Anemone deflated???

[meowzer]

has anyone ever had an anemone turn upside down, have its tentacles deflate, but its basse inflate?
It is fairly new to the tank (8 days) and it is still trying to find its spot. I have left it alone to do so, but this is the first time it has done this. It has deflated before, and within a few hours was back to looking great...is this just something anemone's do?

 

[peachie98]

Mine deflates every few days (usually a day after feeding)...not sure about yours since you said it's new but I'm sure it's just getting acclimated and as you said, finding it's spot.
I don't think I'd worry as long as it goes back to normal a while afterwards. I think they deflate to defecate as well.

 

[meowzer]

Well this is what it looked like this morning...I will try to attach a pic of top and bottom.

 

[perfectdark]

Well... I do not think your anemone is too happy. If I only saw your first pic I would say that it is either dead or dying. The second pic it looks slightly better but in no way content. How new is your tank? What are your water test results, salinity, alk, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH and temp? What type of lighting do you have, type and wattage? Is this a reef tank or FO tank?

 

[meowzer]

My tank is only going on 4 months old (may be too new) I am expecting to receive a refractometer in the mail today because my salinity is questionable...I tested 1.023 and when I brought my water to the lfs they tested 1.018....My PH is 8.2, ammonia 0, temp rens about 82, my nitrites and nitrates I am not sure of since I am not at home right now, but I know they were not 0, but not over 10. Not sure about alk. I just recently added some live plants (shaving brush, halimeda) thay are supposed to help with nitrites. It is a fish only tank, but I do have a yellow gorgonian in it. My fish are doing great. I have a cortez ray, and a chocolate chip star (among others) that seem very energetic and healthy.
Lighting is a 72" coralife lunar aqualight...10,000K bulbs, and the actinic ones too. I was told that this light would be plenty good for this.

 

[perfectdark]

Well adjusting your salinity is key if you have an anemone. 1.018 is low even for a FO tank. However your major issue is your lighting and tank maturity. Unfortunately what you were told was incorrect. You do not have even close to enough light for that animal. They require intense lighting for your tank that would mean at least HO-t5's or Metal Halides. This animal will die for sure... FYI your gorgonian is a non photosynthetic type and needs to be spot fed regularly, as this is its only source of food. GL.

 

[meowzer]

I am feeding the gorgonian a liquid food (zooplankton etc.) The weird thing about the light is I have met a few people who have the same lighting andhave anemones that are doing great....I have seen lights that look like spot lights....can you suggest something like that, and I can put it in a specific spot in the aquarium....

 

[perfectdark]

First there are a few unknowns for me to believe 100% that the people who have their anemones under these lights are indeed successful in keeping them.
These are very blanket statements, to give better insight into how or if the anemones are under the correct conditions, more information is needed.
First what kind of anemones are we talking about. Yours appears to be a haitian anemone, AKA condylactus. This is an Atlantic species of anemone, and is one of the most hardy species to have. However they need very intense lighting to proper water perameters and a stable environment to survive. For your scenario there is little you can do at this time to help it. Anemones have the ability to roam where they want, so while I would suggest placing the animal very close to the top of your tank, if it is sick or stressing then it will not attach to anything and end up tumbling around your tank. And all that can stress it even more. The lighting you have is not ideal for most anemones and assuming your tank is 18" or more in height there is IMO no anemone that should be in there. However there has been success with your type of lighting and a bubble tip anemone. The catch is, the lighting you have will not be intense enough to penetrate the water enough for the animal to get what it needs from it past 10" or so. You have basically limited it to the upper portions of your tank. Anemones are not very smart, and there is no guarantee that it will stay up there, if it moves lower in your tank it will be in trouble. I dont know what type of anemones the other people you mention have, but their tank height plays a critical role in the light type and intensity. Also success with these animals cannot be in days, weeks, or months, but rather years. I have had my Bubble tip in my tank for a year and a half. And I will not consider it a success story until it reaches the 2 yr mark.
Im not sure what tank you have the anemone in, the 225 or the 54, and I further do not know what the height of each tank is. But if the height is 10" or less the light you have is sufficient (not likely the case) if its 24" or less then my suggestion would be HO-t5's and anything over that metal halide, (prob the spot light looking lights you were referring too) HTH Good luck.

