Behavior of Anemone

[cher]

I have a fairly new (3 months) reef tank. In this tank I have a small long tentacle Pacific anemone and a medium sized Pacific carpet anemone. These go through changes each day (if not several times a day) where they shrink up and look like they are sick but then open back up beautifully. This has been going on since I got them, about two months ago. Is this normal behavior? are they sick? etc. thanks.

 

[thebatcave]

Is it possible that they are being agitated by something in the tank such as fish cabs or other things?

 

[krazzydart]

they are just digesting food... also be sure you feed them every week with brine shrimp or some kind of food>>>>>

 

[chadster]

I have had my anemone for quite some time and it does the same thing every now and then. I agree with krazzydart, it's probably feeding. I feed mine once a week with some silversides. It closes up and in a couple of hours opens up with brilliance as if to say ahh.......that was good.

 

[mkorszo]

i feed mine 2 times a week a goldfish

 

[trigga]

I fed mine 1 krill a week it loves it! Also, I recently upgraded to PC's and the anemone almost doubled in size (LTA).

 

[clwhite]

I have had my anonome for abot 7 months and the first 4 it looked great, lately it has been shrinking up badly ??????

 

[cher]

I don't have enough experience to know what might irritate them. The water tests fine. A cleaner shrimp likes to hang out around the carpet, the porcelain crab loved hanging out with him until he lost his legs (see separate post) and I had a maroon and yellow clown that liked both Pacific anemones - he was badgered to death by a vicious yellow tailed damsel who now lives in a tank by himself. I credit him with the death of several fish.

 

[cher]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The long tentacle anenome had a jelly like substance rising from his body this weekend and had shrunk to something unrecognizable so he's history now. The carpet still comes and goes. Any time I've tried to feed him directly - he takes the fish but later spits it back out. Maybe I need to try something different. What are PCs? Any chance the eats fish in my tank that aren't intended for him? I found a 4 inch long goby dead around which he had wrapped his body but then he let him lose?? I have mysteriously lost five chromis' - I don't buy them anymore. thanks for the help

 

[chuck]

PC's are power compacts. Small, intense lights.

 

[mkorszo]

give us info on your tank what kind of lighting do you have????

 

[halide]

When anenomes shrink and then reinflate there doing a water change and this is also a way to get rid of waste.If there doing this often there is probable something awry with your water parameters check PH,alkalinity,Cal,phosphates,nitrates if the carpet is two months old lighting shouldnt be the problem.Also do you have good waterflow anenomes need this to bring them oxygen and to carry away there wastes.Hope this helps

 

[livi79]

How far apart are your anemones? Just to be in a safe side, you better put them on oposite sides of the tank. Sometimes anemones shoot out stings to kill nearby corals.