Tube Anemone Placement 03/19/2008
Hey Guys,
Hello Craig, Andrew here>>
I read Bob's article on tube anemones, and I have a question regarding placing these organisms. I should remove the outer tube before placing the animal in the tank? I.e, it has a purple worm-like body covered in a loose mucous tube. I should remove the tube?
<<remove any mucous on the tube, leave the tube itself. This is there for its protection.>>
Then should I place it near where I want it to plant and let it dig into the substrate on its own?
I.e. I do not need to bury it?
<<Place it where you want it, give it a helping hand with burying the tube deep in the sand>>
I have a 5-6 inch fine sand bed, so there should be plenty of depth. Thanks guys, Craig
<<Hope the above clear's up your queries. A Nixon>>

The Dichotomy of Tube Anemones   3/5/08
Hi Bob...and crew,
<Michele>
Thanks again for your advice on my wet seals questions (Tank ended up working out fine and has large African cichlids breeding like rabbits in it).
<Ah, good>
Ok I read all the info I could find on tube anemones, on your site and books, hobbyists etc. I even contemplated adding one for 2 years. Well I got one a gorgeous hot pinkish/orange tube anemone looks like Cerianthus orientalis, from your pics on WWM. I know all about there reported habits and care my salt system is at total 240g (a three level inter connected system) I have bio filtration for a system many times my total volume, an established refugium, lots and lots of natural plankton maybe phytoplankton (need better scope). I have black foot snails breeding, rose anemones splitting; very stable and consistent water quality. So I cleared a 2ft area of my reef built a rock wall around the sand bed for the Tube anemone and added it, (it had a powerful enough sting to leave welts on my skin! I have been bitten and stung by everything; I would rather play catch with a Diadema urchin)
<Well-stated!>
Now you are expecting me to say it ate up my fish or 'stung' my coral right? Nope it built up a tube and one night disappeared. I looked everywhere, Could not find it (lots of rock), I didn't find any pieces, parts and it wasn't in my filters, so I assumed it was hiding from the light (I have direct non- obstructed supplemental sunlight on my reef). Weeks went by and no sign, during this time I had added a lime green Euphyllia divisa to go with my brown one I had for several months. For the next 4 days I watched a huge chunk of each (starting with the super green one of course) being cut/melted off, the lines were so clean the parts not affected were expanding like normal until the end. Naturally I assumed the tube anemone was to blame but alas nowhere to de found, I figured the new green one had an un-noticed bacterial infect, or something to that nature. A few days later I was going out to dinner and happened to go over to the tank and guess what? The tube anemone was all over my Galaxea coral!! (I moved it where the frogspawn was) I went to save it from certain death, upon closer inspection, the tube anemone was not just stinging it, the galaxia was being digested! I have had lots of big sea stars and it reminded me of how starfish feed, the tube anemone was literal coating the coral with digestive mucus/enzymes via- the tentacles, how do I know? I could literally see the polyps coated w/mucus melting before my eyes. I did save the Galaxea after a good washing I only lost 15 or so polyps on it, I moved it to the other side of the tank and put the tube anemone in a piece of PVC partially filled with sand to help immobilize it. Well not two days after I moved the galaxia to its original spot the tube anemone escaped its tube in the night and was back on top the coral in the morning trying to finish the job. Ok I had enough almost $300 short on corals, this guy had to go so I moved the galaxia back over to the other side of the tank and put the worm in the sand far away from the affected coral, I was in the middle of tank maintenance (I have multiple tanks, fresh and pond, terrarium, etc.) it was a couple hours before I could move the tube anemone out of the reef, and guess what? Yep he was attacking the galaxia again! (The galaxia lost a few more polyps but lived) I have since moved the tube anemone into a swim tank with med-large critters, wrasse, trigger, Fiji devil damsels, tang etc. I know the worm could look tasty to some fish, but the potency of the sting and he is in a PVC tube I figured he would be fine, and has been many weeks later not one piece missing from the tube worm he is loving life, very healthy and firm (not flaccid and melting). I specialize in predatory animals and this was absolutely (but costly) fascinating to watch, have you ever heard of these animals being this actively predacious on coral?
<I have not>
I mean not just stinging and such but actively hunting a specific area, and then following the coral to finish it off (nothing else was affected in his hunt). I never did lose any fish, shrimp or the like to him, I feed varied liquid and frozen foods I use lots of diced seafood for my rose anemones and other coral, but the tube anemone has not taken anything I have physically given him other than filter feeder foods. Any thoughts on this would be helpful.
Thank you for any input,
Daniel C.
<Am very leery of suggesting that folks keep Cerianthids period... this account adds fuel to that fire... Thank you for sharing... Man! Something that not only can withstand the sting of an Oculinid, but enjoys eating it! Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Motile inverts... Polychaetes, tube anemones... beh.  11/28/07
Hi Bob,
<Nancy>
I've posed this question to Anthony Calfo and he suggested that I contact you as well.
<Okay>
What, if anything, can you tell me about the motility of medusa/spaghetti worms (i.e., Loimia medusa and Eupolymnia crassicornis) and tube dwelling anemones (Arachnanthus nocturnus)?
<I have observed the former to be marginally capable of movement, the latter (Actinarian) not at all>
Are they actually motile? I've only found sketchy info on the Web that suggests that spaghetti worms may be motile and Anthony mentioned (which I've also seen), that the worms will move if they need to for life support, etc.
There's a need to determine whether or not they are typically motile in order to include or exclude them in a benthic survey.
<Mmm, I spent some time as an undergrad. sorting and identifying (mainly Sedentariate Polychaetes) for such assays... for USD Marine Studies Labs and Wendell Gayman's Sea Science Services...>
I'm leaning towards inclusion since they are capable of moving, but thought that you may enlighten us a bit more on the subject matter.
<I too would include these... they move little to not at all>
Thank you in advance for your help.
Kind regards,
Nancy
<Welcome, Bob Fenner>

Killer Tube Anemone 10/12/07
Dear WWM Crew
<Hi Michael, Pufferpunk here>
First, thank you for a terrific site.
<You're welcome, we aim to please!>
My question is this. I have a tube anemone (Cerianthus membranaceus), purple and green in the "middle".
<Sounds gorgeous!>
It has killed at least one fish, a Firefish (Decora) and other fish have vanished without a trace from the tank, maybe because of other things, but still!
<I'll give you one guess...>
I have a 79 Gallon reef tank, with the following fish:
One yellow surgeon, an Argi, two Firefish, a common clownfish (ocellaris) a yellow clown goby and a Lawn mower blenny. Should I return the tube anemone to a store if possible?
<Well, you could send it to me! :p I live in the USA though...>
Are the rest of my fish in to much danger?
<These anemones are one the worst stingers around. They will actually whip out their tentacles to capture fish & eat them. Small, slow-moving fish are not safe in the same tank with them. Especially gobies/blennies that rest on things. You also have to keep them a good foot away from any of your corals. Those tentacles have quite a reach. I have a beautiful peach one that has a whole corner to itself in a softie tank & lives with fast-moving fish. So far, all he's caught are guppies.
Great link:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm >
Thanks.
<Good luck, ~PP>
Michael Fick
Dragør
Denmark

Re: Killer Tube Anemone   10/22/07
Hi Pufferpunk
<Michael>
Just a little update. I returned the tube anemone to my local store and in exchange got a beautiful Pink Button Polyp. Thank you for the advice.
<You're welcome, good decision. ~PP>
Michael Fick
Dragør
Denmark
P.S. I must admit though that I miss the tube anemone but I know that I did the right thing.
<Maybe another time, another tank...>