 

[meowzer]

Thanks for all the advice, my tank is actually 30" deep, (and this is the 225 gallon) so I see what you say about placing at the top, and yes I know they roam, and will tumble as you put it. When I first got it, I put it on top, and it climbed down, and has been on the move since then. I guess if I want to have an anemone, I will have to look into a spotlight for one part of the tank. Somewhere I have seen something like that....How much light do you think I need if I do it that way???

 

[meowzer]

What if I were to add something like a 24" Metal halide light on one side of the tank? That would be another 250W of lighting....Could that work?
p.s. what does IMO mean??

 

[kingsmith]

In My Opinion

 

[meowzer]

thanks....lol

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2760813
What if I were to add something like a 24" Metal halide light on one side of the tank? That would be another 250W of lighting....Could that work?
p.s. what does IMO mean??
Yes a metal halide light would work, they typically have a light spread of 24"x24" square @24" deep. So your question, would that light be enough for it to live under? My answer is Yes it would. However there is no guarantee that the animal will stay in that small 2'x2' area designated for it.
IMO = In My Opinion....

A lot of what I say I state IMO or ME, my experience. There is always the stray story of how some one claims success, and totally contradicts what I may have given advise on. Because I have not seen every scenario that there is nor have I seen the scenario that may put my statements credibility on the line, I feel it safe to say IMO. If I dont then be assured I have used published research to state my information with.
If you want to light the entire tank then my suggestion would be 3- 400 watt metal halides. 1200 watts total and enough light to reach all areas of your tank.

 

[meowzer]

Well thanks for everything, after looking at those lights, I think it will be a while before I can get them. So, maybe if this anemone is dead, I think I had better not get another one until I can get a better light.

 

[yearofthenick]

you know he's dead when he starts to disintegrate.

 

[meowzer]

Hey I just checked with my friend, and he has a carpet anemone for 3 years, it is 14" in diameter..now he has a smaller tank that is 24" deep though....he has the same lighting as me. LET'S JUST SAY lighting is an issue....would my anemone die within 7 days...wouldn't it take longer???

 

[meowzer]

Got my refractometer...water tests at 1.025....I tested my nitrites and they are high like 50...and nitrates between 5-10.....I have added amquel +, and also stability...ammonia 0...ph looks like 7.8 MAYBE 8 but I have to try to judge it by the color strip...I do not have a ph meter yet...maybe another week or two....Anemone still seems to be alive, I got it out of the cave, and put it on a rock to see what happens...any suggestions on the trites and trates

 

[perfectdark]

There is a species of carpet that is capable of being kept under PC or Flourescent lighting.

Its the only one... other than the BTA and there are factors in keeping a BTA under them. Different species of anemone have different lighting requirements, mixed with tank height makes for a very varied selection but still specific to each species.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2761358
Got my refractometer...water tests at 1.025....I tested my nitrites and they are high like 50...and nitrates between 5-10.....I have added amquel +, and also stability...ammonia 0...ph looks like 7.8 MAYBE 8 but I have to try to judge it by the color strip...I do not have a ph meter yet...maybe another week or two....Anemone still seems to be alive, I got it out of the cave, and put it on a rock to see what happens...any suggestions on the trites and trates
When is the last time you did a water change? I would get a large one ready 20% or so, keep testing trites and trates. The fact that you have trites is a bit disturbing and it is a good possibiliy this could be one of the reasons why your anemone is not doing well.

 

[meowzer]

well I have not done a significant change since my tank isn't very old. I have added water from evaporation...I do not know why the trites are up...ammonia has never been anything but 0...So the chemicals...amquel+ and the stability will not help...you think I should do a good water change? Then, if I do this, when I add the new water, do I mix with salt first???? Anyway, my salinity is ok??