Propagating E quadricolor (yes, I know it's not a coral)

[fergy]

Okay, we need some topics here. So, in talking with a retailer today, it seems l ike the market for the rose quads is getting better and better, with some wholesale prices in the $130 range. It seems like a supply of captive raised splits would benefit all of us. So, how do people go about promoting the split?

I personally have a pair of roses, hand collected for me, which have been in my care for about 5 years, and that have split many times. I don't feed them, though I know I should. Also, since they are in the reef, there's little chance of getting them out when they do split, so I don't tend to promote it.

In the past, I've caused splits simply by stressing them, moving them from tank to tank. In fact, each time I have moved them, they have split. At one point, I was up to seven of them, as they split, and some split immediately again.

So, let's start the discussion.

BRIAN
_________________
Armenian Forum

 

[wombat1]

Someone told me once they took a steak knife to theirs and chopped it halfway down the middle, and it split and both clones are healthy. I would never try this, especially on a $180 rose.

 

[jbash]

I was trying to get a regular bubble tip (not rose) out of our 75 gallon and accidently split it. It was on 2 rocks and as I was gently trying to remove foot from one rock I knocked the other rock over and the foot split. So far the piece I kept and the piece we sold are OK. It has been about 2 weeks. Seems to be healing. (this is the 3rd animal in a tank and is away from the other two bulb anenomes and the pair of Clarki clowns).

BTW, in the past I've generally split a rock with a chisel to get offspring of our rose e quad out of another tank without damaging the foot. But this time one of the two rocks the bubble tip had grabbed was a base rock that went through the deep sand bed to the bottom glass. Once before I tried water pressure and ice and still had a heck of a time removing foot gently--this time I was only part way through when I tore it.

jim b

 

[mattboy]

I've often thought that propagating host anemones is one of the best things we as reefers can do to make an environmental statement, because the removal of host anemones from nature is probably one of the worst things that our hobby supports. I had an E. quad split in my nano; this ocurred after lots of feeding. Unfortunately, the 2 anemones were too much for the tank, and one died when I removed it. The ice trick just didn't do it. I think an effective technique would be to keep only small rocks in a propagation tank; eventually the anemones will attach to separate rocks, and can be removed and sold attached to these rocks.

I've heard about E quads splitting as a response to stress, but mine, when stressed, just retracts. I've had it now for a little over 2 years.

Matt

 

[Anonymous]

From what I have seen my BTA's clone more reguraly when feed often. I would never have the courage to cut my BTA.

 

[ferd]

Hey, thought I might chime in. It's been a long time since I've been to the boards. This place has really grown.
I've been keeping BTA's about 7 years. Started with 1 and now have around 20 or so. I have found that the easiest, least harmful way to move them is to stack small rocks around the one you want to move, careful not to crush it. The anemone will crawl up on the rocks, then you just move the rock where you want it.
A few years ago I "coralled" all my anemones on one side of the tank and then used a frogspawn to make a wall to keep them there. Sort of an electric fence. Worked pretty good. Not sure about cutting them, never tried, but they are pretty hardy. They have survived some pretty tough times over the years.

 

[ferd]

As for propagation.... I also had a major split event after a move. I think I had 3 at the time from the same "parent" and ended up with about 1/2 dozen or so. I have watched them split, but I have also noticed smaller ones about the size of a dime or quarter that do not look like the result of a split. They are perfectly round. At first I thought they were majano (sp?) or something similar but all have grown into definite BTA's. Stress may be the key to forcing them to split, but the question is how much and how to apply it without causing problems. I am considering setting up a seperate smaller species tank for them after we move again and might experiment a little. I am interested to hear other's results

 

[Ogre]

Someone told me once they took a steak knife to theirs and chopped it halfway down the middle, and it split and both clones are healthy. I would never try this, especially on a $180 rose.

I wonder who that is? I bet it worked.

 

[Len]

Lacerarting an anemone would work some times, and at others kill the anemone. It's not a worthwhile gamble IMO.

 

[Ogre]

this is what one of the halves turned into. it's over 12 inches across

 

[Ogre]

then the other one did this a month or so later.

 

[Ogre]

all three pieces lived

 

[Anonymous]

Hehe, Andy I think it was Dustin that told me about that. I didn't believe him until I saw like 20 roses in his tank. Too bad they go for around $20 nowadays.

 

[Ogre]

You are correct sir. Do they? damn, i'm gonna have to set me up a nano with one of them when i get to my base.

 

[Anonymous]

Yup, for some reason there was a huge dump of them recently in CA. I got a few at the wholesaler for around $30, and the prices dropped even more after that. I put one in my 12 gallon nano and it split into 3 clones.

I tried desperately to get that one in my 30 to split, and it never did...this was the tank with the two surges on either side when I lived with Charlotte and Alison. We've got to catch up some time if you're anyway near this cowtown soon..

 

[Ogre]

I'll be comin up around august or so. that's when i get back from boot. you still gonna be around?