[alt.aquaria] Anemonies and copper, was :Re: turning the filter off?

richard@gryphon.UUCP (12/03/87)

In article <3517@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU> ix426@sdcc6.ucsd.edu.UUCP (tom stockfish) writes:
>
>I would be very careful about turning off a filter when you have invert-
>ibrates in the tank.  They are very sensitive to hydrogen sulfide, which
>is a product of anaerobic processes.  Before I knew this, I killed an
>anemone by running a (noisy) filter only when I was not home.  Of course,
>I compounded the problem by closing the valve to the filter, which really
>cranked up the anaerobics.  I think you will find if you put the liquid
>food (like sea urchin eggs) in the water with the plastic part of a syringe
>near the anemone that it will get plenty.

Uhh, not many anomonies are filter feeders. They will eat lumps
of beef-heart or guppies. They DO eat fish in the wild, right ?

>>I'm told that when adding trace elements and using the polyfilter
>
>I haven't heard about adding trace elements,

I find this a tad surprising.

Cobalt, Molybdenum, etc. all toxic in small ppm, but absolutely
mandatory for life. In the right concentrations. They are depleated
and must be replenished from time to time.

>but one thing you should
>know is that anemonae are extremely sensitive to copper.  If you have
>ever treated a tank with copper, all the gravel and coral will forever
>have enough trace copper to harm anemonae.  Commercially available
>test kits for copper will
>not reveal this as the anemonae are much more sensitive than the test.

Yeah, specifically, it binds the ions and they sit in the substrate
and *may* just stay there. But if the pH ever gets a tad more
acid, all those copper ions are back in solution.

Copper is best used in a BARE tank.


-- 
Richard J. Sexton
INTERNET:     richard@gryphon.CTS.COM
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"It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."

dalka@ihlpg.UUCP (12/04/87)

> 
> Uhh, not many anomonies are filter feeders. They will eat lumps
> of beef-heart or guppies. They DO eat fish in the wild, right ?
> 
This is a important question for me. I have not kept anemonies
but intend to try in the future so I have been trying to ask
questions. I've been told 2 things:

	1) they are difficult to keep alive for more than 3 or 4 months
	   in a non-reef tank system where you are using standard filters.

	2) they are BOTH filter feeders and accept lumps of food and
	   should be given both.

Anemonies are a broad class of invertebrates so I guess Ill say I'd
like to keep the kind that clowns love to cuddle up in (carpet anemonies?).
Anybody wish to comment?
-- 

					Ken Dalka (Bell Labs)
					ihnp4!ihlpg!dalka
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