From an article on 3 reef. Also, on a side note, I'd get your temps stabilized. My swing is less than 1 degree. Stability is important. Check out the comment about Temperature in the article:
Anemones fall under the class ANTHOZOA. This class makes up the
anemones, corals and anemone like organisms. Most anemones remain sessile by
means of attaching themselves to glass, rocks or substrate by means of a
"foot".
Anemones consist of two layers of cells, each specialized for
different functions. The outer layer is masked with stinging cells(nematocysts)
and muscles, while the inner layer contains the simple digestive system which it
conusumes food captured by its tentacles or waste from its zooxanthellae.
Anemones are predatory in nature and are able to
consume numerous food stuff not limited to crabs, small fish and sea urchin.
Most anemones will need to be housed under moderate to intense lighting as they
contain zooxanthellae, a photosynthetic organism that nourishes the anemone
through its waste product. Because of this anemones don't need to rely on target
feeding or other means of food delivery. The size and shape of an anemone can be
altered based on available nutrients in the palegic area of your tank.
Tropical sea anemones imported for the aquarium trade should be
housed with the absence of an intake for pumps and powerheads!!!! I don't know
how many times I have read about fellow reefers stories, of the marriage had
between an intake on their powerhead and their anemone... I have also suffered,
or should I say most of the anemones I have housed, have suffered a terrible
fate losing their battle to an intake pipe, or overflow drain.
There are ways of combatting this problem!!!! Placing foam material or a cartridge
over the intake pipe will help to disperse the water suction over a wider area
thus preventing the anemone from getting sucked in to the piping or drain. You
could go to a local pet shop and pick up some sponge/pre filter foam and attach
it to your powerhead intake. The other thing would be to house your powerhead or
drain in a separate chamber and or design a baffle out of meshing so as that the
anemone cannot cover the whole overflow or drain. The other thing to be careful
of is a heater in the tank. If an anemone grabs hold of the heater element and
the heater turns on, if the anemone cannot let go quick enough, it will burn its
pedal disk, often resulting in the death of your anemone!
I shall go through the variables that must be achieved if you are to have any success with
a sea anemone.
Temperature: Temperature is a major factor that needs
to be ascertained! An amemone will surely succumb to fatality if they are not
kept between 68-87 degrees. Ideally the temperature should be at 78 degrees! If
this temperature is not met, it affects the functions of it's enzymes used for
metabolic process such as digestion, tissue maintenance, consumption of oxygen
and detoxification of radicals that develope during photosynthesis.
Lighting: As stated above, most anemones need
moderate to intense light to provide their zooxanthellae with the needed light
for photosynthesis and in return feeding the anemone. The best lighting scheme
would be daylight bulbs with a color temperature of 6500k and supplemental
actinic lighting. An aquarium housed with direct sunlight is ideal, though a
chiller must be used to combat the high temperature associated with this set-up.
A familiar problem with the lighting we use is that for the most part it is
constant lighting with no changes in light intensity found with natural sunlight
through cloud cover! A dimmer attached to our ballast could offer anemones the
advantage of being able to rid themselves of toxic radicals from photosynthesis
through breaks in the irradiance from our lighting!
Water motion:
Water movement bring food and oxygen to anemones and corals alike. it also
carries away waste and carbon dioxide. The movement of their tentacles caused by
the water flow intensity affects the anemones zooxanthellae and the rate of photosynthesis.
Trace Elements: Iodine, zinc, bromide and copper in
low doses aid in growth and repair of tissue, pigment formation and
metabolization of symbiotic zooxanthellae. As with any supplementation or
dosing, remember not to overdose!
Tankmates: One of the benefits of
having a host Clownfish associated with an anemone is the protection towards its
host! This being said however, doesn't ensure 100% success in a fish or reef
aquarium. Crabs and bristle worms once they get bigger will snap at the chance
to eat an anemone. Angelfish and Butterfly fish will also test their luck and
devour an anemone as well. Many corals will also sting or be stung by contact
with an anemone often times proving fatal.
A couple of things to look
out for when selecting and keeping an anemone.
Bleaching: Loss of pigment in an anemone, means that it is loosing its zooxanthellae needed to survive. The
zooxanthellae can repopulate itself under favorable conditions. Bleaching can
take place with too much light or inadequate lighting. In my experience, keeping
a watchful eye on your anemone can help in its rebounding. If their is too much
light, an anemone will let you know by retreating into a cave or place with
indirect lighting. If this happens try decreasing the duration the lights remain
on. This may be the easiest thing to do as removing an anemone could damage its
foot and they will move if unhappy.
Now if you don't have enough
light, many times your anemone will let you know by climbing up the glass and
shrinking as a last ditch effort due to its eating its cell tissue for
nutrition. One important note!!!!!!!!! if you use carbon to clear up your
tank(either due to smell or GELBSTOFF-yellowing of the water), you will increase
the lighting intensity thus the UV
wavelength reaching the bottom of your aquarium. Because of this you may disturb
the anemone temporarilly or severely thus activated carbon shouldn't be used to
aggressively.
Shrinking: Again this is caused by insufficient light
needed by the zooxanthellae with which feeds the anemone. The shrinking involves
the consumption of tissue making up for the deficiency caused by the decrease in
zooxanthellae. If this happens an increase in lighting should help the situation
plus a supplemental target feed is helpful.
Loss of stickiness: This
is caused by an unhealthy anemone. Its inability to fire off nematocysts in its
tentacles is the reason for this. The anemone is directing all of its energy to
defend against pathogens and damaged tissue instead of sending off nematocysts
requiring energy. Again more often than not a result of inadequate
light.
Refusal of food: Target feeding of anemones is not necessary
if they are receiving adequate lighting! A treat of shrimp, clam or squid once a
week will be sufficient. If it refuses the food, don't force it to eat as you
could injure it. Just make sure again that the lighting is
sufficient.
The last thing that I have encountered with an anemone,
especially when I just place it in my tank is the mouth opens wide and a portion
of its insides are evident. That is its actinopharynx, and the reason why it
does this is to get more oxygen. The anemone has actually been suffocating in
the plastic bag!!!!! It can also be its natural way of doing a water change. I
cant believe it does its own water change. If you have this situation, the best
thing to do is place the anemone in a strong water flow to make the tentacles
flow and that will add proper ventilation.
Hopefully this will help
answer the myriad of questions regarding this interesting creature we call the
anemone.
I know that in my experience I have seen many of these signs and
wish that I knew back then what I know now!!! Also with the many types of
anemones available to us, I would stick to a hardier type such as the "rock",
Condylactis, Pacific long tentacle, sand and Sebae. Stay away from Crispa,
Carpets(Stoichactis) and Ritteri.
