Rock Flower Anemone Spawning Help

[Ron Reefman]

Yesterday 2 members reported RFA spawning. There has always been some conjecture that RFA spawn at the Solstice, which is tomorrow. And maybe even at both Solstices (summer & winter) and some even suggest at both Equinoxes (spring and fall). This is all very sketchy data and your info would be very helpful.

Since I'm doing some research, along with fellow Reef Squad member, @Peace River, we would really like to hear about any other spawning events from the last couple of days or any that happen over the next few days. Actually, we would love to hear from anybody at any time with information about RFAs. Any info you can share will be greatly appreciated.

 

[ahiggins]

Hey Ron-mine never line up to solstice events or moon timing or anything like that. Mine line up with changes in the chemistry of the water. So if i wait too long to top off with DI, they will spawn the next night or two. Always between "lights off" (10pm) and midnight. Temp spike or drop? same thing.

My most prolific breeders are in the 10 gallon stock tank with salinity swings a plenty and an HOB filter thats right by a leaky window-temp spike/drops are a normal thing anywhere from 70 to 80 depending on the time of the year. Barely any flow in that tank. Note: i dont recommend just letting the tank go all willy nilly haha it just happens when i forget the window is open.

I have yet to see any babies come from the event in my all in one tank thats rock nem specific. Its only been a few weeks since the female released the babies though. Im wondering how the AIO aspect affects the ratio of survivors.

Im currently working on a "what the heck" thread for my nems LOL of all the weird things they do one day and are fine the next.

 

[Olefreebe]

RFA have been the most interesting part of my tank so far. I will keep an eye out for any spawning events and post if something happens.
Thank you Ron for all the useful posts and information you keep us with regarding RFA.

 

[Ron Reefman]

RFA have been the most interesting part of my tank so far. I will keep an eye out for any spawning events and post if something happens.
Thank you Ron for all the useful posts and information you keep us with regarding RFA.

I will be appreciative of any info related to RFA.

There is no solid evidence related to when or why RFA spawn. I my anecdotal experience it's been more about water parameter change than anything, like @ahiggins post above. But that's very limited experience on my part. And there is also no solid evidence about the gestation period between males spawning and females releasing babies.

I hope to keep useful posts coming. As I learn, I will most certainly share.

 

[ahiggins]

@Ron Reefman the last 5-6 years that I’ve actively been doing things with them, there’s only one mass spawn from the males that has ever happened without some sort of environmental stimulus. I haven’t found any correlation to when females release yet.
I’m sure one of these days the hubby will get sick of my nem tanks (there’s two now lol) and tell me to consolidate to the big one.

 

[emilio365]

I have 12 RFA in a 29 gallon Tank, they usually spawn in the spring/summer. Last time they spawned was last year in July. I set my AI Hydra light to mimic the moon cycles, but what I think does the trick is I start feeding Heavy a Month out. If I don’t feed them then they don’t spawn. I have 3 RFA babies from the last spawn. I believe I syphoned a bunch of the babies by accident when I was cleaning the sand.

 

[Hemmdog]

I’ll keep an eye out!

 

[Crabby48]

Hey Ron-mine never line up to solstice events or moon timing or anything like that. Mine line up with changes in the chemistry of the water. So if i wait too long to top off with DI, they will spawn the next night or two. Always between "lights off" (10pm) and midnight. Temp spike or drop? same thing.

My most prolific breeders are in the 10 gallon stock tank with salinity swings a plenty and an HOB filter thats right by a leaky window-temp spike/drops are a normal thing anywhere from 70 to 80 depending on the time of the year. Barely any flow in that tank. Note: i dont recommend just letting the tank go all willy nilly haha it just happens when i forget the window is open.

I have yet to see any babies come from the event in my all in one tank thats rock nem specific. Its only been a few weeks since the female released the babies though. Im wondering how the AIO aspect affects the ratio of survivors.

Im currently working on a "what the heck" thread for my nems LOL of all the weird things they do one day and are fine the next.

How big are the salinity and temp swings for them to spawn

 

[Ron Reefman]

@Ron Reefman the last 5-6 years that I’ve actively been doing things with them, there’s only one mass spawn from the males that has ever happened without some sort of environmental stimulus. I haven’t found any correlation to when females release yet.
I’m sure one of these days the hubby will get sick of my nem tanks (there’s two now lol) and tell me to consolidate to the big one.

So when exactly have you experienced a mass spawn event?

I only started a RFA breeding tank early this year. And with 30+ RFAs in the tank, I had 2 spawn, 9 days later 2 more spawned, and 9 days later 1 more spawned. I did get 2 babies just over 30 days after the first spawn. But I can't say for sure that it was that spawn that started the gestation process???

