Rock Anemone babies!

[AcroNem]

This is why I love this hobby so much (and I do it for work too so that's saying something). I got in several rock anemones Epicystis crucifer to put in my display, and while unpacking them noticed that one had released young in the bag. I have been saying for a while now I want to set up a small propagation system (like I don't have enough already) to breed and raise them but now I might not have a choice. They're all in the "bare" propagation tank right now for quarantine we'll see how many of the babies settle out and grow. Enjoy
p.s sorry for the blurry images, I took them with my phone on auto.

 

[kacrocorals581]

Wow very cool!

 

[sneub]

Really!, please keep us updated.

 

[reef lover]

Awesome!!

 

[ahiggins]

youll have a blast with rock nems! I am always seeing new babies pop up so I have a nano dedicated to them

 

[AcroNem]

Been keeping reefs for ten years and these things still excite me I've kept random rock nems before and had lots come and go being sold but just never ordered for my display to keep personally. Just fed them, and I counted 58 let's see how many I can raise.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

Really cool. I've always wanted to get some rock nems. They are one of the few corals I've never tried. Please keep us updated and good luck with them!

 

[Jeff.:P:.]

Very Nice, I wonder what triggered them to propagate

 

[AcroNem]

Very Nice, I wonder what triggered them to propagate

I'd bet money whichever one is the female was close to releasing already and the stress of shipping triggered it. When they breed in displays there's usually only a couple that settle out due to flow and filters so we thought they only had a couple, but it's really interesting seeing how many are actually in a brood. Gives a new perspective on how well a system just for breeding them would go.

 

[bruleyii]

Do you have to feed the babies anything special to help them grow or do they just get food that falls out of the water column?

 

[AcroNem]

Do you have to feed the babies anything special to help them grow or do they just get food that falls out of the water column?

I tend to treat rock anemones like a NPS coral, feeding them often. I feed all my systems phytoplankton and many other small things like rotifers, nauplii, and oyster eggs every night so they'll get a lot from those feedings but i'll be target feeding them to make sure. Last night and this morning was phytoplankton and rotifers

 

[ahiggins]

Very Nice, I wonder what triggered them to propagate

This case was most definitely stress related since she was already carrying. ive found though that when the temp swings low on my tank, once it moves back to optimal-thats when a spawning event occurs with the males. I havent noticed any correlation with females yet.

 

[ahiggins]

I tend to treat rock anemones like a NPS coral, feeding them often. I feed all my systems phytoplankton and many other small things like rotifers, nauplii, and oyster eggs every night so they'll get a lot from those feedings but i'll be target feeding them to make sure. Last night and this morning was phytoplankton and rotifers

I dont feed the babies until they get ~nickel size. The big ones I feed LRS or mysis once a week. Well fed nems breed

 

[ahiggins]

Also, when I notice the males spawning-all sponges from mechanical filtration gets turned off so its basically just moving water instead of filtering. Only because Ive found a few bleached babies in there a few times lol
Theyre definitely my favorite corals

 

[AcroNem]

I dont feed the babies until they get ~nickel size. The big ones I feed LRS or mysis once a week. Well fed nems breed

A well fed anything is happy I'll be spot feeding them from the start it can't hurt so I'll see if it affects the survival rate at all. If I decide to make another prop system just for them it won't have too much in the way of mechanical filtration mostly just biological, for the same reason you stated.

 

[ahiggins]

while I cant say that the rock nem tank is my favorite (because of all the other pretty corals in my other tanks) its defintely the most rewarding/fun. The first batch of babies around about .5-.75" across. I cant wait for them to grow up
All the other batches are pinhead-.25"

*and the nem tank runs about 10-15 nitrates and is well fed by the stupid damsel in there haha* Ive never tried osyters but I did feed the babies reef roids once.

 

[AcroNem]

I'm expecting a very slow growth rate, but this is fun either way. I love projects like this.

 

[Darth George]

This is why I love this hobby so much (and I do it for work too so that's saying something). I got in several rock anemones Epicystis crucifer to put in my display, and while unpacking them noticed that one had released young in the bag. I have been saying for a while now I want to set up a small propagation system (like I don't have enough already) to breed and raise them but now I might not have a choice. They're all in the "bare" propagation tank right now for quarantine we'll see how many of the babies settle out and grow. Enjoy
p.s sorry for the blurry images, I took them with my phone on auto.

That's really cool!

 

[Reef Nutrition]

I tend to treat rock anemones like a NPS coral, feeding them often. I feed all my systems phytoplankton and many other small things like rotifers, nauplii, and oyster eggs every night so they'll get a lot from those feedings but i'll be target feeding them to make sure. Last night and this morning was phytoplankton and rotifers

What kind of phytoplankton are you feeding your tank? We have a rock flower that is exposed to a blend of phytoplankton species, so I'm very interested to hear what species you feed out. We also feed ours oyster eggs, pellets and roe.

 

[AcroNem]

Well, I feed yours actually. I feed quite a lot of it having several systems, mixed with the other foods mentioned above. I feed adults fauna marin LPS pellets along with the others so we're feeding very similar foods.