Coral propagation -- Episode 1: Propagating the rose bubble tip anemone RBTA

[DirtyRican007]

Hey I have a Purple Tip Anemone and I was wondering if I can do the same thing. Splitting them in half. There is also a catch to this. I have a mated pair of clown fish hosting it can I still spit it or should I just leave it alone !!! I have another pair of clown fish that I just mated and I would like to give them a home !!!!

[robbiou]

It touches my heart that you care about what the anemone goes through in transit.

I feel the same way about live lobsters. They go from their ocean families to a fish farm, then crammed 4 at a time into UPS boxes, then loaded onto cargo flights (complete darkness and loud noise and bumpiness) then to overcrowded tanks in a Supermarket; starved and pincers taped shut. Can you imagine the disorientation and TERROR? Just look at their eyes.

[a2js2]

hey sorrry if this was ask but how big of a tank would you need for 64 rose bubble tip anemone and would you just put clown fish in with it ?

[lokiandcat26]

Thx for a great video once again. 2 the other commenters, y do u not read the comments below B4 u ask the same question some1else (most likely smarter) already asked & got an answer to?!? Don't make the man repeat himself save his time for more great videos!!!

[acoomer79]

Can you do this with most all anemone's?

[pukapukalala13]

why dont u have any clownfish

[slidehammer10]

Hello, I would love to know what brand light and brackets you have over that tank.

Great video! I always learn a lot from you guys. Keep up the good work!

[cichlidmania97]

For larger rbt can u split them mulitple times

[cichlidmania97]

When are you guys make a new video on this

[jovimprevot]

i currently have a 20 gal set up and it is great.. has a skimmer and hob filter.. with t-5s and 30 lbs of live sand.. no live rock.. would this be enought or should i add the 8x8x1.. i really dont wanna have anything fro them to get super attached to.. i have 3 bubble anemones.. 2 rose (one really pink.. the other faint), an a common.. could i split all 3? any sugestions?

[sirrealtravelr]

Great video. I have 2 75 gallons sharing a large sump refugium. I figure it would not be a good idea to use one of the tanks as anemone propagation tank due to the chance an anemone death could spike the tank. Right? When one dies or is healing do they give off any toxic material? Thanks

[tocooltobe11]

can I propagate rose anemones?

[fabihanski]

dont they sting?!

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@fabihanski always wise to wear gloves when handling any live stock but I while they do sting other live stock I have never heard of anyone getting stung in any meaningful way by a RBTA. However if you had a cut or something in your hand it might be easier for it to sting you, hence the gloves.

[j0hnlhew]

i have a RBTA i bought it for 60 bucks. i wanna cut it in half but im scared to evne take it out from the rock.

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@j0hnlhew Getting it off the rock is difficult. Sometimes you can shade them to get them to move on their own or aim a powerhead at them in hopes they well seek out a better area to live. Best to not be in a hurry and try a few of the less invasive options like this.

[j0hnlhew]

@BulkReefSupplyCom Alright.! Thanks. Btw, do you just dip them in water from the tank or what?

[j0hnlhew]

@BulkReefSupplyCom hey bud ! i cut the anemone the same day and man ! Awesome!! they are both alive !! when can i can them again? 2 months after?

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@j0hnlhew After about two weeks I try and feed them small easy to to digest food like mysis. I wait to split them again until they look healthy and there are basically no signs of the previous split. this is typically between 1-2 months. Obviously the longer the better .

[aquafresh1208]

really nice video and made it look very easy. i was wondering whats the brand on the T5 light fixture and how many watts. i heard an anemone needs a lot of light.

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@aquafresh1208 It is a 4 bulb sunlight supply T5 TEK fixture. Anemones do require a lot of light but the bubble tip species requires less than most. This fixture is certainly enough.

[mverity1]

Great video! You say in the video to have only what is 'necessary' in the tank, which I understand. My quetions are, why do you have an angel fish and zoos in the tank? Thanks for such a great video.

