20 Nuvo RFA Tank

Discussion in 'Tank Pictures' started by xystic, Jan 24, 2017.

  1. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    Here is my Rock Flower Anemone tank, only tank I currently keep. Many of these rock flowers were around the size of a Half-Dollar coin when I got them. As you can see, many of these are much larger now with a few when fully flattened out at 3.5-4 inches and still growing.

    Oops, I lied its actually a "RFA tank + 1 florida ricordea."

    I'm sure you've noticed that I have a huge variation of colors/patterns. My photography skills aren't great so the colors are a bit bland but they are actually pretty bright in person.

    [​IMG]

    Equipment:

    IM 20 Gallon Nuvo Fusion
    IM Desktop Skimmer
    IM Spin Stream Nozzles x 2
    x1 Custom Caddy [Filter Floss | Chemipure Blue]
    50 watt Aqueon Heater
    Stock Pump w/ Y-adapter
    Ecotech Radion Gen 3. [Ati Blue Plus Spectrum w/ emphasis in red wavelength]
    JBJ Auto Top
    Tom Aqua Lifter Vacuum Pump
    Bubble Magus Dosing Pump BM-T01

    Livestock:
    x 42+ Rock Flower Anemones
    x 3 strains of pods. (Tigriopus|Tisbe|Apocyclops) - Billions of them in the tank.
    x 1 Florida Ricordea - Was given to me as a freebie.

    Future Plans/To be added Equipment/Livestock Additions:
    Xenia - Additional Nutrient Uptake
    Dragon's Breath Macro Algae - Additional Nutrient Uptake
    IM desktop Media Reactor [Biopellets|Bacteria] - Additional Nutrient Uptake

    What you see in the picture is not black gravel mixed with white. That is actually brown algae. Yes, tons of it. In my ecosystem, brown algae is my biggest nutrient export. As it grows, dies and sloughs off, it gets picked up by the skimmer. All 4 sides of the tank are also covered with brown algae to the max.

    I'm not a big fan of the brown algae but it keeps my tank in shape so I tolerate it. The Rock Flower Anemones seem to out shine the brown algae anyways. If your wondering why I don't siphon the sand bed, well, there are tons of Rock Flower babies imbedded in there, so doing that is a not an option lol. Mine just recently spawned again and some of the larger females were exhibiting a few hundred eggs each this time. By March I may not have much room left for anything and that is why I'm not sure if I'll go to corals for charity. No space left~

    If you have any questions feel free to ask. I browse the forums frequently.
     
    NatalieMadison likes this.
  2. Botheboss

    Botheboss Director-At Large

    Very nice tank!
     
  3. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    That is awesome! You need to sell some of those. I have a couple of RFAs that are the same colors as some of yours and paid $60 for them. They have become popular enough that they are selling for a lot more than that now. If you do decide to sell any let me know, I love them.

    How long did you have yours before they started spawning? Have any of them reproduced asexually (splitting)?
     
  4. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    I probably plan to, especially since I'll be needing a bigger tank to house them as they grow. However, it probably won't be for a couple months yet.

    Yeah, they have jumped up about 200% to 400% in prices. What I was buying for $20.00 is now around $60 at most places. The red skirt, red disk ones in the photo above sell for $120.00 at most websites, I picked them up for $40, so luckily for me I got them before the hype. Although, some of the variations and colorations are extraordinary and I wouldn't mind spending a bit on them.

    Will do, I can't house that many in a 20 gallon. A lot of the rainbow RFAs were partaking in this recent spawning event so the offspring should be pretty killer.

    I've had most of these for about 1 year but I don't know how old they were when I got them. I'll get to find out once these babies grow up.

    No I haven't seen it yet and I don't think they do either. I use to have a MP10 in the tank and had a few RFAs get cut up by it. I kept the separate halves but they just melt. Speaking of damage, if they suffer a tear, loss of tentacles or minor 5%-15% tissue loss they can recover but it takes many months before they can replicate that tissue and look like normal RFA.

    They seem to be pretty much either a boy or girl. The female broods her offsping and spit them out when she feels like it.

