Saltwater garden: What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones?

Peace River · Apr 18, 2023

Saltwater garden: What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones?

Rock Flower Anemones, sometimes referred to as RFAs, have a niche following in the hobby and they can be addictive. There can be a process to helping them settle in to a new tank so they don’t head for cover. Some reef keepers have even been known to use PVC plumbing caps as homes for rock flowers to plant their foot and then the RFAs can more easily be moved in the future. To me, a Rock Flower Anemone garden is visually striking. Another interesting element of RFAs is that while they can’t be fragmented, they have been known to spawn in home aquariums (although the triggers and other details are not completely understood). What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones? Have you kept them in your tank? Have you kept many of them in your tank? Have you ever thought of creating a tank dedicated to RFAs? Have they ever bred in your tank? Please share your tips and experiences with RFAs in the discussion thread!

Photo by @TopShelfAquatics

blaxsun · Apr 18, 2023

That is an absolutely stunning rock flower anemone pictured! I have 5 currently; none have bred (yet) and they're quite happy overall. I would love to get more - shipments from the Caribbean have been hit and miss, so nothing really exciting has been available for the last year or so.

doubleshot00 · Apr 18, 2023

They been great model citizens in my tank. No issues at all. I added three about two months after starting my tank. Still have them.

Easy way to add color to a new tank and they don’t require a whole lot of light.

kenchilada · Apr 18, 2023

I bought my first ones this weekend at a show. A couple of them don’t want to come out of the cups I took them home in. These are in my quarantine tank now.

They were very popular at the show, there must have been hundreds for sale.

cpschult · Apr 18, 2023

I’ve shared these pictures before but I never get tired of sharing them. I just wish I could have saved more of them. I have three or four that survived.

I had luck with feeding every few days- does require a lot of tank upkeep !

vetteguy53081 · Apr 18, 2023

I have two nice ones. I havent added any more because both go into a chosen cavity after I place them and are barely seen

Reefing102begal · Apr 18, 2023

Peace River said:
Saltwater garden: What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones?

Rock Flower Anemones, sometimes referred to as RFAs, have a niche following in the hobby and they can be addictive. There can be a process to helping them settle in to a new tank so they don’t head for cover. Some reef keepers have even been known to use PVC plumbing caps as homes for rock flowers to plant their foot and then the RFAs can more easily be moved in the future. To me, a Rock Flower Anemone garden is visually striking. Another interesting element of RFAs is that while they can’t be fragmented, they have been known to spawn in home aquariums (although the triggers and other details are not completely understood). What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones? Have you kept them in your tank? Have you kept many of them in your tank? Have you ever thought of creating a tank dedicated to RFAs? Have they ever bred in your tank? Please share your tips and experiences with RFAs in the discussion thread!

Photo by @TopShelfAquatics

This is the most beautiful RFA i have ever seen

vlangel · Apr 18, 2023

That is a nem that I have struggled to keep. I am not good at target feeding so I will not be acquiring anymore.

kevgib67 · Apr 18, 2023

I purchased my first one from my local LFS last year. Placed where I wanted it and it attached immediately. I was so pleased I planned on going back and get the three that were left. Then an odd thing happened. My skunk cleaner shrimp relentlessly picked at causing it to ball up. The cleaner shrimp was obsessed. It moved then disappeared. It returned and then disappeared for good. That was over a year ago. Once the shrimp is gone I’ll definitely give it another go.

Treefer32 · Apr 18, 2023

I'm undecided as I don't know much about them. They are pretty with vibrant colors. I got two free from Hell Fire Frags (they have record spawning of them there it seems. The owner told me the babies always sneak into the shipping bags.) The two I got are tiny (dime sized). I put them in my tank with the pumps off and let them drift into the rocks. One settled in a cave up front. He really didn't like my lights. I would say he's in 60-70% darkness. But, he's got a dark red color to him and seems to be getting larger. So, if he gets to be more than just a red blob on a rock, I'll definitely snap a picture. Right now it's hard to tell hes there. I have no idea where the other went. I'm sure, I'll find himsomeday when I rip my rock work apart. . . .

Seems harmless and very beautiful color spectrums!

LIreefguy · Apr 18, 2023

They ate really easy to keep, once they get used to tank life

i get 100 in at a time, and 20 will die within the first month. So if you buy these from the vendor too quickly. You have less of a chance of them surviving. Reason is most wholesalers sell them in bulk. How gentle do you think they are when they remove 30-50 for one order.
my advice is buy ones that have been in captivity for a month or so

also they like flow, but don’t like high light and if you put them in a good place to start. They normally stay there
They will even stay on the sand

ps that photo is edited to heck.

rmorris_14 · Apr 18, 2023

I LOVE MY RFAS!. I currently have 4. I have purchased 7 total. 1 is MIA after moving it to my biocube. It walked to the back of the tank and stayed there for about 3 weeks until it disappeared. I fear it was destroyed by my pistol shrimp but I keep hoping it pops up sometime. The other two I most recently purchased didn't make it after the shop employee tore their feet to shreds removing them. It was awful. I just purchased a larger tank and I plan on having as meany as I can fit. Their colors are stunning. They are super easy to care for and "usually" stay put once they get comfortable. I have yet to have any spawn in my tank but I'm hoping once I create a larger garden, this might happen. I keep mine in a glass dish for awhile after purchase so I can make sure they are doing well. before trying to move them to their permanent location.

