Sick Anemone

[KellyB]

My husband and I bought two clown fish and a purple tipped anemone 5 days
ago. The anemone seemed quite happy at the lfs hosting with a different clown
fish, but since we have gotten it home I've seen it "face plant" itself
into a rock over night and right now it is laying on the bottom upside
down, I don't want to keep moving it
I can't imagine it's good for me to handle it along with just ending back
upside down. I'm wondering if this is usual while it looks for where it
wants to be, last night it kept spinning in the same spot about two inches
off the bottom for a couple of hours. The clown fish are currently staying
away from it though there is a peppermint shrimp that likes to check it out
once ever now and then. I've checked all the water parameters they are
within normal limits, did a five percent water change. These are the only
things in the tank besides some snails and crabs. And last question is this
a wound on the bottom of its foot?
From what someone is telling me is it sounds like all of this plus that
fact that it is bleached is going to be fatal to my anemone, is that true?
If not does anyone have any information for how I can try to nurse it back
to health?

 

[reefer gladness]

Hi Kelly, we need more information to be able to help you. Pics will help too, you need 5 posts in order to post pics on this forum so just reply to a couple threads or spam a few replies to this one.

Questions:
How old is your tank?
What type of filtration do you have?
What type of lighting do you have?
How was the nem acclimated to your display tank?
What are you actual water parameters? (not just 'fine' or 'normal' please)
What type of nem did your hubby bring home?

Note that nems in general require very strong lighting, a mature aquarium (1 year old or more) and very stable water conditions.

The 'purple tip' nem sounds like one of two varieties. The condylactis (aka Haitian Reef Anemone or condy) is a relatively cheap nem that is fairly aggressive towards other corals and is known to wander the tank. It's also rare for condy's to host clownfish but not impossible. The other variety would be a heteractis crispa (aka sebae anemone) - this is a very difficult nem to acclimate to the reef aquarium recommended for the most experienced reefkeepers. The sebae nem does host some clownfish naturally though.

 

[KellyB]

Unfortunately it is a young tank, we have only had it for 3 months. We talked with the manager of the lfs and he said that it should be ok, but I am beginning to question his knowledge. I'm not sure what type of anemone it is, I do have a picture I will upload as soon as the website lets me of it's foot if that will help with identification.
Because I can't remember everything (and the husband is the one who knows the stats of the tank) I am posting it's stats from the website, it is a Red Sea 130D.

Dimensions (LxWxH) 610 x 500 x 605 mm (4 x 20 x 23.8”)
Total water volume 130 liters (34 gallons)
Aquarium volume 110 liters (29 gallons)
Filter volume 20 liters(5 gallons)
Glass thickness 8 mm (0.3")
Cabinet (LxWxH) 610 x 500 x 800 mm (24 x 20 x 32”)
Lighting 2 x 55W T5 Power Compact
Lighting- 10,000k 55W
Lighting- Actinic 55W
Lighting- Blue LED 4
Lighting timer Analogue
Hood opening 3 positions
Circulation Pumps 2 x 550 lph (2 x 146 gph)
Skimmer water throughput 400 lph (100 gph)
Skimmer max Air flow 120 lph (32 gallon)
Skimmer foam adjuster
Mechanical filter
Biological Filtration (active surface area) 420m²/ l (1,200 sq ft/gal)
Activated Carbon 200g (7 oz)

 

[KellyB]

It was acclimated with a slow drip method for just over two hours, though I did test the water when he came home in and the salinity was at 40 and we brought him down to our 37.

 

[KellyB]

Water Parameters as of today are:
SG 1.027
Ammonia 0.0 mg/L
Nitrite 0.0 mg/L
Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
PH 8.1

 

[KellyB]

.

 

[KellyB]

,

 

[KellyB]

Not sure if that picture helps with identification but it shows the wound on the foot pretty well.

 

[PSU4ME]

Can you upload the pic to photo bucket or something like that and paste the IMG code here?

 

[reefer gladness]

Not sure if that picture helps with identification but it shows the wound on the foot pretty well.

Hi Kelly, we couldn't see the pic. Here's one way to post pics: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/just-starting-out-sw-beginners/66056-1-way-post-pics-photobucket-nanoreefing4fun.html

Your water parameters look okay, salinity is a big high. If you are not already it's a very good idea to use a refractometer to measure salinity. The hydrometer that came with your RSM tank is more like an educated guess. Microbubbles get attached to the plastic swing arm in the hydrometer causing false readings.

Once you get a pic up we can ID the nem for sure. The RSM tank is on the low end of the scale for providing enough light to support nems but you would not have one go downhill that fast just because of the light.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

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

Start a new tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along - we love pics

sure with pics some members ^ can help !

 

[KellyB]

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[DaveK]

Unfortunately it is a young tank, we have only had it for 3 months. We talked with the manager of the lfs and he said that it should be ok, but I am beginning to question his knowledge. ...

The bottom line here is that your LFS lied. Anemones require well established tanks, usually about a year old. They also require excellent lighting and water quality. Your tank is too young and the lighting is really not up to what you need for an anemone. The best thing to do is return the anemone to your LFS. If you can't do that, sell, trade, or give it away. Once you have the tank going foa about a year, and get better lighting on it, you could consider an anemone.

 

[KellyB]

Is there anything that I can do to try and treat it?

 

[reefer gladness]

Is there anything that I can do to try and treat it?

Returning it to your LFS really is the best option for you but if you keep it and it starts going south in a hurry be prepared to remove it quickly before it fouls up the tank. Dead nem has the consistency of jello in water so a turkey baster works well if it's that deteriorated.

I would do 3 things in this order:
1. Attempt to feed it. Something meaty but not bigger than it's mouth, frozen silversides are great. (Pro tip: break the silverside in half while still frozen if it's too big). Thaw to tank temp and offer it to the nem.
2. Get a refractometer if you don't have one and slowly bring salinity down to the 1.025-1.026 range.
3. Increase your water change schedule to at least 10% weekly and considering we're trying to achieve pristine water conditions 15-20% would be better IMO, at least until the nem improves.

We didn't discuss temps but they are a big part of the stability factor, daily temp fluctuation should be under 2 degrees F and less if possible.

Also along the lines of stability would be an ATO or automatic top-off system to replace evaporated water, keeping salinity stable is important to avoid osmotic shock. Don't have to run out and get an ATO right now but its something most of us end up purchasing sooner or later anyway for convenience. Always use RO/DI or at least RO water for topping off water and when mixing your water for water changes.

 

[KellyB]

Should I leave him upside down? I can't imagine it's good for him but the couple of times that we have righted him he just falls over. I thought about putting him in a glass bowl to help keep him upright. Any thoughts?

 

[reefer gladness]

That's a tough one because it looks like the foot might be damaged and you don't want to keep moving it around. Upside down in is not a good sign though:dead: Some of these guys like rock and some like sand to bury the foot so try to find a place where it can choose from either. Find an rock crevice and dig a depression in the sand in front and try to place where it can choose.

 

[puffermike]

Good chance no matter where you stick it.. it will put itself upside down again. I've seen a lot of anemones do this when they are stressed. Like the others said try feeding it and your best bet is to take it back to the LFS unless you have another tank that's well established to put it in for now.

 

[KellyB]

Thank you everyone for your help

 

[Snelly40]

welp I know they are intriguing but they are tough to keep, esp being a sebae anemone like that... turn off your powerheads and let is try and settle down, I know touching it can be bad however upside down is worse..