Long Tentacled Anemones

[Little_Aquarist]

I have a few questions about anemones, long tentacled anemones in particular.
Today I was at the store, and I saw a long tentacled anemone with a red base, and green tentacles that were curled up at the time. I remembered what you (Ninong) said about consulting Reefland forums before making a purchase, so I left and hurried home to ask you. :P
Alright, my sandbed is around 1 inch. I heard they like to roam quite a bit.
Also, I'd love to know the species of this anemone if you have the time to tell me.
Any other things I should know about these particular anemones?

Thanks,
Brooks.

[Ninong]

Hi Brooks,


Congratulations! You didn't buy something on impulse. In this case, that was a very wise decision for the following reasons:

• Anemones are not easy to keep and they should never be added to tank that is less than about six months old. This caution applies to quite a few fish, too. What it means is that the tank should be reasonably mature and settled down before adding something that is sensitive to water quality and other environmental factors.

• The scientific name for the long-tentacled anemone is Macrodactyla doreensis. It is a sand-dwelling anemone and therefore requires a sand bed of at least 4" depth but 6" would be better.

• It is not a good choice for an inexperienced aquarist. The best choice for a new aquarist, after they have at least six months' experience, would be a bubble-tip anemone, often called a BTA. Their scientific name is Entacmaea quadricolor. After that would probably come Heteractis crispa and Stichodactyla haddoni. However, your 75-gal tank is better suited to a BTA because it's not large enough for most of the others.

• You should read this article by Dr. Ron Shimek on anemone care.

• You should also read this FREE book by Dr. Daphne Fautin on host anemones and anemonefishes (clownfishes). It's an entire book that Dr. Fautin has graciously made available for free online. It does not discuss aquarium husbandry of these animals.

• A good, inexpensive book on the care of clownfishes and their host anemones is Joyce Wilkerson's Clownfishes. It's only about twenty-four bucks. It's on sale for only $21.59 at Premium Aquatics. Read her book BEFORE you buy your first anemone. It's a very easy to read book and it explains how to breed clownfishes, which you may want to do some day to win the national science fair, and how to choose the right host anemone for your favorite clownfish.

I guess that means the long-tentacled anemone is off the menu, at least for the next couple of years, right?

[Little_Aquarist]

Thanks for the information Ninong, however, my aquarium has been up and running for around two years so I do have a tiny bit of experience with the care of it.
I've never branched out to higher level corals like anemones, etc. I've stuck to Zoanthids and Mushroom corals.
Unfortunately, my sand bed is only 1".
So would the BTA still be a good choice for me?

[Ninong]

Before you decide to purchase any anemone, you really have to read Dr. Shimek's article that I linked above, and you probably should purchase Joyce Wilkerson's book, Clownfishes. Then make your decision. Oh, and anemones are not considered corals.

I don't believe you said anywhere if you already have clownfish in your tank. Do you? If you do, then you will want to choose an anemone that they will accept as a host.

If you have only a 1" sand bed, then you can't choose any of the sand-dwelling anemones. A BTA is not exactly a sand-dwelling anemone, although it will frequently anchor its foot under a rock between the bottom of the rock and the sand bed, assuming there is a small cave there. They like to anchor themselves in crevices or caves in the rock structure in such a way that their column is not exposed to the light -- just their tentacles exposed. They are notorious for wandering around the tank looking for just the right spot. Unfortunately, they are likely to kill or damage any corals they come in contact with during their travels.

All anemones are prone to getting caught in powerhead intakes. That encounter is often fatal. Anyway, before you consider any species of anemone, you have to know what you're doing. I can't tell you which one is right for you without knowing what your plans are for this anemone. Most people who purchase an anemone either already have clownfish or they plan to buy clownfish. You need to make sure ahead of time that your clownfish will accept your anemone as a host.

