S. gigantea log

[hobogato]

picked up a baby giant carpet anemone at the meeting at the dome on Sunday. it has been slowly acclimating to my tank, so i thought i would start a thread to document its progress.

date placed in tank: 2/20/11

2/22/11 - has regained its size to the same size it was in the store and the mouth has stayed petty close to closed at all times. also has not deflated, so at all, so that is a good sign

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07481.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07484.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07485.jpg

2/22/11 - all flow in the tank off, short video showing the distinctive tentacle twitching (pardon the sponge bob sounds in the background)

9p5yUNcA--Q

2/23/11 - today it is almost twice as inflated as i have seen it. seems to have a strong hold on the rock and is staying inflated continuously. mouth still pretty much closed up.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07508.jpg

[wolff809]

Man that thing is beautiful

[hobogato]

thanks randy.

back down to the size it was on 2/22 this morning. that seems to be the pattern, gradually increasing size all day and then shrinking back down a bit over night. mouth is still pretty much closed. will try turning the wave box back on for a few hours this afternoon, on its lowest setting tho.

[Europhyllia]

Nice!

[Scream311]

Gorgeous,

Love the pic with the Lion up Front and the Carpet in the Back Drop

[hobogato]

yeah james, i really hate to get rid of that lion...

on another note, pattern is changing a bit as it was almost inflated to yesterday's full size by the time i left the house this morning.

[ErikH]

Aww why you getting rid of your lion? Beautiful nem Ace. FTS?

[Big_Pun]

nice nem ace, i need to get a bigger tank so i can get one lol

[hobogato]

well erik, the lion ate my pink skunk clown pair and i will need to have clowns with this anemone if it makes it. i really hate to get rid of it tho :(. will work on getting a fts this evening, but will post in my running tank thread.

i hear ya chris, if this one does well, i may have to get a bigger tank :D

[ErikH]

:( I may have missed this post elsewhere. Sorry for the losses, and best wishes with your new ones!

[hobogato]

ok, a few hours with the wave box on low and all looks well.

[justahobby]

Man, you sure did pick a plain Jane anemone



HA! That is stunning!!! Good choice. I'm glad you are documenting it. Are you going with PS clowns again?

[hobogato]

not sure what kind of clowns yet, the anemone has a looonng way to go before they can be added anyway.

largest it has been yet this morning. mouth was slightly open (smaller than a dime) but has closed already. it is finally starting to get a thicker appearance - staying more full of water and starting to get a more normal structure and shape rather that the flattened pancake look.

here is a pic with the ugly halogens on - really washes things out

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07529.jpg

here is one with moonlights only and camera somewhat correcting the white balance (decided to dig out the tripod after the ugliness of the pic above)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/aggressive%20reef/DSC07534.jpg

[stoneroller]

When will you hand feed it? Or will you?

[hobogato]

not sure if or when, but it will be very small amounts and very small food items. if i get some hosting clowns, they will bring food to it when i feed the tank.

[kkiel02]

The Dome gets some awesome anemones in. I was wondering if anyone would pick it up. I tried to talk Kristy into a tube anemone but dont know if she ended up with it or not.

I have some clam chunks if you want them I stopped feeding my BTAs. Also have silversides but have read the bones can cause infections for the anemones when they are digesting it.

[hobogato]

one week in the tank and the anemone is still struggling to acclimate. it has moved itself half way into a hollow area in the rock it is attached to. it keeps its mouth closed nearly all the time, but does allow it to open some (maybe the size of a dime at the most). i did put some mysis in its vicinity yesterday, but i dont know if it held them or ate them.

long way to go yet...

[hobogato]

darnit. came home to a cloudy tank and a melting anemone. rip.

everything in the tank looks fine, but i put the carbon filter on just to be sure.

[Europhyllia]

Oh no. I hope everything else pulls through okay

[hobogato]

yeah, the tank is about as cloudy as when i do a water change, so i think i caught it early. i have been watching it like a hawk from day one knowing how much damage it could do to the tank if if passed.

[Europhyllia]

So what's happening now? Is it dead? Or still dying? No chance of recovery at this point, or is there?

[hobogato]

oh no, it was melting and stunk horribly. it is deceased and removed from the house.

[wolff809]

Dang Ace sorry to hear that. Do you know what went wrong

[hobogato]

they are next to impossible to keep - only a few people have been successful that i know of.

[Pennies2Cents]

Sorry about that Ace.

[Europhyllia]

they are next to impossible to keep - only a few people have been successful that i know of.
Oh Ace, what are you shooting for? Heartbreak Lagoon?

[d3rryc]

Hobogato - expanding the hobby's reef knowledge one previously-unkeepable species at a time! B-)