I was wondering what type of light these guys like. First off Ive done searches and have read the warnings about their sting and space requirements. What I am really wondering is if my 250 HQIs are going to bother it. I could place it in the shade if I need too. Also I have read that you can put their tube in a pvc tube to house it has anyone ever done this if not how do you place it? does it have to be buried?TIA
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tube anemone info
- Thread starter somethings fishy
- Start date
I've had a purple and green one for about 7 months now. At first it was under 4 55 watt compacts but then I upgraded my tank and it is now under a 400 watt MH. I put it in the corner and it seems to just go where it wants to go. I don't mean that it wanders, but it does move out of the light if it seems to be getting too much. Also it seems to always bury itself in the sand on it's own. One thing I do know is that these guys love being fed. I always feed this guy and he has really grown since I first got him.
"Tube anemones" are not really anemones but belong to a group called cerianthids, none of which have photosynthetic symbionts, and therefore do not care about lighting. The reason that I make a point of this is that despite their anemone-like appearance, these animals are more closely related to the black corals (of jewelry fame) than to any of the true anemones or corals. It is true that they superficially resemble anemones, but the internal differences are so great as to group them in a different subclass (the Ceriantipatharia) from the true anemones – to give you an idea of how different that makes them, true sea anemones, scleractinian (hard) corals, zoanthids and corallimorphs (mushrooms) are all grouped into the same subclass while these animals are not! That’s pretty different!
Unlike the true anemones, these animals lack a pedal disk for attachment to a substrate, and instead live in a tube which is buried in sandy or muddy sediments. The tube in which these animals live consists of a material almost akin to fiberglass, which is formed by the discharge of special cnidae (the stinging cells of all cnidarians, with nematocysts being the most common kind) called ptychocysts -- these special nematocysts are found in only the tube anemones. Depending on the species (there are about 25 world-wide), these tubes can be quite elaborate and some measure > 2m in length below the sandy or muddy sediment surface! If the animals are to be kept successfully in home aquaria, a similar habitat must be provided. Many people have success with these animals by placing tubes into pieces of reasonably-sized PVC pipe filled with fine sands. Once the animal is established in the aquarium, it will be able to withdraw into the tube and will be happier and healthier because of it. These animals set up a home in the wild and never move again. If the animal is moving in the aquarium, it is because it is unable to establish itself where it is, and you should consider giving it a deep sandy spot in which to establish a proper burrow - moving is extremely stressful and costly to these animals, and they will quickly exhaust their reserves and starve if they are forced to move very often...
These are beautiful animals with a gorgeous crown of tentacles that consist of two whorls of distinctly different sized tentacles. The outer tentacle whorl consists of large tentacles that extend laterally, and these tentacles typically taper to distinct points. The smaller inner whorl tentacles, on the other hand, are often held more erect than the larger lateral tentacles. These long tentacles are used primarily in prey capture and defense, while the shorter labial tentacles are used primarily for prey manipulation and ingestion. In many species the tentacles can be bioluminescent, which is thought to be a visual “startle” defense against fishes that may attack the long feeding tentacles of the animal during their nocturnal expansion. Although some species are seen exposed during the day (and more so at depth), in general the species from shallow tropical waters are very stubborn in avoiding light, and rarely come out during daylight hours – even at night, the animals will retract as soon as the edge of a dive light beam passes across them. Their primary predators are not fish, however, but dendronotid nudibranchs which have a sterotypic feeding behavior to latch onto and ingest the feeding tentacles of these animals. These slugs can even be “sucked” into the tube of the “anemone” when it withdraws, but it doesn’t seem fatal to either animal – the slugs can crawl back out of the tube when they have finished their meal, and individual tube anemones have been followed for up to 10 years in areas where they are regularly preyed upon by these nudibranchs. It is impossible to know exactly which tube anemone you have, though, because the specific identification of these guys is virtually impossible without killing them and examining some internal structures.
The vast majority of species are nocturnal, and some species can expand to form a 30cm-or-so sphere of feeding tentacles at the end of the tube (obviously a large portion of a small tank could be covered by the reach of 1ft long tentacles!). Given that, there is obvious reason for concern with contact with the tentacles of one of these animals at night. However, the warnings posted all over the net and in most aquarium texts about the dangerous fish-catching abilities of these animals appears to be more the stuff of legend than experience. The fact is that there are simply no detailed studies of the natural diet of these animals, but studies that examine the distribution and abundance of these animals in the wild link them to high densities of plankton in the water, not to any fish prey. At least one species appears not to feed at all, but rather to live entirely off symbiotic bacteria in their gut. A survey by the National Marine Fisheries Service found that densities of these animals was actually highest in association with polluted waters in which there was significant enrichment and/or resuspension of benthic infauna. Without dteailed studies of the natural diet of these animals it is difficult to answer exactly what they eat, but none of these natural examples seem to support the idea that these animals are effective fish predators. The fact remains that all the clownfish hosting anemones and even some species of corallimorpharians (particularly the Elephant Ear Mushroom, Amplexidiscus enestrafer) are much more effective predators on fish than are tube anemones, yet it is the mention of tube anemone that continually elicits a strong warning among hobbyists to avoid them (and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone warned against adding an Elephant Ear mushroom to their tank).
