Ritteri anemone splits. Is this possible?

reefcam · 07-31-2002, 10:46 AM

So I have experience my Rose anemone split, but now I see my Ritteri Anemone split as well. Is this possible? I have never heard of it before. When I first purchased it at Deep Sea Gallery, they said they bought it as a BTA, but looking at the anemone, with its purple base and green tentacles, I am lead to believe its a Ritteri Anemone. Now that it split, I may be lead to think its a BTA, but if Ritteri have been known to split in captivity, then great.

Thoughts?

thebigblue · 07-31-2002, 11:15 PM

reefcam

wow!...congrats...

yea, i dont think ive ever really heard of one splitting...i need to do a little research on that...

ive had my Heteractus magnifica (sp?) for several months now...(i think the old name was ritteri)...is this what you have?...

mine seems to one day look great and the next not so good...but i think thats what you get with anemones...

i have struggled a bit with feeding...what do you feed yours?...where is his position in the tank?...in heavy flow?...under MH lighting?...do you have any clowns?...

mine is at the top of my rockwork right in the middle of the tank in the heaviest flow area...about 3" from the waters surface...right under one of my 250w 10K ushio MH's...i have one A. ocellaris clown who leaves the anemone only to eat...

brad

reefcam · 08-01-2002, 02:48 AM

I'll try to get a picture of the anemone. It's got a purple base with green tenticles and pink tip. Not sure if it could be a long tenticle anemone.

I feed it silverside and it takes it readily. I have it placed 2/3 down from the top (about 14"). It gets a strong currently from time to time. I have Sea Swirls in my tank, but not direct current.

The anemone is under my Acropora Yongie which blocks any direct light to it. It does get summer sunlight in the evening during the summer. I have 3 400W MH and 4 110 VHO and 2 160 VHO over my tank. But I think it's the feeding.

I do have a Clarkii clown that jumps between, now, the 2 Ritteri anemone and 3 Rose Anemone. He killed 3 other False Perc to get all the anemone. Greedy is what I say.

That's about it. And Thanks.

dark horge · 08-01-2002, 08:03 PM

You can find apparently-clonal fields of Heteractis magnifica in deeper water here in the Philippines.

So, yes, your 'ritteri' is entirely capable of splitting.

Please post more about your water params, tank inhabitants, lighting, feeding regimen, any dosings, etc. etc. in terms of changes OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

Also describe the duration of the split, any changes in size or attitude of the original animal prior to splitting ---anything you can think of!

Congratulations.

horge

reefcam · 08-01-2002, 10:39 PM

Thanks Horge for verifying it.

Well I can't say that my tank have the "PERFECT" parameters. I really don't test the water much unless the SPS don't look happy. I also have 3 Rose in the tank that seems to be on a splitting spree. I went from 1 to 6 in a month. Now the Rose are a bit relaxed. I have been having a war with the main bud as it likes to sneak over to my sps and sting it.

I didn't noticed what the Ritteri was doing prior to splitting. I was looking at my tank one evening and notice a split between 2 buds. At first I thought the base was in a hole and found 2 openings. Then I noticed one of the bud's stalk. Each anemone is about 75% of the original. Their color is back to normal. Never saw it coming. I have been feeding them Silver Sides about 2 -3 times a week.

I have been trying to get my main Rose to split so it can become smaller. I have band all Rose to the back of the tank until I know what I'm going to do with them.

Are you looking for data for a project or behavior study? I can see about getting them to split.

Jim