Anemones 'Hiding'

[harana]

Hello,

I'd like some advice with my anemones.

I have two in my 125 gallon tank. One is a purple tip condy, the other a Sebae.

Params are:

Amonia: 0
Nitrie: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
Cal: 400
KH: 8
Mag: 1350

It is a mixed reef with Softies, LPS and a few SPS

Lighting is 2x250w MH with 4x55w T5s

I bought the two above noted anemones and, after drip acclimating them, attempted to place them in what I thought would be suitable spots in my tank. I've tried placing the foots of both in several spots- buried in the sand bed, on the sand bed with the foot wedged between the sand and a rock as well as with the foot wedged between crevices on the live rock in various places in the tank with various degrees of lighting.

No matter where i have placed these critters, they refuse to stay put anywhere that would seem suitable. After a while I gave up worried that I was overstressing them by handling them too much and figured I'd just see where they wound up on there own.

Well the Condy has found himself inside of a cave completely surrounded by liverock and almost completely without light. I haven't yet checked to see if he has attached his foot in here.

The sebae has secluded himself in a rear corner of my tank underneath a rock overhang directly on the sand bed and seems to be staying there though I do not believe he has firmly attached his foot to anything at all.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but this seems like abnorable behavour for animals who feed on light.

Any suggestions as to what may be occuring here and what I ought to do about it?


Thanks!

 

[saltymight]

I sounds like he is just not use to your light. what would could try is place him again where you think works good and see if he secures his foot. then if you have some screen put three layers over him. than about every week take one sheet off.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

It may be the light as mentioned by salty. The screening will help dim the light and gradually removing the screening will help them adjust slowly to your lights. To get them to move, aim a powerhead directly at them. The increased flow will make them move. Try not to handle them too much.

 

[elder luis]

Harana

I have two theories:

1 - Lighting problems or flow problems: your anemones are trying to adapt themselves to the new conditions of new "home" (your tank), remember that the foot doesn´t like lightining and the oral disk likes it. The oral disk need a moderate water flow, if it´s strong, the anemone will search a smoother place.

2 - Chemical war - in my personal opinion this is the reason. You mixed two totally different species into the same tank, when one notice the other´s presence, just starts to attack releasing some chemical elements into the water (its way of defense). These chemical elements have potencial to kill corals and the other anemone! Pay attention if your corals are closed or started a different behavior, if they are different, it´s time to change something before it´s too late! If you have another tank and have the possibility to remove one anemone, what will be perfect, if you don´t have, TRY to put them into the extremes os the tank (as far as you can) and if it´s possible, don´t let the water flow from one reach the other, maybe you can "pretend" the anemone that it is alone, depending on the size of your tank.

Sorry about my english, but I hope you could understand the idea.

Elder

 

[SwampyBill]

+1 on acclimating them to your lighting with layers of window screen. Your water parameters seem spot on, but how long has this tank been up & running? When were nems added?