Anenome Help

[darylm]

Thanks to everyone out there for all your help in getting us started on our reef tank.

Just one more question for awhile...we're a bit overwhelmed by all the information on anenomes. We had a Long Tentacle one that didn't make it (actually we weren't sure if it was dying or not but we were so paranoid that it would die and pollute the tank that we got rid of it when it started to look sick). Next we bought a Sebae and it has crept around to the back of a rock where we can't even see it and it doesn't look so hot either. I was feeding the LT a piece of squid or shrimp about twice a week. Should I feed the Sebae at all (I don't even know if I can reach its mouth!)
What is a good feeding schedule? We really want an anenome to do well in our tank so we can watch it host the clownfish (hopefully!!)

[rottn]

You know what darylm? I think panick is our WORST enemy!!!

We had a GORGEOUS bta, and I did the same thing as you did. I panicked when it didn't look like it was doing well, and isolated it into a QT. Well, it ended up dying - because of ME! I would bet my life that if I had just left it alone, it would have been fine. It was just acclimating itself to my tank, I am sure... and I went and plucked it out and threw it into a QT with no flow (other than the filter pump), and no lighting (other than the spill over of the main tank).

I could just KILL myself for having done that!!!

We've since got another anenome, which actually appears to be doing quite well. We don't specifically feed it though. When we feed the tank (frozen krill or frozen mysid shrimp), pieces will float past the anenome, and it sticks to it's tentacles, and he just eats whatever comes his way. So far this seems to be working.

Anybody else have any other thoughts or advice?

[VolitanVixen]

I'm just a beginner with anemone's too, but i wanted one really badly ... so i bought one of the florida pink tipped (non-host anemone) to start with since they're fairly inexpensive and relatively easy to take care of ... awhile back it moved off of the rock crevice that i had placed it in and snuck down into a gap between the LR and glass ... i left it be for a few days since i was told they'll move around till they find a spot they like and stay there ... but it wasn't looking so great after a couple days (wasn't getting much light either), so i went in and moved it back to the top of the LR ... it took a few days, but it opened up again and began to look healthy ... maybe yours isn't getting the lighting it needs in its new spot and is too weak to move out of it like mine?

i'm not sure about feeding sebae's tho as i've never owned one ... but as soon as my 140's all set up, i think i'm gonna get one and a pair of clarkii's for it ... i love anemone's, especially when they host fish (and my LFS has just the one i want :p )

HTH

oh yeah ... and i don't target feed mine either ... i do feed the tank ZooPlex and MicroVert (for the hawaiian feather dusters), so i'm sure it gets some of that, as well as small food particles from the stuff i feed the fish :)