Anemone dying

d9bailey · 06/10/2018, 06:03 PM

Hi I’m new to this forum but I’m looking for some advice. 2 days ago I stupidly impulse purchased this anemone for my clown fish (totally ignoring the fact that my tank is going through a mini cycle because I had 2 chromis die on me) and my ammonia is at 0.5ppm. The anemone seems to be reacting to touch and opening and closing on its own with the clown fish in and out of it. The only alarming thing is that the little white mouth seems visible from the top which I’ve never seen before and don’t know what to do. I tried feeding it a small piece of fresh shrimp and although it seemed to stick to the tentacles, it didn’t try and move it towards the mouth at all. I smelt my hand after touching it and didn’t smell off at all and I tried to pick it up despite being bitten by my clown fish and the anemone is firmly secured to the 10 pounds of rock it is attached to(everything was coming up with it). Maybe it’s just stressed out in this new less than ideal environment but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and the base or tentacles have not changed colours at all.

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BKTruong · 06/10/2018, 06:11 PM

You're going to get a lot of ciprio treatment comments.. btw where'd you get it, it's gorgeous

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d9bailey · 06/10/2018, 06:14 PM

I bought it at my lfs here in Mississauga. That’s why I bought it is very beautiful. Just trying to see how normal it is really for them to act this way or if I should be getting it out of my tank ASAP.

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davocean · 06/10/2018, 06:20 PM

Well cipro is for bacterial infections, deflation of tentacles, which is not obvious from pics.

I think more so your tank looks pretty darn new, and stating a mini cycle from 2 fish dying...which is not really the case, probably just tank still cycling but an amo boost from the fish deaths and we don't know for sure why.

How long has tank been running?

To Reef Central

d9bailey · 06/10/2018, 09:35 PM

Tank has been running for roughly 3 weeks. Under advisement from my lfs I used dr Tim’s to start the tank and stability daily to help it get cycled with fish in it. I put in 2 clowns after a week and had no signs of ammonia in my tank (according to the API test kit which I later found out is inaccurate). Then I put in a coral beauty and a 2” blue hippo tang, and 2 cleaner shrimp and still had no signs of ammonia. Then I put in three 1” green chromis and a diamond goby and then all of a sudden I had ammonia,and 2 chromis died, one I didn’t find until taking out all of the rock. Just tested the ammonia and it is sitting at 0.05ppm which is way down and I’m happy about (I got some cycled media from a local frag dealer and it’s been such a saviour).

So I’m sure it will all sort itself out in the next few days, I’m just wondering if this anemone will be ok or if I should get rid of it. I’ve heard that once they die they can just crash your whole system and that I am for sure trying to avoid.

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davocean · 06/10/2018, 10:53 PM

Well, unless you swapped w/ established rock, this is a very newly setup tank still, and my guess was probably still cycling.

Anemone's need an established tank, bare min of 6mo running time usually.
Gotta say the responsible thing to advise really is get it in an established tank, chances are slim your tank is ready to sustain it.

d9bailey · 06/11/2018, 01:59 AM

I guess I’ll have to contact the lfs and see if they would be willing to take it back. Don’t know how I’m going to get it out of the tank without one of these clowns trying to take a finger off lol

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OrionN · 06/11/2018, 04:43 AM

Anemone are difficult animals to keep, especially a Magnifica like the one pictured above. New reefer should not attempt to keep this species. New tank is not stable enough for this species. I would return it to the LFS or give/trade it with a seasoned reefer with large tank.
You tank is new, and small. You added fish too fast and the tang is going to be too big for our tank if he live. I would return both the tang and the anemone, and leave things as is until the tank mature. Know at the mature size of the fish before you decide to add it to your tank.

Best of luck.

fe342185 · 06/13/2018, 07:06 PM

First try to return to LFS or sell/trade nem with another experienced reefer. Tank is definitely not ready and a magnifica anemone is one of the hardest ones to keep even for experienced reefers.

I would recommend not to feed yet. I’ve had them do worse when too heavily fed in the past.

What kind of light are u using? That nem requires a lot of light and more flow than normal otherwise they will wander around. Keep it away from open wave makers.

Here is mine and it sits under very intense dedicated light. Prior to that it moved to search for more light.

Bottom line is that nem requires a lot of attention and unstable parameters are just part of the possible problems you will run into.

Keep checking that it’s sticky and it does not turn it’s insides out.

Good luck.

