foot breaking down? Is this guy a goner?

t4zalews

65g Ritteri Tank
I had a previous thread about how my malu would attach. Well this morning I looked in the tank and it didn't look so good. Was looking around at it to see if it was breaking down or not. The underside of it has these parts that look like guts but at the foot? the mouth is still closed. When I turned on the lights it immediately responded and started to firm up so its not completely dead. It has no smell to it.

I've had a malu break down on me before, but when that happened its guts were outside of its mouth so it was easy to identify. I can't tell if this anemone is breaking down from the foot or not. I've cirlced the area of concern with the best picture I could get. Also attached a picture of it right side up to show the mouth.

Thoughts?

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This is how it came in last Tuesday, so it's been in the tank a little over a week.
 

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The mouth of your anemone above is not a good sign. Round, small but very thin lip. This is, IME, worse than larger mouth but looks more normal (thick fleshy lip)
 
As of this tonight there is no change to the anemone..tentacles are still deflated, mouth looks the same, I can see into the anemone through the small hole

should I take it out of the tank before the night or wait and see what tomorrow morning brings...I have a bunch of SPS corals and don't want this thing crashing my tank...suggestion?
 
I guess my biggest question is the anemone wouldn't die with its mouth closed would it? All experience I have with a dead anemone is the mouth gaping open.
 
I've never had a malu but had a similar situation w a gbta. my issue was because of poor lighting I think but when mine looked like that I kept it alive for a month before it kicked the bucket. I would give it time and try my best to keep water params perfect mayve cover it w a small colander to keep it isolated and hope for the best. just keep a very close eye on it so it doesn't destrpy your tank but imo I wouldn't give up just yet good luck


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I hear you with light. Just took a PAR reading at the anemone and its between 340-360. Could it be having light shock? Reading LA's description in DD my lighting sounds well more than sufficient. I'm not giving up on it yet. I've been waiting for one of these for more than a year. I just like to error on the side of caution sometimes
 
it could def. be having light shock. which is why is could be flipping itself upside down i guess to avoid so much light. Do you have a fixture in which you are able to control the intensity? if so try taking it down by half and see how the nem reacts. and then you can slowly raise it every few days to get the nem to slowly acclimate. At least thats what i would do. Nems are very hard to figure out especially when they are new to your tank. It takes a while to "figure out" a nems behavior as they are all different. Im sure regaurdless you will know sooner than later. he is eiother going to start showing signs of improvement soon or hell decline vbery very rapidly. hopefully its the first scenario. Keep us posted good luck
 
I flipped it over for photo purposes..it usually is either on its side or facing upward. It definitely responds to light as soon as the lights turn on/off. Some pictures of it tonight...the mouth has produced some lips so I think that's encouraging. I have noticed that it keeps extending its foot to form a column. When the lights are off it looks like its all foot like it's trying to ball up.
 

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I guess my biggest question is the anemone wouldn't die with its mouth closed would it? All experience I have with a dead anemone is the mouth gaping open.
I agree, the mouth will gape and guts will look like there falling out. I don't think your anemone is dead yet.

I hear you with light. Just took a PAR reading at the anemone and its between 340-360. Could it be having light shock? Reading LA's description in DD my lighting sounds well more than sufficient. I'm not giving up on it yet. I've been waiting for one of these for more than a year. I just like to error on the side of caution sometimes

IMO 340-360 par is far too much light for a newly introduced h. Malu. I had to turn my lights down quite a bit to get my h. Malu to settle in.
 
I can't turn down my lights...should I just lower the period down 2 hours? I'm currently at 8 hours
 
It looks like this at night time...like it's trying to ball up. Do malu's have a tendency of "balling" at night?
 

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I personally do not think reducing your light period will do much. You either need to go to home depot and get some window screening and make four or five shade screens for your tank. You then remove a layer each week to slowly acclimate your anemone to your lights. Or you can try and find/create a shaded area in your tank to shade the anemone until it feels comfortable enough to come out.
 
It looks like this at night time...like it's trying to ball up. Do malu's have a tendency of "balling" at night?

No. My h. Malu would ball up like a bta/h. Mag when my cleaner shrimp would steal food from it. So, mine only does it for protection. Yours looks more like it is moving/ trying to set its foot.
 
Sorry to hear that. May I ask how you determined that it was officially dead? I'm interested because in following the pictures, I thought that from the balling up and such but the color was so strong. Just curious...
 
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