Baby gig

[Taylor t]

Keep in mind, it’s only 1/4”! So look below and tell me if it looks like aptasia
That’s probably why no one believed me saying I see babies, they don’t look shaggy and developed when super tiny.
The feeding appears to be helping with it grow. Here’s today. Looks like the whole center disk is turning green with rim all purple now...???? Maybe it will be like all the clowns breeding for colors. Two toned gigs

 

[Taylor t]

Quite a few floaters today. I’ve never watched the process of release, but when looking today at the purple gig with a flashlight it’s still has a bunch inside, one was trying to crawl up 3 tents in one place, when the light hit the baby inside purple gig, it’s light sensitivity reacted quick and sucked back quickly into the disk of the purple away from the light. Just interesting to note. Maybe they come out the mouth? Who knows.
I gave it another tiny scallop. I couldn’t resist. It’s feeding response is fast. Here’s reset after eating.

 

[Taylor t]

Minh, based on what you see, how old would your guess be? I’m thinking a month maybe? I’ve only had it 4 days, but the fastest development I’ve seen, but also been feeding it too.

I still think back to your Malu before it crashed, heartbreak.

 

[OrionN]

I am seeing it change from day to day with feeding. It is anybody guess as to how old he is. As is he will grow very quickly with food. Without feeding it got to be a long time to grow from 1/8 to 1/4 inches. Weeks.

 

[Taylor t]

So now you got me second guessing. Not many pics, or I should say, not a single pic besides a microscope pic, of a baby gig under 2” to compare, on the net that I could find. So I pulled it out to check for spots. No spots other than a single ring of spots on the outside of the disk. If it’s not a baby gig, I’m baffled at what it could be, and how I got it. I haven’t added anything in years to my tank, not even a snail, last thing added was maybe 3 years ago, a doctor tang, and before that was another year or so, and that was a foxface. No coral rock or anything alive has been added in a long long time. That said, anything’s possible in salt so I don’t know. I have only 3 types of anemone in my tank, gigs, aptasia, and ball anemones. Aptasia and ball are just simple to ID, ball anemone are nocturnal and close in light, so gig in my mind is the only possibility?

So here’s a few more shots, tried to get the ring of spots on the skirt. Maybe more development is needed for veracue?

 

[Taylor t]

But I know in the past when I got a bleached gig the veracue are sometimes hardly visible, and this guy is both small and lost color, so maybe they are there and I can’t see it, lol I go get my eyes checked in 2 weeks cause I can’t see, so maybe it’s me! Lol.

 

[Breadman03]

I would operate under the assumption that you have baby gigs and document as such for now. From what I've read, anemones stomachs tend to be primarily filled with planktonic materials. I'd verify that info and consider using tiny foods to ease digestion.

I miss my gig Perhaps I'll pick one up from you in the future.

 

[D-Nak]

It's so strange that it looks more like a strawberry or tulip anemone, than I gigantea. I can't wait to see photos of it transforming into more of a typical gigantea shape. This is so exciting.

 

[OrionN]

I don't think it can be anything but a Gigantea. Young animals most of the time does not look exactly like and adult. I am sure you can tell in a few weeks, especially if you keep on feeding him.

 

[Taylor t]

Ok. 100% (my opinion) gig. Today I was able to see it DOES have spots all around the column, several rows thick down the foot then stops, that are blue or purple on larger gigs. Just like adult gigs only tiny and white in appearance, but it’s losing more color everyday. My camera can’t pick them up they are so tiny, only the top most ring shows up because they are larger dots. This is what I needed to see with my eyes to be certain it was a baby gig. You can take these pics to the bank. varecue confirmed, just VERY small dots.

It was totally deflated when I showed up today, didn’t feed yesterday. I fed it today and it inflated to look good again.

 

[kapnkush608]

Amazing, do you have access to live gutloaded brine

 

[Taylor t]

And for size, it’s between 3/8” and 1/2” now. It is growing. I’m thinking it might be a few months old? I’m imagining being behind rocks and tumbling around in not the most optimum areas of a hostile tank isn’t ideal for it to grow, I’m amazed I even found it. I watched today a while, fish are a BIG problem. I saw another floating with full inflated disk, full inflated purple foot, I couldn’t get to it before my blue chromis ate it. The tangs also eat the tiny eggs floating around. My guess, when gigs are so small they are a tasty treat to all other inhabitants, including pods. Frustrating to watch them get eaten and nothing I can do. Although it had nice color when I first found it.

I think I’m going to tie a 20 Long into the system for these, use same water.

 

[Taylor t]

Amazing, do you have access to live gutloaded brine

No, but I bet it would enjoy them!

 

[OrionN]

I thing you should put a 10-20 gal refugium, Gig refugium that is, and keep the babies in there. Bare bottom with adequate light. Bare bottom and devoid of rock with help with flow control and keep the pods population to zero. Small and easy to watch and feed.
I am goinf to set up a tank like this with a layer of small tiles cover the bottom to the anemone can attach to. If I want to remove one, I just swab the tile for a empty one.

No need to feed life food, just get small pieces of sea food and they will grow just fine.

 

[Taylor t]

Yes, an isolated tank to remove pods is a must. I’ve got a 20 Long already drilled I’m going to set up.

 

[OrionN]

They grew exceptionally fast with feeding. Mine for 2 inches to 3+ in just a week or two with feeding.

 

[Taylor t]

I wonder how a dozen eggs would handle shipping to Texas...

 

[OrionN]

One can always try.
I am feeding my Gigantea again hoping for a spawn.
You you have moon light cycle on your tank Taylor-t?

 

[Taylor t]

Yesterday I sucked out all the pods of the container, and added 5-10 eggs I sucked through the tips. Today all eggs were gone, and I found as many pods in the container again. The feed pump to a gig fuge needs to be covered in pantyhose to prevent larger pods from entering, yet still allow the fine microscopic stuff to pass through. Just a thought.

 

[Taylor t]

Yes. It mimics real time moonlight. Full moon outside is full moon in my tank.