Anyone ever try feeding Anemones?

[reefseal]

On my last dive, saw a cool Northern Red Anemone. There were also tons of urchins all over the pink granite rocks. The anemones grab the urchin and close their tentacles around them. (see picture) I guess they spit out the skeleton afterwards (and burp)

Andrew J. Marinez Photography: Northern Red Anemone,capturing urchin

Has anyeone ever tried to feed an Anemone an Urchin? Not sure if this would be environmentally PC no no but would be cool to see.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Nice shot!

 

[reefseal]

I see a lot of them closed.. Does it mean they are digesting and not feeding? (Full and about to burp?) Where are the Anemone experts?

 

[spectrum]

I see a lot of them closed.. Does it mean they are digesting and not feeding? (Full and about to burp?) Where are the Anemone experts?

Good question. based on these readings(below) it sounds like the retracted anemone is probably not interested in feeding or is avoiding current or other dangers. I don't see a correlation between retraction and digestion but they are 3 skimpy internet features so it's still sketchy. There are a few here that will find your question and set us all straight.

Pete

Frilled anemone: Information from Answers.com

Anemones and Corals: Anthozoa - Frilled Anemone (metridium Senile): Species Accounts

Metridium senile The Frilled Anemone The Frilled Anemone

 

[fencingfish]

I've fed coral in Key Largo on a night dive. You can hold a light over them and the small planktonic critters in the water swarm your light and the coral will feast. I've fed hydra brine shrimp in lab, but never a sea urchin and never underwater. I feel like if you tried to feed it an urchin, it would just retract to avoid getting its soft body punctured.

 

[reefduffer]

We took a "marine biology for dummies" type seminar given by a local UCSD retired professor, organized by the LDS. Part of it was a trip to the tide pools at Cabrillo national monument at low tide. We've gone tide-pooling before, but figured we'd learn something, which we did.

The professor brought along a bag of cut-up shrimp, handed out portions of it, and showed us how to feed the anemones exposed by the tide. Kind of cool, actually.

Then the park ranger spotted it and said we had to stop (no feeding the wildlife, please), making for an interesting interaction between this 20-something slip of a girl in the Smokey Bear hat vs. this 70-ish retired full professor of marine biology. I won't say who prevailed.

 

[edasque]

I've fed anemones with frozen feeder fish before (small silver fish). That was in my fish tank, they love it.