Anemone acclimation

[Mad Marine]

This topic unfortunately isn't discussed much and I feel it should be scrutinized.

Can anyone tell me what their protocol is for acclimating an anemone after 24 hour/overnight shipping i.e. toxic ammonia level when you open the bag.

Do you add an ammonia detoxifying liquid directly into the bag as soon as it's opened or do you release the nem directly into QT or DT after temp has equalized?

Thanks

[GoTRiCe19]

My anemone acclimating process goes like this. It’s never the same as each nem being shipped might need different needs. But first I find a spot in the tank for the nem. If it’s a sand type (long tentacles, carpets, sabae) dig an area out on the sand and rock base for the foot to attach. If it’s a bubble tip then a nice hole in a rock. If it’s a ritteri then a flat rock with good flow and light. Etc etc. Do some research before to know what needs is required.

Now on to the stressful stuff. Check the nem in the shipping bag. Examine the foot. Tear will look like stringy white curls. Small tears I can see a healthy nem recover. Bigger tears then it’s might be a goner. I hear a lot of people using cripto with good results. I personally never tried it. You need a prescription so a bit harder to get then just getting it off amazon.

Once a spot is picked out then the nem is ordered. Once it arrives then I check the shipping bag. If it very cloudy and messy then the nem purge the water inside and it’s guts so time is critical. Get it temp acclimated and I set it right in. And pray. Pay attention to the mouth at all times. The mouth is the key. If it’s gapping don’t panic. It could be stress from shipping. Stays gapping then it’s a bad sign. Turn off flow while you set the anemone to the spot you picked out. Start up my wave maker after about 15 mins. Run at 25% and see how it reacts. Ramp up slowly within 24 hours. Now I figured that if my lights go dark completely it might go into a deflate cycle. So when introducing a new nem I never go 100% dark. Maybe a bright moonlight but never pitch black. When I see the new nem deflate then I make a batch of new water and do a quick water change. I want the best water possible when it sucks in water on the inflate cycle. Another tip is that I seen clownfish helped out a sick nem by stimulating it. Also help it remove stuff for the mouth and foot. Might be dead or dying stringy things. Idk they seem rough with it but I let it go. They are not trying to kill it although it does seem like they are hurting it but I come to realize that they know more then we do and let nature takes it course.

One last last thing is for a ritteri anemone is that a healthy one ( no tears on foot and mouth close 80% tight is that they need time to adjust. They are very big and need to arrange their foot and skirt to adjust to the new setting. At this time the mouth will be open but not gaping. And it might be open for 48-72 hours while it tries to adjust it’s large foot and skirt.

Sorry if you’re reading this with all my grammar and spelling mistake. Just typing away on my phone to kill some time. Again this is how I do it. And I have multi nems in one tank and all came from shipping overnight. Oh one more important thing to remember. Once you decide the nem goes in your tank. Leave it the hell alone. Let it adjust. They might seem like they are dying etc just leave them be. The more you mess with them the harder for them to acclimate. Unless I see my nems (smoking) melting and falling apart then I’ll remove. But if the foot is still attached I leave it be. Never had a nem nuke my tank due to dying because I watch them very carefully if they get to that stage. Good luck.