Marine Depot Forums / TEAM Marine Depot / Marine Systems and Husbandry – by Anthony Calfo / High Volume Anemone Propagation / Latest Posts

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

laverda — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 19:54:37 GMT

Marc I tired cutting three BTAs while they were still attached. One was fine and I got two clones and one healed back to one anemone and one died. So I ended up where I started with three anemones.

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

Marc Daniels — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 13:43:01 GMT

Good point! The cut edges will be against each other and it would impede water movement to the fresh wounds.

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

Anthony Calfo — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:47:17 GMT

good point/reminder WarDaddy... cut edges are more likely to get infected if stifled indeed. Seperate at least one half always (and move laterally or lower in the tank... but never higher)

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

WarDaddy — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:51:00 GMT

[quote]Marc Daniels (1/25/2007)

Sonja-

If it was the "right" vessel, and you had a proper cutting instrument, you might be able tocut them while still attached and not have to handle them at all.[/quote]

I had asked Anthony a similar question his response was that if you do not move the bta when you cut it the cut tissue will not have quality water flow over it. This lack of flow will increase the likelihood of infection and lower the survival rates. In the game of production, it is all about high survivability rates, extra time spent at the cut will increase the number of bta that make it to market.

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

Marc Daniels — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 22:05:01 GMT

Sonja-

If it was the "right" vessel, and you had a proper cutting instrument, you might be able to cut them while still attached and not have to handle them at all.

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

redsonja — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 21:27:46 GMT

[quote]Marc Daniels (1/25/2007)

Sonja-

That is a good point.

I think I figured out how to mass produce the anemones. It gets right down to the heart of the process that Anthny advocates, and yet allows you to handle several pieces at once. Use several compartmentalized "baskets" within each monoculture. Ths wil alow you to completely remove a basket with X number of clone anemones in it. Let them deflate and expel water. Cut them all right in the container. Then place the conainer in a holdingvessel while they release the nasties and slime up. Then back into the tank.

It's basicallyAnthony's process but on a little larger, mass produced scale. Now I just need to figure out the proper containers to maximze the tank usage, water flow and lighting.[/quote]

I tried that, but my baskets weren't large enough to get an accurate cut. Also the 'nems aren't attached on just the bottom of the basket, some hang out on the sides, etc. Even the ones around the bottom edges of the baskets are usually halfway attached on the side. I use black pond plant baskets clamped to the sides of the tanks so they get better light. Flow is good through them until coralline starts growing, then I have to scrape it off. I have plenty of extra baskets now so after I cut I put the clones in a cleaned basket and clean the ones they are in for next time.

Shallower larger baskets might work though, you may still have to coax some 'nems to detach but it would be something to work toward. Once I get the bigger systems going I'll play around with it some more and report back.

-Sonja

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

Marc Daniels — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:26:18 GMT

Sonja-

That is a good point.

I think I figured out how to mass produce the anemones. It gets right down to the heart of the process that Anthny advocates, and yet allows you to handle several pieces at once. Use several compartmentalized "baskets" within each monoculture. Ths wil alow you to completely remove a basket with X number of clone anemones in it. Let them deflate and expel water. Cut them all right in the container. Then place the conainer in a holding vessel while they release the nasties and slime up. Then back into the tank.

It's basically Anthony's process but on a little larger, mass produced scale. Now I just need to figure out the proper containers to maximze the tank usage, water flow and lighting.

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

redsonja — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:29:24 GMT

You may find that some clones grow faster than others post-cutting as well, so you may not be cutting every single clone at the same time. I've had this happen, even being careful it's fairly difficult to cut each one into exactly even halves. Which is why I have an uneven number of clones of two color morphs now, instead of an even number.

-Sonja

RE: High Volume Anemone Propagation

Anthony Calfo — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 08:34:44 GMT

How would you logistically handle splitting 2 or 3 hundred pieces?

just follow your harvcest schedule... how many anemones you want to produce over X time it takes to double the colony. So if you double monthly... then sell off half each month and cut the other half... er, in half and wait 30 more days. That is your cycle of harvest.

Why couldn't you do it in the tank?

If its a monoculture you can, yes.

Let them mucus up for an hour or two, and then do a very large water change (I'm also running a skimmer, carbon and ozone ;-))

Helpful if not necessary, yes. The caveat being that if you do this all in the tank and one gets infected, the others are weak/cut and higher risk for a massive infection. Possible wipeout. Smaller tanks and less aggressive cutting is better here (cutting 75 per week instead of 300 per month in the tank, eg here)

High Volume Anemone Propagation

Marc Daniels — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:24:21 GMT

Anthony-

I know the process for cuttng the onesies & twosies, now as you say "do the math", you have hundreds of anemones to slice & dice? How would you logistically handle splitting 2 or 3 hundred pieces?

Why couldn't you do it in the tank? Slice each anemone as they sit in the tank. Let them mucus up for an hour or two, and then do a very large water change (I'm also running a skimmer, carbon and ozone ;-)) I believe the only potential problem would be water fouling. A a decent water change, good filtration and watch the ammonia for a spike should compensate for that.

I'm just tryin to figure out how to streamline the process when it comes to handling high numbers of animals.