Sebae tearing itself-HELP-

[chefjoeyp]

I bought this sebae anenome yesterday at my lfs. I put him in my 12g aquapod, here are my parameters
sand substrate
13lbs lr
sal: 1.025
ph: 8.2 - 8.3
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10
phosphate: 0
KH: 161ppm
calcium 440 ppm
in this tank besides the lr I have curlyQ anemone and 2 captive raised O clowns. (I had a hermit crab in there but moved him to my refug on my 100g tank a week ago, was getting mean) The sebae sems to be tearing in spots. I could not imagine this would be it splitting. She has been listless most of the day, I did a 2 gal water change and she has perked up a little, but I know how quickly they can die, I just had a bta die in my 100g 3 days ago, was fine then 4 hours laer was disintegrating (what a mess) Here are some pics, can anyone help.

 

[zanoshanox]

How long has the tank been set up?

 

[reef diver]

Well just so you no have you ever heard of chemical warfare. Well anemones are masters at it, and will keep it up until only one species is left, that may be your problem, especially because the tank is sooooooo small.

 

[reef diver]

Poor thing..........

 

[thomas712]

Here is what I see and think.
The anemone is badly bleached, this means that it has lost it's very important zooxanthellae. Not a good sign. Just based on the looks it never should have been purchased.
Pieces have been falling off already, not a good sign. I wonder how your LFS person collected it from the tank for sale, I'd be curious to know if it was damaged before arrival to LFS or during capture and bagging for you the customer. When you saw it at the LFS was it attached to anything? Did you see pieces before bringing it home?
The tentacles are all bunched up, as though in shock, acclimation shock. Not a good sign.
Sebae's don't split so its not a splitting event. They are also very delicate, so water needs to be perfect.
What about your lights? This is a high light demanding anemone, they simply do best under Metal Halides.
I also would not place it in with a tube anemone for fear of chemical warfare.
Before I go I'd like to show you a before and after of a Sebae.
First pic is how it was entered into the system, notice the lack of color, white is unhealthy, tentacles bunched up, but at least all in one piece.
Pic2: Then months after with feeding and proper lighting under 940 watts of lighting, a MH/VHO combo, its in perfect health.

 

[chefjoeyp]

I guess so far no one knows, chemical warfare? maybe. I have put a pic here, even though the tank is small, they are as far away as can be from one another. the sebae is in the sand (sorry older pic, the carpet is not there anymore, it was moved to my 100g) and the cury is hidden in a nook at the top of my rock. the tank cycled a bit over a year ago

 

[chefjoeyp]

I guess so far no one knows, chemical warfare? maybe. I have put a pic here, even though the tank is small, they are as far away as can be from one another. the sebae is in the sand (sorry older pic, the carpet is not there anymore, it was moved to my 100g) and the cury is hidden in a nook at the top of my rock. the tank cycled a bit over a year ago.
As for the lighting, I do not have the exact specs in front of me, but the aquapod was designed to house a reef, so the lighting is adaquate, in a 12g MH would be way too much. Also, her color is good, just the flash from the camera makes it look bleached. also, how do they reproduce if they don't split

 

[thomas712]

They usually reproduce by spawning, there have been a few cases where they have actually split but that is usually from heavy stress related incidents.

 

[fedukeford]

you should have never bought that anemone
1) it will easily out grow your tank
2) you dont have the right lighting
3) its hard to keep the water parimeters good enough for a seabe in a 12 gallon

 

[chefjoeyp]

not enough light? then what are these made for, it has dual daylight and dual actinic. It is specifically designed for reefs. and I don't think it will outgrow my tank as what is in there now is all there will be. and my water conditions are fine, they have been stable for over a year.

 

[maxalmon]

I think those cube systems are designed for a certain range of corals and it's a little misleading when they say "Reef Ready" the lighting is 24wx2=48/12= 4watts of light output per gallon, enought for most corals but from what I've learned not enought for anenomes to thrive. Unless you go with the HQI version with MH lighting....What part of Vegas are you in? ever do any trading?

 

[symon]

I do belive there are differant levels of reefs, yes you may have enough lighting for SOME, maybe even most things, But not near enough for a Seabee! Flash or no flash, there is some serious bleaching going on!
Not trying to flame you! Sounds like you have been at it awhile!
Good Luck with that one!

 

[maxalmon]

chemical warfare, I had never heard of this before. I learn something everyday

I've got a BTA and was getting ready to add a blue carpet, will this be a problem?...I've got plenty of MH lighting

 

[promisetbg]

Anemones should only be kept one specimen per system. Yes there is chemical warfare...even amongst corals.IE: leathers should not be kept with sps.
A 12 gal aquapod does not have enough lighting for most corals, and definately not for anemones,open brains,sps corals,torches,etc. Corals that will do well in this tank include zoanthids,mushrooms,clove and star polyps,ricordia, acanthastrea,blastomussa,trumpets,candy cane, and such lower light corals.Regardless of wts. per gallon...it is a minimal power compact system.

 

[chefjoeyp]

Thank you all for all the advice and info. There is a lot that I did not know. I do think that the thread has strayed from my orig question. What would cause her to "tear herself apart" I find it unusual now, as I have been up with her all night (geez am I hooked) and she is really fighting to stay alive, I even hand fed her zooplex earier and she took it. I am just going to try to nurse her back to health (if possible) then move her to my 100g where I have excellent MH lighting.
And for the person who lives in Vegas, I am very close to UNLV, and I have never done any trading but if the oppertunity came along I may.