Ryebreadiest · Apr 18, 2023

Love them, they have taken over my small nano as I’ve bought more and more. Likely going to setup a special nano for them in the future.

In my experience they grow quickly if target fed frequently. They move less the other nems and don’t seem to have any capability of killing inverts and fish the way some other nems do.

i cant think · Apr 18, 2023

Peace River said:
Saltwater garden: What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones?

Rock Flower Anemones, sometimes referred to as RFAs, have a niche following in the hobby and they can be addictive. There can be a process to helping them settle in to a new tank so they don’t head for cover. Some reef keepers have even been known to use PVC plumbing caps as homes for rock flowers to plant their foot and then the RFAs can more easily be moved in the future. To me, a Rock Flower Anemone garden is visually striking. Another interesting element of RFAs is that while they can’t be fragmented, they have been known to spawn in home aquariums (although the triggers and other details are not completely understood). What is your experience with Rock Flower Anemones? Have you kept them in your tank? Have you kept many of them in your tank? Have you ever thought of creating a tank dedicated to RFAs? Have they ever bred in your tank? Please share your tips and experiences with RFAs in the discussion thread!

Photo by @TopShelfAquatics

I don’t have this exact species of anemone in my personal reef but I have a relative with almost identical care;
The Mini Maxi Carpet Anemone.
These guys are easy as pie to keep happy. They also tend to stay where you put them with the MMA moving a tiny bit more.
In the LFS I have cared for Mini Maxis and Rock Flowers and both prove to have identical care and behaviours with the RFAs getting slightly larger.

jkcoral · Apr 18, 2023

I have about 150 RFAs currently, but have had many, many more over the years. There are about 70 in my 30g RFA/gorgonian tank, and around 80 in my 80g.

Here’s a couple of notes from my experiences:
1. Target feed about once a week with some meaty foods (mysis, reef frenzy, whatever you got). They appreciate it. For smaller RFAs, I’ve found target feeding to really help pack on size in the first 1.5 years.
2. Target feeding promotes spawning.
3. They will spawn in your aquarium, with the greatest chances lying around a full moon in the mid/late fall and spring. Target feed around this time for sure. I’ve also found around these times that doing a water change that will drop the temperature a degree or two sometimes triggers them.
4. There is no way to tell males from females unless you witness spawning and birth. So you have to play the numbers game and get a small bushel to make sure you have females and males.
5. Loss rates on spawns are incredibly high. Some people may have different experiences, but I usually see about 3-5 out of 40 babies reach adulthood.
6. They are peaceful, have a relatively weak sting, and don’t move much.

7. Don’t dip nems
8. Only thing I’ve seen kill a healthy RFA is (very) cold water, a broken foot, or a peppermint shrimp.
9. Whenever buying, make sure you look for healthy specimens, and if buying in bulk, ask if they treat them with antibiotics.
10. Enjoy them. They are colorful, forgiving, and great citizens in the reef.

One of my prettiest babies made (picture doesn’t do it Justice):

JoJosReef · Apr 18, 2023

Love RFAs, have 7 of them. Despite frequent target feeding, they have not yet spawned to my knowledge. the sexy shrimp love them.

Really, what's not to like about them?

JoJosReef · Apr 18, 2023

jkcoral said:
I have about 150 RFAs currently, but have had many, many more over the years. There are about 70 in my 30g RFA/gorgonian tank, and around 80 in my 80g.

Here’s a couple of notes from my experiences:
1. Target feed about once a week with some meaty foods (mysis, reef frenzy, whatever you got). They appreciate it. For smaller RFAs, I’ve found target feeding to really help pack on size in the first 1.5 years.
2. Target feeding promotes spawning.
3. They will spawn in your aquarium, with the greatest chances lying around a full moon in the mid/late fall and spring. Target feed around this time for sure. I’ve also found around these times that doing a water change that will drop the temperature a degree or two sometimes triggers them.
4. There is no way to tell males from females unless you witness spawning and birth. So you have to play the numbers game and get a small bushel to make sure you have females and males.
5. Loss rates on spawns are incredibly high. Some people may have different experiences, but I usually see about 3-5 out of 40 babies reach adulthood.
6. They are peaceful, have a relatively weak sting, and don’t move much.

7. Don’t dip nems
8. Only thing I’ve seen kill a healthy RFA is (very) cold water, a broken foot, or a peppermint shrimp.
9. Whenever buying, make sure you look for healthy specimens, and if buying in bulk, ask if they treat them with antibiotics.
10. Enjoy them. They are colorful, forgiving, and great citizens in the reef.

One of my prettiest babies made (picture doesn’t do it Justice):

Stunning

Ryebreadiest · Apr 18, 2023

i cant think said:
I don’t have this exact species of anemone in my personal reef but I have a relative with almost identical care;
The Mini Maxi Carpet Anemone.
These guys are easy as pie to keep happy. They also tend to stay where you put them with the MMA moving a tiny bit more.
In the LFS I have cared for Mini Maxis and Rock Flowers and both prove to have identical care and behaviours with the RFAs getting slightly larger.

I have to disagree slightly. Mini Maxis are much more anemone like in their predatory abilities. They can and will kill fish, something that is almost unheard of with RFAs.

LeannaBanana · Apr 18, 2023

LOVE RFAs! I have 6 total in my 29gal. Photos don't really do them justice, but they're my favorite. I target-feed mine about once a week or every other week, but they catch plenty when broadcast-fed, too. Mine haven't spawned, but I'm hoping they will at some point. But even if they never do, I love keeping them!