Help! My toadstool's polyps have not come out (anemone causing problems?)

[chrisbenavides]

For about three days now my toadstool has not extended it's poylps. This maybe normal for a day right, but not for 3?

I have attached a picture of it the last day (three days ago) when it was normal. The only thing different about the tank is that I added an anemone (which is on the other side of the tank). I did touch the anemone (I had to move it), and noticed that I had a little bit of slimey film from the anemone on my hand, but thought nothing of it and basically it rinsed off right it in the tank. Maybe this could have sent some of that slimey stuff from the anemone towards the Toadstool?

Do you think this is the reason as to why the Toadstool is not extending its polyps?

I did notice a little white piece on it where a hermit crab was on there. Yesterday it was on that piece and I grabbed him and placed on the other side of the tank. Today either the same hermit or a different one was on the area of the toadstool, BUT, the hermit was dead. I don't understand.

What can I do?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

DO you have sufficient flow on the toadstool for when it sheds it can get rid of the mucous coating in a timely manner?

 

[chrisbenavides]

yeah there does appear to be sufficient flow.... as you can tell in the picture, the polyps are somewhat blown in all directions.... about 6 " to the top and 6" to the right of the toadstool is a SEIO 620 p.h.

 

[tinyreef]

are you running carbon and/or any other chemical adsorber? if not, try a fresh bag. waterchange isn't as effective if its a chemical/allelopathic issue unless it's a very significant volume change ime.

if it's prepping to shed (shiny waxy coating) you can help it along by blowing it off (directly) with a clean turkey baster.

new additions can throw a toadie off. they're pretty sensitive to changes, whether to the water or due to neighbors (even distant ones). although i am a little surprised from a non-contacting anemone. but slime coatings can definitely tick off a toadie regardless of distance.

 

[chrisbenavides]

other than not extending its polyps it looks pretty healthy

yes I am running carbon and a phosopad by the Drs.

 

[tinyreef]

when did you last change either one? try a fresh bag of carbon. even if you just changed in the last couple of days (in fact, especially if it was in the past few days).

how the coloration? (a picture is worth a 1000-words)

 

[chrisbenavides]

ok...I'll change the carbon (I added some new carbon two weeks ago). With regards to color, its seems like the same color in the picture and it seems like it has not changed much. (I am a little color blind though). Like I said there is a spot that has become a little more white than the rest of its crown. Like I also said, my greatest belief is that the anemone caused this. Practically the same day I got (the following morning)...I notced that the toadstool was not extending. It usually does so after an hour or so after the lights turn on. But for the past days...nothing.

 

[tinyreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7955893#post7955893 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisbenavides
Like I also said, my greatest belief is that the anemone caused this. Practically the same day I got (the following morning)...I notced that the toadstool was not extending. It usually does so after an hour or so after the lights turn on. But for the past days...nothing.

i'd tend to agree with you since the timing is so coinciding. hopefully, the fresh carbon can "polish" up the water enough to comfort the toadie.

you may have to switch to a more aggressive schedule with the carbon to keep it happy, i.e. weekly changes of carbon or more frequent.

let us know how it goes. often the change for the better should be fairly quick (if it's a chemical issue).

 

[chrisbenavides]

what if its not chemical? whats my next step or what should I observe? I thought it was really weird that for two or three days also in a row there was a hermit crab in the same spot, and on the last day when I went ahead and removed the hermit from that spot it was dead. Why would it die?

 

[tinyreef]

you mean the hermit? was it dead or a molt?

was it dead the few days it squat there. i've not known herms to stay in one place/position for longer than a few hours. did you see it twitch during its time in that spot (i'm assuming it parked itself right on the coral's cap)?

if it's not a (strictly) chemical issue, then i'd look for deformations and discolorations on/around the coral. also look around the coral to see if there's any unusual debris buildup.

lastly, check the coral's texture/body. if you feel any differences in texture or body mass/firmness. this can point to a void (internal parasite) or a rotting/diseased area (will likely require surgery/removal). they get pretty ticked off at the manhandling though, so i would hold that off until last if possible.

 

[edwardbotha]

little worried about white spot, could just b molt. do not touch or replace it at this time. best 2 do is make water quality as best u can. look 4 dead (dark) spots. if u see it is dying, best 2 frag in pieces. frags with dark spots will not survive, but healthy segments have a chance. but this is last resort. i'll give is time and good flow and light and exelent water.

hope u'r worries r 4 nothing

 

[tinyreef]

ed has a point. a picture of what you're seeing would be very helpful for more suggestions/recommendations.

 

[Ciarán]

I keep a sarcophyon with a huge Ritteri withou any problems and they are approx 6" away from each other. I use massive amounts of carbon, macroalgae and a skimmer rated 14+ times my tank volume and ive never had a problem. I added the sarcophyton after the anemone, try moving the sarco to a QT tank for a while and see what happens without the anemone's presence.

 

[chrisbenavides]

Update:

After using a Turkey Blaster and blasting it with water, I managed to take some mucous off of it. The next morning more polyps were out. Finally today I saw about 80% of the polyps out again. I guess it was shedding.

 

[No Worries1979]

My toady has about one day a week that it doesn't extend, but the other six days it is a beauty.

It looks like your anemone is a condy. I hear those have nasty stings to your inhabitants. You might want a long tentacle if you prefer one that doesn't move around too much.

 

[tinyreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8008535#post8008535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by No Worries1979
My toady has about one day a week that it doesn't extend, but the other six days it is a beauty.

i'm curious, how often do you waterchange or media filter change? is there any coinciding events like that?

 

[chrisbenavides]

Media change is every 3-5 weeks. Water change (about 10%) every 2ish months.

Update: Toadstool looks like he's back to normal 100%. Don't know what that was all about. The toadstool was not extending its polyps for like 5 days, and suddenly the next day after a turker blastered it, it was back to normal.

I don't like that the Cleaner Shrimp is always hanging onto the toadstoll or walking over the crown. The coral does not seem to mind it though, but it gets me nervous.

 

[tinyreef]

actually, i was asking about noworries' statement right before.

i thought he was posting that his toadie goes through cycles of expansion and retraction every 6-days or so. so i was wondering if it had to do with something else that he happened to be doing (or occurred) along those same timeframes.

but i'm glad to hear your toadie's doing well. sometimes/often the result is not as good.

 

[No Worries1979]

Sorry it has taken a while to respond, I have been out of town.

I do water changes about once a month usually 5 gal, then the next time I may change 10 gallons. (I have a 90 gal with a 15 gal sump) I also have sponges on 2 of my powerheads and I usually rinse those about twice a week.

As far as the coral behavior, It is really sparatic when it retracts. There is really no reason. Sometimes it may look folded over compared to the norm. Then hours later it is fine and the polyps are out again. I think they sometimes flush themselves. They are stressful when you first get one, but it should be fine once you see the polyps. It has to get acquainted with the other inhabitants, H20 quality, and water flow. Good luck!