Yay for splitting nem!

[jasandenaw]

Came home from work moments ago to find that my tank looked eerily empty (of live stock that is). After closer inspection I discovered that my anemone was retracted, hiding in my rock work. It is tough to see right now but from what I can tell my rbta is splitting! I'm excited! Can you tell? I'm just hoping that the pair of nems settle away from my other corals.

After they both heal I do plan on selling one. Starting asking price $40. I'll post a few pictures of "pre-split" momentarily and eventually "post-split".

Yay!

[jasandenaw]

Wow I guess I've been away from RC for a while and didn't realize folks were selling their nems for so little. I didn't mean to make a fool of myself there.... I will entertain offers (like $30 instead of the previous $40 "listing")... but I gotta say (even if my opinion is biased) I think mine is much prettier than a lot of the others i've seen around town. It isn't some fancy coloration or anything rare, just overall prettier...hahah you be the judge. Thanks for looking!

James

[Rippinfrags]

Your E. Quadricolor is beautiful! Congrats on the split, your anemone appears to be very happy! How often do you feed it?

[jasandenaw]

I don't! Hahaha I just keep my clowns alive by feeding almost every other day with mysis and brine shrimp. This is only my second split in about three years but the last split was about a year ago. So maybe the splits are speeding up.

[rafajara1985]

+1 on not feeding. Mine was huge and had excellent color and I never feed it.

[southwestexotic]

I need one of these for my clowns, let me know when they are healed up and ready to move. Thanks

[Rippinfrags]

You do not need to feed your anemone as long as its healthy, however there seems to be a correlation between feeding bta's and bta's splitting.

[dublo8]

Originally Posted by Rippinfrags

You do not need to feed your anemone as long as its healthy, however there seems to be a correlation between feeding bta's and bta's splitting.

I think I'll disagree. I don't feed mine at all and it's split 3 times since I have had it. If you follow the trends there is a correlation between the time of the year though. So far there has been about 5 splits within a couple weeks from multiple members. I still haven't sat down to look at lunar cycles or anything like that yet but I'm bound and determined to figure out why.

[Rippinfrags]

Originally Posted by dublo8

I think I'll disagree. I don't feed mine at all and it's split 3 times since I have had it. If you follow the trends there is a correlation between the time of the year though. So far there has been about 5 splits within a couple weeks from multiple members. I still haven't sat down to look at lunar cycles or anything like that yet but I'm bound and determined to figure out why.

i have to kindly disagree. i believe the lunar cycle thing is merely coincidence. just because you do not directly feed your anemone does not mean it is not getting indirectly fead when you feed your fish. When an anemone is given more food they have more energy to complete a healthy split. Which explains why the OP bta has only split three times in a span of three years, he seldomly feeds his fish, therefore the anemone has less to eat. Lastly, i have read many threads such as the 27 clowns\27months thread where mobert mentions that when she spot fead her btas with a turkey baster, she witnessed quite a few more of her btas splitting. its tough too say for sure though dublo there are quite a few variables, some btas never split and are perfetly healthy. not trying to be argumentative, what do you think?

[dublo8]

Originally Posted by Rippinfrags

i have to kindly disagree. i believe the lunar cycle thing is merely coincidence. just because you do not directly feed your anemone does not mean it is not getting indirectly fead when you feed your fish. When an anemone is given more food they have more energy to complete a healthy split. Which explains why the OP bta has only split three times in a span of three years, he seldomly feeds his fish, therefore the anemone has less to eat. Lastly, i have read many threads such as the 27 clowns\27months thread where mobert mentions that when she spot fead her btas with a turkey baster, she witnessed quite a few more of her btas splitting. its tough too say for sure though dublo there are quite a few variables, some btas never split and are perfetly healthy. not trying to be argumentative, what do you think?

I see your point, I just don't see the trend in feeding vs. non feeding. When I first got mine I fed it twice a week for a couple months and it made no difference in it's health,coloration or size, so I just don't feed and It very rarely gets food from the column because of where I feed in my tank. In all honestly I would rather it not split at all, it's a PITA to get it off of the 20lb rock LOL. I'm not saying it's the lunar cycle but there does seem to be some correlation of an event that makes all of our nems split around the same time and it's pretty consistent year after year. I'm also not positive if they are splitting due to being healthy or if it's a yearly "spawning" event or if it's a safeguard for future generations, similar to how aptaisia release spores in the event of stress...So not really positive on anything but I do know for a fact that once a "my nem split" thread pops up there is always several more "nem for sale" threads shortly after

[jasandenaw]

I'd have to agree with the "cycle" idea in some form or another. I believe that the reason for propogation is to ensure the future of the "genes" of the individual RBTA. Its counter intuitive to me to think that a well-fed anemone is more likely to split than any other.... reason being, if it is well fed, there is no real threat to the creature and it continues on its day to day life. If there is something bothering the bta in its environment, causing it reason to "believe" it is under attack or that its likelihood of survival is questionable you are more likely to have a split. In our aquariums, we (most likely) maintain a predator free environment and supply everything the nem may need. So therefore, in my head, the only reason to split is due to some yearly (or other time period) cycle. All living things age and eventually die, and so the nem is just ensuring that with each year it lives, it puts a little replica of itself out there to ensure the future of a species. I'm no astronomer, but wasn't there just recently a lunar new year? hmmmmm

[Kalakuhan]

I'll have to agree with the cycle theory!
At least the last two cycles, when dublos rbta split, so did mine.
Could be a coincidence, could be our rbtas are related.

Who knows, but at least we can at least track the trend here.