Clever tool to feed anemones, eels, etc. What is long that can feed them?

[stevef22]

I dont want to put my hands in the tank too much. I have silversides and my tank is pretty deep. What tricks do you guys use to spot / target feed these guys?

Oh ya, I am already using an extra long turkey baster to feed brine shimp to the anemonies. However the silversides are just too big.

[justahobby]

They sell long scissor shaped deals at fish stores. Aquarium Design was carrying a flimsy one that was considerably cheaper. I want to say I bought mine last year for $10.

Isn't it more fun to hand feed? :bigsmile:

[hobogato]

i know there is some debate about this, but i would not feed any anemone silversides. the are typically eaten only to be regurgitated at night when you arent watching.

[Troutmasters02]

Mine loves pieces of silverside but not the whole thing. I hand feed with no problems.

[msmith619]

I use the cheapest item around.....a single broom straw. I have done this for years. I pull a broom straw off at the base of a standard broom, most are up to 20 inches long, and skewer the food. The straw is small enough to not scare lionfish, eels, etc. as you bring the food to them and small enough the food slips off easily when they or an anemone grabs it. At the most, you fist enters the water (wash it first!) but not your arm. You can wiggle the food around to entice lionfish (who usually want their food alive!) or groupers, eels, snappers. I have done this for over 25 years of fish keeping and have not found anything better.....or cheaper!
Mike

[Ping]

Photosynthetic corals do not need special food if the aquarium system has live rock and/or live sand. These animals receive most of their food from the symbiotic algae and the rest is from plankton. If you feed your tank, the anemone will catch some of this food as well.

The extra food will lead to long term pollution problems.

But before the arguments start, I do know that some people know more of what is best for our ornamental animals than 4.6 billion years of evolutionary adaptations.

[Ping]

When I had eels and lionfish, I used shish kabob skewers for target feeding. Wooden, cheap, and last forever.

[msmith619]

I tried shish kabob skewers at first until I had a lion fish skewer himself when he attacked the fish. The broom straw is soft enought you can't injure a fish. I pluck a new one every few weeks when I break the old one.
Mike

[DSAfanatic]

i know there is some debate about this, but i would not feed any anemone silversides. the are typically eaten only to be regurgitated at night when you arent watching.

I'd like to find out what else to feed the anemones that won't break the bank.

[Ping]

I tried shish kabob skewers at first until I had a lion fish skewer himself when he attacked the fish. The broom straw is soft enought you can't injure a fish. I pluck a new one every few weeks when I break the old one.
Mike

Makes alot of sense.

[Ping]

I'd like to find out what else to feed the anemones that won't break the bank.

It is not necessary to feed them at all.

[hobogato]

like ping said, it isnt necessary to feed them if they are healthy.

if they are bleached, they must be fed until they have a chance to recolonize their xooxanthellae and can get food thru photosynthesis. if this is the case, small bits of food like krill or mysis. remember that they can catch the food you put in for the fish, so if you just put that food in the tank near them, they will get fed.

[reddrum]

I just use a turkey baster with mysids to directionally feed the anemone. Like it has been said (several times) it is not necessary but it won't hurt as long as you don't over feed. Whatever the anemone doesn't catch will be eaten by the fish.

[stevef22]

Cool, thanks for the great ideas~! I am going to find a straw broom!
I really like that idea and can see it working well.

I also have a snowflake eel that can benefit from target feeding as well. Thanks for all your help.

[princer7]

I use these - cheap from Petco - other local shops may carry them as well. They reach all the way to the bottom of my 29" tall tank. Not great at grabbing big things but can use to feed silversides, chunks or upwrite frags.

http://www.petco.com/Assets/product_images/8/800443038116C.jpg

[danny]

I use these - cheap from Petco - other local shops may carry them as well. They reach all the way to the bottom of my 29" tall tank. Not great at grabbing big things but can use to feed silversides, chunks or upwrite frags.

http://www.petco.com/Assets/product_images/8/800443038116C.jpg

ditto on this.