Anemone didn't like cutting off flow at feeding time...what to do?

[allendehl]

Hello guys,

I have a separate thread on a scare my new nem gave me last night at feeding time. As soon as I cut flow from pump and powerheads it started closing so much that it became almost all foot.
Only overnight started opening again and this morning is looking much better, though not as great as it was before, not yet at least.

I always cut the flow at feeding to help fish eat in peace but not I'm not sure how to do things now to avoid such shock to the nem. Any advice?

 

[kevin21]

Don't cut flow...No need. Your fish will be fine. It is okay for them to work for food a bit.

 

[BlueMoods]

I never cut the flow when feeding - nems tend to dislike that and close up and, the fish are fine chasing their food. With a new fish in the tank, I do cut of the filter for the first few feedings, until I know it's really going after the food but, I leave the power heads on for flow.

Food moving but, not being sucked into the filter - once new fish are eating well, no need to cut the filter even - they get the food before the filter does and, know where I introduce food to the tank.

That's the other thing for feeding with flow on, always deposit food in the same place, the fish learn to gather there and can catch the food quickly. If you have bottom feeders, use a bulb syringe to place a bit of food in one location at the bottom for them, they will learn the syringe means food will be in your chosen place for it.

My scooter and fairy wrasse attack the bulb syringe, knowing it's the source of meaty foods they both love.

 

[homer1475]

What?

Other then the nem might have been acclimating to your tank, cutting off the flow for a few minutes will not harm it one bit. Thats the most ridiculous thing I have seen on RC so far.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have a 25 nems in my tank (3 different kinds) and none of them close up when I turn off all the flow for feeding. I then feed the nems and some corals with a turkey baster. That's when they close up. After 10-15 minutes I start pumps up for a minute to stir things up and then shut them back off for 5-10 more minutes. Then all the pumps come back on. There is still food that gets stirred up and the fish still go crazy for it. IMHO, letting fine particle food settle out some on zoas, softies and lps corals is likely a good thing.

In particular I do this because my rock flower anemones, rose bubble tip anemones, maxi-mini anemones and all my zoas seem to grow and reproduce much faster now than when I fed without turning the pumps off in the past. Yes, it's just anecdotal info, but it's my belief. And not too many people seem to get rock flower anemones to reproduce. Some literature states that being well fed is an important criteria. BTW, I turn off ALL the pumps, even the return pump.

 

[allendehl]

I have a 25 nems in my tank (3 different kinds) and none of them close up when I turn off all the flow for feeding. I then feed the nems and some corals with a turkey baster. That's when they close up. After 10-15 minutes I start pumps up for a minute to stir things up and then shut them back off for 5-10 more minutes. Then all the pumps come back on. There is still food that gets stirred up and the fish still go crazy for it. IMHO, letting fine particle food settle out some on zoas, softies and lps corals is likely a good thing.

In particular I do this because my rock flower anemones, rose bubble tip anemones, maxi-mini anemones and all my zoas seem to grow and reproduce much faster now than when I fed without turning the pumps off in the past. Yes, it's just anecdotal info, but it's my belief. And not too many people seem to get rock flower anemones to reproduce. Some literature states that being well fed is an important criteria. BTW, I turn off ALL the pumps, even the return pump.

Thank you all!

Yesterday I tried turning off only one powerhead, the one above the nem, to try to see if the clowns would come to eat and see it but as soon as I did (even though I kept everything else on) the nem closed up completely again. The PH stayed off for less than a minute.

Any idea why is my nem so sensitive? Even when I brought it home it didn't close as bad.
Now there is a theory that it is a H Manifica (I have a thread open in the nems section) and may be places incorrectly. Not sure that could be the reason. She picked where she wanted top be..I didn't force her at all.

 

[Small Heavens]

They feel that some kind of whale is coming to eat them if all the flow suddenly stops.

If I turn of powerheads for any reason, it will take the LTA about 10 seconds to begin to retract and it will retract completely when it happens for any period of time.

 

[Small Heavens]

I do not have experience with the Ritteri (H. Magnifica) but I do think the smaller anemones tend to be more skittish than fully grown ones.

 

[Uncle99]

Short term stops in flows have no impact on anenomes.
Relax and read Ron Reefmans information above, clearly an expert.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Short term stops in flows have no impact on anenomes.
Relax and read Ron Reefmans information above, clearly an expert.

Thanks, but I'm not an expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express one night. :debi:

It's just more than 12 years of keeping reef tanks (4 currently) and 15 years of snorkeling in the Florida Keys 10 to 25 days a year (3 to 6 long weekends).And a willingness to share since so many others helped me when I first started in the hobby.

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks, that was funny.
I have been reading your stuff for quite some time, learned a lot from your postings, so for me, maybe not an expert......but really really good stuff...Ha!
Anyone who keeps that many nens knows his stuff....Ha!
Keep up the great posts...