Reef Lighting... effect on pH, and in defense of Cerianthus mixing   9/20/07
I wanted to know what effects you may have experienced with PH while changing the color temperature of your metal halide bulbs?
<Generally boosts pH a bit... a tenth of a point of two... for a short while>
I have a 75 gallon tank, 100 lbs of sand, 100 lbs of live rock, ph 8.3, and 0 ppm on ammonia/nitrites/nitrates/phosphates. I dose with Lime water about 2-3 times a week. I use 2X 10,000K Current USA metal halide bulbs.
Everything is fine while using these bulbs. When I try to change to 14,000K Phoenix bulbs, my PH drops to the 7.9 - 8.0 range.
<Mmm, whatever the photosynthetic component of your systems' biota is, it doesn't like the change evidently>
I have to constantly (almost daily) use limewater and Seachem reef buffer to maintain 8.3. When I change back to the 10,000k's, my PH is back to normal. I have corals of all types in my tank and you might say that the tank is medium to heavily stocked. Is the color temperature THAT important to photosynthesis and using 14,000k's means that I have an excess of CO2 because is the lower PUR of the bulbs?
<Could be, yes>
Also, I think that tube anemones (Cerianthus) get a bum rap from you guys. I have had 2 for over two years now and they have never exhibited the traits that you mention in your articles. I believe the dangers are blown out of proportion:
<Thank you for your input here... My experience has been different>
"Re: Many Questions! Tube or other Anemone ID, Missing fishes/Mithraculus 5/25/07
The anemones are Cerianthus. They are placed away from any other life,
<Doesn't actually matter how far...>
and I did read further and need you to clarify. These Cerianthus can release stinging cells into the water at anytime and therefore create death to other living organisms.
<Yes>
They potentially can kill off my tank without ever touching anything?
<Yes>
I have never seen them release nematocysts, causing the death, destruction, and mayhem that they purported to cause. They have never eaten a fish, corals don't mysteriously get stung or stressed, and they have never killed a tank mate (coral or fish). I have seen my purple tang with light marks (where she got stung) on her, but they clear up within a day and she has since learned to stay away. I feed them twice a week and they are as happy as can be. The only problem I have ever encountered is when I first purchased the tube anemone, the sand was not deep enough and it decided to go for a swim around the aquarium. It stung a green hairy mushroom pretty bad, but it recovered and it has multiplied many times since. The tube anemones are now in a 4 inch sand bed and they don't leave their tubes. I know that others feel the same way:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2004/invert.htm
Thanks.
<Thank you, Bob Fenner>

Dwarf lion and orange tube anemone. Comp. Qs    8/19/07
I have a couple of questions for you guys. I have a dwarf lionfish that was recently purchased and is only about 2 inches in length.
<Small!>
I also have a fairly large skunk cleaner shrimp
<Will be inhaled in time>
and I was wondering what his chances of survival were with the dwarf lionfish given that the lionfish is adequately fed. Let me add that the aquarium in question is a 75 gallon with large amount of live rock offering many caves and hiding places. Also, what chance do my crabs and snails have with the dwarf lionfish.
<Mmm, could also be meals...but less likely>
On a related note, if the snails and crabs were gone, would serpent stars be sufficient to keep the tank clean or are there other organisms that can replace the crabs and snails that are not at risk from the dwarf lionfish?
<Mmm possibly... see WWM re marine scavengers>
Regarding the orange tube anemone, your site states that they will consume fish, but then goes on to say that feeding a tube anemone meaty foods can be lethal as they are filter feeders and I find in unlikely that both of these statements can be true. I have on what I consider good authority that the orange tube anemone is a filter feeder and poses no threat to fish, but I always like to check your site as well since I like to have more than one point of view before coming to any conclusions and I have always found your site very informative and helpful. So if you could clarify your opinion regarding the orange tube anemone as to whether or not it will consume fish I would be greatly appreciative.
<Mmm, is this a Cerianthid? Not recommended for a few other reasons... have seen these Antipatharians consume large animals... Perhaps more of a defensive mechanism than predation, but... the result the same for the hapless dead. Bob Fenner>

Sick/Dying Clownfish... Cerianthus!?    4/23/07
Hey guys, I tried to post a question in the forum but for the past 2 months I have not been able to register as a new member (says it's temporarily down)
<I have repeatedly sent a note to the "sysop" (Lorenzo) re these notes... will do again here. We/WWM does NOT "run" WWF...>
I've searched and searched your archives but am still unsure as to what I should do.  I have a 40G SW tank with 30Lbs LR.  3 corals, 1 mushroom and 2 tube anemones.
<These last, Cerianthids... are problematical with other species... fishes and invertebrates of many kinds... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm
and the linked FAQs file above>
  My water quality is Nitrites 0, Nitrates .15, Ammonia .1.  (Have been struggling to get my #'s to 0 ) I do weekly 15% water changes with deionized water.  I am currently waiting on my 200G setup.  I have 1 Tang,
<Not enough room for one here>
1 Fire fish, 1 yellow Goby and 1 clownfish.  Truth be told, this is my fourth clownfish.  I've bought them all from the same place over the course of a few months.  All have died, and I'm waiting on the outcome of this last one.
<... small doubt THE reason could/likely is the Cerianthus>
The first pair I bought, one died the day after I brought him home.  Next one I added had Brooklynella, I tried FW dip and Formalin dip, but he died in the QT tank.  Last but not least was my love, Nemo, he was the original and lasted 5 months until a sick anemone fell on him.  Now is the last of my clownies.  He has been gallantly hanging on for the past 4 days.  White spot on his side, no stringing feces like the last one, mouth gaping wide open with labored breathing.  Stays in one spot, under a coral.  Darts out when fed but will not eat.  Since I had trouble with my anemone I did a 50% water change (2 weeks ago) and put the anemone into a QT tank.  EVERYTHING else is doing fabulous.  My question to you is should I attempt the FW dip?  Or help him out of his misery? (bag in freezer) Or just leave him to his agony?
<Do you have another tank/system to use for treatment?>
  Whatever happens, this will have to be my last clowny until I get my new setup.  Clowns are my absolute favorite fish and this is just making me heartsick.  Any advice (or berating) would be ever so appreciated.  Thank you in advance, and thank you for having a site where people can go to for help in this mysterious fishy world.
Karley
<Mmm... no need (or desire) for mystery here. Do read re the Anemones... they are likely the source of the nitrogenous anomaly as well.  Bob Fenner>

Mushrooms, Cerianthus comp...   4/22/07
<Greetings Mich here.>
I have been reading your site about mushrooms and have a few questions regarding them. I have a 55-gallon tank with LR, fish, sand, starfish, crabs, and tube anemones. Can mushrooms be added with the tubes anemones?
<Not close by.  The tube anemones will sting/kill most anything with in striking distance.>
Will they sting each other?
<The tube anemone will win.>
Will the mushrooms multiply and take over the LR?
<Usually not uncontrollably.>
Will they release a toxin harmful to the other tank mates if stressed?
<They have allelopathic capacities.>
Lastly, they also should be put in QT upon arrival before adding to your main display correct?
<Always a good idea.>
(I have an Ich concern here. I'm not sure if the LFS has it in there system)
<Thus, the QT recommendation.>
Thank you for your advice.
<Welcome!  -Mich>

