Is there a way to encourage splitting in anemone's w/o hurting them?

[Aerinah]

Just curious if you could "encourage" splitting in anemone's or if it is something they just do from time to time. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I recently had one of my bubble-tips split and was curious to see if it was from outside stimulation or just part of their natural cycle of things. I have been told if you feed them too often they will split. Also that if you stress them out they will split... and a few other interesting stories; just curious to find out was is true and what are "old wives tales." Thanks for any information! Happy holidays!

Aerinah

[defigart]

I have heard of people "cutting them". I put it in quotes because I don't know what is involved exactly. I have heard/read that any extreme conditions will encouage them to split as well.

[josh]

I can't remember the link, but I bet if you searched you could find it. There was somebody who had bubble tip anemones and was doing some experiments. He would feed them everyday for a week or two, then he would do a large water change, and something like 80% of his anemones would split. Seemed reproducible. stress will definitaly bring on splitting.

[reefboy]

I've cut one in half with a scalpal when it moved onto the glass and it worked fine just make sure its doing well before doing this, as a note mine split fairly regularly so this was just a experiment but it works also ive only done this with a rose bubble tip not on any others.

[Ronjunior]

I had mine go through my Koralia last night. I can't say how many pieces he's in, but I only found a couple chunks left, about 1 inch with the largest piece. I'll let you know how many pieces make it.

[Aerinah]

Not sure "Cutting them in 1/2" was my idea of encouragement LOL... thanks for the ideas but I don't want to take the chance of killing them by doing that... I'm not that brave :)

Any other ideas like the feeding and water change method?? I could live with doing something along those lines. Let me know?

[Nyles]

I have seen people cut them, and what seems to work better is poor water quality, I take mine to the LFS store and the salinity and water quality difference makes them split like clockwork.

[dsoz]

I have cut a green BTA with a razor blade. It went OK. One half didn't heal up very well, and the other half met an uncovered powerhead a month later when it was in a temporary holding bucket while I was doing an emergency tank transfer out of a tank that was leaking.

If you start feeling brave look at these pages http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic24714-13-1.aspx from marinedepot. Anthony Calfo is trying to encourage people into making anemone farms to decrease our dependence on the ocean. I think it is a great idea.

dsoz

[Newreefer02]

very interesting stuff here guy's im going to have to try this with my bubble