Name that anemone!!

[rebekwl]

Hello everyone, thanks for all of your input.

I finally got the entire SW test kit today and my water peremeters seem to be pretty decent:
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-20ppm
Salinity-1.023
pH-8.2
Sounds pretty good huh!?!

My hubby and I have talked about our anemone situation, and I think we are going to keep it. Our water has approved tremendously, and my trusted LFS (over 30 yrs. experience) said that it will probably be fine. He said that condys are generally pretty hardy and it had a good chance of surviving. We're going to listen to him and keep our fingers crossed.

It looks alot better since moving. It's alot bigger than I thought it was, so I'm pretty sure it moved because it outgrew the hole in the rock it called home. It's grown ALOT since I bought it a few weeks ago.

I tried to give it a pice of raw shrimp the other day, and it spit it out. Any clue why it would do that?? I gave it a whole small shrimp, too much? I will try cutting it in 1/2 when I feed it tomorrow. Is feeding every 3 days, ok, as long as there is a variety, or would every other day be better??? I deffinitely don't want to kill it by overfeeding it.


I checked on the lights, there are 4 15w power compacts. I did not see anything about the kelvin rating though. They look ALOT brighter than the lights in either if my fresh water tanks. I know the guy that had the tank before us used it to grow plants. I will have to check into the halide and T5s for the anemone, and hopefully will eventually be able to have some hard corals and more light demanding specimens. I REALLY want a clam one day, so I will deffinitely have to check into the lighting situation!!

What exactly is zooxanthellea? I have seen it expell a slimy brown substance, thought maybe that's what it was. I've only seen it do this once though, about a week ago, not sure what it does when I'm not home. Does it seem pretty healthy? I swear it's grown 3x the size it used to be!!

I have to wonder too, about the splitting. I was reading a thread the other day (not sure who's, sorry) where the guy was so excitied about his anemone splitting, so "im thinking this is a grea thing. But then I read on here where it can be caused by stress. How do they reproduce if not by splitting, and when can you tell whether or not it is from stress??

Thanks to all, I appreciate your advice as always!!

 

[cheeks69]

What exactly is zooxanthellea?

zooxanthellae- a microscopic yellow-green alga that lives symbiotically within the cells of some marine invertebrates, especially corals.

Eric Borneman:

Zooxanthellae are acquired by corals in two ways: first, they may be given a "starter culture" by the parent if the parent colony broods its planulae. Alternately, in corals that release sperm and eggs into the water and where fertilization takes place externally in the water column, planulae (lacking zooxanthellae) can swallow the algae from the water column. Once swallowed, the algae are not digested but are brought into the cell and put into a small intracellular bag called a vacuole. Once inside the vacuole, they are "trapped" and somewhat at the mercy of the coral polyp. The golden brown algae reproduce within the cell and form a dense, but very thin layer within the polyp. The zooxanthellae are found mainly in the inner tissue layer of corals called the gastroderm, although they can occasionally be found in the outer layer (ectoderm) and are in the tentacles of day-feeding corals. Night feeding corals have transparent tentacles that normally lack zooxanthellae.

Once inside the polyp, zooxanthellae are provided nutrients that are controlled, and usually limited, by their host. In return, the algae use sunlight to photosynthesize and provide the energy rich products of photosynthesis (photosynthate) to the coral polyp. The nutrients for the zooxanthellae are mainly the products of coral metabolism; that is, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
One of the advantages to living within polyp tissue is that zooxanthellae have constant access to nitrogen in the form of coral metabolic waste products. In contrast, the usually nitrogen deficient seawater may not be able to provide a plentiful source of nitrogen for growth and reproduction. However, the coral can and does control the amount of waste released intracellularly to the zooxanthellae, excreting any excess back into the seawater. Under normal conditions, the balance is very precise and there is very little deficiency or excess, with virtually all of the coral's metabolic waste consumed by a precisely moderated population of zooxanthellae.

I have seen it expell a slimy brown substance, thought maybe that's what it was.

The opening to the Anemone serves as both the mouth and the anus, so it could be one of two things:

1.expelling waste
2.expelling zooxanthellae

Since you've been feeding it frequently and say it appears healthy then maybe it's expelling waste but can't say for sure at this point !

As I have mentioned overfeeding can be a problem and lead to stress so reduce the feedings to once a week. Do you notice a reaction by the Anemone when you feed it ? Is the Anemone sticky to the touch ?

I have to wonder too, about the splitting. I was reading a thread the other day (not sure who's, sorry) where the guy was so excitied about his anemone splitting, so "im thinking this is a grea thing. But then I read on here where it can be caused by stress. How do they reproduce if not by splitting, and when can you tell whether or not it is from stress??

We're all happy when we see reproducion in the aquarium even if 's asexual but as I have said this isn't necessarily a good thing for the Anemone and it's not something that normally happens in the wild.

The sexes in sea anemones are separate. Both sexual and asexual reproduction may occur. In sexual reproduction males release sperm which stimulates females to release eggs, and fertilization occurs. The eggs or sperm are ejected through the mouth.

