Tube Anemone Acclimation HELP

[scgator]

I just got my shipment form SWF.com. The only thing that concerns me is the purple tube anemone. Is it common for them to be so flacid? He looks limp and lifeless. The tenticles are short and stringy and there was some kind of mucus floating in the bag. I'm drip acclimating for 5 hours. Do I need to do anything special for him? Everything else is starting to show some life.

 

[scgator]

bump

 

[nereef]

anemones often look deflated when they are pulled from the shipping bag. if it's dead it will smell horrible. it may still be fine, or not.

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by scgator
I just got my shipment form SWF.com. The only thing that concerns me is the purple tube anemone. Is it common for them to be so flacid? He looks limp and lifeless. The tenticles are short and stringy and there was some kind of mucus floating in the bag. I'm drip acclimating for 5 hours. Do I need to do anything special for him? Everything else is starting to show some life.

That is normal. That might be a little long with acclimation. I bag floated and 30 min dripped both of mine and all was fine. Tube worms are hardy.
Mc

 

[reefkprz]

the mucous floating in the bag is normal. 5 hour acclimation is plenty. make sure you have a deep enough substrate for the anemone to be comfortable 6" of sand is minimum IMO, if you dont have that much sand is fairly easy to make a depth tube take a piece of 4"PVC and cut it the length you need. insert the anemone then fill sand gently around it. then pile some rocks around the PVC to hide it. despite their reputation as hunterkillers (I used to think they were) they are actually one of the least likly to eat fish. they primarily filter feed. but they do have a long reach and can damage corals. moderate flow is required to keep the tentacles drifting but dont blast it with flow... you know the drill, treat it like and LPS.

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
the mucous floating in the bag is normal. 5 hour acclimation is plenty. make sure you have a deep enough substrate for the anemone to be comfortable 6" of sand is minimum IMO, if you dont have that much sand is fairly easy to make a depth tube take a piece of 4"PVC and cut it the length you need. insert the anemone then fill sand gently around it. then pile some rocks around the PVC to hide it. despite their reputation as hunterkillers (I used to think they were) they are actually one of the least likly to eat fish. they primarily filter feed. but they do have a long reach and can damage corals. moderate flow is required to keep the tentacles drifting but dont blast it with flow... you know the drill, treat it like and LPS.

Good point, be very thoughtful when you place him, he will anchor in and sting anything in a 6-8 inch circle. Once anchored, almost impossible to remove. I wish I would of done the PVC thing.
Mc

 

[scgator]

He looked flacid until I put him in the tank. I put him where I wanted him and lightly covered him with sand and viola!

We have atube anemone and not a poop.
I didn't do the pvc because the potable water pipe I had laying around the garage floats. In my test runs I would put various sized rocks on it only to have it float to the top after varying lengths of time. The sand is about 5-6 inches deep throughout. His corner is probably more like 7 inches or so. Special for him.
His position was chosen carefully both for present inhabitants and with respect to what I want to add in the future. He seems to like where he's at so hopefully we have a good fit. Thanks for the advice.
-Chris

 

[perfectdark]

They are pretty hardy.. and along with the fish killer myth they are actually not anemones at all FYI. I love mine.

 

[reefkprz]

Arachnanthus nocturnus, the Tube-Dwelling Anemone... is actually not a "true" anemone (Order Actinaria), but a close relative to Black Corals (same Order, Ceriantharia). three points for PerfectDark.