EMERGENCY! Anemone caught in powerhead!

[electricd7]

I just looked into my tank and saw that my new bubble tip anemone was stuck in the strainer for my powerhead!! I took the strainer off and very carefully cut the strainer to free the anemone, but he is very compact and has lost quite a few of his tentacles (not sure if that is what they are called.) He couldn't have been in there for more than a couple of hours, but I just don't know whether he is alive or dead at this point. His foot is still pink, but he is very very small and doesn't look good. Is there anything I can do to help him?? Stupid powerheads!

 

[FishyBiz]

Mine got stuck and I just turned off the powerhead and let it back out on its own. Let it do what it wants. Its the only thing you can do right now.
Mine made a full recovery.

 

[electricd7]

Well, he is fully out. But he is just sitting on the bottom. I can't tell if he is alive or dead at this point? He is moving, but I can't tell if its the water flow or him. Just looks so sickly. he was about 9" in diameter, and is now about 2 with all tentacles lying on the sand for the most part.

 

[redvipe2010]

Can you get a pic?

Cover your Power heads: http://www.karensroseanemones.com/coverpowerheads.htm

 

[Slakker]

I'd give him a while before you write him off as dead...plenty of anemones recover from powerhead disasters.

 

[Quickcord]

I am going through the same thing right now. Was the foot sticking to the powerhead? If the foot and mouth was not torn you have a good chance of recovery. I just let mine free itself and find a new spot in the tank. Then it is just a waiting game and keeping the tank parameters well within normal range. They will shrink up when stressed so I would just keep an eye on it.

Quickcord

 

[electricd7]

He is expanded today! Has lots of damaged tentacles, and "stuff" hanging on him, but he looks like he is going to make it! I will post of pic this afternoon. What can i do to help him recover now?

 

[RedSonja]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9406315#post9406315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by electricd7
He is expanded today! Has lots of damaged tentacles, and "stuff" hanging on him, but he looks like he is going to make it! I will post of pic this afternoon. What can i do to help him recover now?

First of all cover all powerhead and pump intakes as well as overflows so this can't happen again. The little strainer baskets that come with them are not enough, as you've learned the hard way. Cover them with vinyl window screening and cable-ties and you will still get flow w/o risking your livestock. You'll have to clean the screens on a regular basis but better that than go through this again.

You can make sure your water quality is pristine, and your skimmer tweaked for best performance. You can feed it pencil-eraser sized meaty foods once a day to help it rebuild damaged tissue. Soaking food in Selcon or a similar additive will help too. Keep a close eye on it and keep fish or shrimp from harassing it.

-Sonja

 

[electricd7]

Will do. Thanks for all the advice. I thought for sure he was a goner. Guess I didn't realize how tough these little boogers were!

 

[RedSonja]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9406895#post9406895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by electricd7
Will do. Thanks for all the advice. I thought for sure he was a goner. Guess I didn't realize how tough these little boogers were!

You're welcome. Please keep us updated on its progress.

And they are tough, and delicate both. They can be incredibly hard to kill, but also incredibly easy to kill. Getting maimed in a pump I suspect is not so different from a rock falling on them in the wild so they've evolved to survive that. Having no food or sub-par light, or large flunctuations in water parameters they can't handle as well over time.

-Sonja