Death of LTA Causing Pollution – 3/29/07
Hi crew,
<Hello, Brenda here>
I haven’t written in a while, but have a somewhat urgent question that I can’t find the answer to.  I had a purple long tentacle anemone that mysteriously decided to leave his spot in a rock and apparently somehow tore his foot in the process.  He actually looked as if I had forcibly moved it.  I never touched it by the way.  
<Did it come in contact with a power head?>
Anyway it was injured and then began to go downhill and within a couple of days totally disintegrated, died and had to be removed.  In the process of removing it, it pretty much came apart and many parts of it (very small parts) went everywhere throughout the tank.  
<Yikes!>
The tank is 150 gallon with a large ASM skimmer so I wasn’t too concerned and figured that the skimmer would take care of getting the stuff out of the water, along with the crabs.
<Not necessarily fast enough.  I suggest a large water change also.  I also don’t recommend crabs with anemones.   Crabs have been known to pester and attack these creatures.>
I have no idea what happened to make him move or why he died, but my question really is this:  I have a tube anemone that I have had about two weeks.
<Your tube anemone is likely the reason your LTA decided to move.  You should not house two anemones in one system.>
He has been very active and healthy, stays totally open all the time and looks gorgeous; he has never closed since I have had it.  This morning I get up and the tube anemone is TOTALLY closed.  
<Check your water parameters.>
I have not seen this at all since I got it.  Last night he was wonderful and seemed normal.  Could he be suffering some sort of reaction to the death of the purple anemone?
<Yes, from the pollution.>
I have heard something about toxins getting in the tank when anemones die. Would this have happened and caused the other to have problems?
<Yes, ammonia is extremely toxic.>  
My water parameters were tested the day before the purple anemone died and they were all perfect.  No ammonia, no nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, SG1.024,
<Salinity at 1.026 is best for anemones.>
Temp is always 78-81 night to day and I have lots of light MH and actinic, lots.  The calcium is steady at 440 to 460 and the ph 8.4.  These tests were the day before the purple anemone death; I have not tested this morning. Any help or insight into this would be most helpful.  I don’t want to lose this other anemone too.
<You definitely need to monitor your water parameters closely after something dies.  Have saltwater ready at all times in case of an emergency.>
Thanks,  Debi
<You’re welcome!  Brenda>

A Curious Find, Tube Anemone  - 03/12/07
Greetings!
<Salutations!  Mich with you today.>   
  I recently purchased a small piece of live rock that had a tube anemone skeleton on it.  After I put the rock in my tank and examined it, I saw a small fan that was electric blue when I looked at it from the bottom up and from the top down it was electric green.  As I continued to watch, some of its tentacles changed to red and purple and yellow.  It was so cool because it looked as if it was producing its own light and could glow in the dark.
<Neat!>   
  My guess is that it's a small tube anemone, but I'd like to know its name and how to care for it.  
<Could be an Arachnanthus, Cerianthus or Pachycerianthus spp.  More info here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm  >
Will it grow large enough for me to not have to search for it whenever I want to see its "lights"?
<Possibly, but do be careful if it does.  They can pack a powerful sting and are quite capable of killing other livestock.  Hope that helps,  Mich>

Tube Anemone/Health 11/6/06
A few days ago, the tube anemone that I've had in my tank for over a year suddenly emerged from the other end of its tube. It still seems like it emerges for about the same length of time as it always did, and seems to be reasonably healthy, except that instead of extending its tentacles in open water, it is now extending its tentacles in between a number of rocks. The only recent addition to the tank was an Alveopora (added about 3 weeks ago, and placed about 18" away in a 90 gallon tank), but I doubt that this has anything to do with it, as the anemone is moving closer towards it with this tactic. Is this normal albeit infrequent behavior, or is this indicative of something? My pH, alkalinity, salinity, calcium, and nitrate readings are within the same ranges as they have been for the past 5 years. Any thoughts?
<Tube Anemones can and will move to a more desirable location to it's liking.
I'm thinking the move was coincidental with the purchase of the Alveopora which is not overly aggressive.
The anemone actually creates it's tube from the nematocysts that it has discharged.
(Bob, correct me if not correct here.)  <<This and other material. RMF>>
Another point, your set-up may not be to it's liking.  The ideal set-up is one with a deep sand bed to burrow in with plenty of live rock and a refugium for a food source.
They are non-photosynthetic and do not require intense lighting.  In fact, they are nocturnal in nature and generally open best in the evening hours.  Because they are non-photosynthetic, they need to be fed regularly when it is fully expanded.  Have you been feeding the anemone?  Small pieces of frozen foods, mysis shrimp and/or zooplankton will work fine.  Also keep in
mind the tube anemone is semi-aggressive.  James (Salty Dog)>
Mark A. Kaczynski

Re:  Tube Anemone/Health 11/10/06
My setup is a 90 gallon display tank, a 30 gallon refugium with a 5" sand bed (and tons of critters), and a 30 sump with a g-4 skimmer and redundant heaters (I also have a DIY chiller that I run in the summer). I feed the invert inhabitants of the tank every day with a mix of DT's and Cyclop-Eeze, with an occasional addition of oyster eggs, and I make sure that the anemone is well fed with this mix. The location of the anemone has a good portion of live rock around it, as well as being close to the deepest portion of the sand bed in the display tank (thanks to the hill caused by the antics of my eyelash blenny). I guess that, after a year of being in one place, the lease must be up and it must be time for the anemone to move...
<Wowsie, he's getting the munchies for sure.  Even a position change in a powerhead/return line can also cause anemones to look for new quarters.
James (Salty Dog)>
Mark A. Kaczynski

Percula Pair Going Through Divorce? Small, mis-mixed cnid. system, Tube Anemone...   9/2/06
Afternoon,
<Yawnnnn! AM here now>
Thank you for being a resource for me! I've searched through the FAQ's and Daily Q&A for an answer but I've only found bits and pieces relative to my clowns' situation rather than the whole story.
They've been a pair for nearly 8 months, 6 of which in my 12gallon nano tank with an appropriate watt Halide looming over it. The environment is littered with coral -- neon green star polyps, leather coral, devil's hands, bubble coral, frog spawn -- and presently has a single tube anemone.
<Too crowded... and a Cerianthus? Toxic>
My tank is not a good supporter of anemone's such as carpets, bulb, and long tentacles, or rather, I'M not a good supporter of them since they don't live longer than a couple months.
<... agreed... small marine volumes are unsuitable for actinarians period>
My guess is a lacking food supply since my clowns don't feed their anemone like the clowns I've had in the past. I'm now trying the turkey baster with brine method.
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm
and the linked files above>
The problem (aside from my inability to keep an anemone besides the tube anemone) is that my pair aren't much of a pair anymore. When I had my last anemone -- which I just netted out of the tank today and tossed to the garbage men,
<...>
my pair started going through the mating motions -- which i identified by the smaller having the little seizure spasms near the larger. Now that the anemone is gone the two aren't getting along.
The smaller will chase the larger into a corner, leaving the larger gasping at the top of the tank.
<... too crowded... no where to get away... the cnidarians, incompatible, warring with each other... will take out any/all fishes>
I'm worried because I absolutely adore these two clowns,
<If you do... then grant them a decent habitat... Please... Read re the needs of these fish, provide them... A feeling will not support their health... only action, with knowledge can. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clownfis.htm
and the linked files above>
they're incredibly hardy and eat like triggers, and now that they're fighting as they are I'm pretty much just waiting for one to get too stressed out and end up being an offering to the porcelain gods. They're about an inch and a half and inch and three quarters long, the larger being thicker; they're a bright orange with three white stripes connected by two large black patches. The colors are immaculate and I haven't seen another like them in my LFS so I'm unable to attempt to find a like male to replace the one who's pissy now.
Thank you for your time!
Ian.
<Translate your sentiment to focus, attention in gathering useful information re the life in your care. Read! Bob Fenner>

