180g Tank Build - 11 mos. and counting.

My tank has recently gone from 4 to 5 healthy specimens. I started with one RBTA about a year and a half ago. It was a large specimen at the LFS - I'd say 8-10" across. Within days of introducing it into my then 125 gal aquarium, it split into two smaller specimens. And they continued to grow until January this year when I introduced them into my 180g. Within hours of introduction, they both split again. I can almost certainly say that both occurrences of a split were survival splits - meaning that I think the sudden change in water parameters was such a shock to the system that the defensive survival split instinct kicked in. Until yesterday - those were the only types of splits I had witnessed in the tank. Since January, they have grown quite large. I'd say 10-12" across all four RBTAs on average.

Why did the largest one decide to split yesterday? Your guess is as good as mine. It's a mystery. I've heard theories as to how to induce these things to split - but I haven't really tried any methods except different rates of feed. I've heard about cutting them, starving them, overfeeding them, alternating between starving and overfeeding, and pouring cold water on them. I couldn't bring myself to cut one for fear of losing it to some disease, I like to go the natural fission route. I'm a bit scared to pour cold water on them for fear of doing it wrong and damaging them or something else in my tank. It seems a bit extreme, eh? I hadn't fed them much the first few months in the tank, but a couple of months ago, I decided to start feeding them regularly again. I'd say every 2-4 days, they get a silverside or a krill.

Anyway, I am thrilled to have a new anemone - though things are starting to get crowded!