Anemone Propagation.

[Stemick]

What is your thoughts on manually splitting Anemones, is it cruel or not, how many of you have tried this, and what was your outcome? I have had a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone since I have started the hobby going on about 2 years now. I started to keep more SPS and even though they did not walk I did not want to chance them walking into the SPS. I moved them to the sump. They would naturally split about every 4 months but where still big. They would naturally split when the tank was out it best, worst, when I fed a lot or not at all. So I had seen a couple of show's on propagating RBTA Anemone (like BRS and couple other store tutorials) So I decided couple months back I would give it a try and have split 10 of them with zero losses do to splitting one walk into my brother in-laws pump intake I his sump. Which I told him to put a cover on. Not saying I'm a pro be any means. Within 6 hours or less the cut was closed up and in about 4 days or less you could not even tell that it was split. I would like to hear your thoughts on this. If anyone is interested on how I did it I can post a step by step tutorial on it and once I return state side make a video.

:usa2:Stemick :usa2:

 

[rhino56]

Its a good idea to do if you can do it without killing them
I never have,usually they split naturally for me enough to take over a tank if i feed them good.

 

[ptreef]

lots seem to split them manually w/o issue.
BRS has a video on it as well.

 

[Reefahholic]

I've propagated a couple Magnifica. It's time consuming and difficult. Don't recommend it.

 

[Stemick]

Reefahholic in your opinion what did you find time consuming about it? I have never split a magnificent before, maybe share your process a little bit and if you have done it a couple time did you figure out something that made it easier the second or third time then it was before? Just thoughts to share for educational purposes.

:usa2:Stemick:usa2:

 

[Reefahholic]

Reefahholic in your opinion what did you find time consuming about it? I have never split a magnificent before, maybe share your process a little bit and if you have done it a couple time did you figure out something that made it easier the second or third time then it was before? Just thoughts to share for educational purposes.

:usa2:Stemick:usa2:

Well, I would say you need to be really prepared. Have enough meds on hand, plenty of water, and a good setup for treating.

They both did well at first and then I ran into problems. I'm probably setup better than most for treating multiple Nems at a time, but those frags we're going in and out of treatment. So much so that I started to get lazy and make mistakes. It gets exhausting after a while. Dosing and water changes daily while trying to work gets old.

First thing you really want to do is start with a very healthy well fed mag. Then you want to make sure your DT is clean and stable running at its best. Water quality needs to be good. Low PO4.

You want the sharpest blade and a buddy to help spread the mag and drain the water so he's more flat. Eye protection too.

One solid sharp cut exactly down the middle and directly in the middle of mouth. Then get him in the DT quickly.

Making a good clean cut is key.









As you can see, mine did good at first, but don't let it fool you.

I wouldn't try it.

 

[Stemick]

Thanks Reefahholic for sharing your experience. I personally did not thing it was to hard or time consuming but thats with Bubble tips. You bring up a good point to make sure you have what you need in a emergency and have personal protective gear (PPE) gloves and eye protection at minimum when doing this. Anyone else have thought or experience with this. Next time I do it I think I will take step be step photos.

 

[Z06-Hec]

just curious.... you cut starting from the mouth outwards?
One way and then again from mouth back out the other way? (center out on both sides?)

 

[Reefahholic]

I try to make one cut all the way through.

You want a long sharp blade. The one you see above is very sharp, but I think I can find better.

You need to treat it like a surgery, and sterilize the blade and operating table.

Less chance of infection which is gonna cause major problems.

 

[Reefahholic]

Thanks Reefahholic for sharing your experience. I personally did not thing it was to hard or time consuming but thats with Bubble tips. You bring up a good point to make sure you have what you need in a emergency and have personal protective gear (PPE) gloves and eye protection at minimum when doing this. Anyone else have thought or experience with this. Next time I do it I think I will take step be step photos.

BTA's are not even close to fragging a Magnifica.

Mine get chopped in half by my powerheads and both have survived on 3 different occasions.

