Rock Flower Anemone Information and Appreciation Thread

[kimberbee]

8 hours ago, gone_PHiSHin said:

 

can we see some pics??  (i nano-reef on my mobile only so i can't see if you have links to this tank in your sig or not)

I don't have much time to dig for newer pics. This was taken a year ago, but TBH the tank looks basically the same. I haven't added anything - like I said, I think I'm pushing it, and I haven't come across anything I just HAD to have. The gorgs are bigger, the purple sponge is bigger, the RFA's have moved a little. But yea, this is still fairly accurate:

 

IMG_6919 by kimothy182, on Flickr

 

It was also TOTM in May:

I've kept RFAS for 3 years-ish.

 

[ChristopherDido]

I have a question and RFAs, what's the difference in foot color? Some are whitish, some are pink, I have a darker black/whitish foot. Is there a reason for the difference? I've searched Google and on here and can't seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance.

[SeaFurn]

4 hours ago, ChristopherDido said:

I have a question and RFAs, what's the difference in foot color? Some are whitish, some are pink, I have a darker black/whitish foot. Is there a reason for the difference? I've searched Google and on here and can't seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance.

That's the first I've ever read of a darker black/whitish foot color. 

All of mine have a white-ish pink color. 

Is the column that color too or just white?

[kimberbee]

19 hours ago, ChristopherDido said:

I have a question and RFAs, what's the difference in foot color? Some are whitish, some are pink, I have a darker black/whitish foot. Is there a reason for the difference? I've searched Google and on here and can't seem to figure it out. Thanks in advance.

I have never noticed this, but I have never looked closely at their foot color either... 

[tofer]

My LFS had Black Friday extended special that  I took advantage of 3 ultra flower anemone for $59 . 

It was tough choosing but here are pics of the new guys . 

I will try to get better pictures shortly.

 

[tofer]

The other new one got the cleaner shrimp welcom and closed up 

[holy carp]

That doesn't look hard to decide...  6 for $118

 

They look very nice.

[tofer]

5 hours ago, holy carp said:

That doesn't look hard to decide...  6 for $118

 

They look very nice.

Was able to keep it to 3  and Thank You

[seabass]

20 minutes ago, tofer said:

Was able to keep it to 3 

 

 

[Noinoi24]

Hello, Ill be getting some this week too. but whats the difference between the ULTRA ROCK FLOWER and the REGULAR ROCK FLOWER? will they interchangeably reproduce? or I have to have ULTRA RFA to get ULTRA RFA babies?

[seabass]

Ultra usually just means that it has more desirable colors or patterns.  It's basically a marketing thing (as they usually cost more).  Babies usually have traits of the parents, but I have a couple that don't resemble any RFAs that I have ever had.

[Noinoi24]

Wow. Got pics? I also saw one that has bounce in it... that would be great

[seabass]

Here are a few pics that I just shot.

 

Camouflaged baby RFA:

Note: most of the babies have been combinations of colors from their parents.

 

I have a number of green RFAs like this one.

 

Also some red ones like this:

 

I don't know what it is about these camo babies that I like, but I do kind of like them.

 

[Noinoi24]

Nice Macro Algae. Nice nems

[SeaFurn]

@seabass I like the camo baby too! How old is it and how big is it? 

[seabass]

It's not quite the size of a quarter.  I can't remember how old it is (but it's more than a year old).

[BulkRate]

As Seabass illustrated - "common" rock flower anemones tend to be single/two toned/muted colors and or minimally patterned.  The more "desireable" traits  would be brighter colors, patterns involving pinstripes or gradients of three or more colors and vividly colored tentacles - stuff like that.  Yes, it's marketing speak and pretty much sets wether an anemone you're thinking about buying costs $12 or $120+.

 

But one of the best things about having a decent mix of male/female nems kept in relatively stable conditions is that you never know what you're going to get in the way of descendants.

 

The first & bulk of the baby anemones that have been popping up in my tank over the past 2 years are orange/white or green/white.  But I've started getting more interesting mixes as time passes.   

[HiImSean]

Do you guys reckon this will be enough light on a 3g for a hand full of RFA?

https://coralcompulsion.myshopify.com/collections/14w-par30/products/14w-par30-led-22k-superblu-reef-light

 

[holy carp]

20 minutes ago, HiImSean said:

Do you guys reckon this will be enough light on a 3g for a hand full of RFA?

https://coralcompulsion.myshopify.com/collections/14w-par30/products/14w-par30-led-22k-superblu-reef-light

 

That light would be strong enough.  I have one of those over my frags and it's got enough power for acros and sps, though it's admittedly shallower than what you'd have.  However, be aware that with one there can be a lot of shadowing depending on your rockwork.  Color blending is less than ideal unless you get that light higher above the water surface - mine is only 6" above and there's a significant white hotspot surrounded by superblu.

[tofer]

I lost 2 of the new anemones  got and really not sure why . They were both doing fine on Saturday  both moved to the same  corner of the tank 1 on the glass the other on the sand  . Sunday one was retracted up and the other was all shriveled up and had stringy white slim coming off it and had lost its color . I removed it and tried to see if it was alive and it was not . Did my normal water change the other on went to the rock and was retracted but still could see some of its red color . Monday came home and found it was similar to the other one  but this one was like it was disinagrating . Everything else  is doing fine  including  the rest of the anemones .

Params  1.025 , 0 ammonia ,10 nitrates ,8 Alk, 380 cal, waiting on a new mag test , temp 79

  

[ChristopherDido]

1 hour ago, tofer said:

I lost 2 of the new anemones  got and really not sure why . They were both doing fine on Saturday  both moved to the same  corner of the tank 1 on the glass the other on the sand  . Sunday one was retracted up and the other was all shriveled up and had stringy white slim coming off it and had lost its color . I removed it and tried to see if it was alive and it was not . Did my normal water change the other on went to the rock and was retracted but still could see some of its red color . Monday came home and found it was similar to the other one  but this one was like it was disinagrating . Everything else  is doing fine  including  the rest of the anemones .

Params  1.025 , 0 ammonia ,10 nitrates ,8 Alk, 380 cal, waiting on a new mag test , temp 79

  

Had the same happen to one of mine in my classroom tank. Only thing I've found that different between that tank, my home tank and my Pico is that there are fireworms in my classroom tank. I've read someone else on here had the same problem, fireworms and RFAs don't mix IME. Do you have fireworms?

[SeaFurn]

9 hours ago, tofer said:

I lost 2 of the new anemones  got and really not sure why . They were both doing fine on Saturday  both moved to the same  corner of the tank 1 on the glass the other on the sand  . Sunday one was retracted up and the other was all shriveled up and had stringy white slim coming off it and had lost its color . I removed it and tried to see if it was alive and it was not . Did my normal water change the other on went to the rock and was retracted but still could see some of its red color . Monday came home and found it was similar to the other one  but this one was like it was disinagrating . Everything else  is doing fine  including  the rest of the anemones .

Params  1.025 , 0 ammonia ,10 nitrates ,8 Alk, 380 cal, waiting on a new mag test , temp 79

  

I know you got your latest RFAs from your LFS. My guess is their foot got damaged when they were removed from the LFS tank. Once a foot is damaged there is little you can do to stop its demise and I don't think it's readily apparent there is a problem at first. 

I know @BulkRate has opted out of purchases at his LFS when he saw how the employee removed the nem and after he inspected the foot. 

 I've lost a couple with every on-line ordered I've placed but I believe and have been told that shipping is very tough on them. So now I would almost expect to lose a couple on an order. 

[SeaFurn]

7 hours ago, ChristopherDido said:

Had the same happen to one of mine in my classroom tank. Only thing I've found that different between that tank, my home tank and my Pico is that there are fireworms in my classroom tank. I've read someone else on here had the same problem, fireworms and RFAs don't mix IME. Do you have fireworms?

I had the fire worms in my contest tank this summer. IF they were the cause it was probably because I introduced my RFAs into the tank early in the contest when the tank was so new that there was literally no detritus (didn't even have fish) and so not much else for the worms to eat. I never saw a worm eating or attacking an RFA...just sudden losses that I couldn't explain until I posted pics of the worms and others here told me what they were and that they might have been a likely cause.

I know i have bristle worm in my tank right now and it doesn't bother the RFAs or the babies I have. 

[holy carp]

When I catch them, I feed the regular bristle worms to my RFAs.  I've been doing it for over a year, so I agree they don't seem to hurt the RFA's at all.  I've never had fire worms, though.

[ChristopherDido]

49 minutes ago, holy carp said:

When I catch them, I feed the regular bristle worms to my RFAs.  I've been doing it for over a year, so I agree they don't seem to hurt the RFA's at all.  I've never had fire worms, though.

yeah I have never had any problems with Bristle Worms, I have them in all of my tanks.