Stichodactyla mertensii, Merten's Carpet Anemone

[sedgro]

Any of you know why this species (Stichodactyla mertensii ) of host anemone is so hard to find for sale? In 5+ years of looking I have only come across one, which I lost in a tank crash. They are not uncommon, not that hard to differentiate from haddoni or gigantea, and according to the few people who have them, reasonably hardy. I have begged multiple LFSs and etailers to get one for me. All to no avail. Do they just get clumped in as an "assorted carpet" with all the green/brown haddoni's? This would be a shame because there are many of us (lots on the clownfish and anemone forum on RC) - myself included- who would pay top dollar for one. Thanks for any help.

John

 

[sdcfish]

John,

First of all, these mertensi anemones are not very common. I just spoke to a "bloke" in Australia who said this last weekend, on his best day, they could only collect 15 pcs all day.

They don't sell them because they are just not enough. He uses them for his hatchery and broodstock.

I have seen few before come through Fiji and Tonga....so they do come around once in a while...I would say we get 12 per year.

Good luck...I hope you find one.....and have an aquarium large enough to handle these monsters I have personally seen on the reef 6 foot long plus! I laughed when I saw it! It had a pair of chrysopterus clowns.

Best regards

 

[sedgro]

Eric-

Thanks for the reply. 15 pcs per day seems like a fair number to me?? - but I guess probably not when you consider the number of crispas, long tentacles, or bubble tips that can be collected in a day. I have a 150 gallon "tub" that I have just set up for anemones. Currently it has 3 color morphs of gigantea (blue, green and purple) and a purple tipped H. magnifica residing in it. Well, if you ever get one and can supply the name of the retailer you sold it to, I would certainly appreciate it.
John

 

[Anonymous]

Eric-

Thanks for the reply. 15 pcs per day seems like a fair number to me?? - but I guess probably not when you consider the number of crispas, long tentacles, or bubble tips that can be collected in a day. I have a 150 gallon "tub" that I have just set up for anemones. Currently it has 3 color morphs of gigantea (blue, green and purple) and a purple tipped H. magnifica residing in it. Well, if you ever get one and can supply the name of the retailer you sold it to, I would certainly appreciate it.
John

IF he only has a single buyer, 15 is enough

 

[sdcfish]

Gresham,

15 per day is not a sustainable number. These guys in Oz, don't think quite like us over here....and will not sell us items that are in such low densities. He only collected what he needs to house his broodstock. He raises Black and White ocellaris clowfish.

I am totally behind this type of mentality....we definately need more conservation thinking if we want to be around for future generations.

Eric

 

[Anonymous]

Gresham,

15 per day is not a sustainable number. These guys in Oz, don't think quite like us over here....and will not sell us items that are in such low densities. He only collected what he needs to house his broodstock. He raises Black and White ocellaris clowfish.

I am totally behind this type of mentality....we definately need more conservation thinking if we want to be around for future generations.

Eric

Guess you missed my point Eric. My point is/was that 15 isn't enought to even supply 1 wholesaler

IMO most anemones shouldn't even be collected, along with a bunch of other items you wholesalers sell

 

[sdcfish]

Gresham,

Sorry about that...you are correct my friend!

Thanks for pointing that out to me....I think I had not read your post....just had read " IF he only has a single buyer, 15 is enough "

Super regards,

 

[Anonymous]

I can attest to their relative hardiness. My university has a specimen that's going on its 20th year in captivity.

 

[sdcfish]

Great shot......sweeeet!

 

[Anonymous]

Great shot......sweeeet!

That tank has a big thick fat DSB in it, as well as in the refugium. Probably 8 inches or so.

Whenever I hear about how DSBs will guarantee to make your tank crash in 4 or 5 years I think of that tank.

 

[bookfish]

Consider the source, that info originated from the same "authority" who originally said DSB;s were forever (just bump up the infaunal population occasionally). :roll:
Of course neither statement is actually accurate without context.
Beware the simple answer!-Jim

 

[dizzy]

Just did a quick check in "Anemone Fishes and their Host Sea Anemones" by Fautin and Allen on Stichodactyla mertensii. These appear to have a large distribution area, from Micronesia and Melanesia to East Africa, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands. It's one huge blue area on the map. Given that huge of an area they may be much more common in some areas compared to Australia. Also Wilkerson says these are typically found on reef slopes in deeper water than other carpet anemones. Many may simply be too large to collect as they can top out at over 1 meter in diameter. It wouldn't be surprising to learn that specimens collected in Indo did come into the trade as something like green carpet.
Mitch

PS
Matt, how do they manage to keep that one so small?

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, how do they manage to keep that one so small?

Shrug.....dunno. If I remember right it was about a foot and a half across when fully expanded. Those are full grown spawning ocellaris clowns. It wasn't target fed if I remember right. Maybe just a runt.

 

[dizzy]

Matt,
Maybe they just grow slow. Since they only attach to hard surfaces collecting these without damaging them would make them more difficult to collect. Pictures from Anemone Fishes by Fautin and Allen.

 

[dizzy]

Fish symbionts: A. akallopisos and A. akindynos

 

[Anonymous]

Fish symbionts: A. akallopisos and A. akindynos

....and A. allardi, A. chrysogaster, A. chrysopterus, A. clarkii, A. fuscocaudatus, A. latifasciatus, A. leucokranos, A. ocellaris, A. sandaracinos, A. tricinctus.

I'm wondering if I remembered the species wrong on this one. Rob Toonen is the guy who told me about this anemone's history and I would swear he said S. mertensii. However, I can't imagine he would place it on a sandy substrate like that if it were a mertensii.

I'm horrid at trying to ID anemones. I'll shoot David a PM.

 

[sdcfish]

Makes sense.....the mertensi anemones I have seen on the reefs in Fiji were on reef slopes....with bluestripe clown pairs. The size made me very aware of the fact that I could be eaten by these monsters!

After fanning the anemone with my hand, it shrunk down to nothing more than plate size.....truly amazing.

Regards

 

[sedgro]

OK, 3 months later and still no line on one of these beauties? Someone in LA has got to have had one go through their operation? How about a $100 bounty paid via paypal to anyone that finds one (for sale, shipping available) for me. I can also offer some nice true Cespitularia in trade for information. Thanks for any help. And yes, I do have a tank large enough to keep it.

 

[walliedjack]

I'm sorry this is off topic but I don't know where else to go. I am interested in getting some sea cucmbers 2 of them and I have one 40 gal and two 10 gal what are my options, please help