Show off your S. gigantea

[phender]

Alright, here are a few from my stable of failure.

I have had 3 that I kept for between 1.5 and 2 years. Two of the failures I blame on chemical warfare with a large purple H. crispa. The other I blame on a bad silverside.
All the anemones were kept 6" from the surface of the tank with a 150w 14000K Phoenix Metal Halide. Most of the flow was provided by a SQUID alternator on my return line. The return was a 3/4" tube that ended into a 1" return to disperse the flow a bit.
This one was a nice teal color. I used to see these a lot, but not much any more.
Here it is when I first got it.

Then 2 months later.


This one had pastel tips, purple on the outside, teal on the inside.
Full anemone

Close up of tentacles.


Here are the results of an experiment I did because a well known anemone scientist (not Calfo ) made the statement in a book/pamphlet that since clownfish anemones use light for food, if you feed them enough then they don't really need bright light.
I bought this 4" slightly bleached blue gig and put it under 130 watts of CF lighting and fed it 5 times a week.
Just bought

After 12 days. Regaining zooxanthellae, but no growth.

After 4 months. Color dull, tentacles shrunken and size down to 3".


About a month after moving it into the conditions described at the top of the page (under MH lights). Tentacles lengthened, size up to ~5"


About 6 months later and about 8" across. It doesn't look that big side to side because some of it is folded into the rocks.


The conclusion was; Yes, gigantea carpets need bright light to function properly. That is probably why you only find them in shallow water. Duh!

[phender]

Here is a video of the flow over the carpets.


I think this is my favorite gig color. I bought this one even though I knew it wasn't in the best of health. Although its mouth was closed and the color was good, it was very "floppy" and didn't hold itself well at all. Sure 'nuff it didn't last a month, but it was very purty.

[ravi197699]

the are the best pics ever. what type of anemone are these ?

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally Posted by ravi197699

the are the best pics ever. what type of anemone are these ?

Stichodactyla gigantea

[OrionN]

Originally Posted by phender

...
I think this is my favorite gig color. I bought this one even though I knew it wasn't in the best of health. Although its mouth was closed and the color was good, it was very "floppy" and didn't hold itself well at all. Sure 'nuff it didn't last a month, but it was very purty.

This picture should go on this thread also:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2204727&page=4

[Deepsea2005]

Thanks OrionN and Jamie1210.

Jamie1210, my Gig has tan at the bottom too, but not much.
I think because it's still small; It's about 7" diameter.
This is a video of it that I took last night.
This is how it looks in my tank under T5.

[jscarlata]

Heres mine, had him now for a few
Months. So far so good, no issues. It's under an 8 bulb t5, tek elite, 90g mixed reef.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1346416602.707242.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1346416726.541256.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1346416815.891582.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1346416844.003593.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1346416870.905258.jpg

[OrionN]

jscarlata's pictures

[OrionN]

My Gigantea about 6 weeks in my tank. It is in a 30 g cube tank Temp set at 85 degree. FTS show the circulation. Lighted by a 150W DE MH (Pulserite 10,000 Kelvin bulb). FTS as taken today with flash while the other picture was without flash

[Chris Lakies]

Those are awesome nems!!

[zzlonewolf]

Hi everybody!

[OrionN]

zzlonewolf,
Very nice. Please tell a little about the anemone How long you have had it and about the tank you keep him in.

[OrionN]

I am new at trying to post video. Here is a video of my Gigantea to show the flow pattern it is under. 30 g cube tank and water movement provide by a Vortech MP10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qbu0...ature=youtu.be

[zzlonewolf]

Originally Posted by OrionN

zzlonewolf,
Very nice. Please tell a little about the anemone How long you have had it and about the tank you keep him in.

This carpet is the home of 2 crownfish. It was a 2 1/2 months only 200L+ tank with DIY sump. I keep this anemone for 2 months only and luckily it seems to be adapted well to the new environment. It was 4 inch only when I get it at the beginning and I fed a small dried shimp every 3 days. It grows to 5 inch now so I stopped feeding for 2 weeks already as I think it grows too fast. I own a radionxr30. I use No3 reducing pellets and rowa. No3 is 2ppm using the red sea kit and Po4 is 0 using a hanna checker.

[OrionN]

I do think the green color is about the best looking color for Gigantea. Your is very nice and very bright. Good luck with him

[TheOtherReefer]

my blue gigantea, massive, sorry for the quality, it is as royal blue as it gets



click on picture below for video

[TheOtherReefer]

this is the photo I saw when it was for sale, same nem

[OrionN]

That is one nice anemone

[schprock]

I got this anemone 1 week ago. Flow is provided by a tunze 6055 alternating from 30% for 15s and 100% for 10s during the day. Maximum reduced to 65% at night. The gigantea has been eating mysis and rods reef predator chunks. Haven't deflated at this time.

[OrionN]

Looking good schprock. Do you have a chunk of rock so he can attach to? IME, they don't like to attach to horizontal surface and may move up the wall of the aquarium on you. If they attach to a rock, you can easily move it from one spot to another.
No deflation after 1 week is a major, huge hurdle for these guys.

[OrionN]

6 weeks in my tank, the anemone is doing really well.
Below are side by side pictures of the first week and this AM. I think he is out of the wood. If he died now it is all my fault not due to stress and injury from before I got him

Close up







Full view

[schprock]

Here is a pic of the other side. Just can't see the rock from the first picture. The foot is between the rock and sand.



Just fed a few pieces of small shrimp about 1/4" in size and mysis. I am a firm believer of feeding small pieces. The previous anemone I had regurgitated silversides and larger pieces of whole shrimp, then rapidly decline. I am suspicious that undigested food attracts bacteria into the gut. These bacterial population attacks the host anemone that already has an already weak immune system from shipping stress. The subsequent inflation/deflation cycle may be the anemones attempt to flush out the bacteria and bacterial toxins.

[BonsaiNut]

Originally Posted by schprock

Just fed a few pieces of small shrimp about 1/4" in size and mysis. I am a firm believer of feeding small pieces. The previous anemone I had regurgitated silversides and larger pieces of whole shrimp, then rapidly decline. I am suspicious that undigested food attracts bacteria into the gut. These bacterial population attacks the host anemone that already has an already weak immune system from shipping stress. The subsequent inflation/deflation cycle may be the anemones attempt to flush out the bacteria and bacterial toxins.

I also am a firm believe in small pieces of food.

I hadn't thought about your explanation before, but it makes sense given what we know about these creatures (and how sensitive they seem to be to bacterial infections). Thanks for sharing - I love it when I hear something that makes me think differently about a subject

[Gary Majchrzak]

add me to the list: feed small foods to anemones!

Bonsai I heard a rumor you have video of S. gigantea in situ from a recent trip.. Can you post a link or direct me?

[OrionN]

I agree that unless the anemone is healthy and able to digest the food, feeding them is detrimental to their healthy. Once they are able to handle the food, feeding will really help them recover and growth.

schprock, keep us update. Your anemone is a beauty. Good luck with him.