Carpet Anemone doesn't look so good

jazzyndjay

jazzyndjay

New member
I have this new carpet anemone that I purchased at my lfs on Friday morning. He looked wonderful in the tank at the lfs where he'd been for the past week. He was stuck to the glass and completely stretched out so I know that he was perfectly healthy. As soon as they took him out (which took over 20 minutes to disconnect him from the glass) he turned a grayish brown. After acclimitizing him for over an hour I let him free into the tank. He finally found his spot yesterday morning, but then he started to open his mouth. He didn't look great yesterday at all so I was very concerned for his livelyhood and kept an eye out for him all day. He was also not very sticky anymore either. This morning I turn the lights on and see that he has stretched out quite a bit and he is almost as big as he was at the lfs, but his mouth is still agape. I know that he may very well just be getting used to his new home, but I am still concerned. any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
BTW water parameters are and have been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, .0122 salinity.
I have not yet had the chance to check the calcium and other trace minerals, but I use Kent.
I do 10% water changes each week in my 75g tank. I use an Instant Ocean protein Skimmer and 2 powerheads. I have a Reef Sun 20w T8 light which is the same light they use at the lfs and they told me it was the best one they had (any advice about that would also be appreciated). I know its a small tank for everything I have and I will be ugrading to a 200g soon, but I also have a condy nem and a long tentacle. They have all found their spots and are very far away from each other. I have 3 clarkiis, 2 tomato clowns, and 2 ocellaris. I also have quite a few blue leg hermits, 2 chocolate chip starts, 4 Turbo snails, and 1 emerald crab.
 
1.022 is to low IMO. Try 1.025 or 1.026

That 20w T8 bulb probably cant even grow hair algae lmao. They need MUCH more light than that.

:facepalm:
 
I've been trying to upload but it keeps failing. What kind of light can I get at a store so I don't have to wait for one online?
 
I would seriously reccommend looking into the possibility that it could be Helianthus carpet anemone before it gets too settled. They are known to eat fish, including clowns. If it is then you might consider returning it. If it is a Haddoni, then +1 to all of the above.

I don't know anything about your local lighting options, but over a 75g tank you'll want at LEAST 6 of those same bulbs that you have right now. 120w of light should be good to start IMO. Or consider 120w+ of LED or metal halide lighting, that would be much better. Also, Haddoni carpets like to be buried in deep sand where there is little or no flow. They don't like to be moved around by the current.
 
I noticed he planted himself in a spot with too much current so yesterday I moved the powerhead so it wouldn't bother him. Also the tank it right in the sunlight from the windows so it also gets plenty of sun all day if that's any consolation. What do I have to get so that I can put multiple bulbs over the tank? And the sand is about 6 inches deep.
 
Buying a fixture that holds multiple bulbs is the best way to do it usually. If you do that I would suggest going to T5 HO bulbs while you're at it.
 
pic of the whole setup and nem will help. since your lfs tell you 20w is good. and instant ocean skimmer = seaclone.
they need strong light and deep sand bed.
how old is the tank and how old are the test kit?
 
I've been reading a lot about the light and every one keeps telling me that its fine, but I'd like the input from you guys. It's a 50/50 65000k light. It's the same light they use at the store I go to. But at the same time they don't have Nems in the tank for more than a few days at a time, so maybe that's why it's OK? I'd like to buy the T5 but the lights are different than the ones I have so I'll have to buy a whole new fixture. I've been trying to get pics up but they always say failed. Anyone know anything about that too? It's driving me nuts haha. The sand bed it very deep, at least 6 inches in some spots. But I have some crushed coral in there so I think that's why the LTA hasn't attached. It looks very healthy, it's been eating, pooping, and everything else. It hasn't moved out of it's spot but it hasn't planted either. The carpet's mouth has closed and it has been eating (even a few of my fish). Now my only concern is the LTA.
 
jazzyndjay said:
I've been reading a lot about the light and every one keeps telling me that its fine, but I'd like the input from you guys. It's a 50/50 65000k light. It's the same light they use at the store I go to. But at the same time they don't have Nems in the tank for more than a few days at a time, so maybe that's why it's OK? I'd like to buy the T5 but the lights are different than the ones I have so I'll have to buy a whole new fixture. I've been trying to get pics up but they always say failed. Anyone know anything about that too? It's driving me nuts haha. The sand bed it very deep, at least 6 inches in some spots. But I have some crushed coral in there so I think that's why the LTA hasn't attached. It looks very healthy, it's been eating, pooping, and everything else. It hasn't moved out of it's spot but it hasn't planted either. The carpet's mouth has closed and it has been eating (even a few of my fish). Now my only concern is the LTA.
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Either a very hungry haddoni, or a helianthus.... get some pictures, we can help you figure out what you have and what is best to do with it.
 
Here re some pics of my carpet and lta who is not looking so great today. Water is a little cloudy after a water change and tank and sand cleaning last night.
 

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clearly a stressed Stichodactyla haddoni = Haddon's carpet anemone

care for different carpet anemone species vary

research ALL purchases beforehand
 
I just used my thing to clean of the glass whatever its called with the sponge on the end lol sorry I can't think of the name. I moved the sand around to get some of the stuff out of it so I could suck it up with the gravel vacuum. I used to have a watchman goby who cleaned the sand up very nicely for me but the carpet ate him last week. The molly miller blennies I have don't do a thing for the sand either.
 
Way too many clowns in that tank..... Are you running carbon to combat any fighting between anemones?
 
xtlosx said:
Way too many clowns in that tank..... Are you running carbon to combat any fighting between anemones?
Click to expand...

I know but I can't help it I just like them so much and didn't have the patients to wait for the bigger tank. Now I have to get rid of some of them. But they are the only kinds of fish that I want in my tank really. And about the carbon, I don't want to sound like an idiot, but I'm not sure what you mean.. If you're talking about carbon in the filter, which I'm sure you're not, then yes I am. But please inform me about what you mean. So far no problems with them at all. They are in in a spot and haven't moved, and they are also quite far away from each other. I know that they could decide that they want to get up and move at any time though, so what can I do?
 
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