 

[lcstorc]

If it won't take the shrimp try smaller food like mysis. Some of the top saltwater experts say it is much better to feed them the smaller food as they can digest it more easily.
One other thing about the Condy that you should know ant I don't think has been mentioned before. Clowns very rarely will host in a Condy. It is not one of their natural hosts. When I had mine none of my fish including my clown would even go to the end of the tank with the Condy, It also got very very large very quickly.
You said it wouldn't eat the shrimp. Did it grab onto it and then realease it or did it not grab it at all? If it didn't grab it all all you should check and see if it is still sticky to the touch. That is usually one of the first signs that it is doing poorly.

 

[rebekwl]

Clowns very rarely will host in a Condy. It is not one of their natural hosts. When I had mine none of my fish including my clown would even go to the end of the tank with the Condy

You said it wouldn't eat the shrimp. Did it grab onto it and then realease it or did it not grab it at all? If it didn't grab it all all you should check and see if it is still sticky to the touch. That is usually one of the first signs that it is doing poorly.

I had a saddle back clown that LOVED the anemone. Any chance it's a different type of anemone?

It actually put all the shrimp in its mouth, and then spit it out during the night. I cut it up for him this morning to see if he will eat it.

Do you notice a reaction by the Anemone when you feed it ? Is the Anemone sticky to the touch ?

it always reacts to the feedings by pulling the food into its mouth, yes it is very sticky to the touch. I'm hoping it is just fine...

 

[rDr4g0n]

4 15w power compacts isnt much light... under those lights i dont think its possible for his zooxanthellae to recover.

 

[rebekwl]

Thanks, I was talking to my LFS yesterday and he advised I get brighter lights also. Any idea what wattage I should have??

 

[rDr4g0n]

Thanks, I was talking to my LFS yesterday and he advised I get brighter lights also. Any idea what wattage I should have??

can you post info about your tank?

i meant to add this to my previous post, but forgot. one thing i always tell people that are just getting into the hobby is to ask for advice from other reef addicts, and not from people that are trying to make a sale!

there are honest LFS employees out there, but its nearly impossible to differentiate.

 

[rebekwl]

I have deffinitely learned that the hard way!! I like the guy we use now though, he seems pretty trustworthy as far as I can tell. He said he would make us an entire sump system for $200, or sell us a wet/dry system (used) for $150. That's pretty reasonable right?? I actually meant to make up a post about that. Here I go...

 

[cheeks69]

You can make your own sump for considerably less. You will need a small glass tank, the dimensions will depend on the space under your cabinet, you'll also need some glass baffles and aquarium safe silicone. I don't like the typical wet/dry sumps as their built with bio-balls in mind and there's usually very small amount of space for a quality skimmer. If he can custom build it then the price will reflect that and it's doesn't seem to be unreasonable.

 

[rebekwl]

can you post info about your tank?QUOTE]

I have a 55 gal, there isn't anything in it right now except the anemone (condi I believe) and about 55 lbs of live rock. We are going to look into brighter lights this weekend, not sure how bright they need to be though. We are also adding a cleaning crew within these next few days...

 

[cheeks69]

Just an FYI you'll get a much better price on dry goods on-line. What are the dimensions of the tank and what are you planning to keep AFA corals ? The livestock you plan to keep will dictate how much light you'll need.

 

[rebekwl]

We decided not to really start a reef until we are able to have a bigger tank to keep it in. I would like to have a few low maintenance corals here and there in my tank, but nothing spectacular for now.

As far as tank dimensions, I know it's 48" long, I'm really not sure about the rest though. I'll have to get back to you on that...

 

[cheeks69]

Well it's up to you but IMHO it's best to buy once and get a good quality piece of equipment that can be used when you upgrade. If you get a 48" hood it can be used on your 55 gal or future upgrades such as the standard 75gal, 90 gal and even 120 gal. You can also make your own canopy and get retro-fit lighting kits for considerably less.

 

[rebekwl]

I will have to talk to my husband and see what he thinks. We were considering buying a new lighting system this weekend, but I think he just wants to try to get brighter bulbs for our PCs right now. My LFS has a lighting system that he recommended for only $85, and another for like $120I'm not sure of the type of bulbs or anything though. If we were to just go and buy new bulbs for now what would you recomend as far as wattage? My main concern for now is making sure the anemone has enough light to survive. Good to know that a 48: hood a\can be used for various tank sizes. I do understand what you are saying as far as only buying something once, we are thinking about keeping the tank we currently have as well though, because I want a reef and my husband wants aggressive fish like puffers, that will eat the coral. That is an expensive project that will have to wait though!!

 

[lcstorc]

Since you are keeping one of the very most light demanding life forms in your tank you really need intense lighting on your tank. PC lights are just not enough. What you have now are regular flourescents not even PCs. The lights he is trying to sell you are likely PC lights and would likely be fine for fish and soft corals. They will not be fine however for an anemone. You will need to look at either T5 lighting or Metal Halides if you want to keep the anemone which you said you are going to.
Please do some research on the light requirements of anemones before purchasing your new light. I would hate for you to go spend more money on a light that is still not enough for the animal.

