Ron Reefman's Rock Flower experience

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Haven't had the time to go through this thread and research on my own, but what is the secret to get these guys to spawn? Ive had the same group of 7 or so for the past couple years and they spawned once in my fluval 13.5, but that was like 3 years ago and since moving them I haven't seen them spawn again. I saw babies but iirc only one made it, then died later on from a temperature spike. Had the same ones for a while but havent seen them spawn in ages, should I try just target feeding mysis often? Havent fed them in a bit

So if happy RFA will spawn four times a year. They spawn on each equinox and solstice, so if you have a lighting system that can adjust for time of day to help simulate the natural lighting cycle it's easier to get them to spawn - but they will still follow the schedule without it.

They basically need to be conditioned with enough extra energy aka food, to have it in them to spawn. So I target feed twice a week for month leading up to each spawning as compared to where I normally just let them catch what they can the rest of the time.

I've found they usually spawn about an hour after "sunset" following this pattern. But that may just be my experience.

If you are willing to dig a little bit there was a write up in an old Reef Hobbyist Magazine issue a couple years ago that was talking about breeding RFA.

 

[souciemm]

So if happy RFA will spawn four times a year. They spawn on each equinox and solstice, so if you have a lighting system that can adjust for time of day to help simulate the natural lighting cycle it's easier to get them to spawn - but they will still follow the schedule without it.

They basically need to be conditioned with enough extra energy aka food, to have it in them to spawn. So I target feed twice a week for month leading up to each spawning as compared to where I normally just let them catch what they can the rest of the time.

I've found they usually spawn about an hour after "sunset" following this pattern. But that may just be my experience.

If you are willing to dig a little bit there was a write up in an old Reef Hobbyist Magazine issue a couple years ago that was talking about breeding RFA.

Here ya go

http://reefhobbyistmagazine.com/magazines_files/5caf41d62364d5b41a893adc1a9dd5d4-34-web.pdf

Reef Hobbyist Magazine

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm very unsure about the quote from Js.Aqua.Project that RFA's spawn on the equinoxes and solstices. Maybe they do in the wild. Maybe they do if your tank simulates the real world it terms of lighting. But I've had them spawn on dates that have no relationship to the equinoxes or solstices. So don't be surprised if your RFA's don't conform to those timelines. Just for what it's worth.

 

[Ryebreadiest]

I'm very unsure about the quote from Js.Aqua.Project that RFA's spawn on the equinoxes and solstices. Maybe they do in the wild. Maybe they do if your tank simulates the real world it terms of lighting. But I've had them spawn on dates that have no relationship to the equinoxes or solstices. So don't be surprised if your RFA's don't conform to those timelines. Just for what it's worth.

I wouldn’t be surprised if in nature there is some kind of tides/moon trigger, but yeah I can’t imagine that holds true in tanks with constant temperatures and light schedules.

 

[Narideth]

I had to shout out my joy to the heavens and where better!?

My Rock flowers have spawned!!!

If their reactions are coinciding as they seem to be, I have two males and three females.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Mmbra]

Hello fellow lovers of Rock Flower Anemones. I have had a group of 11 Flower Anemones for around a year now in my Nuvo15. I feed them around once a week and all seem to be doing well and thriving. The last couple of weeks i have noticed a lot of babies around the tank. Is there any guide, or does anyone have any tips on how to keep the little guys alive?

I saw in this thread that some have captured them and kept them together in a small cup. Is this the proper procedure? Have any of you all grown any into full grown adults? I see a lot of information about the anemones spawning and having the babies, but little actual info about keeping them alive. Thanks for any help you are willing to offer.

 

[Tired]

Oh, congrats! Expect more- conditions that get them to spawn once will likely repeat. If you spot them actively spawning, you can try turkey basting some of the sperm-laden water from above the males and gently blowing it at the females, with the pumps off, to help increase fertilization and thus increase your crop.

I think people gather them up just to keep an eye on them and be more easily able to feed them. I haven't gotten lucky enough to have any baby RFAs of my own, but, being almost a livebearing anemone, they seem to work like gobies and other livebearing fish; they can fend for themselves, but may do best if rounded up and fed directly. Though guppies don't generally stick to the rocks.

 

[fishnchips17]

Hello fellow lovers of Rock Flower Anemones. I have had a group of 11 Flower Anemones for around a year now in my Nuvo15. I feed them around once a week and all seem to be doing well and thriving. The last couple of weeks i have noticed a lot of babies around the tank. Is there any guide, or does anyone have any tips on how to keep the little guys alive?

I saw in this thread that some have captured them and kept them together in a small cup. Is this the proper procedure? Have any of you all grown any into full grown adults? I see a lot of information about the anemones spawning and having the babies, but little actual info about keeping them alive. Thanks for any help you are willing to offer.

