This Heteractis Magnifica Look OK to you?
 

Hi all,

I added two Heteractis magnifica from my favourite LFS yesterday, one is thriving with my clowns flocking to it immediatley - the other, well - I'm not much of an anemone guy - but I thought I'd send some pictures.

Is this normal?
http://static.flickr.com/85/221234268_9d725baf4a.jpg
This look OK to you?
http://static.flickr.com/72/221234285_770ac0023e.jpg
How 'bout this one?
http://static.flickr.com/81/220500905_b206b21e6a.jpg
My Clowns love this one and it's pumped up nice and fat.

I don't want to sound like I'm flaming you at all here.. but if these two are your first anemones, please return them. H. Magnifica is one of the hardest to care for anemones along with S. Gigantea. The first one does not look well at all. What kind of lighting and flow are these anemones under? Please know that H. Magnifica requires MH or HQI and nothing but. They are one of the most light and flow demanding anemones out there.

They like to be placed on top of rock works, as closest to the surface of the water (to obtain as much light and flow as possible) In the wild, they are usually found on top of rock piles.

As mentioned, if you haven't kept anemones before, and this is your first (or one of your first) I would return it for a differenct species. They have a VERY low survival rate in captivity.

These anemones are extremely sensitive to tank changes, the smallest change often stresses these guys out. They may appear to be doing well (well, the second one) but they will slowly decline in health given they don't have proper tank conditions and other requirements.

They are from my understanding , quite the challenge to keep for the average reef keeper. This is not meant to sound like a flame at all.. but I would advise against keeping it if it's your first try at keeping anemones.

Go for a bubble tip, very hardy, easy to care for and to the average reefer just as amusing as a Magnifica.

Also, 4 clowns may cause problems later on... they are all juvi's right now, but once they start developing into male/female.. you may run into some problems there.

Scott

umm, the first one looks normal for one that's "on it's way out" - doesn't look too good at all.

the second one looks OK for now, but it wants the spot the sick one has - high up on top the stack of rock, with all the light and flow you can throw at it.

look for posts by Delphinus about these - his is a legend in itself...

Long Tentacle & Bubble Tips are the recommended hosting species for new to anemone reefers because they have a much higher survival rate. The ideal is a clone out of somebody's tank.

As to your question, anemones often look like that for a day or two. Mine usually does after I feed it. Even my really healthy large Rose BTA goes like that for no reason once in a while, & then it'll perk up as if nothing has happened.

Can you post your system setup please, if you want more detailed, construction advice because without knowing the age, the equipment, the lighting, tank size, etc. it's hard to really say.

Anthony

Hey - thanks for the advice!

I've had two anemones previously - both LTA - one that thrived for almost two years before I traded him off to another tank.

Lighting isn't super - I'm runing a combination of power compacts (260W) and flourescent (100W) together.

The tank has a fairly high flow rate - but I'll have to check the stats on the new pump (just upgraded it weeks ago). The tank is 120gal dual overflows, powerhead beside the white anemone with a 75 gal sump, skimmer, uv sterilizer, etc. 90lbs Live Rock. Purple, Powder Blue, Regal Tangs, Emporer Angel, Flame Angel, 5 Clowns, Copperband Butterfly, Blue Star, Blue Crab, Cleaner Shrimp and asst hermits and snails.

Original Tank up three years - Upgraded from 90gal w/ smaller sump three weeks ago - transfer to new equipment didn't was stable with no major spikes.

Hope that's enough info?

Thanks,
M.

I really like your suggestion of the bubble tip, wish there was a better selection here in Edmonton of that particular variety...I've had good success with LTA as well.

Did you tell the LFS that you are not running MH because as OCDP (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Person :) ) stated, this species really needs MH to survive. LTAs & BTAs are lower light requiring creatures, which is one of the reasons they do relatively well in captivity.

Anthony

Yep, the store also setup my equipment - so they have an good knowledge of the conditions the anemones are going into. I'm inclined to keep the one that's adapted with my clowns, and coax him a little higher up on the rock, and exchange the white one for a bubble tip.

I'm really looking for an anemone that's easy to keep, but also quite colouful - most of the LTA and bubbletip I've seen have been boooooring brown in colour. ;-)

Too bad. I have a purple LTA, a bright light green with neon orange tips BTA, & a couple of RBTAs. Yup, love living in the Lower Mainland.:)

>sigh<
got any pics?