Can someone explain the difference between a stressed and sick anemone?

[ZooShark1029]

Trying to understand from others experiences how can you tell the difference between an anemone that is simply stressed or is actually sick?

Would someone be able to list bullet points or explain the differences?

Is it the case that anemones can shrivel up/deflate/ get small purely from stress or is this indication of treatment?

The anemone in question is a small haddoni. It went through 8 days of treatment, 6 of which were with another anemone due to urgency. It has been in qt for an additional 10 days. Most of the time it looks great; however, it has been continuously releasing small dark brown pellets constantly even after treatment, and usually at night if there are the dark brown pellets, it will look shriveled up and the mouth would be open ( I am assuming by night time the water quality has gone hill since it is being kept in ~1-2 gallons (the haddoni is about the size of a half dollar). Tonight the mouth was open so deep I could actually see the foot, looked like star fish marking, and once a water change was completed, it looked normal again.It's foot has also been firmly attached since day 1.

 

[ThRoewer]

The dark brown pellets sound like expelled Zooxanthellae. Mine did this when it was sick and over a couple of days it lost almost all its color. The open mouth and shriveling up is also not a good sign.
Do you notice a fading of color?

BTW: What did you treat it with?

 

[ZooShark1029]

Cipro and so far no color loss. Do you think a second round of treatment would be necessary from the above description?

 

[ThRoewer]

I would wait for someone more experienced to comment on that.

 

[domination2580]

As far as anemones shrinking or shriveling, it's normal for them to kind of close up and look like it's not happy, it's normal especially when eating and when doing a bowel movement.

 

[drtrash]

Here is a good example

 

[ThRoewer]

As far as anemones shrinking or shriveling, it's normal for them to kind of close up and look like it's not happy, it's normal especially when eating and when doing a bowel movement.

This depends very much on the species. H. magnifica close regularly and then just look like a big blob. Same goes for all other Heteractis. I've also seen Entacmaeas doing this.
For many other Actiniidae it is normal behavior to open up and close again several times per day, especially for those that live in tidal zones.

Stichodactyla on the other hand don't do this, or when then only once in a blue moon.

On top of that deflating is a whole different thing than closing up. Deflating is almost always a sign of discomfort or disease.

Since this is a carpet I would be worried a bit.

 

[davocean]

Are you seeing it deflate when lights are on?
Closing up at night is common, during day a healthy nem should be absorbing light, especially a light needy hadonni.
It should be very obvious when you see deflation when lights are on, if so it needs to stay in QT.

 

[domination2580]

As long as he doesn't let go of his rock and not stay on anything for a good period of time I think he should be fine. And I think they could shrivel up during the day as well for a bowel movement...just like humans. When you have to go you have to go

 

[ZooShark1029]

I began re-treatment - I am considering a short treatment length. Maybe 4 days or so.

I was also wondering, does anyone have any experience with anemones and over-exposure to antibiotic treatment with cipro? Could results turn negative?

 

[Tango451]

I have had this same question for awhile. It's hard because I have heard for instance that a mouth slightly open or slightly inflated is no big deal and it is simply stressed. I have also heard that this is the indication of an infection and not just stressed. A carpet anemone that anchors/ buries it's foot within the first 24 hours is normally the sign of a healthy carpet despite it's mouth condition (whether it is a little droopy or open). I don't know for sure though.

The one thing I have seen over and over again is that when an anemone deflates constantly it usually indicates a bacterial infection. If it deflates only once it's more or less stress.

As for a list my best guess would be:

Sick carpet anemone:
- constant inflate/deflate cycle
- no ability to attach it's foot
- non responsive
- clear slime (deteriorating mucous membrane from mouth)

Stressed:
- open or inflated mouth
- moving around constantly and not attaching

But this list is hard because only time will tell if it is sick or stressed in the end. Maybe others like Minh, D-Nak, Etc can chime in on a. More conclusive/ comprehensive List

As for over exposure to anti-biotics- I assume nothing will happen in regards to the bad bacteria we want to kill, but it's good bacteria could learn to become resistant. I'm assuming this would only happen if you were running antibiotics every day for more than a month? I'm not 100% sure though