Anemone food help needed!

meeks101

Member
HELP!!! My anemone is becoming smaller and smaller and is eventually going to die! I tried to feed it several times but would not eat anything I offered! It looks fine except it is a little smaller. I tried offering it squid, shrimp, and mussel but would not eat anthing! I don't even think it new food was there! But I stuffed it all the way in it's mouth! It is a medium sized rose anemone! Someone please help!!!
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
i wouldnt jam it in its mouth...just put the food in the tentacles make sure the pieces are not larger than its mouth...it will eventually feed it to the mouth
 

robdog696

Member
First of all, you have probably damaged its mouth by "jamming it in there". It's doubtful he will eat any time soon after that. Second, it sounds to me like your lighting is not enough. The purpose of eating in an anemone is simply to create CO2 which is needed for photosynthesis to occur. The majority of an anemones strength is gained from the more essential component to photosynthesis, light energy. So even if you are feeding your anemone very well, which it sounds like you probably are, if it is not getting enough light then the food isn't doing it any good. It could be refusing the food because it is "full" or it could be refusing the food because it doesn't have the strength to digest it. Digestion requires the most energy of any function an anemone can perform, as it's been explained to me. I'd really like to know what size tank you have, what type of lighting you have on it, how many hours a day you run the lights, and how long your tank has been set up. Also if you can include a picture, or describe the color of your anemone when you purchased it and now it would be of some help.
 

invertcrazy

Member
Originally Posted by Robdog696
http:///forum/post/2711031
First of all, you have probably damaged its mouth by "jamming it in there". It's doubtful he will eat any time soon after that. Second, it sounds to me like your lighting is not enough. The purpose of eating in an anemone is simply to create CO2 which is needed for photosynthesis to occur. The majority of an anemones strength is gained from the more essential component to photosynthesis, light energy. So even if you are feeding your anemone very well, which it sounds like you probably are, if it is not getting enough light then the food isn't doing it any good. It could be refusing the food because it is "full" or it could be refusing the food because it doesn't have the strength to digest it. Digestion requires the most energy of any function an anemone can perform, as it's been explained to me. I'd really like to know what size tank you have, what type of lighting you have on it, how many hours a day you run the lights, and how long your tank has been set up. Also if you can include a picture, or describe the color of your anemone when you purchased it and now it would be of some help.
+1
Try feeding your shrimp first then feed your anemone.
what are you feeding the anemone?
 

meeks101

Member
I don't feed it alot because it will never eat, it is acctually a green tube anemone but is in the rose familly. It is pinkish on the tentacles but on the top of the tentacles it's green. I have power compact lights wich are really very bright but not as bright as metal halide lights.
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by meeks101
http:///forum/post/2711331
I don't feed it alot because it will never eat, it is acctually a green tube anemone but is in the rose familly. It is pinkish on the tentacles but on the top of the tentacles it's green. I have power compact lights wich are really very bright but not as bright as metal halide lights.
If its a tube anemone then its not really an anemone at all, not related to the rose family sorry to say, I have never actually heard of the "rose family". It is not of the Cnidaria family. It is in fact a cerianthid, a NON photosynthetic invertebrate. It is best suited in a deep sand bed where its tube can extend out. It is a filter feeder but should readily accept any and all meaty raw marine foods, as stated jamming it in its mouth is a very bad idea. More info on your tank is needed and a picture would be most beneficial. These are nocturnal animals and are more comfortable when the lights are off. This is when they should be fully open and feeding. Water perameters?
 

cranberry

Active Member
Does he not react when you hold food against it!!!! Mine would never stay "out" for that and would instantly run to the back end of his tube. Food I place on it's tentacles is IMMEDIATELY brought to the mouth. The pepps would not be able to catch it. It sounds like there's something wrong with the tube. Is it new?
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/2711444
Does he not react when you hold food against it!!!! Mine would never stay "out" for that and would instantly run to the back end of his tube. Food I place on it's tentacles is IMMEDIATELY brought to the mouth. The pepps would not be able to catch it. It sounds like there's something wrong with the tube. Is it new?
Due to the conflicting information here I think we need to first establish if it is really a tube anemone...Except for the OP saying in the last post that it is a tube anemone. All other information is leading in the direction of a Cnidaria. I am slightly confused.
 

meeks101

Member
It is not a tube anemone! It is a green bubble! I guess I accidently put green tube. E. quadricolor is it's scientific name! Also called the Bulb Tentacle Anemone. Also called the Maroon Sea Anemone. It has alot of different names.
 

cranberry

Active Member
LOL... sorry about that chief. I read the word tube anemone somewhere. Y'all need some avatars so the blonde can differentiate better :)
 

meeks101

Member
Yeah, I don't know why it's doing this! It's going to die if it keeps this up! It's already starting to shrink!!! I'm so worried about it!
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by meeks101
http:///forum/post/2711449
It is not a tube anemone! It is a green bubble! I guess I accidently put green tube. E. quadricolor is it's scientific name! Also called the Bulb Tentacle Anemone. Also called the Maroon Sea Anemone. It has alot of different names.
Ok then...things are clearer now. Size makes no difference on the health of the animal. They are capable of shrinking down very small and then expanding again. As far as a healthy specimen is goes, a picture of yours is needed. I do feel that your light is lacking no matter how bright it is. The fact that it is PC lighting is the issue. Your chances of survival under PC lighting is better with a bta as opposed to other species however it is still a gamble. Some do ok some dont. Your anemone should respond to the light, when they come on it should inflate with water and look full and open. Do not force feed it, offer it small pieces of marine food raw, finely chopped or minced and administered with a turkey baster type utensil. If it is hungry it will accept it, if not it will let the food slide out of its tenticles. More info about your tank would be helpful to see if there are other issues. How old is the tank, how long has it been set up for? What is your water chemistry, alk, pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites? Specific numbers are needed as these animals are delicate and require specific perameters. HTH.
 

cranberry

Active Member
LOL... sorry about that chief. I read the word tube anemone somewhere. Y'all need some avatars so the blonde can differentiate better :)
EDIT: I saw your last post too late. I thought I was just having a blonde moment.
 

meeks101

Member
No! No! NO! You don't understand! I know about the shrinking and stuff, I'm not talking about that! The general size! And anyways it's still not eating!!! It's been this size for awile. I'm fully aware of the puffing out and in stuff. But this is actual shrinking!!!
 

kingsmith

Member
How long have you had it?? I have had my anenome a while and it seems to got hrough cycles of shrinking to 1/8 of its normal size, I think this is in sink with its digesting because when he is small he lets out an brown slime
 
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