Help with Macrodactyla doreensis behavior

[nancd777]

I purchased a small (2" across) Macrodactyla doreensis (or so "they" labeled it) because the two Maroon clowns that I wanted were very attached to the little thing. The anemone has settled itself inside a rock "cave" of sorts and has not come out for three days. It still looks the same light brown/tan color it did when purchased 1 week ago with no apparent melt down and occasionally I can see the tentacles waving a bit. I'm attempting to feed it brine shrimp with garlic and Vita Chem but its difficult to squirt the food into the rock crevice. The Clownfish seemed to worry the anemone to death so (I assume) that's why it hid. I placed a Power head near the anemone with moderate water force blowing over it and out the other side of the rock hole. We do water changes once a week. Our 30 gallon tank has about 50 to 75# (probably more I'm guessing) of live rock with Mushroom corals, Xenias, and other SPS. Our lighting is at least 4 daylight bulbs 6500K each. There is a very small Coris Wrasse and one very old yellow Tang as well as the two tiny Maroon clownfish. I thought the anemone needed light so why is it hiding? Any suggestions to improve life for the little thing? Thanks.

 

[spanko]

Here is some info from wetwebmedia.
"Moving around with this species is not a good sign... A "happy" Corkscrew Anemone attaches to/through the sand and stays put. If yours is moving, it's time to be checking your lighting, feeding regimen, water quality...
This species is almost always found in shallow water (5 meters or less in depth) and thus one might consider that it requires high intensity, red-spectrum shifted light... And this is indeed so. Metal halides are suggested, though in moderate water depths... let's say half a meter or so (20 nominal inches), boosted fluorescents of sufficient wattage should do. Incandescent temperatures of 6,700 to 10,000 Kelvin are suggested.
They live in... muddy, silty, mucky muck... with some soft sand. NOT sharp sand, crushed coral, aragonite, silica..., but roundish coral sand... And NOT sterile sand either... In sufficient depths (six inches) that the animal can (and will!) pull itself completely under/into, should it be frightened. You need to supply a similar habitat.
And where does having all this mud (miraculous or not) get you? You might think, "Well, terrible water quality", but nay, exactly the opposite! And similarly, these animals don't appreciate much in the way of free/solubilized nutrient... read this as no detectable phosphate, little nitrate... In other words, and subjectively evaluated, "great water quality" is required.
Given a high happiness-index, LTAs are not given to detaching, moving about... however, a very high percentage of specimens are lost due to such errant behavior, getting sucked into or against powerheads, intakes, overflows... All these must be arranged to prevent such a tragedy... with proper screening and redundancy.

 

[nancd777]

Thanks for the info. It seems to be what I've been reading but more detail and I appreciate that. My anemone isn't moving. It has hidden itself UNDER the rocks and in a little cave away from the light and away from the clownfish. It did move there all by itself the night I put the power head water flow on it. I was wondering how long I should leave it undistrubed and without much light? Thanks again!

 

[spanko]

You should not try to move it at all. Let it find its own space.