H Crispa got caught in powerhead

[dela]

I thought my anemones were safe from my powerhead since the powerhead is at the top of the tank, but My H Crispa, which was on the gravel when I left the house today, detached and floated into the powerhead. There is no other way it could have wound up there.

Anyway this happened while I was out, and it was by sheer coincidence that I had to come home and found the anemone stuck to the poewrhead.

I pulled off the anemone and put him in a specimen container which is still in the tank. I'd say about 25% to 50% of its tentacles were shredded. It does not look like any other part of the anemone was damaged.

I'm guessing if I just let things be, it will die of an infection.

Are there any recommendations for treating an injury like this? The sticky on this forum makes it seem like treating the anemone with antibacterials in a hospital tank might be a way to save it.

Not sure what antibacterial to use, or where to buy it.

 

[Winwood]

If it was healthy to begin with it has a shot at recovering.When I first got it, my crispa, took two trips to the powerhead on seperate nights. It has made a full recovery since both episodes. I also pulled my anemone off the powerhead and almost through it away both times becaused it killed several of my sps colonies. However, after it finally settled down it was fine, and has been in the same spot for six months or more.

 

[dela]

This morning it actually does not look so bad. Maybe the damage is not as bad as I thought. Hopefully the hardest part of the recovery will be getting him out of that specimen container he's latched on so well to!

 

[rhdoug]

When I first got my crispa it got more than 50% shredded. I just put it back on the rocks and it is fine 9 years later. I thought it was a goner but it regrew back to normal in just a couple of months. I would get it back into the flow ASAP to keep the dead stuff from settling on it and causing problems.

 

[dela]

He's out of the container. I shut the pumps off to keep the flow down to a minimum (so he would not blow around) and kept the lights at 50%. Tomorrow the lights will go back to normal and I will turn on one of the pumps. Hopefully it won't be enough flow to send it floating again. Will have to watch for a while to make sure...

 

[dela]

OK, no point in waiting till tomorrow. Pump is on. Tentacles are waiving, but no way there is enough flow to carry it away.

 

[rhdoug]

keep us posted and good luck with it.

 

[dela]

Between the curved glass and the small picture size it will be hard to see. But while most tentacles just got the tips lopped off, there is one spot (left center) where the tentacles were taken down to the disk. And I can't really tell if the disk was damaged, but as of day one the anemone is still alive.

 

[rhdoug]

I'll bet it will be ok. Mine was shredded even into the mouth and it recovered. This is it now.

 

[lbondy]

My BTA got into my power head today. I am so thankful for this forum. Makes me feel like there is hope for him. . I put him across the tank from the power head and he perked back up. A few of his "limbs" were floating around the tank so I know he was cut. Hopefully he does ok. I think it was more traumatic on me.

 

[rhdoug]

I was ready to throw mine away, but it was actually my LFS who told me to be patient and it could recover. Don't know if the guy really knew his stuff or just got lucky!
Good luck with it.

 

[lbondy]

I hope so. Your tank looks great. I am just starting and would hate to have my first fatality already. I was hoping he would stay where he was, which was right in the middle just like yours. Time will tell. Thanks for your words of support.
Lois

Starting Tank: 36 Gallon Bow front, HO lights, protein skimmer, flow over filter, power head (aka BTA magnet) 2 True Percula Clowns, 1 pepermint shrimp, 4 snails,LR, LS. Can you tell how new I am..LOL

 

[tbettis]

no one is mentioning a water change?

 

[dela]

My anemone is looking better every day.

lbondy - my anemone was not a BTA. I could be wrong, but in my limited experience, those seems to be a little more delicate. I think good flow as rhdoug mentioned is key. Good luck.

tbettis - Probably a good idea! In my case, the water was cloudy and a water change would have been a good idea. I had actually just gotten done doing a water change / cleaning so I could not / did not change the water again (out of laziness - and because I was out of water). I did finally get around to hooking up my carbon though, which probably helped to some degree. The skimmer went a little crazy.

I think had more of the anemone gone through the propeller, a water change would have been critical.

 

[badbreath]

My small 3" or so (expanded) bta went through my powerhead Saturday...or at least I think it did. All that is left is a small 1" diameter piece attached to a rock at the bottom. I guess the rest was cleaned up by the crabs and brittle star, with the exception of a good size piece of flesh I removed today. I would be surprised if mine survives, but from the sounds of it, it is common for them to pull through.

Good luck with yours.

 

[dela]

It went THROUGH the powerhead? That sounds pretty severe. You will have to let us know how it goes!

 

[badbreath]

It went THROUGH the powerhead? That sounds pretty severe. You will have to let us know how it goes!

Hard to say what really happened...I wasn't there. Here is a picture of the remaining part of it the next day.

The good news is that it is still alive, and has moved itself around the tank to find a happier place.