I would collect them and put them in a pen so that it's easier to feed them and keep an eye on them. Rfa are sometimes not smart at all so it's better you can keep an eye on them and keep them out of trouble.

I have a thread on my adventures with baby rfa. Thread 'Baby RFA' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/baby-rfa.938361/

 

[SamMule]

I found a spoon works really well for scooping them up.
I just scooped them up with the sand around them and put them in a bowl with some rubble. Eventually, when they grow a little larger, they can attach to the rock rubble.

 

[jkcoral]

Hello fellow lovers of Rock Flower Anemones. I have had a group of 11 Flower Anemones for around a year now in my Nuvo15. I feed them around once a week and all seem to be doing well and thriving. The last couple of weeks i have noticed a lot of babies around the tank. Is there any guide, or does anyone have any tips on how to keep the little guys alive?

I saw in this thread that some have captured them and kept them together in a small cup. Is this the proper procedure? Have any of you all grown any into full grown adults? I see a lot of information about the anemones spawning and having the babies, but little actual info about keeping them alive. Thanks for any help you are willing to offer.

Loss rates can be high on the babies. Target feeding them frequently (I usually do every 2-3 days for a couple weeks) with reefroids or benereef helps them get established.

 

[Ron Reefman]

When I discovered mine, they were already spread all over the tank and attached to the rocks. After that I just fed the tank as always. I only fed the adults about every 2 or 3 weeks and the babies just got some coral food sprayed at them from a turkey baster with all the pumps off and the water still.

Good luck.

 

[OrionN]

I keep all kinds of anemones but only recently got interested in RFA. Knowing that @Ron Reefman has a lot of experiences with RFA, I look up all his thread and come up with this very information thread on RFA. Thanks for taken the time to post this thread. It is the most practical information I get from all my effort in trying to find information on RFA, and I have not even read through this whole thread yet.

I got 6 in my tank at this time. 5 for months to weeks. Only one I got yesterday from Matt at Austin Aqua Farm still attached to an oyster shell. The rest dig down into my 3 inch sand bed.

I don't have a lot of experiences with these anemones. What do you think of this one? Is it common? It is IMO very beautiful. It is Purple, red, slight green and white stripes. I have not seen one with this many color. I have Radion G3 on them and normally have white light on the tank with bluish dawn and sunset.

Right now it is still settling in. I update picture later when it settle in.
Question for you is: In your opinion, should I put it under high light or low light?
Top down

Side picture

 

[Ryebreadiest]

I’m fairly certain it’s happened before, but I finally caught my rock flowers spawning. Right after lights started to dim at 7pm, I noticed the tank water a little cloudy.
This was just the start and the big red one at the bottom led things off. Later on, a number of others released as well. Pretty cool and hoping to get some babies

 

[OrionN]

 

[Olefreebe]

I’m fairly certain it’s happened before, but I finally caught my rock flowers spawning. Right after lights started to dim at 7pm, I noticed the tank water a little cloudy.
This was just the start and the big red one at the bottom led things off. Later on, a number of others released as well. Pretty cool and hoping to get some babies

I missed the spawning but have had to separate "litters..." always have to make sure it's not aptasia when I first start seeing them lol.
Ron's post has been a great help.

 

[OrionN]

Some of mine have been good eaters and others are bad eaters. The good eater will grab the food offer and eat it. The bad eaters are very sensitive, anything that touch it will cause it to retract right away without grasping the food, and the food just slowly floating away.Two of the my first ones barely 6 weeks ago I think, was the size between Quarter and 50c coins. Now one is 4+ inches and always open while the other only about dollar coin size. Still not eating well. I think I will try to feed them fish food. Either pellets or/and flakes.
Anyone trying to feed these dry food. They seem to grasp fish food and eat it, so I think it will be fine, but don't know the long term result from this dry feeding. It would be nice if someone feed them dry food and know that they will do great.
Of course I am trying to push mine into spawning event.
My carpets in the same tank.

 

[OrionN]

....

I've got a couple of RFA that were born a few years ago and they are now 2+" in diameter. And I only individually feed them about once a month if that often. I do broadcast feed the tank with a wide variety of foods, so they do get food regularly.

I don't know one way or the other if the RFA with the open mouth is a female. It's possible. But I'd give that being an indicator; about a 50:50 chance.

.....

 

[Ryebreadiest]

I found that sinking LPS pellets were the best for feeding RFA. I just sprinkle some over the RFA cluster every couple of weeks.

 

[OrionN]

Thanks

 

[Wuzzo]

I forgot I had been following this thread, what do you guys think of having peppermints with them, especially baby rfa? I have 6 adults and maybe 12 babies, not super super tiny but not close to adult size yet. I also have a crazy amount of aiptasia. I wanted to do peppermint shrimp as I can’t seem to find berghias locally, but I’ve heard horror stories of them eating rfas too. Thoughts?