BTA propagation

fermentedhiker · Dec 7, 2018

Wanting to setup a little BTA propagation tank. The goal is mostly educational. Just want to learn and refine a technique for consistent high survivablility . The goal is to do it mostly with stuff I have already lying around.

For tanks I have at my disposal;
20L, 29, 40B
Heaters(a couple 150W finnex titanium)
Lighting, 1 reef radiance black box, 1 30" 10K BML strip , 1 30" BML custom strip which is probably up around 14k.
Powerheads, just a couple Jebao. All my good ones are in use in display tanks.

My thought was to go bare bottom for easy cleaning. Sumpless just to keep it simple. Not sure about a skimmer.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

James M · Dec 7, 2018

Are you going to use rock and sand ? I like the idea of media balls at the bottom.Don’t think a skimmer is needed but could be help full. Are you going to wait for natrual splits or cut them in half ?

dylana407 · Dec 7, 2018

When you say propagation, you mean cut it in half?

davocean · Dec 7, 2018

A safe way to induce splitting is to simply overfeed, this is what many nem vendors do.

dylana407 · Dec 7, 2018

I wouldn't cut it. Seems like a cruel thing to do.

James M · Dec 7, 2018

dylana407 said:
I wouldn't cut it. Seems like a cruel thing to do.

Yes it is !!

davocean · Dec 7, 2018

And cutting is risky, might not get both halves to survive.

cromag27 · Dec 8, 2018

i first started propagating almost 15 years ago. i have operated multiple systems and always cut. mortality rate varies greatly based on the lineage of the anemones you’re working with. wild caught are always more difficult.

i had a proprietary system in place and my tanks had no power heads.

btw, anemones lack a central nervous system and they do not feel pain the same way vertebrates do. so no feeling bad for slicing them.

fermentedhiker · Dec 8, 2018

James M said:
Are you going to use rock and sand ? I like the idea of media balls at the bottom.Don’t think a skimmer is needed but could be help full. Are you going to wait for natrual splits or cut them in half ?

No rock or sand planned. Strictly a system for making more nems. Cutting seems more controllable but I haven't made a decision.

fermentedhiker · Dec 8, 2018

dylana407 said:
When you say propagation, you mean cut it in half?

Most likely yes

fermentedhiker · Dec 8, 2018

davocean said:
A safe way to induce splitting is to simply overfeed, this is what many nem vendors do.

Worth a try at least. Probably has a higher survivablility rate than cutting I would guess.

fermentedhiker · Dec 8, 2018

cromag27 said:
i first started propagating almost 15 years ago. i have operated multiple systems and always cut. mortality rate varies greatly based on the lineage of the anemones you’re working with. wild caught are always more difficult.

i had a proprietary system in place and my tanks had no power heads.

btw, anemones lack a central nervous system and they do not feel pain the same way vertebrates do. so no feeling bad for slicing them.

Did you run UV or do anything else to minimize infections at the cut site?

James M · Dec 8, 2018

fermentedhiker said:
No rock or sand planned. Strictly a system for making more nems. Cutting seems more controllable but I haven't made a decision.

Why not just overfeed instead of cutting

dylana407 · Dec 8, 2018

cromag27 said:
i first started propagating almost 15 years ago. i have operated multiple systems and always cut. mortality rate varies greatly based on the lineage of the anemones you’re working with. wild caught are always more difficult.

i had a proprietary system in place and my tanks had no power heads.

btw, anemones lack a central nervous system and they do not feel pain the same way vertebrates do. so no feeling bad for slicing them.

Have you tried to propagate a gig or a Haddon?

cromag27 · Dec 8, 2018

fermentedhiker said:
Did you run UV or do anything else to minimize infections at the cut site?

no. my process had securities to reduce the chance of infection, but there are never any guarantees. like i said, the best chance is to start with a proven lineage that has been captive raised. i have tried cipro as a prophylactic measurement and i had inconclusive results, but that was many many years ago and i'm not sure that what people are doing today is a different dosage or process. but from my years of research, cipro does not target the same infections that can occur in anemones (after speaking with MDs, DVMs and marine biologists). any positive results of cipro are circumstantial, at this point. anemones are not well understood at all and that's the biggest issue.