Anemone Is starving!

[seanothon]

My flower anemone has been refusing to eat krill or anything solid for a couple months now. The only thing it will take is phytoplex when I spray it right onto it. Any idea how to get it eating again?

Also, my long tentacle has moved behind some rock structure and I cannot get to it to feed it. Do you think it will come back around or do I need to get it out of there?

 

[Reefman29]

I don't have an answer to your first question. Your long tentacle anemone probably moved because of lighting or flow. So did you change either of those?

 

[jjsan]

agree with the previous poster. did you try feeding in smaller pieces? have you tried silverside?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Some info on your tank would be helpful.

What size?
How long has it been set up?
What lights do you have?
What flow do you have?
What are your parameters (( with numbers ))
What all do you have in the tank?

 

[seanothon]

Some info on your tank would be helpful.

What size?
How long has it been set up?
What lights do you have?
What flow do you have?
What are your parameters (( with numbers ))
What all do you have in the tank?

90gl
a couple years but the flower has only been in for 3 or 4 months
T5 full spectrum light
it is pretty calm where the flower is and faster where the long tentacle
nitrates between 40 and 80 ppm everything else at 0 ph is about 8.4
i have a cowfish, a rainbow wrasse, a snowflake eel, kenyan tree, some polyps and the 2 anemones.

I have not changed any flow or lighting, I have tried smaller pieces and I have tried feeding it smelt.

 

[Toddrtrex]

How many T5's, and what wattage?
What is your salinity/SG level?

Those nitrates are pretty high, and would try to get those lower.

 

[seanothon]

How many T5's, and what wattage?
What is your salinity/SG level?

Those nitrates are pretty high, and would try to get those lower.

2 strips so 4 bulbs total at 28 watts
1.021
76-77 degrees

I'm going to do a water change tomorrow to help with the nitrates

 

[Reefman29]

Is the total light wattage for your tank 28 watts? If so then then that is not enough light. Your sg is low too, try for about 1.023 to 1.025. You should do water changes to lower those nitrates and fast. If you want the anemone to move then you should adjust the fast flow to wherever you want the anemone to be. In other words- the anemone will move until it likes where it is, where flow and light are good.

 

[seanothon]

28 watts per tube so 112 watts. I thought it was a characteristic of flower anemones to get into one place and stay there no matter what. This one has been in the same spot since It was put in the tank

 

[Toddrtrex]

Need to have your salinity at 1.026 -- but raise it up slowly.

That isn't going to be enough lighting for an LTA (( M. doreensis )).

 

[Mavrk]

With a 90g, I would think you would have 54w bulbs. I haven't seen 28w T5 aquarium bulbs. The only ones I have seen like that are shop lights. Are you sure they are 28w? This leads to the question of what kind of T5s are you running? For instance, are they ATI Blue Plus, Actinics, or what? Also, do you have individual reflectors?

 

[Reefman29]

Out of curiousity, Toddrtrex why are you recommending such a high Sg? Any anemone will move if conditions become unfavorable. The anemone will move to wherever its needs are met.

 

[2Addicted]

Out of curiousity, Toddrtrex why are you recommending such a high Sg? Any anemone will move if conditions become unfavorable. The anemone will move to wherever its needs are met.

What he recommended is not high its suitable for anemones, and its not like the anemone could move to where there is more salt in the water.

 

[Reefman29]

It seemed high most reef tanks are 1.024 or 1.025.

 

[celamb89]

A SG of 1.025 - 1.026 is recommended for anemones and inverts. You can do ok with 1.022 in a fish only tank but anemones need higher requirements.
SG of 1.026 is natural at sea water I believe

 

[Mavrk]

It seemed high most reef tanks are 1.024 or 1.025.

Natural sea water has a salinity of 35ppt. This is approx. 1.026 sg. Some round this down to 1.025 for easier measuring. Others just keep salinity lower than NSW. Most fish stores will keep it lower (closer to 30ppt or less). After all, it is cheaper to use less salt.

Specific gravity is temperature dependent, so I recommend using a refractometer and speaking in PPT instead. I agree that 35ppt is ideal, but there are many who disagree.

In this case, I would say it is more about the lighting than the salinity, but I still agree that raising the salinity is a good idea (remember... s-l-o-w-l-y). I usually recommend using salt water instead of fresh water for top offs until you get to the right point.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Out of curiousity, Toddrtrex why are you recommending such a high Sg? Any anemone will move if conditions become unfavorable. The anemone will move to wherever its needs are met.

It isn't high at all. That is natural levels. All 3 of my tanks are kept at 1.026, and my Haddonis haven't moved in over a year.

Do these 2 look like they are in unfavorable conditions?

 

[seanothon]

With a 90g, I would think you would have 54w bulbs. I haven't seen 28w T5 aquarium bulbs. The only ones I have seen like that are shop lights. Are you sure they are 28w? This leads to the question of what kind of T5s are you running? For instance, are they ATI Blue Plus, Actinics, or what? Also, do you have individual reflectors?

They are all coralife. 2 10,000k and 2 actinics. No reflectors.

 

[JeF4y]

Flower nems are like any other. They move when they feel like it. There are no guarantees in anything.

One thing you might try for feeding would be a small piece of silverside soaked in garlic.

Additionally, there are people who *NEVER* feed their aneomnes and they pick up plenty of food in the water column. Granted, people do some weird stuff, but I'm curious as to how the flower appears to you. Does it look distressed? Shrinking? anything else? If not, then feeding isn't a huge issue for it.

The BTA on the other hand will move when unhappy. Just let it figure out where it wants to be, and get food to it whenever you can.

 

[davocean]

Totally agree w/ Todd on SG, and nitrates being high, as well as need for more light.