Pink Tube Anemone... Not For Mixed Livestock Systems - 05/17/06
Hey guys,
<<Gals here too!>>
To start...my tank:  I have a standard 72" 125 gallon with 4x96watt PC lighting.  250ish/lbs live rock + 3" sand bed.  I was helping a buddy unload his tank because of a move and was able to get some good looking things for free.
<<Cool!>>
I got a 4-6" Foxface (Unbelievably timid for size and potential venom!),
<<Yes...a quite peaceful fish>>
a 2-3" Sailfin (Incredibly bold),
<<And the potential to get quite large>>
a bicolor blenny,
<<Not "reef safe" in my opinion>>
a percula clown, fire shrimp and flame scallop (which is now all the away across the tank in a different cave.  I find that kind of thing funny.  That they move on their own, like a cartoon...no eyes...anyway.).
<<Indeed...fascinating to observe, but unfortunately better left in the ocean as most die from slow starvation>>
I also got a couple red Zoanthid clusters, a neon green torch coral, green polyps, a flat type of mushroom, and a big puffy species of Shrooms (softball size) and last but not least, a 2-3" diameter pink tube anemone which is sitting under a cave I've made out of live rock, away from other corals.
<<Mmm...have you read here? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm >>
Although it isn't my usual behavior to add things to my tank without research first,
<<Ahh...was just wondering where to fit in this little "jibe" <grin> >>
this was a short notice situation, and I figured it would be ok, since everything was living together in his tank previously.
<<Why would you assume that?  Because something is in someone else's tank doesn't automatically make it right...please do your research and base your decisions on your own good judgment>>
I didn't even know they were low light anemones since most anemones I've heard about are high level light.
<<Yes>>
So when I put it in, I put him in the center (my rock makes a U shape around the back of tank).  So I had the bulb part sticking out and I covered his "foot" up with some sand and waited.  The second day I saw the new anemone under that cave I told you about.
Did he climb out of his tube and make a new home there, or did he crawl through the foot of his tube and pop out on that side?
<<Likely the former>>
If he popped out, it should be safe to remove the old.
<<Yes>>
If he crawled out the foot, if even possible, can I remove his old tube?
<<Yes>>
I know that thing can be covered with those stingy nematocysts.
<<True, but little danger to your hands...wear gloves if you are concerned>>
So, wanting to know everything I can about what I have in my tank, I've been doing some reading and haven't found very good news about this tube anemone.
<<?>>
Most if the info I have found basically says this thing will kill any of the livestock I have that it touches.
<<Very possible...the tentacles on the outer margin harbor very powerful stinging cells>>
Also, even if my fish don't accidentally swim into this thing, it is releasing nematocysts (sp?) <<nematocysts>> that could sting my fish from across the tank?
<<Yes, along with corals, et al.  Another good reason for keeping anemones of any specie, in a specie specific tank designed/arranged for them>>
I don't have a sump yet so those things would just be circulating in my tank.
<<Will be even if you have a sump>>
I'm currently using a Fluval 404 with only the sponges right now as a filter.
<<Cleaned weekly at least I hope...better served as a chemical filter (carbon/Poly-Filter)>>
This will be until I get a return pump for my 30g long sump.  So should I get rid of this thing ASAP???
<<I would, perhaps a trade to your LFS...or set it up in its own tank yourself if you like it>>
I know to keep my other corals away from it, which isn't a problem in a tank this size, but do the fish know to keep away from it?  
<<No guarantees>>
What if they run into it at night?
<<Exactly>>
I have moonlights but is that sufficient for fish to see?
<<Again...is no guarantee>>
What about my snails and crabs?  Are they doomed?
<<Should be fine>>
Would this be an instant paralysis type of thing if a fish touches it?
<<Would depend on the size of the fish and the size/amount of the contact>>
Like I've mentioned before when I wrote you guys about 1.5 years ago, I like to compile my questions so as to reduce the amount of time and mailbox space I take from you guys.  I know you have a lot of E-Mails to go through and plenty of other fish to save from the unavoidable doom of their owners.
<<All good...is what we do/hope to do>>
I was also reading that most angelfish, dwarf especially, don't like to be in a tank with others.
<<...?  Other what?>>
I was wondering your take on this because I previously, before I moved, had a Bicolor angel in with a Coral Beauty and they were what appeared to be best of friends.
<<Indeed...I have kept different Centropyge species together before as well, though can be a bit of "trial and error">>
Only reason I ask is because I was considering getting another pair of those to replace my previous ones.  Bad idea?
<<Worth a try in this size tank I feel>>
I suppose although those two fish didn't fight, the next two could if it's in their nature to.
<<Indeed so>>
Heck, I've seen maroon striped clowns co-existing with Percs before, even though that is a no-no.
<<Most times, yes>>
So you see the list of corals I've recently acquired.  These are the first frags I've ever had, and the first into the tank.
<<All the more reason to start/continue with your research>>
They really add an amazing look to the tank.
<<Ah yes...isn't that why we do what we do? <G> >>
I also have a Kenya tree frag coming which I hear won't be easy to keep.
<<Be sure to feed it (all corals).  Capnella is traded quite frequently amongst members of my local reef club...it can be maintained with research/proper care>>
Based on this info, are there any supplements I can add to aid their growth and consistent health?
<<With the corals you have listed, frequent partial water changes will be your best "supplement">>
Maybe some phyto?
<<Most "corals" are carnivores>>
Buy a bottle of copepods?
<<Always a worthwhile addition, though densely stocked tanks can decimate their populations quickly.  Better to invest in a in-line refugium to help generate a continuous supply of "coral food"...among other benefits>>
I am currently feeding the fish brine flakes because I don't have anymore of the frozen brine which is my norm.
<<Ack!!  Truly a poor choice (brine shrimp, flake or frozen)...very little nutritional value.  Feed a variety of foods...frozen mysis, plankton, krill, supplemented with a "quality" flake or pelleted (New Life Spectrum) food soaked twice a week in Selcon or Selco>>
I've done plenty of research on your site but specific answers are sometimes hard to find when it comes to anemones and other livestock populations such as this.  Any comments and concerns are very welcome.  I am very thick skinned and open to advice and new ideas.
<<Excellent my friend, and I'm happy to assist where I can.  Do continue your self-edification through continued reading/research/asking questions>>
So no need to sugar coat anything...if I'm messed up let me know so I can correct it without any livestock losing their lives.
<<No worries mate, we generally say what we feel>>
Thanks in advance.
<<Quite welcome, EricR>>

Pink Tube Anemone...Not For Mixed Livestock Systems III - 05/22/06
Hey Eric,
<<Howdy Ben!>>
Just thought you'd be interested in a little feedback on the tube anemone situation.
<<Absolutely>>
Check out below in RED for a little refresher.
<<Okay>>
I was able to sell it on a fish forum almost the same day I posted it!  Great news there.
<<Indeed!  For both you AND the anemone>>
At that point I still had his old "bulb" sticking out of the sand where I had originally tried to place him.
<<I do recall>>
I walked into the room the day prior and saw my chocolate chip star fish centered directly on the thing.  Was he eating it?
<<Is likely...not a good species to house with invertebrates/corals/anemones>>
It looked pretty bad at that point anyway so I decided with no other objections to your response, that it was time to remove the old tube.  I dug around it and followed it's foot through the
sand waiting for it to end where I had buried it, and to my surprise, it in fact was the latter of my theories.  The little bugger actually crawled down his "foot" and popped himself out the other end and built a new bulb above the sand for his new home...as a neighbor to his old exit.
<<Amazing creatures, eh?!>>
To solve that problem I followed his old tube down into the sand and picked a spot about 2" into the sand and cut the old bulb off and re-covered the new foot, which WAS the old neck, if you could associate animal body parts.  After the initial shock of me jerking his tube around, he popped back out happy as he ever was swaying in the oceanic breeze.
<<Yes, as long as you didn't damage the anemone itself (I'm sure you were careful), it will "remanufacture" the tube as needed>>
Thanks for the help...I look forward to future correspondence.
<<As do I my friend.  Regards, EricR>>
P.S.  While I got you on here, just because it's fresh in my mind.  Do you have a link or information on how to calculate how powerful of a return pump for my sump I will need?  I know what kind of flow I would want, but how can you tell how much water is actually accumulating down there to pump back?
<<See if this head-loss calculator makes sense to you: http://reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php >>
I want to have about 700 gph returning through two separate sides of the tank in order to remove some powerheads.
<<Okay, easy enough...after calculating head loss (see the link I gave you), purchase a pump that will provide about 20% MORE flow than you need and install with a gate-valve on the output side of the pump.  The little bit of extra flow will be handy once the system ages and the plumbing restricts a bit (mineral/bio accumulation), and the gate-valve will let you "tune" the flow as until/as needed>>
I know I could just keep lowering my overflow until the pump quit pumping faster than it was accumulating, but that sounds like a quick way to get a flood in a power failure.
<<Ah, yes...use a pump/control the flow to something "less" than what the overflows can handle>>
Just some quick thoughts/links to good resources I can do research on would be greatly appreciated.
<<Try looking through the FAQs/links here (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/circmarfaq4.htm), more useful information to be gleaned>>
This whole idea of starting my sump is intimidating to me because I know I'm gonna flood the place.
<<Mmm...keep the towels handy, and have everything plugged in to GFCIs <grin>.  But seriously, install the gate-valve, proceed slowly...am sure you'll be fine.  EricR>>
Ben

