the tank up to snuff), diamond goby, assorted crabs, pink tip Haitian Anemone, Porcelain crab, green ricordea, Camelback shrimp, serpent starfish, emerald crabs, feather duster. Added 1/20: maze coral, toadstool coral, maroon clownfish.

I keep the temperature 76-78, change water every 2-3 weeks
Weekly: feed anemone Hikari plankton
add 1/2 cap each Kent Essential Elements & Kent Strontium & Molybdenum

I do not have a timer, so I turn the light on and off "around" the same time.

The changes that took place within 3 days prior to the "event":
Addition of coral & clownfish - who immediately bonded. My green ricordea split last week, and my featherduster looks like its on steroids - it stands erect with a huge bloom - totally different from how it looked when I got it. Its tank mates at the store where I purchased it still look the same: prone with small heads.

Maybe there's something in my water? <grin>

While I am excited about this event taking place in my little nano, I wish someone knowledgeable could witness it, as it seems possibly important.

thanks for your interest...

coral reefer · 01-23-2007, 12:12 PM

Marine Systems and Husbandry â€“ by Anthony Calfo
Unfortunately, I am clueless with this episode!!!! I have never heard of this happening before, however, above is a link to Marine Depot forum. If anyone can help you, someone like Anthony Calfo, a aquarium lifelong professional should be able to answer your question to this puzzling event.
Let us know how you make out!

coral reefer · 01-23-2007, 07:57 PM

Did you check with Anthony Calfo about your problem... His good and should be able to help ya!

elbeesea · 01-23-2007, 09:16 PM

Thank you for your interest Coral Reefer! I've received very little response from any of the forums I've posted on, and nothing from the Calfo forum (http://forum.marinedepot.com/Forum13-1.aspx).

It seems like a pretty interesting phenomenon to me, so I'm surprised there hasn't been more interest.

Someone said they thought it was a form of reproduction called "budding" but I've not been able to find anything on that either.

Meanwhile the little "buds" are still kicking. You would think that if they weren't alive that they would have begun deteriorating by now. And why are they green? I wish I knew what to do to keep them alive, if that is indeed possible.

elbeesea · 01-23-2007, 09:28 PM

Here are a couple fotos of my little ones... hard to get a good pic cuz they really are small. They are on the upper edge of the sand in the net of the larger view. The closeup shows their greenish appearance - they all still have their pink tips - too cute! When nudged, they shrivel and turn grey - just like their mama!

Birchell · 01-23-2007, 09:38 PM

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say those ARE baby anemones. If you watch them close, in a week or two the will generate a mouth, and start to grow. Ive been thinking alot about this, but like 2 weeks ago I saw something like that in my tank next to my BTA. It look like one little tentecle attaced to the rock. My stupid dottyback ate it,

. Lets just say he is in another tank now. I was thinking anemone, but with all the other corals, and worms and such in my tank I wasnt to sure. I would just keep them in the current tank you have. If the mother anemone is happy enough to "bud" then the babby ones should do good. Keep us updated, and the pics are just to cool,

Michael