BTA Propigation/Fragging?

[Dkp5818]

Hello! Just a quick question about propagating a BTA, i have one and split it a few days ago. It seems to be a sucess, just curious about your thoughts as wether or not this is a good idea, and if so how often do you think that it's safe to split them? I don't want to wear it down too small...... Thanks!

 

[jrgilles]

How did you split it? I've never researched it, but I was under the impression that they split themselves, it wasn't something I could to for them

 

[tat2z_21]

There are a few people on the net that have videos of them splitting an anemone. Go to youtube and search it. I for one would be afraid to do it, but apparently it can be done.

 

[Dkp5818]

I just took a scapel and a cutting board, laid the anemone on it and cut him right down the center, just make sure that you cut even through the foot and it should be ok. I just did it so it's still experimental for me too... so i guess i'll keep you posted on how it comes out, for now both halves are happy, my clowns have hosted them again and they seem to be healing well.

 

[moovinfast]

We have member a down here who frags his RBTA all the time. He has yet to lose one.

 

[NWDiver]

I'm thinking that might be a good idea, Mine is now ~16 inches across and it would be nice to have it half that big

 

[Dkp5818]

yeah my only thing that i noticed today is you have to keep them in a breeder box after, my clowns went back to trying to host the anemones and they shrunk up really bad, im guessing the stress of the fish on the cut made them unhappy, i put them back into isolation and they puffed right back up. That was a scary moment there! I thought i was going to loose both of them, lol

 

[freakin]

How long do they take before they look normal and healthy again? Maybe that x2 for good measure.

Are you halving or quartering them?

 

[Maxx]

Anthony Calfo suggested halving the anemone, and ensuring it had been kept in excellent conditions for at least six months before propagating. After that, he implied that the recovery time could be as short as a month, but suggested waiting until both halves had mouths that were centered in the anemone again.

The main thing I took from his comments was wait until the anemone is healthy to begin with, and then cut it in half directly across the mouth. Wait until the halves healed appropriately, and then cut again. Once those heal, you now have a healthy group you can begin to frag/propagate on a regular basis if you rotate which ones you cut.

HTH,

Nick

 

[noworries]

There was an article on this a month or two back showing exactly how to propagate an anemone. The most important part is cutting the MOUTH in half, since that is where anemone's naturally split to begin with.