Best Split Method

Marie7 · Nov 21, 2019

Hi all
I have heard a lot about anemones splitting, I love this creatures and I have couple of them, My question to all those who has experience and knows more about reef tanks and anemones is:
What is the best method to make your anemone split?
I have heard and some people has mention to me that lowering the temperature of the tank and also lowering the lights and keeping them more on the blue than clear has made the trick for them, What you guys things? and if possible show us some pictures of your success.
Thanks all!

D-Nak · Nov 21, 2019

I assume you're talking about BTAs. No other hosting anemone splits with any regularity.

The best way is to let them split naturally. Each person has their own belief/method, but I prefer to just let it happen by itself. However, if you are brave, you can literally take a sharp object -- be it a sharp knife or razor blade -- and slice it right in half. There are a lot of videos on YouTube documenting the process.

Bbfishb81 · Nov 21, 2019

Think It depends on the anemone. With my anemones, I feed them a good chunk if meat every few days, and usually have a new one about once a month. Have both green and rose BTA. Had a green one years ago, that would get about a foot diameter before it would clone. The green and rose ones have now though dont get much better the 8 inches, the biggest before cloning.

Marie7 · Nov 26, 2019

Bbfishb81 said:
Think It depends on the anemone. With my anemones, I feed them a good chunk if meat every few days, and usually have a new one about once a month. Have both green and rose BTA. Had a green one years ago, that would get about a foot diameter before it would clone. The green and rose ones have now though dont get much better the 8 inches, the biggest before cloning.

What kind of meat do you give them? This is interesting....

Marie7 · Nov 26, 2019

D-Nak said:
I assume you're talking about BTAs. No other hosting anemone splits with any regularity.

The best way is to let them split naturally. Each person has their own belief/method, but I prefer to just let it happen by itself. However, if you are brave, you can literally take a sharp object -- be it a sharp knife or razor blade -- and slice it right in half. There are a lot of videos on YouTube documenting the process.

Yes I’m talking about them, I also believe in have it split naturally but I hear many times before about certain things u are able to do with light and water temperature that make them split naturally.

User1 · Nov 26, 2019

The best is to let Mother Nature take care of it.

D-Nak · Nov 26, 2019

Marie7 said:
Yes I’m talking about them, I also believe in have it split naturally but I hear many times before about certain things u are able to do with light and water temperature that make them split naturally.

May BTAs will split due to being stressed, which is what I think you are referring to -- be it with a drastic change in temperature or lighting. However, your initial post asked about the "best method" and stress splitting is definitely not the best method because you risk killing the anemone. At that point, you might as well slice it in half, the caveat being that individual BTAs all react differently to force splitting -- some do well and others don't.

MrDLHughesY · Nov 26, 2019

I agree let it happen naturally mine has just split after two months

Hemmdog · Nov 26, 2019

Feed it often, it should have split by now if you’ve had it awhile and have been feeding it.

Reefer94 · Nov 26, 2019

Hello, from what I have learned about these BTA's splitting is some will & some wont BUT, if you get the one that will, They will Never Stop! At first I thought Great, this is so cool but as we know these are delicate creatures and when they attach their foot to a rock or something you can't just pull it off or you will definitely kill it so, I now have a 54 Gallon Corner tank with 20 + BTA's and very little else. I also have a 125 that I got going 11/30/2018, I added one BTA because I love to watch my Clowns interacting with the Anemone but the same things happening with this tank as well. I have managed to get like 2 or 3 out of the 125 and took to a LFS for trade in so I only have like 6 or 7 in it but I'm gonna have to get on this one before they totally take it over as well. Best way I have found to get them to let go is to take a power head and be easy but blast his foot, they will let go. Will post some pics , Uggghh, when I figure it out

Dr. Bull · Nov 26, 2019

My BTAs tend to split after larger water changes. I purchased one about 2 years ago and now have around 15 of them. PM me if your interested in one, I will ship. Never took a blade to any of them, they just split naturally every other month or so.

Reefer94 · Nov 26, 2019

Here's a very small portion of my lil 54 Gallon Tank they took over, I think the one clown loves it in there though, I had to get him outta the 125 before the other 2 killed him, they just did Not like him and obviously he was put in last

Reefer94 · Nov 26, 2019

Dr. Bull said:
My BTAs tend to split after larger water changes. I purchased one about 2 years ago and now have around 15 of them. PM me if your interested in one, I will ship. Never took a blade to any of them, they just split naturally every other month or so.