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@mverity1 Good catch, They both needed temporary homes : )

[scubascott1098]

great video, hope to see more propagation videos so people stop pillaging the ocean for their vanity hobby.

[huskysglare1]

that anemone is too small to be cut. The chances of it surviving is small.

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@huskysglare1 My experience is actually the opposite. I have found the smaller anemones survive the division much better than larger specimens. I am just theorizing but I imagine it is because the wounds are much smaller and easier to heal. In an established tank with careful division the success rate I have seen with anemones this size is over 95% . The most important part is letting the blade do the work so the wound is clean and easy to heal from.

[apayan9]

How risky is it to remove a bubble tip anemones from live rock once it has attached itself?  Is there a technique to removing them safely?

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

It can be pretty hard to get them off rockwork sometimes and you need to be very careful not to damage the foot. It is much easier to remove them from flat surfaces like glass or acrylic. If they are on a rock I try and shade them to see if I can get them to move on their own. Once they start moving it is much easier. You can also try aiming a powerhead at the foot to see if they will move. I haven’t tried it but some reefers use ro/di icecubes to see if the cold will get them to let go.

[184445]

Well I have a 40 gallon breeder and 20 gallon sump with mh lighting thats sitting in a room not being used. If I was to set it up and let it cycle. How Long would I have to wait till I can put a anemone in it? Thanks for the videos

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@184445 I wouldn’t approach this like you are in a hurry, give it a few months. The more established the tank is the better your success rates will be. Cycle the tank normally and make sure the bioload is supporting enough nitrating bacteria that it can handle a dyeing anemone if one goes unnoticed. If you use a sump you will to have to do something to prevent them from going down the overflow. This isn’t as big of a deal when you have 1 or 2 but when you have 25+ it will happen all the time

[vipete1985]

awsome video....u made it loook so easy, i was wondering what kind of razor did u use for the job and would this same technique be used to propogate all other anemones as well???

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@vipete1985 My favorite razor for this is called a “snap off blade refill” . They are long, very sharp and disposable. One thing I forgot to mention in the video is they often come with oil on the blades, you should clean the blade off before use. I would only do this on the RBTA or other bubble tip anemones. While it might be possible I have never personally seen success with any other species.

[blessingsofdecember]

What species of nems would this be fround upon?

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@blessingsofdecember The only species I have successfully done this with bubble tip anemones. I have heard rumors of success with other species but never met anyone who has actually done it. Most other species of anemone have very fleshy bodies so the wound would be pretty substantial and I think the mortality rate would be very high. My advice is don’t try it with any other types unless you can find someone who has done it successfully and they can provide you some advice.

[dejavuga]

You guys are awesome, let me know if your hiring. Would love to work for your company :)

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@dejavuga Thanks for the kind words. We are pretty much perpetually hiring. If you live in the Minneapolis area and have extensive aquarium or ecommerce skills you should contact us : )

[cod0mw2]

your videos are very helpful and educational.. i had no idea that anemones can be split in half..

[philiphender]

thanks BRS for the additional videos! Every little tip helps!

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@philiphender glad to be of service : ) Sometimes a short video can explain concepts that would be hard to understand via text and photos.

[184445]

do you guys think i can keep a rose bubble tip in a 8 gallon biocube with stock lights?

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@184445 While I am sure someone out there has done this I would call that a really bad idea and almost certain chances of failure. I am very doubtful that would be enough light, I might consider upgrading to a LED light which would provide enough PAR and not generate a lot of heat. Like any nano reef aquarium you would also have to be extremely diligent about water changes and careful feeding. Sorry , this probably wasn't the answer you were looking for.

[finger11yo]

nice video i didnt know this was possible

[CandyFishRave]

great vid thankx!... =]

[VitalApparatuz]

I can tell thats the block you used to due the flow demo with the piece of PVC attached to it :)

Great video Thanks!

[BulkReefSupplyCom]

@VitalApparatuz that is the one : )