<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8036943#post8036943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smp
Your tank isn't capable of keeping an anemone happy and by the sounds of it, your lack of experience isn't helping much.
Stop moving the thing around so much, you're stressing it out even further. Leave it alone and make sure it doesn't get sucked up into any powerheads.
Your tank is not cycled.
His tank is cycled.. 3 months? I think so... I think the lack of experience in the hobby is hurting you most right now. You should probably just try to return this anemone just to ensure it does not die... wait it out, read more and get a better understanding of anemones, how they work, what they require. Before that, I'd suggest doing more research on tank paramaters, what causes ammonia, nirtrites, etc... because IMO, after 3 months.. it should be undetectable. A lack of water changes, excess feeding, along with other factors may be causing your ammonia. I would have to disagree with the people saying your tank is not cycled. In reality, a tank does not take this long to cycle.. so if it is, you got some nasty rock or something...
A gaping mouth is a sign of poor health, an open mouth.. still not a good sign. If it's just slightly open, then that would be acceptable..(only if it's open for a short period of time) but a healthy , thriving anemone has a puckered up mouth pretty much all the time.
Do not handle the anemone, if you are... leave it be. If it's staying attatched, then that's good.. if it keeps blowing around and detatching, I'd say return him.. 10$ is 10$ .. and you shouldn't risk the life of the anemone just because "it wasn't that expensive" .. it still doesn't justify letting it perish because of lack of research/experience.