Co-habitation... with a Ceriantharian?
Hi,
<Howdy>
I love your site and "The Conscientious..."  Thanks for all the great info and excellent attitude.  You guys are a rare source of "straight" info--with no sales pressure!
<Welcome>
I have a 35 g. tank with a medium (6-inch) tube anemone
<Yikes... Cerianthus? These are dangerous to keep with other life, particularly in small quarters>
and a newly added colony of Green button polyps on a small branch of live rock.  The coral is 3 days old and opening for light, but I have noticed a few white marks on the polyps when open.  Reading your site has me concerned about a negative biochemical situation between these two animals.
My questions: 1.  Can these 2 animals live together?  I am willing to entertain a special
setup to make it work.
<Not really. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm>
2.  If they cannot, how much time do I have to remove the tube save the coral (if indeed this is a biochemical warfare issue)?
<Not much>
3.  Would it be possible to keep a rose bubble tip anemone with polyps and other soft corals (and with the tube if I get positive answers to my first 2 questions)?
<... please read...>
What I am hoping is to keep some soft corals (a small number, I know my tank is on the small side) and also an anemone/clownfish duo.  Can it be done?  Again, special equipment, to a degree, is OK.
<Not with the Tube Anemone>
All the best and keep up the great work,
Dave
<Keep collecting those data points, you'll do fine. Bob Fenner>

Tube anemone question 12/31/04
First off .. Great site... lot of great info. Hopefully you don't have this one posted already. Sorry if you do but I looked long and hard and didn't locate the answer. <Thanks for the kind words, and especially for looking before asking!>
I have a Purple tube anemone with small greenish tentacles at the center. I have had it two years and it is doing great. Today I bought a small pink one. When I got it home I noticed that the center tentacles on this one were white and not moving. I figured it could be from the move so I didn't think much of it at first. Now the pink tentacles are full but the white ones are sunk in and still not moving. Is the center dead? Is there a way to save it? Or is it ok and I'm just freaking out for no reason? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kevin <Most likely this is normal post-shipping behavior.  Give it a few days to settle in and it should be fine.  If there is a problem, there really isn't much you can do anyway.  Good luck!  AdamC.>

See here... Sea hare 5/3/04 Tube Anemone Good evening my wonderful reefers! lol <live it, swim it, smoke it... er, well.. two of those things at least> I won a Aplysia dactylomela the other day at a raffle.  I won it on purpose out of sympathy, I didn't want it to end up with some poor bloke w/out a clue where it would starve to death. <interesting... perhaps a polite mention to the club/donors to be more conscientious about submitting items of challenging needs for random win/purchase by others> After a bit of hunting around my tank for some red algae (which proved non-existent, the info on the specific type of algae these guys eat is rather lacking, a lot of authors say they eat red algae they just don't specify what kind! I think it must also take them awhile to adjust their diet to green algae) <I do not spy it quickly at hand... but we have a link in our bibliography for our Reef Invertebrates book to a web page that lists the exact foods for many species of opisthobranchs> I tried putting in some red/purple Nori by Two Little Fishies (Julian Sprung & Co) and my guy started to chow down. Since then all it does is eat and sleep. hehe <ahhh... good to hear> I was wondering if you could tell me approx how long this sea hare lives?  I've read from 1-2 years is all.   <hmmm... I am not certain, although I recall the larger temperate  species living somewhat longer than the typical 24 months or less> Do they live longer if they don't mate?   <nope... not to my knowledge. There is precedent to support this in other mollusks (like the famous octopuses with a defined lifespan, breed or no)> It's funny, I live in Miami and went snorkeling the other day and saw a mated pair of Dactylomelas.  I didn't know mine was the same even though I've seen them many times when I snorkel. Also, treading into dangerous waters... are there any colorful Nudi's that can be easily kept in a reef tank or is this a lost cause? <hmmm... sort of. The key to any Nudibranch is identifying and supplying their food source. Many will keep and breed easily if you can do this. I keep an active colony (several hundred!) of beautiful blue Berghia (Aiptasia eaters). Other folks keep and breed Elysia sp algae eaters... some folks even dabble with the Zoanthid eating species. The problem with keeping in reef tanks is that most such systems have excessive powerheads and overflows. If you plan well though, you can keep some beauties> I always feel so bad when I see these really amazing looking, doomed Nudi's at the LFS.  There should be a campaign on to stop the collection of specialized feeders such as these. <no formal campaign is needed. Educated aquarists simply vote with their dollars and do not buy them. They die in the dealers tank, and when it happens enough times, the dealer stops ordering them <G>. You might help this along with  a polite mention of the reality (supported by a helpful list of web links or photocopied documents) that you give to the LFS. If that doesn't work... tell us their name and we'll post them on the wall of shame <G> Ha!> Oh, about how big will a tube anemone get in a reef tank?   <it won't... because it does not belong in a reef tank and will never be placed there by a conscientious aquarist. If you know of anybody tempted to the contrary, please direct them to our extensive archives at wetwebmedia.com for an explanation why not <G>> Will I need meters of sand eventually? lol I hope not. ( <8-12" would work nicely... let it mature for 6-12 months before putting a Cerianthus in a species specific tank (no corals or other anemones unless you intend to sacrifice some)> Ah, the pot calling the kettle black I know, but I'm going to try and provide for it) It's only 3 inches long at the moment and eating fine. <sigh... disappointing> Thanks for all your help! Love you guys, Morgan <sob...sob... another anemone destined to be a statistic. Anthony :p> See here... Sea hare II 5/3/04 Tube Anemone Blast! hehe Why is my tube anemone doomed?   <the problem is not so much the anemone (Cerianthus are aposymbiotic and actually can be kept well if fed well enough - several times weekly with a variety of finely minced meaty foods in substitute for plankton... a plankton reactor in support better yet). The real problems here are that most people are not willing or able (busy lives) to target feed these anemones by hand several times weekly for a lifespan that exceeds the family dog (anemones live decades and some seem to be "immortal", as in "no tissue degeneration", read: no definable lifespan). Without speaking to the extreme end of the potential lifespan, my argument is that few people will commit long enough to get the anemone to live more than just a few years (and that's being generous). We see most of these animals die very slowly of starvation. Add to that the fact that they are extremely aggressive and pose a direct and serious threat to fishes and other cnidarians in the confines of aquaria. I frankly think they are excellent choices for anemones (well... maybe not "excellent for their ability to sting people fiercely... but still a hardy candidate)... IF, one is willing to keep them in a proper, species specific display> I've read a lot of faq's on people that have kept them for years. <yes, agreed. Still... most die within just a few years. That's not responsible aquarium keeping IMO> I will be moving it to a 180 in a few more months and we keep 4-5 inch DSB, it'll probably be deeper when we get the 180. <I'm truly glad to hear it... but we hear this story all the time. Everyone expects to move into a bigger tank. Some folks do, and other folks "life happens": job change, house move, children, finances change, etc. And this anemone does not need a bigger tank... but rather, an isolated species tank. Perhaps a DSB refugium at the very least (still will not temper allelopathy)> It eats really well and I feed it meaty foods, DT's, Cyclop-Eeze, etc, etc.   <the DTs is interesting... and likely not needed at all... these are zooplankton feeders> I am also willing to give it plenty of breathing room so it doesn't sting stuff when it gets larger. <focus instead on not mixing unnatural species my friend. You and your animals will fare better for it> Why is it doomed??   <as per above> All the WetWeb faq's I read made it sound okay to keep. I don't want it to die!! sniff, sniff... <understood... no worries. Hopefully clearer now :) > I've kept my flame scallops and tunicates, etc for almost 2 years now.   <very nice to hear... but to consider it against their actual natural lifespans. We can't claim victory yet> What do I have to do so it doesn't become a doomed anemone??? <you've got the right mindset my friend! And the solution is really simple and inexpensive. Could be a 29 gall or 38XT tank with 8" of sand. Preferably offline of the main display, but tapped in if you must> Cheers, Morgan <best of luck, Anthony> See here... Sea hare III 5/3/04 Tube Anemone I'm back about the tube anemone. ;]  I reread all of the WetWeb faq's and general info about these guys and there is nothing in there that says these guys are doomed.   <no worries... as per prev e-mail, this is a matter of risk to other inhabitants for their aggression and concern that most folks do not have the time to hand/target-feed this azooxanthellate feeder several times weekly for all the years of its lifespan> Quote: <From my experience, if you provide the tube anemone with enough space, it is not a threat to your aquarium. However, some people have noted that their tube anemone has eaten some of their smaller sized fish. Although this is uncommon, it can happen. Overall, I would keep it -- It's a very colorful and hardy addition to your aquarium.> <yes... agreed> Let me clear up a few things: I keep a DSB 4-5 inches of very fine Southdown, have a huge EuroReef skimmer and a refugium, lots of flow in the tanks, do monthly-bi-monthly water changes, and provide plenty of space for the anemone so it doesn't sting other creatures. <excellent to hear all, except the latter presumption that space of mere inches/couple of feet will spare allelopathic aggression from unnatural tankmates in the confines of a closed aquarium system> The small one I have is temporarily (one month) in an 11 gallon tank w/ pc lighting, 3 inches of fine CaribSea live sand, two powerheads, and a hang on the back refugium w/ Chaeto, Caulerpa, and miracle mud, and bunches of decapods all over the glass (no fish). <OK> I have various other corals in the tank which are doing fine, no obvious signs of chemical warfare.   <we have two different perspectives here my friend... I am talking long term> The anemone is very responsive/retracts quickly and opens up fully at night.  It also eats well. <a beautiful animal indeed> I also spoke with some people on ReefCentral that keep tube anemones and they said chemical warfare does not seem to be a problem.  Of course they had larger tanks like I will have this guy in soon. <neither they nor I can quantify the impact of allelopathic aggression in the confines of a variable 3-d environment (your tank/husbandry/stock). Unless they cited scientific papers that you can kindly point me too to add to my collection/perspective?> Is it still doomed?   <not at all... just needs specialized care. No casual keeping of anemones in mixed reef displays. Its neither natural nor practical> As you can see I'm a bit stubborn. hehe   <not the word I would have used... but OK <G>> If you tell me something's doomed I work harder to make it not doomed, like the flame scallops. ;] <sigh> Thanks for any and all advice! Morgan <Anthony> Sea Hare IV 5/3/04 Tube Anemone Hi Anthony! <cheers> Nice to get your reply so soon.   <we eat sleep and breath our hobby/passion :) > Well, I nor my husband are casual reefkeepers, we are along the line of obsessed reefkeepers. hehe   <Hmmm... to clarify, what I mean by casual keeping is/was the state of keeping organisms in "garden style" mixed displays (species mixed randomly or in unnatural combinations... diff parts of the reef [sand flat anemones, reef crest corals, lagoonal fishes, etc] or those form entirely different oceans. For better or worse, that is your tank (mix of anemones, e.g.) and what I meant by casual keeping (versus specialized care)> He's kept saltwater systems for 9+ years and I've only been in it for 2 yrs and I'm almost more obsessed than him. I got hooked when I looked up an Acro of his to see if it was a valida or loripes. Since then I've done my best to become an unschooled marine biologist. lol <heehee... very cool> To reassure you, I have four other anemones (ha! how did I end up with so many??!! I'm going to have to train several generations in saltwater aquariums now) two flowers, a green bat, and a rose BTA.  Therefore I'm used to feeding at least twice a week w/ a mixture of Proplan/Frozen brine shrimp/bloodworms and DT's/BioPlankton.  I'm trying to keep my Tubastrea alive/not receding and I think that will prove to be much more of a task than keeping the tube anemone alive. <Hmmm... same frequency of feeding (3-5 times weekly), but indeed tougher as the Tubastrea needs each individual mouth fed> I usually dose DT's every other night and feed a variety of foods to my fish/creatures during the day (Cyclop-Eeze, Spirulina, pellet).  I also feed live brine shrimp about once a month. Now you can see why we have a 2 1/2 foot EuroReef on a combined 135gals of tanks. hehehe  And it does a great job. <a very fine skimmer... one of the best> I definitely will do all that I can to provide for this anemone as with all of my creatures.  I have lost a few corals since I began and learned from it, I've had a very good teacher too.  I understand that there are some things that just cannot be kept under any circumstances. We don't have any choice but to move into a 180.  We have a 75 and 58, between our two tanks there is literally no more rock space to put corals, including on the sand! haha My husband would get a larger tank if I let him, but then our living room would be reduced to a closet. lol  I know you guys never worry about esthetics, only about bigger is better. hehe <its a pervasive thought for the masculine gender> As for the flame scallops, I know I haven't reached the victory point yet, but I can taste it. ;] Okay, onto another strange subject.  The 11gal is strictly an invert tank and I have several tunicates in it. Some even came w/ the LR, which was a surprise, I guess it really was cured! ;] Anyway, I go snorkeling in the Florida bay a lot and collect a few encrusting colonial tunicates that live on turtle grass/Halimeda/other stuff.  They're small, very colonial (like pilgrims), and come in various cool colors (mainly orange and red).  Here's the question, well leading up to it... I've tried to keep them before, but my hermits always found them and said "Ah! Desert!" after a few days.  Now I have no hermits in my invert tank. Bwahahahaha! So I bring them home and glue the Halimeda leaf to the rock.  Then in a matter of days the tunicates walk over to the rock and completely desert the plant leaf.  I've seen it happen several times now. Here's the question:  How do these colonial tunicates know to move onto the rock?   <chemosensory response... water flow... dunno> How smart are tunicates?   <1300 on the SATs... beats me> Do they have unknown sensory organs?   <if so, we don't know of them ;) > I know that they're pretty sophisticated, but hmmm... The tunicates that I collected recently were on Halimeda leaves and in about 4-5 days almost all of the tunicates have moved onto the rock and deserted the vegetation. <my guess would be seeking optimal water flow places/patterns for optimal feeding opportunities> Well, that's my big stumper for the night/am. Always enjoy talking w/ you.  Maybe one day I'll go to IMAC and meet you guys. <excellent... looking forward to it :)> Goodnight! Morgan <ciao, Anthony>

