T
thomas712
Guest
Choosing a healthy Anemone
Not my work folks, but I thought I'd place it here for for some of you that are looking to purchase an Anemone.
Many successful anemone keepers attribute their success to obtaining a healthy anemone at the store in the first place. Some species of Anemones can be poor shippers, and they are especially prone to bacterial infection or stress-related damage. A reputable, experienced retailer often takes this into consideration, and has special tanks set up specifically to handle anemones.
What does a healthy anemone look like?
General Appearance
Healthy anemones are full, firm and out in the open. They are not shrunken, soft, or hiding in the rocks, except when going through the process of expelling waste or during the time lights are off. If the anemone doesn’t look “right” to you, trust your instincts and come back to look at the anemone another day to see if it has perked up. Do not buy a sickly-looking anemone in the hopes that it will do better in your system at home.
Color
You should know the natural coloration of the species of anemone you are interested in.
Look for an anemone that is properly colored.
Healthy clown anemones are all photosynthetic creatures, and zooxanthellae is brown in color, so there is no such thing as a healthy non-pigmented anemone. The absence of zooxanthellae is called bleaching, and can be caused by stress to the anemone, or lack of suitable lighting. A bleached anemone will require specialized care until it can grow its zooxanthellae back – a process which will take 3 months or longer even in the best conditions. There are several species of Anemones that are clear or white in color, so it is important to know what their true color is when purchasing them.
Mouth
The mouth of the anemone should be tightly closed. It should not be gaping open (wide open and loose), which is usually the sign of stress. Although Anemones will excrete waste through their only opening, which is also their mouth, thus their mouth can be open at times. It is most important that they are able to close their mouths properly and their are no tears on its body.
Foot
The most important factor of looking at the health of an Anemone is to check the foot (pedal base) of the anemone. It should be whole and undamaged, and should be attached to a rock, the substrate, or the side of the aquarium. Be sure to look closely at the bottom of the foot and inspect it for any tears which will look like a balloon expelling air or white/yellow bubbles or threads that have balled up, which is a sign of repair. Foot lacerations can be deadly to an anemone. If an anemone is attached to a piece of live rock, definitely buy the rock
with the anemone, rather than risk damage to the foot by attempting to remove it. Only an experienced hobbyist should attempt to remove an Anemone from its place on rock or glass.
Feeding Response
Ask the retailer to feed the anemone while you watch. A healthy Anemone will react to the presence of food.
Not my work folks, but I thought I'd place it here for for some of you that are looking to purchase an Anemone.
Many successful anemone keepers attribute their success to obtaining a healthy anemone at the store in the first place. Some species of Anemones can be poor shippers, and they are especially prone to bacterial infection or stress-related damage. A reputable, experienced retailer often takes this into consideration, and has special tanks set up specifically to handle anemones.
What does a healthy anemone look like?
General Appearance
Healthy anemones are full, firm and out in the open. They are not shrunken, soft, or hiding in the rocks, except when going through the process of expelling waste or during the time lights are off. If the anemone doesn’t look “right” to you, trust your instincts and come back to look at the anemone another day to see if it has perked up. Do not buy a sickly-looking anemone in the hopes that it will do better in your system at home.
Color
You should know the natural coloration of the species of anemone you are interested in.
Look for an anemone that is properly colored.
Healthy clown anemones are all photosynthetic creatures, and zooxanthellae is brown in color, so there is no such thing as a healthy non-pigmented anemone. The absence of zooxanthellae is called bleaching, and can be caused by stress to the anemone, or lack of suitable lighting. A bleached anemone will require specialized care until it can grow its zooxanthellae back – a process which will take 3 months or longer even in the best conditions. There are several species of Anemones that are clear or white in color, so it is important to know what their true color is when purchasing them.
Mouth
The mouth of the anemone should be tightly closed. It should not be gaping open (wide open and loose), which is usually the sign of stress. Although Anemones will excrete waste through their only opening, which is also their mouth, thus their mouth can be open at times. It is most important that they are able to close their mouths properly and their are no tears on its body.
Foot
The most important factor of looking at the health of an Anemone is to check the foot (pedal base) of the anemone. It should be whole and undamaged, and should be attached to a rock, the substrate, or the side of the aquarium. Be sure to look closely at the bottom of the foot and inspect it for any tears which will look like a balloon expelling air or white/yellow bubbles or threads that have balled up, which is a sign of repair. Foot lacerations can be deadly to an anemone. If an anemone is attached to a piece of live rock, definitely buy the rock
with the anemone, rather than risk damage to the foot by attempting to remove it. Only an experienced hobbyist should attempt to remove an Anemone from its place on rock or glass.
Feeding Response
Ask the retailer to feed the anemone while you watch. A healthy Anemone will react to the presence of food.
