| The common
name for Stichodactyla gigantea is the Giant Carpet Anemone. Similar
anemones are the Saddle or Haddoni's Carpet Anemone and the Merten's Carpet
Anemone. The Saddle is distinguished by its much shorter, thicker
and stubbier tentacles and typically have a contrasting pattern of stripes.
Contrary to it's name, the Giant Carpet is the smallest of the three.
Merten's Carpet is truly the giant of them exceeding three feet in diameter.
Merten's is more similar to the Giant than to the Saddle anemone.
The Saddle is generally more available to the hobbyist and is easier to
keep. Merten's is not usually sold in the hobby.
Before you embark
in trying one of these or any anemone, you might want to know some interesting
facts first. Joyce Wilkerson in her book "Clownfishes"
describes a poll taken with 100 hobbyist on CompuServe Fishnet during
1994-1996:
"The results showed
that 46% of the anemones kept by reporting hobbyists with less than
two years of marine aquarium-keeping experience were dead after 3
1/2 months. Those hobbyists with two to five years experience
did not have much greater success: 40% of their anemones died an average
of 11 1/2 months after acquisition. Even among aquarists with
more than five years' experience, 27% of their anemones were dead
after an average of 14 months.
Only 1 out of every 18
anemones in the survey had been in captivity for three years, and
only 1 in 36 reached five years in captivity."
If you are to try one,
Wilkerson suggests trying one of these hardier species: Entamacea
quadricolor (Bubble Tip or Rose Anemone), Macrodactyla doreensis, and
the Stichodactyla haddoni (Saddle Carpet). The Bubble Tips are
quite common with reports of common success in successfully keeping
and even multiplying by splitting. The Saddle is generally also
available with the Macrodactyla doreensis not quite as common.
I would recommend the Bubble Tip if you were to try especially if it
has come from someone else's anemone that has split.
This Carpet Anemone is
at it's 13th month as of January 2001 and still seems to be very strong.
It is kept under strong currents propped up high on live rock where
it should receive adequate lighting. Presumably, the strong currents
help keep it aerated preventing local pollution buildup. A powerhead
from a couple of feet away is pointed near or at it's base while a Silent
Surge is directed at it from the other end of the tank. The same
nutritious concoction of enriched homemade sea foods I feed the rest
of the tank is fed to the anemone everyday as well. A single Ocellaris
Clownfish makes this her castle.
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