You could always increase the depth of your sand bed. BTW, exactly what is the composition of your sand bed? Is it aragonite sand or crushed coral? As long as it's not crushed coral, you could always add more sand to it -- about 1/2" at a time. This can be done without removing anything from the tank.

A BTA is the best choice for anyone who is determined to have an anemone. The next step is to make sure that person knows what s/he is getting into and is prepared to deal with the potential problems. Also, it helps to know in advance if the BTA is likely to be accepted by your choice of clownfish.

[zhenya]

Hi Brooks,

On top of excellent advise that Ninong has given you I just like to point out that 75g tank is rather small for any of the host anemone species with the exception maybe the Entacmaea quadricolor.
And that is only the size consideration. I've started with one rose variant of E-quad in 02 in my 110g tank that is at the time was a thriving mixed reef. Long story short it is an anemone tank only, due to the fact that this anemone's reproduction habits forced me to give everything up in that tank. Another words it took over this tank completely, even Aiptasia sp. had no chance of survival... Ninong likes to call it "anemone that ate Zhenya's tank".
You can see what I mean by looking at this picture.


If you do go BTA's route I suggest that you be prepared to remove any new clones quickly before they take over. It doesn't mean that they will necessarily reproduce this quickly, but you have to be prepared for it and consider it in your decision making.

I've kept H.crispa in my 75g tank but in three years it quickly outgrew it and I had to remove it. It was nearly 20" in diameter... Something to consider if you like to keep other things in the tank.

Good luck!

[TimH07]

you are sitting on a fortune if you ever sell those BTA's (assuming you can remove them lol)

[Little_Aquarist]

Oh my... wow. That is incredible o_o
Well, it's strange you might mention that, Zhenya. I was examining my rocks and I saw an anemone-like form growing on the side of a rock. It was rather... see-through? For lack of a better word. It had "tentacles" with white bubbles at the end of it.
I found it strange that I would have something that looked similar to that of an anemone growing in my tank, when I've never even had one! *Puzzled Face*
It has recently disappeared in my tank, though.
And back to Ninong... I finished reading those articles you sent me around 15 minutes ago. Needless to say, they were very well written and extremely helpful (They're now bookmarked.) As for my sand, I DO have crushed coral.
I believe the man who introduced it to me referred to it as "live sand"? I'm not entirely sure.
As for the Anemones stinging the other corals, is there any way to prevent this? I've got a few Zoanthids and Mushroom corals laying around in my tank.


Thanks,
Brooks

[Little_Aquarist]

Oh, and yes I have two Amphiprion ocellaris.

[TimH07]

I was examining my rocks and I saw an anemone-like form growing on the side of a rock. It was rather... see-through? For lack of a better word. It had "tentacles" with white bubbles at the end of it.

did it look like this, maybe a different color tint?



i have lots of them, they are club tipped anemone's about the size of a dime or smaller, hitchhikers on live rock. i really dont know if they are bad or good, they never seem to harm anything in my tank.

[Little_Aquarist]

Tim,
That is EXACTLY what it looked like (From what I could see.)
Well, it would seem that I lucked out today. Upon returning my Goniopora to the LFS, I was told they couldn't take it back, however, seeing as how I've become good friends with the owner of the store, they supplied me with the option of grabbing one of their LTA's free of charge. As tempting as it was, I declined for the time being. They have told me that I could scrape up some excess sand from around my tank and build a "bed" for the anemone and it would essentially be happy there.

[TimH07]

They will tell you anything if they are picking your pocket, remember they are in it for sales, not happiness (well i guess the sales make them happy)

i've seen the fish stores sell people saltwater fish WITH the salt mix for their new set up.........

[Little_Aquarist]

Well, I would have to agree with that in some cases, however, this one could be different. This store is one of the most respected stores in my area, and my parents and I are fairly good friends with the owner of the store.
If I wasn't clear enough on the situation, they're giving me the anemone free of charge in response to not being able to take back my Goniopora.
Here are some pictures of the anemone they are giving me:




And here is the Goniopora:

[Ninong]

They have told me that I could scrape up some excess sand from around my tank and build a "bed" for the anemone and it would essentially be happy there.

