Ron Reefman's Rock Flower experience

[KorD]

What is the deal with phyto? Just if trying to culture it? (I ask, because I add phyto regularly)

It's simple to grow yourself with a light and a 2 liter pop bottle.
I add some every now and then to my tank for corals to munch on. It just adds a little extra that foods for corals and fish don't rally have. Everything likes live food from time to time.

 

[Judi M]

It's simple to grow yourself with a light and a 2 liter pop bottle.
I add some every now and then to my tank for corals to munch on. It just adds a little extra that foods for corals and fish don't rally have. Everything likes live food from time to time.

Does phyto also require an air pump and feeding? Any articles you can point me to? I've been buying live phyto from Mercer of Montana, and considering their growing kit.

 

[KorD]

Does phyto also require an air pump and feeding? Any articles you can point me to? I've been buying live phyto from Mercer of Montana, and considering their growing kit.

Oh.. my bad.. yes an air pump and stand is needed also. I feed mine about 1 or two ml of skimmate

Article that I like http://www.saltwateraquariumblog.com/home-cultures-phyto-rotifers-copepods/phytoplankton-culture/

The thing I learnt is you can typically take one air pump and split the line between 3-4 containers to reduce the amount of blasting the little critters with but bubbles.

 

[ca1ore]

Terrific thread .... that I somehow had missed. Thinking about adding some rock flowers to my tank.

 

[KorD]

Terrific thread .... that I somehow had missed. Thinking about adding some rock flowers to my tank.

You will love them. They are the simplest thing in my tank to care for!

 

[Wen]

KorD, I'd be happy to do a trade if you'd like a couple of young (small) colorful RFA's. And I appreciate the fact that you would even think of me! BTW, we are going snorkeling in the Keys in a week and I intend to try to collect a few of the less colorful (but still with cool patterns) RFA's. We've found an very small island that has RFA's that wrap about 2/3rds of the way around the island. But they are all in holes in the old coral rock which makes them hard to collect.

Just a note to say thank you Ron Reefman for sharing your experience collecting and keeping of RFA.
:)
I have a couple large colorful ones that spawn and about 6 of their offspring.
Last week our family was in the Keys and followed your suggestion on snorkeling horseshoe harbor. It was a lot of fun seeing all the critters and collecting a few rfa to add to our tank.
Curious if the colorful rfa and non colorful rfa will spawn.
Thanks again!;Shamefullyembarrased

 

[Ron Reefman]

Terrific thread .... that I somehow had missed. Thinking about adding some rock flowers to my tank.

ca1ore, glad to have you here! I always pay attention when I see one of your posts anywhere! I've always been fascinated with anemones and when I found these at a Reef-A-Palooza event I went crazy for them. I already had a few of the less colorful ones that I had collected while snorkeling. But the crazy, fluorescing colors of these deeper water Ultra RFA's is really special. And that they can/will/do reproduce in an aquarium is also very cool.

Just a note to say thank you Ron Reefman for sharing your experience collecting and keeping of RFA.
:)
I have a couple large colorful ones that spawn and about 6 of their offspring.
Last week our family was in the Keys and followed your suggestion on snorkeling horseshoe harbor. It was a lot of fun seeing all the critters and collecting a few rfa to add to our tank.
Curious if the colorful rfa and non colorful rfa will spawn.
Thanks again!;Shamefullyembarrased

That's great and I'm glad I could help out in a small way to your Keys vacation. My wife and I are going there for 4 days next week and I'll post up info while we are there (and afterwards) in the 'Snorkeling & Collecting Discussion Group' :
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

 

[ca1ore]

ca1ore, glad to have you here! I always pay attention when I see one of your posts anywhere! I've always been fascinated with anemones and when I found these at a Reef-A-Palooza event I went crazy for them. I already had a few of the less colorful ones that I had collected while snorkeling. But the crazy, fluorescing colors of these deeper water Ultra RFA's is really special. And that they can/will/do reproduce in an aquarium is also very cool.

