Anemone dying...?

[Xirxes23]

Hello, my parents purchased a very bleached long tentacle anemone. We have had it in our rank for about 2 weeks now and it STILL has not anchored into the sand. Seems to be getting some green/light brown into its base, but not eating well either. PLEASE ADVISE!

kH=130-140
pH=8.2-8.4
ammo/nitrates/rites ~0
temp 81-82F
calcium: 400

 

[Xirxes23]

ok well due to the overwhelming response, i have moved the anemone into a small refugium inside the main tank, to ensure that he is getting food, and placing him close to the light... he does not have any substrate to burrow in right now, but i think that he needs the help.

What products should i look into to soak the silversides for more nutrition?

 

[dantodd]

I think 2 hours is a little quick to feel ignored.

 

[sarahkucera]

My advice is that your parents return it to the LFS that they got it from and demand their money back or at least get a trade for an anemone that doesn't already have a huge strike against it.
If your anemone won't anchor, there isn't a lot you can do except to provide it with the best possible lighting and water parameters and watch and wait.
How old are your bulbs? Bulbs need to be changed regularly, and if they're old bulbs it may be affecting your anemones happiness. Unlike BTA's the LTA's naturally occur in the sand, so they won't climb higher to get to better lighting.
It should be sticky at this point. It should be happy with the silversides and shouldn't require additional soakings of anything for the silversides. I took in a stressed, starving, underlighted and bleached LTA and it was eating like a champ within two days and regained most of its color in a month. It's under a 4x96 PC Custom Sea Life lighting set up.
I'm totally serious about taking it back if it was already stressed and still isn't eating well or attaching.

 

[Xirxes23]

I have bulbs less than 5 months old... T5HO. 6X 54 arctinic/blueplus/daylight spectrum

All of our LFS have no guarantees on inverts, i will see about getting them to take it back, if possible.

We have attempted feeding now 5 times. only once have we seen it eat.

 

[dantodd]

sounds like you have good lights for it. The description makes me question the ID as M. doreensis. Post pics if you can. Also be sure to chop your food into fairly small pieces. What are you feeding him?

I'd suggest silverside, raw shrimp, scallops or other meaty seafood, but stay away from REALLY oily fish.

 

[Xirxes23]

ok heres a pic early on :

Bleached Nem

**warning BIG pic**

heres a more recent one, i moved it 3 days later to a refugium in tank because fish were stealing food from nem and it STILL was not anchoring:

Sad Nem

Sorry again for green on glass, was trying not to disturb the area.

I have been feeding 1/8 to 1/4 silversides, also some mysis evey once in a while, very rarely does it eat. It doe NOT ever close on its food within 2 minutes.

 

[edwing206]

what kinda crab is that?

 

[Xirxes23]

porcelain...

here he is posing

 

[brndfrb]

maybe that is why he is not eating

 

[dantodd]

It does look like M. doreensis, didn't you already have a thread on this anemone? I would concentrate on getting him to eat he is totally bleached and the only nutrition he is getting is from his feedings. You should be feeding him every other day. Cut the silversides into quarters before you feed him. Also, get that crab out of him.

 

[Xirxes23]

i have addressed this anemone in a previous post, and i did try to get the crab out, but he dug in pretty deep, any ideas on how to get him out?

 

[sarahkucera]

If you get some of those little pincer things that they sell at aquarium stores and lure him out with some food you should be able to grab him with the pincers if you're quick.
Otherwise maybe try a crab trap or something. I don't know how to make a crab trap, as I got extremely lucky catching my evil crab quickly, but I think you should be able to figure it out with a little research.