The “extremely poisonous tentacles” description seems especially unwarranted, in fact, because there are actually a couple of studies on the stinging cells of tube anemones in comparison to other species. One study examined the toxins present in the stinging cells of Aiptasia and compared those to the tube anemone Pachycerianthus torreyi, and found that the toxin of Aiptasia was much more potent and complex than that of the tube anemone. Another study examined the toxic effects of 11 species of anemone-like animals – true anemones, mushroom polyps and tube anemones – to compare the toxicity and effectiveness of the stinging cells of these animals. The researchers found that the toxins of all species tested except those of the tube anemone P. fimbratus had potent effect on a variety of test vertebrates, and that the tentacles of the fish predators Urticina lofotensis and U. piscivora was lethal to more than just fish – tests using guinea pig, rat and dog cell cultures all resulted in cell death from tiny amounts of the toxin. In contrast to those results, the sting of the tube anemone P. fimbratus were not found to be lethal to any species in any test these researchers conducted. Hmm, that doesn’t sound very dangerous by comparison to me...
Anyhow, that aside, because these animals lack photosynthetic symbionts, they are reliant on a great deal of planktonic food to support them. All evidence suggests that in nature these animals feed on a variety of plankton, and similar foods should be provided in the aquarium. Although the tentacles are large, they are also quite delicate, and feeding very large foods may easily damage them. Many will accept thawed brine shrimp, mysids and krill with relish, and copepods seem to be a popular item as well. I would try frozen plankton foods such as these until you find what your tube "anemone" will accept, and feed it a variety of such foods on a regular basis. I would suggest daily small feedinjgs if possible, but would recommend that you feed them no less than a few times a week. Experience suggests that feedings of live or frozen plankton foods such as these at least twice or three times per week seems to suffice to keep these animals alive in the aquarium, but the emphasis should be on small and frequent feedings as time will allow to really have the animals thrive....
Good luck.
Rob
Unlike the true anemones, these animals lack a pedal disk for attachment to a substrate, and instead live in a tube which is buried in sandy or muddy sediments. The tube in which these animals live consists of a material almost akin to fiberglass, which is formed by the discharge of special cnidae (the stinging cells of all cnidarians, with nematocysts being the most common kind) called ptychocysts -- these special nematocysts are found in only the tube anemones. Depending on the species (there are about 25 world-wide), these tubes can be quite elaborate and some measure > 2m in length below the sandy or muddy sediment surface! If the animals are to be kept successfully in home aquaria, a similar habitat must be provided. Many people have success with these animals by placing tubes into pieces of reasonably-sized PVC pipe filled with fine sands. Once the animal is established in the aquarium, it will be able to withdraw into the tube and will be happier and healthier because of it. These animals set up a home in the wild and never move again. If the animal is moving in the aquarium, it is because it is unable to establish itself where it is, and you should consider giving it a deep sandy spot in which to establish a proper burrow - moving is extremely stressful and costly to these animals, and they will quickly exhaust their reserves and starve if they are forced to move very often...
These are beautiful animals with a gorgeous crown of tentacles that consist of two whorls of distinctly different sized tentacles. The outer tentacle whorl consists of large tentacles that extend laterally, and these tentacles typically taper to distinct points. The smaller inner whorl tentacles, on the other hand, are often held more erect than the larger lateral tentacles. These long tentacles are used primarily in prey capture and defense, while the shorter labial tentacles are used primarily for prey manipulation and ingestion. In many species the tentacles can be bioluminescent, which is thought to be a visual “startle” defense against fishes that may attack the long feeding tentacles of the animal during their nocturnal expansion. Although some species are seen exposed during the day (and more so at depth), in general the species from shallow tropical waters are very stubborn in avoiding light, and rarely come out during daylight hours – even at night, the animals will retract as soon as the edge of a dive light beam passes across them. Their primary predators are not fish, however, but dendronotid nudibranchs which have a sterotypic feeding behavior to latch onto and ingest the feeding tentacles of these animals. These slugs can even be “sucked” into the tube of the “anemone” when it withdraws, but it doesn’t seem fatal to either animal – the slugs can crawl back out of the tube when they have finished their meal, and individual tube anemones have been followed for up to 10 years in areas where they are regularly preyed upon by these nudibranchs. It is impossible to know exactly which tube anemone you have, though, because the specific identification of these guys is virtually impossible without killing them and examining some internal structures.