 

[Cal]

What is your thoughts on manually splitting Anemones, is it cruel or not, how many of you have tried this, and what was your outcome? I have had a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone since I have started the hobby going on about 2 years now. I started to keep more SPS and even though they did not walk I did not want to chance them walking into the SPS. I moved them to the sump. They would naturally split about every 4 months but where still big. They would naturally split when the tank was out it best, worst, when I fed a lot or not at all. So I had seen a couple of show's on propagating RBTA Anemone (like BRS and couple other store tutorials) So I decided couple months back I would give it a try and have split 10 of them with zero losses do to splitting one walk into my brother in-laws pump intake I his sump. Which I told him to put a cover on. Not saying I'm a pro be any means. Within 6 hours or less the cut was closed up and in about 4 days or less you could not even tell that it was split. I would like to hear your thoughts on this. If anyone is interested on how I did it I can post a step by step tutorial on it and once I return state side make a video.

:usa2:Stemick :usa2:

I'd like to see your sump and info :bigsmile:

 

[blkhawk10]

I watched my buddy chop his RBTA in half a couple weeks ago...both survived and are doing fine

 

[Reefahholic]

RBTA are very easy.

 

[Stemick]

BTA from my experience are very easy as long as you take your time, do it right, and have the right stuff. @Z06-Hec you want to use a very sharp knife with a longer blade. I use a nice fish fillet knife. You want to start from one edge of the anemone and make one straight cut from end to end straight through its' mouth and try to cut evenly though the foot to. Cal I try to see if i have a pic of my sump. I used my brother in-laws sump to to house a couple his had more space then mine. It's nothing special just a regular 20 gal with 3 sections. I used the refugium to put them in, I also have used some kind if creator trap that had slot for flow it suction cup to the side. As long as I kept the top at the surface they did not try walking out. I will see if I can find a pic of it too.

 

[geckoejon]

reefahholic, have you ever tried a gig? i have read a couple people stating that they have received cut gigs that survived. one also reportedly had a gig cut in half in a rock slide and both halves survived. i'm looking for an extra healthy multi-colored gig to beef up and try on. thoughts?

 

[Reefahholic]

reefahholic, have you ever tried a gig? i have read a couple people stating that they have received cut gigs that survived. one also reportedly had a gig cut in half in a rock slide and both halves survived. i'm looking for an extra healthy multi-colored gig to beef up and try on. thoughts?

Yeah, I believe it's possible but very difficult like a Magnifica. I know TaylorT over at RC has had a few cut gigs, and so has Pete.

I haven't tried yet because I like all mine too much and I'm still trying to figure them out. Gig's are rare and hard enough to keep without cutting them. I know you have 3, but that could change quick. They can deflate because of one parameter that's out of whack, get infected, and quickly die.

I think if I were to do it, I would wait at least 6 months for that particular nem to be extremely healthy and stabilized. Then I would feed him well, and make sure he was fully inflated constantly with super shaggy appearance. After that I might try and would document it daily.

I can say this for sure, the odds aren't in our favor.

IMO, a collector on the beach front is cutting a few and housing them in a holding tank fed by pure ocean water right off the beach. I believe this is how they're healing and able to sell them.

If it were somebody in the US, he or she would have been ranting about it, or somebody would have known.

 

[geckoejon]

Yeah, I believe it's possible but very difficult like a Magnifica. I know TaylorT over at RC has had a few cut gigs, and so has Pete.

I haven't tried yet because I like all mine too much and I'm still trying to figure them out. Gig's are rare and hard enough to keep without cutting them. I know you have 3, but that could change quick. They can deflate because of one parameter that's out of whack, get infected, and quickly die.

I think if I were to do it, I would wait at least 6 months for that particular nem to be extremely healthy and stabilized. Then I would feed him well, and make sure he was fully inflated constantly with super shaggy appearance. After that I might try and would document it daily.

I can say this for sure, the odds aren't in our favor.

IMO, a collector on the beach front is cutting a few and housing them in a holding tank fed by pure ocean water right off the beach. I believe this is how they're healing and able to sell them.

If it were somebody in the US, he or she would have been ranting about it, or somebody would have known.

gotcha... i thought about trying with my smaller multi-colored one. it has doubled in size and is coloring up so nicely that there is no way i'm trying it now. lol as it stands now, my 2 multi's both look like shaggy carpets and are just plain awesome! no way i'm risking them. the blue is gaining color, but still acclimating. if i find another healthy one i might follow your advice about making sure it's very healthy / acclimated and then trying.

you might be right about the collector and constant fresh sea water... i only live a couple minutes from the beach. think it might be worth the extra effort to get fresh sea water as opposed to aged reef tank water? i'm asking in reference to trying to propagate a gig down the road. probably would be better in the area they were actually collected in, but might have added value naturally compared to made up reef tank water. thoughts?