There’s a reefapalooza event here in the NE in June and my ‘mission’ is to find a few nice ones. I’ve had one in my tank for a while, though it’s rather bland looking. My concern had been that it’s get picked at by my angels, but it appears to get left alone.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I bought 3 new ones at the last RAP in Orlando a couple of months ago. They were doing a deal if you bought 3. So I got one that is a rainbow with white 'spokes' in the tentacles that divide it up like a pie. It was more expensive and since I bought 2 of the slightly less colorful ones, they gave me all 3 at the discounted price. I think RFA prices are starting to go down now that they have been pretty available for a few years and many reefers are even propagating them in their tanks. I have 35 altogether and 25 of them are offspring I didn't have to pay for. I'm just lucky that the parents were very good looking and so most of the kids are as well... lots of multi-colored rainbows.

 

[KorD]

@Ron Reefman well went gathering late last night, and picked up a few of the gulf anemones. I will post pics once I get home and acclamate them. For now have a picture of crabs making babies at low tide.

I was only able to get six last night. The tide pools were over ran with big waves and they really can dig themselves into the books and crannys!

 

[KorD]

Not a great picture, but here is two of the 6 I gathered.
I guess we can classify them as tricolor warty anemones.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Those are still pretty cool. I collected a couple one time off the beach of Sanibel. We very rarely see them. I was only able to keep it for a couple of months. I looked some, but I couldn't find whether or not these anemones have zooxanthellae or if they require feeding. Do you know? How long have you kept them in your tank now?

We leave tomorrow for the Keys. I hope to collect a few good looking but less colorful RFA's on our Thursday afternoon 'test' snorkel. I call it a test snorkel because we are testing the water temp so we know what weight wet suit or dive skin to wear on Friday and Saturday when we'll be in the water for hours. There should be lots of photos in the 'Snorkeling & Collecting Group Discussion' thread starting Thursday night.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

 

[KorD]

Those are still pretty cool. I collected a couple one time off the beach of Sanibel. We very rarely see them. I was only able to keep it for a couple of months. I looked some, but I couldn't find whether or not these anemones have zooxanthellae or if they require feeding. Do you know? How long have you kept them in your tank now?

We leave tomorrow for the Keys. I hope to collect a few good looking but less colorful RFA's on our Thursday afternoon 'test' snorkel. I call it a test snorkel because we are testing the water temp so we know what weight wet suit or dive skin to wear on Friday and Saturday when we'll be in the water for hours. There should be lots of photos in the 'Snorkeling & Collecting Group Discussion' thread starting Thursday night.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

I ha e kept these kind in my tanks for a few years before I broken the tank down. I'm not really sure what all they eat, but they do like a small hunk of Mysis every couple days.

They will stay hidden most of the day, I think they are more of a nocturnal anemone. They mostly show themselves early morning or late at night. During the day hours if they are not shaded they will recede a tad and hide in cracks.

If nothing else they are still amazing. I just love adding different kids of things you don't see everyday to my tanks.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I ha e kept these kind in my tanks for a few years before I broken the tank down. I'm not really sure what all they eat, but they do like a small hunk of Mysis every couple days.

They will stay hidden most of the day, I think they are more of a nocturnal anemone. They mostly show themselves early morning or late at night. During the day hours if they are not shaded they will recede a tad and hide in cracks.

If nothing else they are still amazing. I just love adding different kids of things you don't see everyday to my tanks.

I agree, and I love both variety and unusual. The warty anemones we collected that one time were all inside a football size orange sponge that was open at the top (like where the stitching would be) and there were about 20 anemones inside. We had about 5 people doing collecting along the beach that day and several of us took a couple. If I had one now it might do better as I only have the 40g cube and it gets much better care than when I had 4 tanks!

 

[Judi M]

Anyone know how rfas would do in a 14g biocube with stock florescent bulbs
I really want a rfa dominant tank and have this spare one just sitting

 

[Ron Reefman]

Anyone know how rfas would do in a 14g biocube with stock florescent bulbs
I really want a rfa dominant tank and have this spare one just sitting

Hi Judi,

I don't think the size of the tank is an issue for the RFA's. I was just snorkeling at a small island where they are almost a carpet on the hard bottom around the island. So being close together isn't an issue at all. Good flow and filtration will be important though.

