How to feed and anenome

[Johnnie b25]

Hi just wanted to know the best way to feed an anenome. I lost one I think due to starvation already....So any help would be appreciated.
thanks
jb out :roll:

 

[danmhippo]

How long have you had it? I am thinking not the fact you have not feed it, but there are something else missing from their requirement that you have not properly provided, yet.

Back to your question: cut up finger nail size of fleshy seafood and place them on their tentacles. Let the tentacles work it's way into their mouth. Feed this every 2-3 days and monitor the response. Feed more if you feel fit.

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

FIrst off what kind of anemone is it? 2nd off what do you have for tank lighting and circulation??

3rdly anemones are both predators and filterfeeders. I personally feed my anemones DAILY. I feel that the 2-3 times per week ratio is completely wrong without knowing the specific anemone you are trying to keep as carpet and ritteri anemones must be fed daily as their food requirements are greater than most other anemones. Anemones also gain food and energy through lighting too. As far as food size goes, I find that the proper rule of thumb is how big the anemone is in itself. SMaller ones given smaller pieces, larger ones larger pieces. My Ritteri that has a diameter exceeding 48" is given many whole silversides that are about 6" long daily. But again more info would be great on your tank and anemone.

 

[SLUGZ]

I feed my rock anemone daily using Kent filter feeder .. I use a syringe and feed directly.. seems to be working well in the 2wks I've had em..

rc

 

[Anonymous]

though i don't believe in not feeding as a matter of rule, i've had rock, cerianthus, bubble tip,lt's do well with small daily feedings, a few times a week feedings, and had them seem fine without food for long periods of time(yes, experimental husbandry-but i don't think they eat well every day in the wild, as well).

i agree with danmhippo, re: some thing else was probably to blame- a healthy anemone should not perish as a result of going a week or two without intentionally directed feeding-the lighting, micro-organisms in a well setup and functioning reef tank should carry them for quite a while in a healthy condition.i've seen lt anemones kept long term with biweekly SMALL feedings do extremely well, and spawn repeatedly in a mini reef.

what's your setup and parameters like? and what kind of anemone was it?
what were the store conditions it was kept in?etc...

 

[Anonymous]

I think that your anemone's "starvation" was like a two pronged fork. First, you did not feed the anemone directly. Second, you probably did not have enough light to feed the zoo in her tissue. I've gone over a month(maybe two) without feeding my BTAs with no problems witnessed. Now remember that I have 4x95 watt VHOs running 12 hours a day. More than likely, it was a combination of environmental factors combined with a lack of feeding.

 

[danmhippo]

Slugz, true anemone is not a filter feeder, squirting liquid food onto it does not feed it. Anemone is predator in the wild.

If it's LFS's suggestion for you to buy the filter feeder food, do not go back to them anymore. They don't know crap.

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

Slugz, true anemone is not a filter feeder, squirting liquid food onto it does not feed it. Anemone is predator in the wild.

Hippo: Thats not entirely true, or the case for all anemones. Yes anemones are predators in one sense, but they also are filter feeders along with being photosynthetic. A good example of a clown hosting filter feeding anemone is the Ritteri which is found the Reef crest where strong currents blast countless gallons over its tentacles constantly. Even in my small tank my Ritteri's show how they are actually a true filter feeder. As when I put in flake food for the fish, the excess that gets blown through its tantacles are caught and brought to its mouth. In fact the term "filter feeder" and "predator" kind of go hand in hand with anemones, as they are in one sense one in the same.

 

[SLUGZ]

Dan..

SO my rock anemone is not considered a filter feeder? The food I'm feeding is incorrect then? He seems to like it, or maybe the closing up is a defense mech.


rc

 

[danmhippo]

Hippo: Thats not entirely true, or the case for all anemones. Yes anemones are predators in one sense, but they also are filter feeders along with being photosynthetic. A good example of a clown hosting filter feeding anemone is the Ritteri which is found the Reef crest where strong currents blast countless gallons over its tentacles constantly. Even in my small tank my Ritteri's show how they are actually a true filter feeder. As when I put in flake food for the fish, the excess that gets blown through its tantacles are caught and brought to its mouth. In fact the term "filter feeder" and "predator" kind of go hand in hand with anemones, as they are in one sense one in the same.

That explaination I can take. Not quite what I have in mind originally though. I was actually referring to his use of invertebrate liquid food that he dosed to feed the anemone. My original intention is to tell him that is not the right food to use on the anemone and definetly not the food as their sole nutritional source.

 

[Anonymous]

I feed my BTA silversides a couple of times a week, but by favor my favorite way it gets fed is when I feed the tank and my clown spits mouthfuls of food at it. Love watching that relationship.

 

[SPC]

Posted by SLUGZ:
Dan..

SO my rock anemone is not considered a filter feeder? The food I'm feeding is incorrect then? He seems to like it, or maybe the closing up is a defense mech.

-SLUGZ, give him a large piece of shrimp or a silversides, he will love you for it. Once you see what he does with this you will understand why the invert food is not what he wants.
Steve

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

Damnhippo: yeah I just caught that last part about the liquid and agree with you there completely.

 

[reefland]

My Ritteri that has a diameter exceeding 48" is given many whole silversides that are about 6" long daily.

Wow, would love to see a picture of that. Have a URL handy?

I have a long tentacle anemone for close to 6 years now. I feed it weekly to every other week. It likely has gone a month without direct feedings a few times. But I feed the tank heavily and I'm sure the clownfish bring it plenty of food too. I mainly feed it shrimp, the silversides I tried were rejected.

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

I would gladly post a picture(or multiples of it) if someone is willing to post it up on this BB. I dont have any picture webhosting currently, but if someone does, please PM or email me and Ill send some pics for posting.

 

[Anonymous]

i was just gonna ask the same thing. that anemone sounds huge! what do you keep it in? i can post a pic or 2 for ya.

 

[reefland]

I would gladly post a picture(or multiples of it) if someone is willing to post it up on this BB. I dont have any picture webhosting currently, but if someone does, please PM or email me and Ill send some pics for posting.

YGM

 

[SLUGZ]

DAN/SPC..

I'm beginning to wonder why my LFS would recommend me using that filter feeder food.. should I not even bother using it?

I feed brine to my fish and of course the anemone gets an occasional floater .. seems to like it.. I'll try a piece of shrimp.. thanks for the suggestions!

rc

 

[Anonymous]

DAN/SPC..

I'm beginning to wonder why my LFS would recommend me using that filter feeder food.. should I not even bother using it?

maybe your lfs (like many others) isn't as knowledgable as you think :wink:

I feed brine to my fish and of course the anemone gets an occasional floater .. seems to like it.. I'll try a piece of shrimp.. thanks for the suggestions!

i hope that's not all you're feeding-brine is not a nutritious enough item to use as the sole diet! make sure you use a good quality marine flake(o.s.i., etc.) and occasional frozens, as well-to make sure your fish get what they need


rc

 

[SPC]

Posted by SLUGZ:

I'm beginning to wonder why my LFS would recommend me using that filter feeder food.. should I not even bother using it?

Well I don't know why they would recommend this, but armed with this new information it may be fun if you asked them. :wink:
As far as rather to use it or not that depends on what kind it is (some is crap) and if you have animals that can utilize it.

I feed brine to my fish

As vitz said, brine alone is probably the least nutritious food you can feed. At the very minumum I would soak it in Selcon for a few hours before feeding. I feed my fish, and tank, a blender mush. Do a search on this board for feeding and you will see different recipes for this food.
Steve