 

[Eckolancer]

I have cut a gig before into 4. Only 3 of the 4 made it. I believe it was because the mouth in the 4th was very small. It moved a little when cutting. I could have been lucky on getting 3 to survive. But with bubble tips I've never lost one. I keep a small dinner plate in the sump and use a new razor blade each time I want to cut them. Just rinse the razor in a cup of water before each cut and make the cut count. Don't be afraid and make sure the anemone is not able to slide all over the place.

 

[Stemick]

Here is a little tutorial on how I do a BTA/RBTA. Could be better ways to do it feel free to add to or make suggestions above all if you going to try this Attempt at own RISK. I would only attempt with a healthy Anemone no matter what type and this way could possible be down with other types of Anemones. Also make sure you have healthy stable tank.

Equipment,
-SHARP Good Fillet Knife
-Unused Cutting board (CAN be roll-able plastic one from dollar store)
-Surgical or food grade Gloves
-Goggles (some forum of eye protection)
-2 Bowls or container (large enough to fit anemone)
-clear cheap rubber maid container with holes in side (some kind of container to place in tank to allow flow that you can hold BTAs in after splitting.)
-couple plastic clamps or algae clips with suction cup
-1/4" drill
-Drill
-Hospital Tank "Recommened" ( does have to be running just on standby)

Materials
-Iodide( I use kent marine Iodide supplement)
-Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) ( I got it from Aquatic Pharmacy)
-70 isopropyl alcohol
-Tank water (water from tank it is currantly in)
-A "HEALTHY" BTA/RBTA

Make sure to drill hole in rubber maid container before starting.

-Step 1
Clean all working area.

-Step 2
Label first bowl with IODINE.

-Step 3
Fill same bowl labeled iodine with tank water and mix Iodine in very well. ( I use 1 capful for every 4 cups and mark)

-Step 4
Fill second bowl with tank water and place BTA in it.

-Step 5
Use alcohol to clean of filet knife and cutting board let dry and rinse with some of the tank water and Iodine mixer.

-Step 6
Put gloves and goggles on.

-Step 7
Place BTA on cutting board and spread out flat and evenly with foot on cutting board and mouth facing up.

-Step 8
Use ""SHARP"" filet knife and place it against cutting board close to the edge of BTA furthest away from you.

-Step 9
With firm pressure pull knife against cutting board towards you making sure to make one clean cut all the way though BTA until you have come to the forward edge of BTA making two halfs. BE SURE TO CUT THOUGH THE MIDDLE OF MOUTH AND FOOD WHEN CUTTING INTO TWO.

-Step 10
Place both halfs into bowl with TANK WATER and IODINE mixer water. Let set for about 2 mins. Stir slightly

-Step 11
Place both half into bowl with just tank water to rinse them off.

-Step 12
Place both half in clear rubber maid container with holes.

-Step 13
Place container in water in tank and clamp to side or use algae clips to hold container to side or place container on sand bed with small rock to keep container weighted down.( I place container towards top of tank and have the water level with the top of container, so the don't try to walk out.)

-Step 14
Clean up and watch BTAs heal and keep hands off the more you mess with them the better chances of things going wrong.

From my experience the BTAs well look unhappy for a couple of days BTAs should be closed together where it was cut or almost closed within 24hrs. It should be mostly healed within a week. I keep them in a holding container for 2 weeks to be able to watch and make sure they heal well and don't become ill. The holding container also helps so that you can catch them and place in hospital tank if need. I have Ciprofloxacin (follow instruction on bottle if used) which is an antibiotic on standby with the hospital tank. Just in case thing go south. Having them in the holding container also keeps them out in the light where photosynthesis can help the Healing process. They will want to hide because they are upset and will not get light to aid with healing. I don't feed for 1 month after splitting.

I hope this help anyone looking into try this. For best success make sure you have everything and be pre-pared.


:usa2:STEMICK:usa2:

 

[geckoejon]

I have cut a gig before into 4. Only 3 of the 4 made it. I believe it was because the mouth in the 4th was very small. It moved a little when cutting. I could have been lucky on getting 3 to survive. But with bubble tips I've never lost one. I keep a small dinner plate in the sump and use a new razor blade each time I want to cut them. Just rinse the razor in a cup of water before each cut and make the cut count. Don't be afraid and make sure the anemone is not able to slide all over the place.

cool... have any pics?