Corals , and mushrooms are not anemones. Colonial anemones are a another issue. You can
try to argue any rime or reason you want an aquarium is a stressful environment for most
of the large anemones particular the carpets, of which a Rose is. It is my fault to have
not be more clear and I should have not said anemones but carpet anemones, which are
almost all sexual. As Sanberg pointed out water chemistry and feeding, to include light
cycling, light type, high nutrient levels, all much different than on a coral reef. These
are always changing in a reef tank, which is a stress but where BTA's seem to better than
most.


Who said they keep growing large and larger with no limit. Most animals all have a limit,
that by no means requires a need for a carpet to split. Some carpets have been monitored
for almost 100 years. People seem to think that if it splits that means it is happy. The
only ones that has a mind set are those that seem to have to believe it must be happy.
Just like those with the mind set that anemone fish feed anemones. To often people like to
input anthropomorphic thoughts into animal behavior. Can BTA's go through longitudinal
fission in the wild, yes, but is very rare in nature as opposed to captive care, where it
is the main stay. Longitudinal fission is almost exclusive to captive systems in carpets.
BTA's do not need much food and most of its daily requirements are similar to corals due
to zoo's. As I said cloning { LF) is absent or very rare in host sea anemones par the
BTA in captivity, where it seems to point to stress.

Some info form the Breeder's Registry

"4. Species Specific Information



Entacmaea quadricolor. This species really did emerge as the star performer. Not only was
it much more likely to live a long life in an aquarium than any other species, but it was
also reported as reproducing readily.

E. quadricolor appears adaptable to a range of conditions, doing well under very high
lighting, but able to live under tube only lighting also in some set-ups. It can also live
with low, medium or high current, but would appear to favour medium or high. Reproduction
was often in response to a stress event, often reported in newly purchased specimens
recovering from the rigours of being shipped. It may be that the anemone having survived
what to it was a cataclysmic event, reproduces, to ensure survival of the species.

A drawback with this species is that it was often reported as a wanderer, prone to doing
damage to both its surroundings and itself as it moves around the aquarium. However, it
was also reported as staying in the same place for several years once it found a really
good spot. One example of this was a respondent who said his E. quadricolor liked a spot
where it was attached to the underside of an overhanging rock, but reaching out into the
tank in a position of high light and strong current. Knowing his anemone's preference for
this type of location, when it had to be moved to a new tank, the owner deliberately
created a similar type location in the new tank, and the anemone moved around the tank
until it found it, and then stayed put.

This anemone was referred to by a number of owners as hardy, and it appears that it is,
given a liveable environment. Although it is hardy by anemone standards, it must be
remembered that it still requires a good high quality environment.

If you combine all the above with the fact that this is an attractive anemone that has
also been reported as hosting a wide range of clownfish species, it really should be the
anemone of choice for most aquarists. Looked after properly it will reward its owner by
maintaining good health and possibly producing clones, and will also assist conservation
by reducing the removal of other species from reefs, which will likely die after a year or
two in an aquarium."

In this hobby one can make an arguement on about anything or demand data, that does not
make them correct. Ome could argue it is splitting because it has no or the wrong host
fish.

--
Boomer

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ! The Coral Realm
http://www.coralrealm.com



"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
: As corals grow, they split, so do mushrooms. Yes stress
: can cause reproductive behavior in a lot of creatures, but
: just because stress can cause reproductive behavior in
: creatures does not mean that if a creature is reproducing,
: it's because it is stressed.
:
: So what has been done to prove that anemones don't split
: unless it is stressed?
:
: Anemones don't keep growing larger and larger without some
: limit. You could argue that it gets so big that it's
: stressful for it to get enough food, so then it splits.
: You could argue that an anemone that grows to big for it's
: spot, split's because it's too stressfull for it to fit
: into the tight spot. But this kind of splitting should be
: considered normal, not a negative thing. And what about
: colonial anemones???
:
: I just don't buy into this mindset. I'd like to see some data.
:
:
: Wayne Sallee
: Wayne's Pets
:
:
:
: Boomer wrote on 4/1/2006 1:51 PM:
: "Feeding
: habits can cause the split as well. Water changes and major changes in
: chemistry can cause them to split"
:
: All stress related ;-)
: