Carpet nem balling up like a ritteri ?

[Swayze27]

So treating gig carpet with cipro and it appears to be going well so far. Today I check on the guy and he is inflated, tight mouth, but is balled up like a ritteri, lol. Is he having an identity crisis or will gigs do this every so often? He seems content and appears to be gaining his color back.

 

[NYCBOB]

i see u bought another anemone?

 

[Swayze27]

Same

 

[D-Nak]

They never do this when healthy (unlike mags which do it when healthy). I've had a gig do this while undergoing treatment, but it pulled through and was fine. My hypothesis is that they ball up in an attempt to expel something that's stuck, and lack the strength of a normal gig to do it the typical way (of not balling up).

I wouldn't be surprised if it expels a lot of dead zoox or a white substance (which I guessed when mine did it to be Cipro mixed with other waste).

 

[Swayze27]

So it's normal for one under treatment?

 

[Swayze27]

The secreting and expelling seems to be slowing down. The tank is staying cleaner, not having to siphon out nearly as much gunk.

 

[D-Nak]

I wouldn't say it's normal or typical, but it's not something I'd be too concerned about, especially if it sounds like it's expelling less dead zoox. My original hypothesis when people started treating their nems with antibiotics was the that infection caused a build up of waste, and if the nem wasn't able to expel it, it would typically mean death -- so it's a good sign that it's not expelling as much. I'm guessing that balling up is the final push for the nem to get out the last remaining bits, and I'd expect it to fully inflate in a few hours.

 

[D-Nak]

To expand on what I said previously, if the nem isn't able to expel the waste, it begins to break down within then nem and the surrounding tissue remains infected and becomes necrotic. Again, just my hypothesis.