Cerianthus

[Silvio]

I picked up a cerianthus about 10 days ago. It seemed to be doing well for a few days: staying in one place and opening and even eating. For the past week it has been moving arounf quite a bit and is shriveled up most of the time and I haven't seen it eat.

It is in a 90 gal. with 175 MH's but there is a large shady area that it has been roaming in. Has anybody had experience with cerianthus? I am due for a water change, but my parameters are usuaully decent.

 

[JD46]

Are you are talking about a cerianthus "tube" anemone?

 

[Silvio]

Yes.

 

[Moe_K]

Cool, can you post a picture?

 

[JD46]

Just wanted to make sure.

I have had one for about 3 years. Started about the size of my pinky. Now the tube is probably about 2.5" diameter and the tenticles are about 11" long. Quite large.

The one time that mine moved itself around, it was not eating or happy. It shrunk in size about 75% and concerned me quite a bit. I think what you have to do is find a place that it is happy. Dig it in and leave it for about a day to see how it responds. I never had success with letting mine find its own spot. They seem to enjoy constant medium flow.

Once you find a spot that it likes, it will become apparent very quickly. It will eat a lot and extend its tenticles; longer at night than when the lights are on.

FYI, mine prefers Hikari Marine pellets over frozen food. Go figure.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

JD

 

[Paula]

I, too, have had a tube anemone for a long time .. about 3 years or more. I had two and traded one because of the real estate they take up with their tentacles. Mine did move once to a place with more flow. I have since changed tanks and made a nook for it with a deep sand bed (it likes at least 5 inches). It is fat and happy and one of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen.
Here is a trick to help get it situated .. take a piece of 1.5" PVC pipe about 3 " long. put the body of the tube anemone in the pvc and bury the the whole thing. The pvc will give it some anchor. After a week or so, slowly take the pvc out ... the tube should stay in the sand.

Here is an old picture of my orange tube anemone under actincs:

 

[Moe_K]

Purdy!

 

[Silvio]

Thank you, JD46 and Paula. I will try to move it to an area with more flow. The PVC idea sounds interesting. Was the PVC buried vertically or horizontally? The tube is about the size of my finger: will pipe 1.5" diameter be too large?

 

[Silvio]

One more question... Do you keep your tube anemones in the shade?

 

[JD46]

I think that I would try to get a tube that is a little smaller, or slightly larger than the anemone itself, just so that you can get a little sand around it. Another idea for you, which I did with my anemone, is to have it sit "inside" a rock. I took a piece of live rock and bored a hole (about 1.75" dia) all the way through the center. Then, buried the anemone in the sand within the hole.

As far as lighting, I don't think that it matters. I had mine under metal halides until it got to big and I had to put it in it's own tank. Now it is under PC. No difference either way.

 

[Paula]

Hi Silvio - I agree with JD46 about the lighting. I have mine off to the side so it is not under the full MH. It doesn't seem to need much light. But it does need to eat meaty food - not a lot, but at least 2x per week.
Yes, the pvc should be just a little bigger than the outside of the tube. and it should be buried vertically. Mine stands straight up.
That is an interesting idea about using live rock as an anchor . . . as long as the tube itself is buried in the sand and is unrestricted to allow for growth.
Good luck .. and post some pics!
Paula

 

[JD46]

Here is a shot of mine, in the hole in the rock like I said above.

 

[JD46]

And, just so you get an idea of the tentacle reach of these guys, here is a full shot of the 15gal high tank that it is in. It can touch the top of the water with the tips (about 12")

This is why it was removed from my reef tank and placed in its own 15gal tank

 

[ReeferMedic]

Here's a pic of mine. I've had it for about 3 years or so. It is still in same place I originally put it. I'm pretty sure it's snagged a few fish in it's time, but I like the way it looks in the tank.......

 

[Silvio]

Thanks again. I'll let you know how I make out.