Tube Anemone Care and Minimum Housing
Hey there WWM crew!!!!!  Who better to get in touch with than all of you guys!!!  Such an ingenious bunch indeed.
<Thank you!>
I am hoping to get some questioned answered by you guys as I can't seem to find much about it myself.
The Tube anemone....
<Also known as the Cerianthus membranaceus.)
I know that many people either love or hate the idea on nanos and such small aquariums being kept........and I myself.......am not too fond of the idea either.  With that being said.....I keep an open mind to all things relating to the ocean, so whatever works right!!!!!
To my own understanding a nano is considered a desktop aquarium, ranging from 1gallons to 10 gallons right???  Either for a FOWLR or a small teeming reef?
<It really depends on the persons point of view. I personally consider a nano aquarium between .25 gallons and 29 gallons. Others may say up to 10 or 15 gallons. There is no proper definition of what size a nano aquarium should be.>
Anyhow.....I have myself......originally set up for housing amphipods....not for feed, just for my own special little critters!  It's a 2.5 gallon deco art tank, called the "wave" from red sea........I figured it would be a bit cooler to house the amphipods in something small and not traditional looking.......and still be able to keep a small HOB filter running on it.  So I bought the "wave tank"........the live reef substrate from natures ocean........and also purchased the Corallife mini light.......one 9watt daylight and one 9watt actinic.  Very cool little light, although it's a bit hard to situate in regards to the wave tank.....which is curvaceous from one side to the next.....or even on a regular tank with a glass top.....as the strips in the glass tops, are right where the bulbs are, blocking a portion of it.
That's the set up thus far.......which I'd like to do for the tube anemone....if at all possible.  I've come upon people who keep a 2 gallon set up teeming with corals and such.....and they manage to keep their livestock well and thriving.  
<I've also seen aquariums less than 2 gallons fail miserably.>
I assumed maybe I could do the same thing......BUT just house one specimen............
<Here's a quote I want you to consider: "What may work for someone may not work for someone else because no two aquariums are exactly alike."
Can I house one specimen, small/medium sized tube anemone-more small than medium.....in a 2.5 gallon????  Would this work and be good place for the creature????  I know I want to hear yes....BUT......I've come to you guys as always for the truth and your own personal insight on the situation.
<I cannot say whether it would do fine or not. I would personally recommend against it due to two reasons: First, water quality is not entirely stable in such a small aquarium. Temperature, Salinity, and pH can all fluctuate quite rapidly in such a small aquarium. Secondly, these tube worms can grow large. Mine reached a tentacle span of around 8" after growing from a worm the size of a quarter almost 3 years ago. You can also say goodbye to your amphipods if you do buy the tube worm.>
I've read the entire sight about the anemones and feeding and care and such.  
Glad I could find that much as it is not that easy to come upon specific info on these beauties!  
I know they are nocturnal.......quite aggressive....like more of a zooplankton sized feed compared to a larger frozen krill and chopped clams and such...........
<These tube worms will indeed feed on krill, squid, shrimp, brine, etc. -- just make sure the food is small enough.>
I also read that the smoother the substrate the better...........I'll admit the reef substrate from natures ocean isn't as smooth as the one I've got in my main tank.....yet the tube anemone can't be housed in my main tank for the safety of my seahorses.
I'd primarily use frozen mysis, as it's always on hand for my seahorses.  Not sure if the tube anemone would even pay attention to frozen Cyclop-Eeze.
Mainly....I can work the rest out......in regards to the rock and keeping the system stable as I can..........but I need a green light from people who know what can and can't...or maybe should or shouldn't be done.  In regards to the 2.5 gallon.
it would have a chunk of Fiji very porous LR, about 2-3 pounds........the substrate that's in there....the light and the light HOB filter.........
Sorry, I don't mean to be so long winded.....but  I turn to you guys for more info on the tubes.  Hope I can learn more if you have anything extra to say about them other than the stuff on the site.
<I personally would not attempt it, although it can possibly be done. Again, I wouldn't recommend it in such a small aquarium.>
Thanks again.....I await your response!!!!!!!
<Take Care, Graham.>

Cerianthus in nano? Yikes 3/23/04
Hey there WWM crew!!!!!  Who better to get in touch with than all of you guys!!!  Such an ingenious bunch indeed.
<whassup, buttercup?>
I am hoping to get some questioned answered by you guys as I can't seem to find much about it myself.
The Tube anemone....
<Cerianthus... beautiful and aggressive>
I know that many people either love or hate the idea on Nanos and such small aquariums being kept........and I myself.......am not too fond of the idea either.  
<agreed>
With that being said.....I keep an open mind to all things relating  to the ocean, so whatever works right!!!!!
<well... sort of, keeping in mind responsible use of resources. And just because it works for one lucky bugger, doesn't mean it will for the other 9 out of 10 folks. Responsible aquarium keeping bud>
To my own understanding a nano is considered a desktop aquarium, ranging from  1gallons to 10 gallons right???  
<OK>
Either for a FOWLR or a small teeming reef?
<OK>
Anyhow.....I have myself......originally set up for housing amphipods....not for feed, just for my own special little critters!  It's a 2.5 gallon deco art tank, called the "wave" from red sea........ I figured it would be a bit cooler to house the amphipods in something small and not traditional looking.......and still be able to keep a small HOB filter running on it.  So I bought the "wave tank"........the live reef substrate from natures ocean........and also purchased the Corallife mini light.......one 9watt daylight and one 9watt actinic.  Very cool little light, although it's a bit hard to situate in regards to the wave tank.....which is curvaceous from one side to the next.....or even on a regular tank with a glass top.....as the shrimp in the glass tops, are right where the bulbs are, blocking a portion of it.
That's the set up thus far.......which I'd like to do for the tube anemone....if at all possible.  
<nope...not recommended. They need very strong water flow and heavy feedings which are incompatible with easy/responsible small tank care... and they sting fiercely and do not leave you safe working space in a desktop>
I've come upon people who keep a 2 gallon set up teeming with corals and such.....and they manage to keep their livestock well and thriving.  
<yes... even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes>
I assumed maybe I could do the same thing......BUT just house one
specimen............
<ahhh... still no>
Can I house one specimen, small/medium sized tube anemone-more small than medium.....in a 2.5 gallon????  
<heehee...hahahahaha...hehehehehe....wooooohoooooo. Ahh...no.>
Would this work and be good place for the creature????  
<the tank size just is not conducive to success for this animal>
I know I want to hear yes....BUT......I've come to you guys as always for the truth and your own personal insight on the situation.
<hopefully sarcasm too :)>
I've read the entire sight about the anemones and feeding and care and such.  Glad I could find that much as it is not that easy to come upon specific info on these beauties!  
<if you ever find yourself in the Long Island NY area, do stop to see Atlantis Aquarium for one of the best (small <G>) Cerianthus displays I've ever seen>
I know they are nocturnal.......quite aggressive....like more of a zooplankton sized feed compared to a larger frozen krill and chopped clams and such...........I also read that the smoother the substrate the better...........I'll admit the reef substrate from natures ocean isn't as smooth as the one I've got in my main tank.....yet the tube anemone can't be housed in my main tank for the safety of my seahorses.
<OMG... not a prayer>
I'd primarily use frozen mysis, as it's always on hand for my seahorses.  
<you need better variety ion the diet for any reef animal than just Mysis>
Not sure if the tube anemone would even pay attention to frozen Cyclop-Eeze.
<it will.. a fine food>
Mainly....I can work the rest out......in regards to the rock and keeping the system stable as I can..........but I need a green light from people who know what can and can't...or maybe should or shouldn't be done.  In regards to the 2.5 gallon.
<the latter, exactly>
it would have a chunk of Fiji very porous LR, about 2-3 pounds........the substrate that's in there....the light and the little HOB filter......... sorry, I don't mean to be so long winded.....but  I turn to you guys for more info on the tubes.  Hope I can learn more if you have anything extra to say about them other than the stuff on the site. Thanks again.....I await your response!!!!!!!
<a larger tank or continued admiration from afar, my friend. Kindly, Anthony>

Purple tube anemone
I have a purple tube anemone and it is in with my reef which I have some corals and other anemones and fish I was reading some of the articles in your forum but didn't see anything about my tube which has long purple tentacles and by its mouth has short light greenish tentacles is this tube anemone a threat to my tank
<From my experience, if you provide the tube anemone with enough space, it is not a threat to your aquarium. However, some people have noted that their tube anemone has eaten some of their smaller sized fish. Although this is uncommon, it can happen. Overall, I would keep it -- It's a very colorful and hardy addition to your aquarium.>
and if it is how do I remove it , it has attached itself to my tank by wedging itself between a rock and live sand bed please help would greatly appreciate it if you could email me with help.
<I recently removed my tube anemone from my tank due to an aquarium upgrade. I needed to remove the rockwork and substrate around the anemone to get it out. They are delicate which is why it's important to be extremely gentle if you decide to eventually remove it.>
<Take Care, Graham.>
Tim

Tube anemone question 1/24/04
hi, I recently got an tube anemone from a mate who had to get rid of All his fish. well my question is: how do u know if an anemone is dead ?  coz mines just lying on its side, but its tentacles are out from the tube & waving about a lil bit.  its whitish & has  purple at the tips of its tentacles.  do I have to bury it in the sand ? it hasn't moved from its spot since I got it, which was yesterday.
<I would give it a few days to adjust.  Leave it on the sand, and it should find a spot it like on it's own.>
thanks for your help <My pleasure!  Adam>

Tube anemone and lion
hi! <Howdy!> I recently got a tube anemone & was wondering if I could still get a lion, Or would the tube anemone grab & eat it ?  assuming its a small juv lion, also, is there any chance of the lion stinging the anemone?<I would say go for it, they should be fine together. Cody>
thanks <<RMF is not quite so sure>>

- Anemone Stings and Toxic Tank Question -
Do you mean that if they are stung by the Tube Anemone that they will die immediately? <Really depends on the extent of the sting.> Or can it take a few hours? <Both.>
From the contamination in the tank, could that cause the fish to look as though they are peeling or flaking? <Yes. Cheers, J -- >

Tube Anemone mystery,  magical repro.? Nope
I bought a orange tube anemone from my LFS, and they told me that it was safe.
<Not so>
After reading on from your archives I decided to remove. I have a small bi-color blenny / scooter blenny / Jawfish / yellow tang / from what I have read he would be a predator to these my problem is I removed him on Monday , Tuesday he was back without his long tube. so I pulled out just the anemone and returned him to his tube at the store the I came home Thursday night and another one was there!!! did it reproduce? or split?
<Possibly>
I guess they don't need there tube?
<The tube is non-living material made by the Anemone. Can be shed, replaced at will. Bob Fenner>
thank you,
sensitive fish guy
James DeHoff

Coral and anemone follow-up... comp.
Hello Everyone:
<Cheers, my friend>
Would like to give a special thanks to Anthony for his advise regarding the tube anemone.  
<my pleasure>
I reluctantly removed it and couldn't believe how the rest of the coral has responded.  
<they are indeed hostile>
Everyone is fully open and enjoying their meals per Anthony's instructions.  Even the candy coral seems especially happy and has remarkably bounced back,
<great to hear!>
although I couldn't find the brand name frozen food he recommended, I bought Hikari's brand of Zooplankton and Mysis Shrimp (hope this is acceptable).  
<no worries if the protein is comparable (over 60%?)>
Everyone seems to be eating just fine because they are obviously very happy.  Have been feeding them 5:00 AM when their feeding tentacles are out. I do have a concern regarding a lime green feather duster (with a soft tube).  I'm having trouble with bubble Caulerpa sprouting on it.  Apparently some time back it must have seeded itself everywhere.  
<bummer>
I have tried pulling it off the tube but it seems to stress the tube itself.  Also, there is a thick dark velvety red algae growing on the last inch of the tube that seems to be getting thicker.  I've tried to scratch it off with my finger, but it
appears to be very dense.  
<do try a peaceful grazing urchin like a Tuxedo sp (Mespilia)>
The rest of the tube is fine since I have it buried in the sand.  So far it doesn't seem to have bothered the feather duster.  Should there be concern?  
<little>
Am also concerned about roots from the Caulerpa growing inside the tube and bothering the little guy.
<agreed... remove when possible>
Everyone at WWM is just great, thanks for all the professional assistance.
<our great pleasure>
May the force be with you.
<it is... I had Mexican food for dinner. Thanks for noticing. Anthony>

Tube Anemone
Dear Sir:
I was reading your article on the Internet about the tube anemone, and I was hoping you could point me in the right direction to answer my questions if you cannot.
I have a 75 gallon reef aquarium. I have a tube anemone and have had had it in the tank for 5 months. The anemone has begun reproducing. 
There is now another smaller one coming out of the substrate. Where can I learn more about this?
<You may be the one to actually write what you are observing>
If you could please help with my research into this behavior it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
<I would first take a read through the internet (via different search engines) with the terms "Tube Anemone", "Ceriantharian" and see if this satisfies you. If not, a trip to a college/university library to seek the help of a reference librarian. Congratulations on your successful husbandry. Bob Fenner>
Brett Chisholm

Tube anemone, sys.
hello, let me say this is a great and informative site. I recently bought a tube anemone from the LFS which came in a 6 inch tube. Following the suggestion of the proprietor, I arranged the animal so the tube was wedged in my live rock and the tentacles occupy a sphere of space near the center of the water column when extended (not on the floor of the tank). I have since read your information and warnings on these creatures and now realize I should probably a) remove the creature or b) remove the tube and place the anemone on the substrate. 
Could you please suggest a course of action? 
<Yes... either course of action...>
I have a 55 gal w/ 55 lbs. rock, 3 inch substrate bed, several polyp colonies, one mushroom rock, one SPS coral, your usual host of crabs and snails, two shrimps, a dispar Anthias, algae blenny, and dusky damselfish. Please tell me what specific threat the anemone is posing to the inhabitants.
<Too great for my sensibilities... in such a size, type system, with the animals you list... I would remove this Ceriantharian>
I love this creature but will get rid of it if you advise me to do so. Also, if you suggest removing the tube, please tell me how this is accomplished, as it seems like it might be a difficult task.
Thanks a million,
-Mario
<Not so difficult to extract... carefully, slowly the whole of the creature can be extracted with or w/o its made "tube"... best to siphon out the matter as much as possible and the gravel-vacuum the area about it once removed. Bob Fenner>

A beautiful site of Tube Anemones
Bob
Some of the Cerianthids u can find at Chek Jawa in this link
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/news/chekjawa/ria/text/tubeanem.htm
<What a nice site... many good features... Will post on the Tube Anemone FAQs part of WWM. Thank you for sending this along. Bob Fenner>
Perry

Scientific Name (Tube Anemones)
Dear Robert
I found your web site very informative and very interesting. I have attached two jpg files to you. One is from your web page and the another one is also a tube anemone I bought from a local aquarium shop in Hong Kong (probably came from Philippine or indo-pacific) Could you tell me their scientific names?
Especially the one from your web site. Many thanks!
Yours, Denis Ip
Aquarium enthusiast
Hong Kong
<Likely both are Cerianthus orientalis, the most commonly imported species from the Indo-Pacific... Cerianthus membranaceus of the Mediterranean is often used in Europe... Bob Fenner>

Tube Anemone incomp. with other Cnid.s.
Q. I've set up a 105 gallon tank in my office in March this year and I really wish I had know about Flying Fish Express and you back then. The fish store provided limited help.
Our tank began with fish only. A few months ago I began to appreciate the value (not to mention the beauty) of live rock and sand and began to gradually "upgrade" the tank. So far all has gone well.
A few weeks ago, I added a tube anemone (Cerianthus membranaceus). Within 48 hours of adding it to the tank, it began to stand up and it appeared to be doing well. Then however, it became quite sluggish and at the time of this note, it's completely disappeared from the top of a rock into a crevice.
I've had my water tested several times and everything checked out fine. What could be the problem? I have a few other anemones (a Sebae and a Green Carpet) and they seem to be doing well, with the exception that they've moved several times. They don't seem to favor being on top of rocks or near the current either. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
>>
A. Good observations, of a "tricky situation". Tube Anemones are (not can be, are) a real source of trouble in almost all settings. These specialized animals really need their own dedicated set-up... soft, deep bottom, a lack of other stinging celled life, and a short list of suitable fishes....
    There is a sort of stinging and chemical war going on in your system that eventually everyone will lose. The movement of your other anemones points to this battling. Do take a long look at my articles posted at wetwebmedia.com on Anemones, Tube Anemones... for more of a complete rundown. I would return the Tube Anemone or accommodate it in a separate system... quickly. Then I would do a massive water change (maybe fifty gallons) with premade water, and add some PolyFilter in my water path flow. Be careful when moving the Cerianthus... you want as little mucus et al. to get in/stay in the system as possible.
Bob Fenner