By stock fluorescent bulbs, you mean the inexpensive kind that came with the tank? I'm not a big fan of them, but they should work. The colorful RFA's come from 30 to 60 feet deep and there isn't a lot of sunlight that penetrates that deep. They don't rely on photosynthesis as much as the less colorful, shallow water RFA's do. And because of that you will need to feed them regularly (like at least once a week, more often if you want them to reproduce). And consider a switch to leds as these guys look crazy cool under blue leds in the morning and evening. I even bought an inexpensive 2nd led fixture that is just blue and white leds just so I could run the blue channel. In the evenings when it's dark outside and the lights are off in the house, the all blue led lit tank looks like an old hippy poster under a blacklight! And the RFA's would do a bit better under leds (especially blue leds as that's all the light they get down at 30+ feet deep in the wild.

 

[Judi M]

Hi Judi,

I don't think the size of the tank is an issue for the RFA's. I was just snorkeling at a small island where they are almost a carpet on the hard bottom around the island. So being close together isn't an issue at all. Good flow and filtration will be important though.

By stock fluorescent bulbs, you mean the inexpensive kind that came with the tank? I'm not a big fan of them, but they should work. The colorful RFA's come from 30 to 60 feet deep and there isn't a lot of sunlight that penetrates that deep. They don't rely on photosynthesis as much as the less colorful, shallow water RFA's do. And because of that you will need to feed them regularly (like at least once a week, more often if you want them to reproduce). And consider a switch to leds as these guys look crazy cool under blue leds in the morning and evening. I even bought an inexpensive 2nd led fixture that is just blue and white leds just so I could run the blue channel. In the evenings when it's dark outside and the lights are off in the house, the all blue led lit tank looks like an old hippy poster under a blacklight! And the RFA's would do a bit better under leds (especially blue leds as that's all the light they get down at 30+ feet deep in the wild.

Thanks Ron!
I currently have 9 in my 32g led biocube and can see they are very addictive. Since I have this spare tank just sitting,. I thought I could feed my addiction! I currently feed my md rfas directly every other day with some combo of myosis, ref roids, coral frenzy, hikari gumbo, and/or reef frenzy. So far so good and they are growing well. Impatiently waiting and hoping for little ones and following this thread closely.
Regarding my 14g, probably should wait till I can refit with LEDs. May use it for growing phyto or pods meanwhile. Sigh

 

[Ron Reefman]

Judi, they can be addictive! I'll post photos after I get them all home and safely in the tank, but I collected 2 small RFA's and 2 tiny ones. Along with a few serpent stars, a couple emerald crabs, a bright yellow sea cucumber and some unusual macro algae... oh and about 200+ photos. Today was a great day snorkeling. We saw lots of cool wildlife we can't keep in our tank, like a 16" long horse conch and a beautiful, juvenile long spine urchin. There will be lots of photos by mid-week in the 'Snorkeling & Collecting Group Discussion' thread.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/snorkeling-collecting-discussion-group.412414/

 

[mfrumkin]

I think 1" is a good size unless your RFA is full grown and then you might go for 1.5" caps. They are so inexpensive at the hardware store (I'm there fairly often) that I bought some of several sizes.

After I know that the RFA is well attached in the end cap (I can hold it upside down and they stay attached) I push the end cap down in the sand so the rim just barely shows or is even just under the surface. I'm sure sand gets in them and I'm also sure the anemone doesn't mind (I'm a RFA whisperer).

How do you get them out of the PVC caps?

 

[Ron Reefman]

How do you get them out of the PVC caps?

@mfrumkin Good question, I've never tried! The few I've sold went with their end caps.

I'd suggest holding the end cap upside down and maybe even hold an ice cube on the bottom (now the top) of the end cap while holding it over a bowl of aquarium water. Or just put the nem and the end cap in a bowl or glass of water and tip the end cap on it's side. I'd bet the nem will come out and attach to the bowl or glass... hopefully.

If you figure out a good way, let us know.