Help! Is my ritteri splitting or dying? Or both?

[Postal]

Ok, here is the background.
Some of you probably viewed my previous thread about this ritteri and its torn foot. The nem has been showing steady improvement. Color has improved, and the nem moved up to the top of its rock as the foot healed and it could use the entire foot for purchase. Things were looking really up for the nem.
Two days ago I found my GSM female dead in the tank. She appeared to be partially digested. The ritteri was deflated for the first time since it acclimated to the tank. The male clown was fine. I don't think the nem was strong enough yet to eat the clown. And the clown had never shown any inclination to go mouth-diving into the nem. But it seems extremely coincidental that the clown died and the nem looked bad at the same time. Water chemistry is still the same as it has been the entire time. This is a 40 breeder that contains only the clown, the ritteri and two flower nems. The tank however, is part of a 3-tank system that is over 140 gallons total. So I doubt one clown affected water chemistry that much.
The nem was looked rough ever since. It starts out looking just ok in the morning, but by late afternoon it is deflated and the mouth gaping. Then today I woke to the pics below. It certainly seems to be splitting, but I'm no expert.
Any thoughts on the situation?

 

[blownz281]

splitting I would say,looks healthy otherwise.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I would also say splitting. The reason I think this is the case - both sides of the anemone are firmly anchored on the rock and are pulling in opposite directions.

Take some more pictures! Particularly of the mouth area!

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Looks to be splitting, sorry to hear about your clown.

 

[Postal]

Here are some updated pics from throughout the day. I'll grab some more pics in the morning before heading out for the day.

 

[Postal]

 

[Postal]

 

[hypnoj]

man.. I'd be worried too Splitting.

 

[elegance coral]

It's definitely splitting. Hope it completes the split today, and doesn't hang out like that for long.

 

[Postal]

The anemone still has not finished splitting. It has now been four days. I'm not sure how long it can last like this, but I'll just keep watching and see what happens. The two nems are still connected by a good size piece of the foot. The nems actually moved closer together today. This is the first day that it seems no headway was made in finishing the split.

Pics from 03-27-11

 

[Postal]

Pics from 03-28-11

 

[smtank]

Just wanted to thank you for documenting this process so well. It is amazing!

 

[pentrix2]

Amazing!! I was pretty sure it was a goner, but it looks very healthy and even bigger now. How big can those nems get?

 

[garygb]

Great pictures documenting asexual fission. When my purple based mag divided years ago, it took several days for the last thread of flesh to disconnect, also.

 

[elegance coral]

I have one that was trying to split for almost two months. About a week ago, I finally took a razor blade and helped it out. The anemones seem to be improving, but it's to early to be sure.

 

[pentrix2]

when the nem splits, do you physically move it to a different part of the tank? Or do you leave it as it is?

 

[elegance coral]

I wouldn't try moving it off the rock it's attached to.

 

[this is me]

Looks like the mouths are starting to heal in your later pics.
If you have to move the nem, move it along with the rock it's attached to.

 

[Conrad25]

Love the documentation and it looks like its slowly getting there. Keep us updated and he looks healthy

 

[BonsaiNut]

Good job with all the pics, thanks for sharing!

I wouldn't rush it. Think about it this way - it is probably healing part of itself as it continues to pull itself in two.

Notice the siphonoglyph in the second to last photo above? (Pointing it because we were having a discussion about whether anemones asexually reproduced across the primary axis, or along the primary axis.)