My Heteractis Magnifica (Ritteri Anemone) Journey

[BroncosZOA]

I am sure people have been feeding for years but there is ill effects. Most anemones don't last more then a year or two.

I had a purple base mag for about two years when i was around 25. I fed shrimp all the time. One day i went to Shoprite and bought some food grade shrimp, soaked it in RO cut up a peice fed it to the mag. Next morning it didnt look right. Two weeks last it had slowly started to die. It would expel and exapnd trying to rid itself of the what was inside hurting it.

IWhen i went back to shop rite i asked the guy, you told me they were fresh shrimp and no chems added. He said they always spray with preservatives.

Silversides are the worst food next to human seafood. Bones and anemones dont mix.


In the wild they do not catch big peices of shrimp or whole silversides. They catch small peices that get past the clowns and any other fish.

 

[shred5]

That looks awsum and healthy..

I feed mysis shrimp, chopped raw shrimp, chopped raw fish and the bigger chunks that are in Rods food.... I used to do silversides and clams but anemones seem to have a hard time with them. Feed two too three times a week is best. Do not feed till the last meal is dispelled or it will regurgitate both meals. Feed the fish at the same time. Also might take a bit to judge the size of the meal. Two small and they will let it go or have a hard time getting it in and eventually the fish will get it. Place the food closer to the mouth.

Shrimp in a reef can really be a problem with anemones especially at feeding time. I have seen them rip right through an anemone for food they just ate, so if you have any feed them some pellets to keep them busy for a while or remove them.

 

[revhtree]

Great info everyone and thanks.

 

[youngtimothy]

I feed mine silversides 2to3 times a week. I would agree on the flat rock since mine always goes to the back wall of the tank, but I'm no expert! Beautiful nems Rev!

 

[Troylee]

My bubble tip loves mysis and spectrum pellets...

 

[illcssd]

Bump, updated pics? How are they doing rev?

 

[revhtree]

The anemones are doing great more specifically the Magnifica.

I am sad though today I came home from church and he had moved for the first time! He moved down the back wall of the tank.

Not once has he showed signs of stress and still doesn't look stressed. Been plump and eating from day one!

I hope he moved back up because he looked awesome in the spot he was in! BOO HOO!

 

[Adam.Jackson]

That is the biggest con in my experience to H. magnifica husbandry, they are in my experience the most motile of anemones, often inflating themselves like balloons and going off into the water column for "adventures" as a friend put it lol.

 

[REEFKEEPER10]

We're did you get that nem so I know we're to go when I'm ready for one. That is sweet.

 

[revhtree]

I got it from AquaSD.

The last 3 days the anemone has been doing great except it is not getting any light because it is stuck to the back glass and right at the top of the tank. He is still fat and eating just fine, closed mouth and sticky tentacles. The clowns go wherever it goes but it is basically in a shaded spot for the third straight day.

Any ideas?

 

[REEFKEEPER10]

Everyone of my GBTA DId the same thing. I would move them back to the rock and they would go into the rock work never to be seen again. I let my RBTA do it's on thing and it hasnt moved yet. Why they move to the shade I dont know.

 

[Aquaph8]

Try putting a few layers of window screen over it. That way you can keep it where you want it (hopefully) and it'll still feel shaded. Slowly remove a layer every three days until its used to the light. Im a big believer of light acclimation with nems.

 

[revhtree]

It has been under the light for almost a month in the same spot right under the light and as big and fat as can be the whole time.

 

[illcssd]

Could it touch or feel the aquarium wall in it's original spot? Ime if they sense they're not at the highest spot in their area, they move up. I setup my current rock work with that in mind as I plan on housing a Mag soonish. If not, I don't have any other ideas.

 

[bjledbetter]

My gbtas did the same thing for a while after I got them. They stayed still for about 2 weeks and then went roaming thru the rocks and all over the glass. I didnt see one of them for about a week. Then they both found there spots in the rock work and havent moved sense. I think they just like to keep us wondering what there doing or gonna do next. Beautiful nem by the way.

 

[shred5]

I got it from AquaSD.

The last 3 days the anemone has been doing great except it is not getting any light because it is stuck to the back glass and right at the top of the tank. He is still fat and eating just fine, closed mouth and sticky tentacles. The clowns go wherever it goes but it is basically in a shaded spot for the third straight day.

Any ideas?

Well it moved down and then in the shade so it must feel it was getting to much light. It may take him a while to adjust the amount of zooxanthellae it has to your lighting conditions.

It has been shipped in the dark moved to wholesalers tanks and then retailers tanks.. They will change the amount of zooxanthellae they have.

Is the anemone darker than when you got it? I am guessing it is.

 

[revhtree]

It is a actually almost hanging out of the top of the tank with only about 5% light on it. I just don't see how it could be the lights for it to stay put and in solid health for a whole month. It still looks completely healthy.

So I assume I should let it move back on its on?


Sent from iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

Any updates?

 

[revhtree]

Ok I have an update and I apologize for the delay.

As mentioned the anemone had moved to the top corner of the tank and was turning very white due to it receiving no light. Since it was on the glass I figured I had a good chance of moving it without damaging it and I had to or it would perish. I was told that sometimes these anemones move and they get into a place where they can't find how to get back to a better place if that makes sense.

Anyway I used an R2R Member Discount card D) and I got underneath the foot and slowly lifted it off the glass. It actually went very smooth once I got underneath a part of the foot and the anemone let go once I did this.

I replaced the anemone under the light and it looked worse than I thought color wise and I knew that I made the right decision. It was still big and fat but was very very white. Today it is back to full color and 16 months after adding my magnifica to the tank he is very healthy and loving life!

I will get an updated video soon.

 

[Bry]

Great news.. I'll be watching for the vid.