Research into gigante

Artimusclyde1974 · Jan 11, 2020

I want to get a gigante anemone blue or green I am just cycling the tank so I have a year or so till I’m comfortable getting one but I want to research into them a lot as this would be my centerpiece
I know they need great water quality iv never had much issue with that and I won’t get one till the tank is aged and stable any way mostly I am interested in lighting and flow I read they need high light and flow but I want people who own them for 1year plus to chime in with their own experience please and thank you

fcmatt · Jan 12, 2020

Most of the reputation of keeping a gig is difficult is due to them being imported and therefore stressed. I would research the proper method of qt, the medicine we use, and prep all of that ahead of time. I think that is the key to success now days. Because if you can keep it alive for 6 months and it looks good the darn thing is almost bulletproof going forward.

After that... if you can keep acropora alive in the same tank as the gig... it will be just fine. It can actually handle worse conditions but that is a good way to describe the ideal conditions.

I have 2 under t5, good flow, and happy clowns all around. I also have haddoni and bubble all in the same tank.

Artimusclyde1974 · Jan 12, 2020

fcmatt said:
Most of the reputation of keeping a gig is difficult is due to them being imported and therefore stressed. I would research the proper method of qt, the medicine we use, and prep all of that ahead of time. I think that is the key to success now days. Because if you can keep it alive for 6 months and it looks good the darn thing is almost bulletproof going forward.

After that... if you can keep acropora alive in the same tank as the gig... it will be just fine. It can actually handle worse conditions but that is a good way to describe the ideal conditions.

I have 2 under t5, good flow, and happy clowns all around. I also have haddoni and bubble all in the same tank.

It will be in a 25” deep tank with 3 ai primes attaches to a hybrid fixture with 4 t5 not sure how much light that will be haha I have the lights on my smaller tank until the new one is cycled and ready for the move over

I was hoping to get one that has been in a tank for some time not just captured then shipped to help on the whole quarantine issue

fcmatt · Jan 12, 2020

Well that is more then enough light...

You def have the right idea in trying to find one from a previous owner. Your odds of success go up tremendously.

Prepare yourself to get one attached to a rock. They rarely want to let go. So dont prepare your rock work like a masterpiece only to realize it is attached to a large chunk.

And when you drop that new rock into your tank it will more then likely cause a bit of disruption in the way of algae, hitchhikers, and who knows what else. Qt can only solve so much with the meds we use. So keep that in mind. All depends on the source but comes with the territory.

Choose your clowns carefully. Nothing worse then regretting on what you pick and then end up owning them, having to remove them, and finding a new home.

Dont worry about feeding. If you like fat fish they tend to capture enough to get by.

They are expensive. Blue will prob run you 300 if you are lucky up to 500 plus. Yellow/green less. So that hospital or qt tank is cheap compared to the investment of a gig and end up losing it.

They tend not to move around which is a plus. Once attached they stay in my experience. Haddoni are bulldozers. They can shift almost any rock work if they want to.

I am just rattling on here.

jsvand5 · Jan 12, 2020

Once you get one that is healthy they are just as easy or even easier than any other type of anemone. They really don’t even need all that great of water quality. The only hard part to keeping them is to get a good one to start with. Don’t even bother buying one without having cipro on hand first. Buying an established one from a fellow reefer is your best bet. Even if you have to pay much more initially it will likely save you money in the long run. Nothing is worse than getting in a fresh import, treating it daily, and then still sometimes losing it.

Artimusclyde1974 · Jan 12, 2020

Awesome info guys thank you!

gig 'em · Jan 13, 2020

I would definitely be sure you’re solid on keeping a reef tank healthy before considering a gig. They’re one of the more difficult anemones to keep, so if you don’t have good success with a BTA or haddoni, I wouldn’t make the attempt yet until you’re more experienced. They do like high light, but once they’re healthy and established they tend to be pretty forgiving of tank conditions. Like everyone has said, sourcing one is the hardest part. Finding a blue is pretty difficult and expensive. Unless you live near an importer, expect to pay over $500 for one. Definitely do your research though, these anemones grow big and can be difficult

OrionN · Jan 14, 2020

I think Gigantea is one of the most beautiful anemone there is. It does need clean water and very high light. Although it can live in slightly lower current, high current high light is what will bring out the best for your Gigantea.

Artimusclyde1974 · Jan 14, 2020

OrionN said:
I think Gigantea is one of the most beautiful anemone there is. It does need clean water and very high light. Although it can live in slightly lower current, high current high light is what will bring out the best for your Gigantea.

I see your from Corpus Christi I just moved to San Antonio last year are there some good lfs near you?