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06/10/2018, 06:03 PM	#1
d9bailey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 27	Anemone dying Hi I’m new to this forum but I’m looking for some advice. 2 days ago I stupidly impulse purchased this anemone for my clown fish (totally ignoring the fact that my tank is going through a mini cycle because I had 2 chromis die on me) and my ammonia is at 0.5ppm. The anemone seems to be reacting to touch and opening and closing on its own with the clown fish in and out of it. The only alarming thing is that the little white mouth seems visible from the top which I’ve never seen before and don’t know what to do. I tried feeding it a small piece of fresh shrimp and although it seemed to stick to the tentacles, it didn’t try and move it towards the mouth at all. I smelt my hand after touching it and didn’t smell off at all and I tried to pick it up despite being bitten by my clown fish and the anemone is firmly secured to the 10 pounds of rock it is attached to(everything was coming up with it). Maybe it’s just stressed out in this new less than ideal environment but any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh and the base or tentacles have not changed colours at all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/10/2018, 06:20 PM	#4
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Well cipro is for bacterial infections, deflation of tentacles, which is not obvious from pics. I think more so your tank looks pretty darn new, and stating a mini cycle from 2 fish dying...which is not really the case, probably just tank still cycling but an amo boost from the fish deaths and we don't know for sure why. How long has tank been running? *To Reef Central* __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

06/10/2018, 10:53 PM	#6
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Well, unless you swapped w/ established rock, this is a very newly setup tank still, and my guess was probably still cycling. Anemone's need an established tank, bare min of 6mo running time usually. Gotta say the responsible thing to advise really is get it in an established tank, chances are slim your tank is ready to sustain it. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

06/11/2018, 04:43 AM	#8
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	Anemone are difficult animals to keep, especially a Magnifica like the one pictured above. New reefer should not attempt to keep this species. New tank is not stable enough for this species. I would return it to the LFS or give/trade it with a seasoned reefer with large tank. You tank is new, and small. You added fish too fast and the tang is going to be too big for our tank if he live. I would return both the tang and the anemone, and leave things as is until the tank mature. Know at the mature size of the fish before you decide to add it to your tank. Best of luck. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

06/10/2018, 06:11 PM	#2
BKTruong Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 23	You're going to get a lot of ciprio treatment comments.. btw where'd you get it, it's gorgeous Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/10/2018, 06:14 PM	#3
d9bailey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 27	I bought it at my lfs here in Mississauga. That’s why I bought it is very beautiful. Just trying to see how normal it is really for them to act this way or if I should be getting it out of my tank ASAP. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/10/2018, 09:35 PM	#5
d9bailey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 27	Tank has been running for roughly 3 weeks. Under advisement from my lfs I used dr Tim’s to start the tank and stability daily to help it get cycled with fish in it. I put in 2 clowns after a week and had no signs of ammonia in my tank (according to the API test kit which I later found out is inaccurate). Then I put in a coral beauty and a 2” blue hippo tang, and 2 cleaner shrimp and still had no signs of ammonia. Then I put in three 1” green chromis and a diamond goby and then all of a sudden I had ammonia,and 2 chromis died, one I didn’t find until taking out all of the rock. Just tested the ammonia and it is sitting at 0.05ppm which is way down and I’m happy about (I got some cycled media from a local frag dealer and it’s been such a saviour). So I’m sure it will all sort itself out in the next few days, I’m just wondering if this anemone will be ok or if I should get rid of it. I’ve heard that once they die they can just crash your whole system and that I am for sure trying to avoid. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/11/2018, 01:59 AM	#7
d9bailey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 27	I guess I’ll have to contact the lfs and see if they would be willing to take it back. Don’t know how I’m going to get it out of the tank without one of these clowns trying to take a finger off lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06/13/2018, 07:06 PM	#9
fe342185 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Staten Island NY Posts: 641	First try to return to LFS or sell/trade nem with another experienced reefer. Tank is definitely not ready and a magnifica anemone is one of the hardest ones to keep even for experienced reefers. I would recommend not to feed yet. I’ve had them do worse when too heavily fed in the past. What kind of light are u using? That nem requires a lot of light and more flow than normal otherwise they will wander around. Keep it away from open wave makers. Here is mine and it sits under very intense dedicated light. Prior to that it moved to search for more light. Bottom line is that nem requires a lot of attention and unstable parameters are just part of the possible problems you will run into. Keep checking that it’s sticky and it does not turn it’s insides out. Good luck. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk