raeh1 Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 After working on improving my nitrate level down to 10ppm. and reading Fays article on anemones. I have invested in a entacmaea quadricolour. It is not the most impressive colour (green and brown) but looks really healthy) I had to buy the rock it was on ($30 worth) because they could not get it off it.. after a few days. and I was scared they may damage its base. Its mouth is very tight. I is consuming food within 20 seconds, I cannot beleive how fast it eats food. I also has a sting. The amazing bit is in a week it has not moved an inch. and my common clowns (percula clowns) went straight into it. They used to pull the food out of my old anemone but they feed this one anything they find thats to big from them. It is also opening more everyday. heres hoping.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Good purchase! These are the hardiest of the anemones in a tank situation, you should have no problems. Only thing wrong with them they can be prone to wander around until they find the right spot, but if your one is staying put, you have obviously already chosen a good spot for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted March 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Right smack bang under the metal halide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 pic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted March 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 He hasn't moved an inch yet...... I thought there was something strange in it yesterday and looked harder. My clowns had feed a small star fish to the anemone. I was wondering why the star fish (pest) population was decreasing. That means I have been feeding him, the clowns are feeding him. He is looking more and more happy and growing noticably already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 I've tried feeding my H. Crispa some of those asterina stars...No good, it didn't like them. Edit: I just tried grabbing 4-5 of them and feeding them to it. He grabbed them and I haven't seen him let them go. So I dunno. Hard to tell if he's ate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted March 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 They roll around near the mouth for awhile. I presume the anemone is trying to kill them (with its sting) before eating them. As those starfish can move fast. And I wouldn't like something like that crusing in my belly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 My clowns had feed a small star fish to the anemone Do they actually "feed" the anemone or do the clowns eat starfish & some falls into the anemone? Am I understanding correctly, anemone sting their prey? So how come they don't sting the clowns? Hope you folks don't mind me asking questions here, I'll never be able to have a marine tank...but doesn't stop the fascination with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted March 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 The clowns will pick the star fish up and then drop it into the centre of the anemone. The anemone then strings it prey until it either dies or sometimes depending on size may escape. Usually the anemone will win. I have been stung before its like needles shooting into your finger. My mate laughed at me :-? . So I dared him to stick his hand in it.... that shut him up The reason that clown fish do not get stung. Is they release a muces that nutralises the anemones sting. This allows them to live in the anemone. In the wild they look after each other so to speak. Protecting each other from preditors that individually they could not fight off. Symbotic relationship. In a marine tank people say its not essential to have an anemone for a clown fish or vice vera. I beleive it is however... This is because if your clown fish gets sick they will not let a cleaner shrimp help them. Were as an anemones sting will kill most deseases that they may encounter. Others would disagree... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Yup, the clowns most definitely deliberately feed the anemones. Usually at fish feeding time the clown will grab the biggest bit for its anemone. And poke it at it until it puts its tentacles around the food. Clowns don't get stung because clowns are covered in 'slime' that seems to make the tentacles safe for it. They have a VERY symbiotic relationship - you almost wonder if the anemone would turn its sting off for the clown if it could. Of course anemones don't think...I think... :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 I think that the mucus the clowns are covered in mimics those of their host anemone. This means that to the anemone the clown is considered just another arm, so it doesnt fire off the stinging nematocysts. The reason it takes a while to "settle in" is because they have to "learn" how to produce the correct mucus. I'm not sure, but I think they sometimes get stung a few times while this is happening(they have to sample the mucus). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Yeah, they do actually feed the anemone. And if they're not hosting in an anemone they'll happily feed powerheads, rocks, heaters and clumps of algae too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Happy you took my advice you should fine with this one (kill proof). If the clowns are feeding it I would leave it at that mine is huge now had it for nearly 5 years absolutely love it. It doesn't need to be colourful to be gorgeous (mine is quite green at times) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted March 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Yip. as slappers saw the rock I got it on was quiet large. and looks out of place in my tank. However the anemone likes it and isn't moving. So I'm not brave enough to move it. Hopefully the anemone will still be sitting there in a couple of months. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted April 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Well after a month the anemone packed his bags. Moved off the rock in about 10 minutes. I was like oh s....t. But moved straight into a brommie I orginally made for an anemone when I set the tank up. Its been 10 days now and he hasn't moved. But he has opened up even more (actually he has doubled in size in the past 45 days). I think he could not fit his base into his orginal rock anymore so moved. The colour is changing alot now. The base is a light tan brown with light fluro green tips. I thought he was in good health when I got it but now.... it looks really healthy... I have photos taken weekly and will post up in a couple more weeks. The only thing is I deleted the first photo by mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 You must be a happy chappy :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Where are the pictures? Sounds great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 The Bubble tip anemones (BTA) are quite hardy.....and if you keep feeding them heavily, they will split frequently. As noted, they do have a powerful sting and will win against any other coral.....even against strong stinging corals like frogspown and elegance. I never feed my BTA's.... but, they still split. I started three years ago with a couple.....now look....probably over 50. I try to keep all my BTA's confined to a single rock pile in the rear of my tank and away from all my corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Unusual to see two different types of clown so close together. Guess there is more than enough anemone to go around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Actually....there are two clarkiis....four true percula....and two pink skunks that frequent "rose rock". All clowns have paired up and lay eggs. The clarkiis just layed their first batch.....they usually stay near their carpet anemone (where their eggs are)...but, occassionally can't resist the allure of a wiggle or two in "rose rock". The percula clowns are the only ones that permanently reside in the roses....the skunks have a large sebae in the rear of the tank..... but also, occassionally visit the roses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Great Photo thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Steve Wanna get into business exporting Rose BTAs - they are few and far between over here!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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