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks for the kind words. For me it's kind of a 'Pay It Forward' thing. I had lots of help when I was starting so now I try to help when I can.

BTW, I've recently been selling frags and RBTA's locally and buyer just did a serious count. I have 18 RBTA's (after selling 7 over the last couple of weeks). I also have 6 full size and 7 to 9 tiny baby rock flower anemones (just born in the last 3 months) and 4 mini-maxi anemones. I also have a couple of unknown nems, that I collected off the beach (not in the water, actually on the beach attached to a shell) along the Gulf of Mexico on Sanibel Island. They made a home in a huge colony of green palys that are in a tank with Hannibal, my red Hawaiian Reef Lobster! So I'm not concerned about what they are. They aren't spreading and the palys don't seem to mind so I don't either!:thumbsup:

 

[Uncle99]

The newbies appreciate all the GOOD help they can get....especially me.....cheers!

 

[ca1ore]

Really no need to cut flow to feed. If material amounts of food are going over the overflow then you are feeding too much.

As noted in your other thread, it's definitely a magnifica/ritteri. If healthy they will always climb to the light and they love flow. If you are seeing inflation/deflation cycles with these animals you need to treat them with antibiotics.

 

[allendehl]

Really no need to cut flow to feed. If material amounts of food are going over the overflow then you are feeding too much.

As noted in your other thread, it's definitely a magnifica/ritteri. If healthy they will always climb to the light and they love flow. If you are seeing inflation/deflation cycles with these animals you need to treat them with antibiotics.

Thank you Simon and everyone else. Nem just started treatment and I invite/ask you to follow the thread here (bottom of page 2) since I sincerely appreciate all help I can get to save my new pretty friend.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2660531

Thank you all!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Really no need to cut flow to feed. If material amounts of food are going over the overflow then you are feeding too much.

I guess I'll take issue with that... some what. Is there a need, probably not. Can it be useful, probably yes for some animals.

I guess it depends on what you are feeding, to whom and how much flow you have. If you use foods that are very light weight (or even liquid) flushing them out of the tank with flow isn't a sign of over feeding. If you are feeding inverts that food can settle on (anemones, zoas, mushrooms) then letting it settle can prove helpful to those individuals. If your tank has high flow, both overflow and wavemaker flow, then reducing or stopping the flow for a short period of time can be helpful. Other animals that use the flow will get their opportunity when the flow comes back on and food that hasn't been captured gets kicked back up and suspended in the water column for the other inverts and fish.

 

[Timfish]

I have a 25 nems in my tank (3 different kinds) and none of them close up when I turn off all the flow for feeding. I then feed the nems and some corals with a turkey baster. That's when they close up. After 10-15 minutes I start pumps up for a minute to stir things up and then shut them back off for 5-10 more minutes. Then all the pumps come back on. There is still food that gets stirred up and the fish still go crazy for it. IMHO, letting fine particle food settle out some on zoas, softies and lps corals is likely a good thing.

In particular I do this because my rock flower anemones, rose bubble tip anemones, maxi-mini anemones and all my zoas seem to grow and reproduce much faster now than when I fed without turning the pumps off in the past. Yes, it's just anecdotal info, but it's my belief. And not too many people seem to get rock flower anemones to reproduce. Some literature states that being well fed is an important criteria. BTW, I turn off ALL the pumps, even the return pump.

+1 And there's stuff in my sumps/refugiums that don't mind the food that goes over the overflow.

 

[ca1ore]

I guess I'll take issue with that... some what. Is there a need, probably not. Can it be useful, probably yes for some animals.

I guess it depends on what you are feeding, to whom and how much flow you have. If you use foods that are very light weight (or even liquid) flushing them out of the tank with flow isn't a sign of over feeding. If you are feeding inverts that food can settle on (anemones, zoas, mushrooms) then letting it settle can prove helpful to those individuals. If your tank has high flow, both overflow and wavemaker flow, then reducing or stopping the flow for a short period of time can be helpful. Other animals that use the flow will get their opportunity when the flow comes back on and food that hasn't been captured gets kicked back up and suspended in the water column for the other inverts and fish.

Fair enough. OP was talking bout fish feeding, so I should have been clearer. I don't target feed any of my inverts, so the pumps never go off :lol:

 

[Ron Reefman]

Fair enough. OP was talking bout fish feeding, so I should have been clearer. I don't target feed any of my inverts, so the pumps never go off :lol:

Fair enough. And the OP was kind of asking about feeding fish and a nem. And many people never turn off their pumps when they feed. It's not necessary.
However, it can be a real benefit if you want anemones, zoas and some other corals to grow better.

 

[Uncle99]

Turning the flow off temporarily like Ron suggests has been quite beneficial to my tank.
While the fast guys always get their share, the slower guys, fish and corals, seemed to suffer. So once per day the flow goes off for 30 minutes for target feeding the slower responders and stuff they don't take goes to everyone else....then the flow comes back on and sweeps up any missing food which is again...eaten.