Beautiful

User1 · Nov 26, 2019

As a few said there is the natural process for which none of us really understand why the split and their is the man made intervention that changes are brings a razor out. Someone said it already there are two different opinions or views on this with mine personally being in the let Mother Nature handle it. I personally don't want a giant BTA coming up to me and slicing me in half let alone taking my left leg or right arm. Drastic I know, maybe too much drama, but you sort of get the idea.

Having owned them and seeing some fellow hobbyists having similar issues as I do, they can, in fact, over run your tank. My personal belief is that a healthy BTA will split on its own because that is how they spread, grow, self propagate, and survive. Much like a tree or plant with seeds or roots.

We started with one RBTA and it grew pretty large in our 29 gallon bio cube. About a year later we noticed a second. Then a third a few months later. Moved some into another 29 gallon bio cube and the original did it again. Tired of managing two tanks and consolidated them into a 40 breeder. Few months go by and we have 5, then 6, then 7, and it doesn't stop. Corals are fine. Fish are fine. Rock is fine. Tank is fine. BTA's just keep splitting. We give a few away and plan an upgrade. While this is going on I see some other posts with large tanks being over run by them much like Xenia will over run a tank. Some say food, some say stress, some say no idea. I agree with no idea.

Enter my 210 upgrade. I moved over the 40 breeder and right away noticed 2 more. One I know was my fault with me setting a rock on one BTA that I didn't see. The 2nd we have no idea. Maybe miscount on our side or it just split due to the tank move. Difficult to say. At this time we peaked at 20 BTA's. Over the course of about 2 months we gave a few away and 3 died for unknown reasons. Even though it was a tank upgrade, fully cycled with new rocks, and waiting an additional 3 months merging the tanks did something because we never lost BTA's before and we also lost 3 large hammer colonies.

My point in this is that if one provides a solid foundation they will thrive all on their own. It may take a few months, or even a year, but they will do their thing. Provide the environment. Provide some food (smaller is better and stay away from silversides (bones)). Enjoy the ride because they are rather, well, interesting animals.

buck27 · Nov 26, 2019

Dr. Bull said:
My BTAs tend to split after larger water changes. I purchased one about 2 years ago and now have around 15 of them. PM me if your interested in one, I will ship. Never took a blade to any of them, they just split naturally every other month or so.

Those look fantasic, how much for one shipped to Alabama?

Mical · Nov 26, 2019

Feeding them often and/or a large water change usually cause a split w/mine. Feed the little neck clams (from grocery store)

Dr. Bull · Nov 26, 2019

Reefer94 said:
Beautiful

Thanks I had to setup a 40 breeder just for them since I started getting so many splits.

Phildago · Nov 26, 2019

D-Nak said:
I assume you're talking about BTAs. No other hosting anemone splits with any regularity.

The best way is to let them split naturally. Each person has their own belief/method, but I prefer to just let it happen by itself. However, if you are brave, you can literally take a sharp object -- be it a sharp knife or razor blade -- and slice it right in half. There are a lot of videos on YouTube documenting the process.

Doesn't even need to be sharp. I split one with my finger once. He was attached to a rock I needed to move so I picked up the rock only to realize he was also attached to the rock next to it, and knowing that he'd probably die due a damaged foot I irrationally swiped him in half with the pointer finger of my free hand.

I now have two health BTAs birthed by that finger swipe.

Marie7 · Nov 26, 2019

D-Nak said:
May BTAs will split due to being stressed, which is what I think you are referring to -- be it with a drastic change in temperature or lighting. However, your initial post asked about the "best method" and stress splitting is definitely not the best method because you risk killing the anemone. At that point, you might as well slice it in half, the caveat being that individual BTAs all react differently to force splitting -- some do well and others don't.

Well u are right when i say best method i was referring is what can u do to make a BTA split naturally, never hear about a anemone split because of stress, but thinking about u answer a Sudden change on light could do produce stress, temperature may not cause a reaction as same as light due to the fact that temperature dropping can ve tolerate better as their body adapt to the changes slowly. I don’t believe in cutting an anemone in half thru body and mouth, some people do it and has their ways but i rather have mine complete and have it split on its own (if) is split at any due moment, but wondering hiw to help this process to happen if its sabe and naturally, thanks for ur responses.