Not exactly!

There is a little bit of truth to what they are trying to tell you but it won't work the way they are describing it. I have seen guys who have maybe just a 2"-3" sand bed put a 6" diameter piece of PVC pipe that is maybe 6" long into their tank and then fill that with sand to make a nice 6" DSB for their anemone. This only works if the anemone decides it likes the spot you have chosen for it. In most cases, it will stay put inside the PVC sand bed provided it's in an area that gets good light and moderate flow.

Another way to go about this would be to add more aragonite sand to your tank but to make one end of the tank deeper than the rest. You might have a sand bed that is 3" deep over most of the tank but 5" deep at one end, the spot where you plan to place the anemone. In other words, maybe one-third of the sand bed at the front of the tank, in front of the live rock, would be 5" deep sloping down to 3" deep for the rest of the tank. Then you have to hope that the anemone likes the home you have set up for it.

[TimH07]

they wouldnt take it even for free?

[Little_Aquarist]

Oh my gosh! Ninong you just made my day!
*Fan Girl Scream* Thank you so much!
And no, Tim... their policy is they do not accept returns. I'm not sure what the deal is there... :\

[Ninong]

This is the LTA that zhenya kept in his 75-gal tank -- not to be confused with the RBTA that ate his 110-gal tank. Note the DSB.


Dept. of Corrections:

That's his Heteractis crispa, not his Macrodactyla doreensis. He had to remove the LTA because the Sebae was killing it from a distance without even touching it -- chemical warfare. A 75-gal is too small for two different species of anemones.

[Little_Aquarist]

Ahh... I see.
Here is another question for you... what is an acceptable for the salinity of my aquarium? If I remember right, and if I used the word salinity in the wrong context, isn't it like the density of the water? Anyways, what is an acceptable level?
Currently mine is at 1.019.

[zhenya]

Ahh... I see.
Here is another question for you... what is an acceptable for the salinity of my aquarium? If I remember right, and if I used the word salinity in the wrong context, isn't it like the density of the water? Anyways, what is an acceptable level?
Currently mine is at 1.019.

That;s well below normal salinity around world's reefs. Salinity of 35ppt or 1.0265 of specific gravity is what you should try to maintain in your aquarium if you like to keep invertebrates (corals and such).
Even for fish only aquarium it is a bit on a low side.

[Little_Aquarist]

Alright, well the way to get that up is to do a water change...?

[Ninong]

Ahh... I see.
Here is another question for you... what is an acceptable for the salinity of my aquarium? If I remember right, and if I used the word salinity in the wrong context, isn't it like the density of the water? Anyways, what is an acceptable level?
Currently mine is at 1.019.

That would be your specific gravity and it's MUCH too low. You need to raise it gradually over the next couple of weeks. Instead of using R.O./D.I. water to replace evaporation, use saltwater. If you want to use specific gravity numbers instead of salinity numbers, then you need to bring your specific gravity up to at least 1.024 for a reef tank but 1.025-1.026 would be better.

Average salinity over tropical coral reefs around the world is 35 ppt (1.0264 SG), except for the Red Sea where the salinity ranges from 39-41 ppt due to the desert locale (almost no rainfall at all and no rivers emptying into it). Salinity in the Mediterranean Sea is ~37 ppt. Salinity near the North Pole and near Antarctica is lower due to melting ice and salinity in places like the Gulf of Thailand is much lower during the monsoon season due to rainfall.

We're not interested in the average salinity over the entire globe, only the average salinity over coral reefs. That runs 34-35 ppt in most places and 39-41 ppt in the Red Sea. Salinity of 42 ppt is the upper limit for coral survivability in the Red Sea. So corals in areas of the Red Sea where the salinity is 41 ppt are at their upper limit. They will die once the salinity reaches 42 ppt.