The vast majority of species are nocturnal, and some species can expand to form a 30cm-or-so sphere of feeding tentacles at the end of the tube (obviously a large portion of a small tank could be covered by the reach of 1ft long tentacles!). Given that, there is obvious reason for concern with contact with the tentacles of one of these animals at night. However, the warnings posted all over the net and in most aquarium texts about the dangerous fish-catching abilities of these animals appears to be more the stuff of legend than experience. The fact is that there are simply no detailed studies of the natural diet of these animals, but studies that examine the distribution and abundance of these animals in the wild link them to high densities of plankton in the water, not to any fish prey. At least one species appears not to feed at all, but rather to live entirely off symbiotic bacteria in their gut. A survey by the National Marine Fisheries Service found that densities of these animals was actually highest in association with polluted waters in which there was significant enrichment and/or resuspension of benthic infauna. Without dteailed studies of the natural diet of these animals it is difficult to answer exactly what they eat, but none of these natural examples seem to support the idea that these animals are effective fish predators. The fact remains that all the clownfish hosting anemones and even some species of corallimorpharians (particularly the Elephant Ear Mushroom, Amplexidiscus enestrafer) are much more effective predators on fish than are tube anemones, yet it is the mention of tube anemone that continually elicits a strong warning among hobbyists to avoid them (and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone warned against adding an Elephant Ear mushroom to their tank).
The “extremely poisonous tentacles” description seems especially unwarranted, in fact, because there are actually a couple of studies on the stinging cells of tube anemones in comparison to other species. One study examined the toxins present in the stinging cells of Aiptasia and compared those to the tube anemone Pachycerianthus torreyi, and found that the toxin of Aiptasia was much more potent and complex than that of the tube anemone. Another study examined the toxic effects of 11 species of anemone-like animals – true anemones, mushroom polyps and tube anemones – to compare the toxicity and effectiveness of the stinging cells of these animals. The researchers found that the toxins of all species tested except those of the tube anemone P. fimbratus had potent effect on a variety of test vertebrates, and that the tentacles of the fish predators Urticina lofotensis and U. piscivora was lethal to more than just fish – tests using guinea pig, rat and dog cell cultures all resulted in cell death from tiny amounts of the toxin. In contrast to those results, the sting of the tube anemone P. fimbratus were not found to be lethal to any species in any test these researchers conducted. Hmm, that doesn’t sound very dangerous by comparison to me...
Anyhow, that aside, because these animals lack photosynthetic symbionts, they are reliant on a great deal of planktonic food to support them. All evidence suggests that in nature these animals feed on a variety of plankton, and similar foods should be provided in the aquarium. Although the tentacles are large, they are also quite delicate, and feeding very large foods may easily damage them. Many will accept thawed brine shrimp, mysids and krill with relish, and copepods seem to be a popular item as well. I would try frozen plankton foods such as these until you find what your tube "anemone" will accept, and feed it a variety of such foods on a regular basis. I would suggest daily small feedinjgs if possible, but would recommend that you feed them no less than a few times a week. Experience suggests that feedings of live or frozen plankton foods such as these at least twice or three times per week seems to suffice to keep these animals alive in the aquarium, but the emphasis should be on small and frequent feedings as time will allow to really have the animals thrive....
Good luck.
Rob
So if I put mine in a little cave between rocks but still laying on the substrate will it bury itself on its own. What about the pvc option is it hard to do, after that long post I feel bad asking for more detail but could you describe how to make a pvc home for it. Do you plug one end and put sand in it and insert the TA in the other end.TIA
It depends on the type and depth of substrate that you have wether or not the cerianthid is likely to form a new burrow in it. If it is standard aquarium-sized gravel or crushed coral, then the answer is no - it won't bury itself ever. If you have a deep sand bed, then it may well form a borrow eventually, but it will still be easier for the animal if you form the borrow for it. I have used sealed and unsealed PVC tubes in the past, and don't really notice much difference in the survival or growth rates, but ideally an open tube would be a better choice. If you can place the empty tube where you would like the animal to be eventually located, you can add fine sand to it slowly through a funnel with a bit of siphon tubing. It helps if you have someone to help you with this step. That way you can place the PVC tube where you like it, add the animal into the tube, and then have an extra pair of hands to slowly pour sand into the funnel so that you can direct the siphon tubing to fill the fine sand in around the cerianthid as you go. If you don't have easy access to any helping hands around, or if you want to make sure that you don't lose any of the sand in the tube, then you can seal the bottom off with a slip PVC cap easily enough. You'll want to get PVC that is large enough for the animal to grow, and deep enough so that the top of the cerianthids tube sticks only about an inch or two from the top of the sand when you're done. As the animal grows, it will extend it's tube higher on its own....
Rob
Rob
I do have a pretty thick sand substrate that it burries itself in. I have uprooted it many times to move things around and it always reburries itself. It does move around a little bit so you have to be careful what you put next to it becuase it will wipe things out if it is allowed to touch other corals. It will also eat in small fish or shrimp that go to close to it. So far I have lost nothing to it over a period of about one year.
Well i went ahead and got it and placed it on the substrate between two rocks. When the guy at the LFS removed it from the tank the tail end was already starting to burrow in the substrate and they only had it there for 3-4 days so i thought that was promising. Does the whole tube like to be buried or just the tail end. I really like this guy it has long purple sweepers with neon yellow spotted design and neon yellow inner tentacles. Contrary to what I have heard about them being nocturnal it was out all day.
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