Anemone Won't Anchor

xXTheWendigoXx

New member
I was referred from Western Ohio Reef Club, said I might have some luck with this problem here.
I picked up a Sebae Anemone and a pair of clownfish about three weeks ago. The clownfish settled right in to it and the anemone seems to have acclimated in the sense that it continues to look very healthy, is stickier then duct tape, and is eating silversides.
Only trouble is that the anemone won't attach its foot to anything and as a result floats around the tank (especially at night) and I often find it sitting on one end or the other, upside down, with frantic clownfish circling it. I've notice that the base of the foot looks like there's been some sort of damage (it almost looks like scar tissue). The LT anemones and one Sebae I've seen peeled off of glass before all appeared to have very smooth bottoms to their foot. I was wondering if when I bought the anemone, the employee who pulled it out of the tank might have damaged the foot detaching it from the display, not enough to kill it, but enough to damage the foot for the foreseeable future and make it difficult to anchor.
I know a torn foot is usually a death sentence for anemones, but I can't think of anything else that might do it. It was definitely attached to the bottom of the tank at the store. Anyone seen or heard of anything like this happening before?

Here's a somewhat crummy photo I managed to get. It's hard to get a decent picture without squishing the poor thing.

IMG_3841.jpg
 
[welcome]

I have had LTAs come in similar to that, and they have never made it. And from the looks of your anemone from that picture I don't see it making it.

If it was healthy before you put it in your tank, would like to know more about your tank, to see if anything might have caused this.

How long has the tank been set up?
What size tank, and what lights do you have?
Current parameters --- with numbers.
What do you all have in the tank -- livestock.
 
Tank is 30g and has been set up for one year. It is all the rock and coral that I didn't sell when I broke down my 92g (during a move).
Tank currently has a 150w Viper clamp on HQI.
It is stocked with anemone, two skunk clownfish (about one inch each), a five inch snowflake moray, some red caulerpa and cheato, and assorted softies/LPS. Filter is a Fluval 205 with Bio, Carbon, and Resin.
Test twice a week, small spike after anemone and clownfish went in, went away next time I tested, levels have been impeccable since (0/0/0).
Change 1g 3 times per week.
Between powerheads and filter tank flow is just under 1000gph.
 
Anything can heal- but ones that look like that often don`t. Any sign of damage to the foot at time of sale, voids the sale for me.
 
Well, based on comments, I'm definitely hoping for a miraculous healing process, I will be buoyed by the fact that it continues to eat when I offer it food.
I confess that I got this from a LFS I wouldn't normally shop from as I don't particularly like their animal care standards but a well meaning relative gave me a gift certificate and was thrilled to come along to watch me buy something.
I'd much rather this heal then I have to go back, ask for a refund, and in all likelihood, end up with store credit which I really don't want.
I suppose my next question is, has anyone seen an anemone recover after deteriorating to this point?
 
the fact that it's eating at you said is a really good sign. Yet, the foot does look pretty badly damaged. are your clowns harassing it? or trying to get it to host? i would take them out and allow the 'nem to be as stress free as possible for maybe about a month or something. like i said, the sign that it's eating and sticky is a REALLY good sign, but then again, i've had rbtas that just kept on eating while the foot completely decomposed and it eventually died. :(

g'luck!
 
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