 

[rDr4g0n]

yes, you need to do a LOT of research.

basically there are 2 kinds of tanks. Fish only tanks, and reef tanks. the 2 types have different requirements.

fish only tanks are tanks primarily for fish. that doesnt mean you cant have a coral or anemone in there. the problem is that many of the coolest fish will eat or pick at corals. a 55 gallon isnt really big enough for a fish only tank, because most of the pretty fish get very large and are also aggressive towards other fish, thus you need a large tank for growth and the reduce the posibility of fights. in a fish only tank, (for the most part) lighting is not important. regular output flourescents, like the ones you probably have (usually about 20watts per bulb) is fine for the fish. they dont care much about the light. also, its not necessary to have "perfect" water. nitrates in small amoutns can kill corals, but wont bother fish much. of course youd WANT the water to be nitrate free, but the point is, fish only isnt as demanding as reef tanks.

a reef tank is all about corals. of course reef tanks have a few fish, usually smaller fish that wont pick on the corals. there are LOTS of factors to consider in reef tanks such as temperature, water quality, good and bad minerals, lighting and ensureing coral compatibility. also there is lots of equipment that you may need to get for a reef tank. a 55 gallon is a good size for a coral tank. the problem with reef tanks, is that they are deceptively expensive lol youll always tell yourself "oh ill just spend another $30 and that will be it."

the point is, you should really do a LOT of reading before you buy even one more thing for your tank. what ive posted above is a HUGE generalization to which there exists many exceptions, so it may take a bit to absorb all teh knowledge.

anyway, first things first: pick your tank type. corals or fishies?

 

[rebekwl]

I deffinitely will be doing alot of research!! We really want to have some pretty cool fish in the tank we currently have, but like you said, it's only 55 gal, so we can't get any fish that require alot of room to roam. We cannot get any fish that aren't reef safe, because they will probably try to eat the anemone. That is currently the only thing we have living in the tank (besides the newly added CUC) so everything is pretty much revolving around that.

I have been researching and trying to make sure that all of the fish on my list are reef safe. I do want to have some soft corals here and there, but I don't think we are ready to start a full blown reef yet. I really would LOVE to go out and buy all the lights and everything so that I could start one, but we are "saving $" right now so that unfortunately isn't an option.

We did buy some new bulbs for the fixtures that we currently have. We got 2of the blue lights (can't remember what they are called) and 2 18,000k. I put one of each right above the anemone and he perked right up (even after his unfortunate encounter with the power head). I thought he was a gonner for sure, but he seems to be a trooper. He's going strong, severed tenticles and all. The only thing that I don't understand is that every time I feed him, he swollows it, then rolls it up into a little ball, then spits it back out, usually overnight so i'm not sure how long he has it in ihis stomach. Why would he spit it out? He has done this with fresh shrimp cut into little pieces, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. I also have some krill, but I'm not sure if I should try to feed it today because I just did yesterday (mysis that he rolled up and spit out). This confuses me to no end. I've heard of them spitting out big chunks of food that they can't digest, but every single thing I feed it?? This is a bad sign isn't it? Come on, I'm ready for it.

So if all of my fish are reef safe, and I ahve a few soft corals here and there, is that considered a reef tank, or a FOWLR? Could I have some soft corals in there without going all out with the lights and all, or would they be ok with what I have? I will deffinitely not buy any unless you guys tell me they will be happy in there!! Also, what types of extra chemicals to you have to have with corals? I already add iodine for the anemone, anything else i need? I am not ready to run out and start buying corals right away, just wondering what I will need when and if I decide to. Thanks so much for all of your help!!!

Oh, I also remember seeing metal halide lights that are not necessarily for fish tanks. Could I use one of these and just place it right above the anemone for a certain # of hours each day? Just a thought...

 

[cheeks69]

This confuses me to no end. I've heard of them spitting out big chunks of food that they can't digest, but every single thing I feed it??

I would stop trying to feed it for a few days and let it find a comfortable spot and then try again.

So if all of my fish are reef safe, and I ahve a few soft corals here and there, is that considered a reef tank, or a FOWLR?

It's a reef.

I already add iodine for the anemone, anything else i need?

Iodine can be very toxic if overdosed and there's no test kit that can accurately measure it. I would do regular water changes to replenish the elements intead of dosing impropely and killing your inverts.

 

[rDr4g0n]

im glad youre doing more research into keeping your tank! karma for you

 

[kimm]

I used to have a Condy Anemone. Until it tried eating my clearner shrimp!
Anyhow, mine was bright white also and turned tan and grew quite quickly. I was feeding it everyday mysis and another mix frozen food. Now my tank is only a 40G, so it handled the 2X96 watts of PC lighting great. If only it would have stay put and stopped trying to eat my shrimp...