    I've gone thru a lot of research and looked thru many photos and videos of spawning but here is something I haven't seen on the web before, at least not yet. I'd say its a pretty rare picture and so if you see someone else trying to use it, let me know. This is a picture of the RFA on the very top right of my tank in the photo above. She is a giant female. Here you will see her pulling her eggs out of her mouth during the spawning event. The picture is taken after the lights on the tank are out with flash on my S7. This picture was taken during the spawning event a couple of weeks ago.

    I can only speculate on what exactly she is trying to do but its definitely trying to spawn.

    [​IMG]
     
    SilentReefer and NatalieMadison like this.
  5. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    That is too cool! Is there any way to sex them? I have had two for about 1 1/2 years with no spawning. I guess it's possible I have two males or two females. That means......I need more RFA's!!!!!

    I will definitely buy some when you get ready to sell.
     
  6. Kim

    Kim Secretary Staff Member

    Hiya,

    Oohhhh, I've thought of getting a RFA. I love the colors.

    Kim/Benton, AR
     
  7. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    There don't seem to be any morphological features that can be used to tell them apart. Only way to know is when they finally spawn, atleast for now.

    Yeah, the colors and the hardiness of the organism is what got me hooked on them.
     
    graciesdad likes this.
  8. graciesdad

    graciesdad Treasurer Staff Member

    I love this tank!
     
  9. Beautiful!
     
  10. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    Thanks!

    A few moments ago, the pictured female above just released her babies. So far it looks to be roughly around 40 so far and she still is spewing out more. I expect atleast 75-100. A lot of posts I have read, stated that they would take several weeks to develop color. Mine appeared to be colored already. Several are clearly green and several are clearly orange/pink/red. They are about the size of a ball point on a ball point pen and some double that size.

    I've collected a few and put them in a confined area in the tank but I've also left some laying around with the mother. I'll see which has a higher survival rate.

    I don't think I'll get 40 to survive but if I do get that many from one female... that is going to be insane. I have 3 more for sure known females that also spawned recently, they are also much larger females too.

    My rock flower anemone population is going nuts...
     
  11. DCHarrington

    DCHarrington Vice President Staff Member

    That is just awesome!!! Pictures?
     
  12. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    I managed to snap a quick, extra low quality one before going back to work. I'll upload it once I get back. =)
     
  13. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Man, you are doing something right! If everyone could raise RF nemes the way you do they would be dirt cheap!
     
  14. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    Below is the poor photo. This is the same female that was displaying her eggs above. I've circled/dotted the babies for you. You can see some of them stretching out. The larger ones you can see the tentacles on. The smaller ones are balled up. There are more spread further out as well.

    I actually didn't know she was releasing them until I saw something white floating around in the tank and grabbed it with a pipet. Upon close observation, it was a red RFA baby and so I immediately looked around the tank and this female was going all out.

    I think the problem is getting them to all survive. One of my smallest females pushed some out early January with 8-10 or so but since then I only have two left that have gotten to a pencil eraser size. With a 1/5 ratio, I'm looking at just possibly 8-16 out of this female. However if I manage another 8-16 from the other 3 females, that is still going to be a lot of RFAs.

    Now I just sit and wait.


    [​IMG]
     
  15. xystic

    xystic Wrasse

    Here is something to help speed up a slow Tuesday. A progression pic of the RFA tank when it was a couple months in. Also a side view versus a top view photo. As you can see, the tank layout isn't completely flat. The gravel goes from 2 inches to almost 5 inches in the back.

    [​IMG]

    As of Today.

    [​IMG]


    I recently installed a Biopellet reactor and the brown algae has receded some and you can also see some cyano now as well. I'm not too worried though. Once my QT is ready, I'm going to get some anthelia & xenia. I've really been contemplating on a few zoas/palys but they are so pest prone and bryopsis infested. Those palys @Tlreefs really have me on the fence.
     
  16. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    I can't see the picture....and I really want to! :D
     
  17. Your tank is like a skittles commercial. 'Taste the rainbow.'
     
    huntindoc and NatalieMadison like this.

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