Saving a Sebae anemone...

[grog]

Howdy everyone! This is my first time posting here (Although, I've been lurking).

I convinced a LFS to GIVE me a pitiful looking Sebae about 6 weeks ago. He was snow white with purple tips and wouldn't attach to anything when I first brought him home.

Well, he has sinced attached to some rock right under the halides and is rapidly starting to get some brownish color back into him.

I've been feeding him regularly (about 3 times a week). At first, he didn't grab the food, but now he's FORCEFULLY taking the food that I offer and he has grown 50% and looks wonderful.

My question,
Is there a point that I should start feeding him less and let him grab the food that's floating around in the aquarium on his own? Or should I keep on with what I've been doing?

Thanks,
Grog

[grog]

Up...

[Kirbster]

Grog,

I wouldn't quit feeding him...ever. It sounds like whatever you're doing is rapidly improving his health, so keep it up. Anemones seem to have high food demands (or possibly poor metabolic food utilization?). Many of the anemone success stories involve regular and/or heavy feeding. Vary the diet if you can. Good luck with him.

KA

P.S. The sickly sebaes (snow white with purple tips) sure are beautiful aren't they? Too bad that most that look like that are on their last legs (or is that "their last pedal disk?).

[rshimek]

Grog,

Kirby is absolutely right. Don't reduce feedings - the zooxanthellae can not produce enough food to keep the animal alive on their own. Keep the food coming, and you'll have a happy critter.

Cheers, Ron

[grog]

Thanks...

I really hadn't intended to get an anemone that day. But since they were getting ready to flush it, I asked if they would let me give it a chance.

Thanks for your help,
Grog

[grog]

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been here for a while. I've just gotten back from a week in Seattle (business).

Just wanted to let you know that the Sebae that I saved from the LFS has completely browned up! My wife fed him every day, I'm so grateful!

Listen, here's my question...
Since this poor critter had lost all his color at one point in his life, is he going to be short lived in my tank? Is he irreprably(sp?) damaged? He seems to be growing quite rapidly and has gone completely brown with purple tips.

Thanks for any replys, and it's good to be back.

Later,
Grog

[rshimek]

Grog,

Your anemone should live out a normal life span, if all things continue to work out. Now since anemones have no senescence or old age, the remainder of its life span could be measured in centuries.

Yes - really.

Some temperate anemones I worked with were easily 300-400 years old, and Daphne Fautin has estimated that many of the mature host anemones may have the potential to live well over a thousand years.

Cheers, Ron

[salty toes]

quick question rshimek

so what your saying is that barring external predation or accidents an anenome can live indefinately?


wow thats cool.


by the way i have a riteri that was sent to me from flying fish express by mistake (i ordered a bubble anenome) well anyway at first it did not show a feeding response and it did not eat. i kept trying every other day and finally its starting to eat but it still does not show a feeding response it just swallows the food but it doesn't show ant visable response to the food. it is now expanding well and it has closed its mouth. my question is do you think that its doing any better ( i like to think it is)

thanks

[rshimek]

Hi,

>So what your saying is that barring >external predation or accidents an anenome >can live indefinately?

Yes. A large Heteractis magnifica (what you call a ritteri) is likely several hundred years old when you get it.

>by the way i have a riteri that was sent to >me from flying fish express by mistake (i >ordered a bubble anenome)

FFE sure seems unable to ship what is ordered. I have yet to have them send me what I have asked for. Consequently, I don't order from them anymore.

> well anyway at first it did not show a >feeding response and it did not eat. i kept >trying every other day and finally its >starting to eat but it still does not show >a feeding response it just swallows the >food but it doesn't show ant visable >response to the food. it is now expanding >well and it has closed its mouth. my >question is do you think that its doing any >better ( i like to think it is)

Well, obviously it is getting some additional nutrition, and that can't hurt. The lack of overt feeding behavior is a worrisome observation. You might try varying food sources or varieties and see if you have better luck.

Here are some URLs with some information you may find useful.
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish/aqfm/1997/jul/wb/default.asp
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish/aqfm/1997/aug/wb/default.asp

Cheers, Ron