Anemone Help

[AmandaYoung]

My husband and I just started a reef aquarium. After establishing water specs and adding live rock, we're about 4 weeks in, we added coral and anemones yesterday. The fish store guy said our water sample was perfect...

We're wondering:
What kind of anemones we have?
Does the purple one look okay?

Thank you for your help!

 

[AmandaYoung]

Those were pictures after we first placed them. These are current pictures...

 

[DaveK]

Identification of anemones, even with pictures can be difficult. Off hand I believe you have a Malu Seabae Anemone. The anemone also looks very white. It is possible that it may have lost it's symbiotic algae. This effect is called bleaching. I can't be completely sure about this because one photo shows it from the bottom and the other shows it in very blue light.

This should have never been sold to you. Anemones require top quality water, excellent lighting and well established tanks. Typically you want a tank running for about a year before you even consider and anemone. In addition this is not considered an easy anemone to keep. I recommend you return it to your LFS.

 

[Brien]

Anemones need stable water parameters and a 4-week old tank is too new. Not much you can do at this point but monitor your water parameters religiously.

 

[AmandaYoung]

We'll, that's disheartening... but we can't take it back. So any helpful advice on how to keep it alive would be welcome!

 

[AmandaYoung]

Identification of anemones, even with pictures can be difficult. Off hand I believe you have a Malu Seabae Anemone. The anemone also looks very white. It is possible that it may have lost it's symbiotic algae. This effect is called bleaching. I can't be completely sure about this because one photo shows it from the bottom and the other shows it in very blue light.

This should have never been sold to you. Anemones require top quality water, excellent lighting and well established tanks. Typically you want a tank running for about a year before you even consider and anemone. In addition this is not considered an easy anemone to keep. I recommend you return it to your LFS.

It's off-white and tan, with purple tips. We tried to move it to the sand bed, but it seemed happier on the rock, so we put it back on the rock. We're going to leave it there and see what happens. Any suggestions on how to keep it healthy?

 

[Coraljunkie]

It's off-white and tan, with purple tips. We tried to move it to the sand bed, but it seemed happier on the rock, so we put it back on the rock. We're going to leave it there and see what happens. Any suggestions on how to keep it healthy?

I would leave it be and monitor it. Once it finds a spot you can try feeding it some mysis.

 

[DaveK]

It's off-white and tan, with purple tips. We tried to move it to the sand bed, but it seemed happier on the rock, so we put it back on the rock. We're going to leave it there and see what happens. Any suggestions on how to keep it healthy?

As I have stated, your best course of action is to return it to your LFS. I don't recommend "...leave it there and see what happens". I'm not trying to beat up on you because your new. Everyone was new once and made a lot of mistakes. However, you have a new tank, and no experience. Your chances for success are extremely low, and a dead anemone can really create a mess in the tank. Do yourself a favor and avoid these pitfalls. Another alternative is to sell or give it away to someone that has an established tank with excellent lighting.

I am not saying never get an anemone. After a year or so and the tank is well established and you have some experience, then consider an anemone.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

a good read...
http://www.karensroseanemones.net/