Merten’s Anemone

[ThRoewer]

Originally Posted by Planetmacro

I'd like to know how the collectors get the Merten's and the magnificas off the rocks without damaging the foot. The haddonis are easy to collect because they live in sand. That's probably why haddonis are common in the trade.

haddoni attach to rocks just like gigantea, mertensi, and most other anemones. That the rocks are under the sand doesn't really change that.

Here a video of how a haddoni is collected in Western Australia.
(BTW, the clownfish in the video must be Amphiprion milii, a newly recognized species formerly lumped in with clarkii):

[Planetmacro]

@ ThRoewer Thanks for posting the video. I was hoping that’s NOT how they do it.

[D-Nak]

A friend of mine who had a LFS but transitioned to exporting told me that gigantea are just as common, if not more common, than haddoni. They just don't ship as well, so many die before reaching the LFS. Since mertensii are large and oftentimes just a drab brown color, I'm guessing they get passed up for the more colorful and desirable species.

[ThRoewer]

I would think mertensii get also passed over because most have their foot so deep in the rock that you would have to chisel away half the reef structure they sit in to get them out.

As for the giganteas - I think a bit of preparation, like letting them clean out their guts before shipping so they are less likely to foul the water and maybe adding something to curb bacterial blooms in the bag might greatly improve their shipping success.

Another issue is that most LFS don't even attempt to save sick anemones.

I'm currently trying to save a neon green haddoni that was sick and untreated for weeks if not months at a LFS before they gave it and another sick haddoni (gray-green striped) to me basically for free.
After over a month of treatment and daily water changes I have the gray-green stabilized and now with my other haddoni. But the green one is continuing to foul up the water and looking sick.
Yesterday, after it looked like it was dead with its mouth completely out, I was ready to pull the plug - and actually did unplug the pump. I just was too tired to toss it out and just let it sit in it the bucket. But when it was still reactive and attached a couple hours later I decided to give it another shot with a different antibiotic (Amoxicillin). This morning it looked substantially better. So maybe there is still hope it comes around.
Haddoni definitely seem to be the most resilient of all the host anemones, much hardier than even BTAs. But even (seemingly) healthy ones seem to often have their mouth wide open. I'm not sure if that is normal or if it is a sign that they are still sick.

[ThRoewer]

Originally Posted by Planetmacro

...The writing's on the wall. Eventually we will not be able to get wild fish. I am very impressed with what Bali Aquarich has accomplished. They've just announced the successful breeding and raising of the Regal Angel, P. diacanthus! Their captive bred angels, tangs, clown triggers, etc. look perfect but not their clowns. There's still something off with they're captive bred clowns although they are probably the best captive bred clowns around. I just prefer natural colors and patterns and don't care much for the "designer" morphs.

Their designer clowns may have deformities because they start out with already deformed brood-stock they had to acquire from other breeders.
And I assume they breed those kind of fish (fish that lay eggs on substrate, in nests, or keep them in their mouth) just like everyone else in a fully closed system.

As for their angelfish breeding, I don't thing it looks and works as most think when hearing "captive bred".
From what I have heard they basically have a bunch of pairs in a huge pond (or walled off lagoon) and harvest whatever eggs and larvae they find there each day. Those eggs and larvae then get sorted to only raise the desirable species. And to my understanding they use harvested natural plankton to raise the larva.
So by all means, that is more tank raised than actually tank bred.
For the latter it would require that everything from spawning to larva raising happens in a tank and that the plankton to feed the larva is cultured.
That approach is also one of the reasons why the market isn't yet flooded with Bali Aquarich angels as it should be if they would actually be able to get most of the eggs of their pairs like you would in a fully closed system.
If done in a closed system with cultured plankton I wouldn't be surprised to also see deformations.

[Planetmacro]

I’ve had the mertensii for over two weeks now. Mouth is tight, feeds well every few days, does not deflate. Seems to be as hardy as haddoni. The haddoni is regaining color and feeding well. I’m using LED lighting and two small pulsing powerheads. If I run the lights too high both anemones shrink. Perculas will take away food from the anemones so I have to keep them at bay until food is fully consumed.
https://youtu.be/bsOdENuJED8

[ThRoewer]

Looks good, but it's still a baby.

[Planetmacro]

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

Looks good, but it's still a baby.

If DD gets another mertensii I will buy it. I'm hoping with feedings three times per week it will put on some size. The female percula is a little rough on it. BTW, these perculas should be spawning soon as the female is getting very fat so I'll be experimenting with several foods and rearing techniques to raise some fry. I'm surprised at how fast the haddoni is regaining its color.