 

[ahiggins]

How big are the salinity and temp swings for them to spawn

I’ll let you do the math here: it’s a standard 10 gallon and sometimes I forgot to top off so about an inch of space on the glass. I don’t know what that equals.

 

[ahiggins]

So when exactly have you experienced a mass spawn event?

I only started a RFA breeding tank early this year. And with 30+ RFAs in the tank, I had 2 spawn, 9 days later 2 more spawned, and 9 days later 1 more spawned. I did get 2 babies just over 30 days after the first spawn. But I can't say for sure that it was that spawn that started the gestation process???

Well I say mass meaning more than one male doing it at a time. Every other time it has happened, it has only been one male at a time. Granted my tanks only have ~9 adults each and a few specs at the moment lol
The biggest thing I’ve correlated to survival rate was cutting the flow down to a trickle when the females release.

 

[ahiggins]

Over the years there have been patches when I don’t get any spawning but I would say close to 20-25 spawning events in a year is a normal average. Keep in mind though, that’s one at a time. Each one might spawn 3-5 times in the span of a year.
At least in my tanks lol I’ve only had the all in one up for 2 years so they don’t have nearly as many data points.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I had a RFA spawn last night. We didn't catch it until it was nearly over. Now we start a new count down to the release of babies and hope that there are no more spawning events between now and the release of babies (which just confuses the issue). I really want to get a better idea how long it take between a RFA spawn and the delivery of babies. The last time I had babies there were 3 different spawns over almost 3 weeks and then the babies arrived about 10 days after the last spawn making it very confusing!

So this one isn't anywhere close to a solstice or equinox... but it was just a few days before a new moon (not a full moon). I'm coming to the belief that in aquariums (maybe not in nature) RFAs can spawn at almost any time

 

[Ron Reefman]

Last night we had 4 more RFAs spawn. It was just 9 days ago that one of the biggest ones in the tank spawned.



The last time we had spawning activity it was 3 events over about 18 days, each one separated by about 9 days. Now we have 2 events with another 9 day separation? I find this very curious. The one consistent thing is that every spawn has happened between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. And the nems do rise up and stretch out their neck when they spawn.

I apologize for the quality of these photos, but with this FTS you can see what I was dealing with in terms of visibility.



One of my newer RFAs did a curious thing. It stretched all the tentacles and oral disk up to form a wavy cone. And with the still water in the tank (I turn the pumps and filtration off) the cup filled with white. None of the others has ever done that.



I also took my turkey baster and tried moving some of the spawn around and deliver it directly onto the oral disk of all the nems that weren't spawning. Now the waiting for babies begins.

And again, I have multiple spawns so when the babies arrive I can't be sure if it due to the spawn on October 1st or from October 9th. I have to admit that is annoying because that's one of the real data points I've been hoping to get good results about... Oh well.

This is what the tank looks like toward the end of a 20 minute spawn.

 

[Fishurama]

My thread to add to your research so it doesn't get lost. Thanks again for posting and giving me some info. Hope i get some babies and can add more to your research

Fishurama Rockflower spawning thread

 

[Ron Reefman]

Birth Announcement:

This morning I found a few Rock Flower Anemone babies in my RFA breeding tank. The main spawn was back on August 1st with one smaller spawn on the 9th. So I'm still a bit iffy about RFA gestation, but as a rough estimate I'm saying 30 to 40 days. And I think that's better information than we've had up until now.

 

[ApoIsland]

I just had a spawn event last night so we can start the clock. Will update on first sight of babies.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I just had a spawn event last night so we can start the clock. Will update on first sight of babies.

The best I can offer you is my anecdotal experience. I don't think anybody, including serious biologists or scientists have a better answer.

From spawn to babies is 25 to 35 days. But that's based on my experience, not science.

Good luck.

 

[homer1475]

Mine spawn several times a year, and never coincide with the solstice or equinox. usually 2 times in the spring, once in summer, once in the fall, and twice during winter.

My last spawn has produced several babies. Think I have counted about 7 that are about the size of a pencil eraser. At that size, they typically grow into adults. Ive gone from 3 about 6 years ago, to now over 15.

I've posted pics of my babies before so I won't bore this thread with them.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Mine spawn several times a year, and never coincide with the solstice or equinox. usually 2 times in the spring, once in summer, once in the fall, and twice during winter.

My last spawn has produced several babies. Think I have counted about 7 that are about the size of a pencil eraser. At that size, they typically grow into adults. Ive gone from 3 about 6 years ago, to now over 15.

I've posted pics of my babies before so I won't bore this thread with them.

I completely agree that the time of year seems completely independent of moon or sun involvement.

The question is, what is the gestation time frame? How long is it from apawn to babies being delivered?