How do Anemones eat fish?

[TracyZeuner]

I have a Blue Carpet(Haddoni) and it has eaten 5 fish over the past year.Do the fish not know to stay away from Anemones. In the last month it has eaten a Blue Chin Trigger and a Naso Tang. I assume that the anemone doesn't "jump" out at the fish. Do the fish just get to close and wammo-lunch

PS-I know these anemones are really not reef safe for the fish, but they are really cool!

 

[Eklikewhoa]

Sting them!

 

[davocean]

Beautiful carpet!
I think carpets have the worst rep for eating fish.
Most fish seem to know what's up, and in 5yrs I've only lost 2 fish to my nems, and they were both Naso's as well.
Both of those Naso's were REALLY young, and just swam right into nems, one lasted a day, the other 2 days ($90 ea)
I got them to replace another older Naso that I had for 7yrs (heater failure)
I wonder if nems are common in their natural suroundings.
I have seen other fish "learn" to stay away by getting lightly touched.
My firefish did, and shot like lightning!
He doesn't get close anymore!
Then my other tangs seem to know what's up, and hover SOOO close, yet don't touch.

 

[GSMguy]

Try pointing a moonlight at the anemone the fish might not wander into it.

 

[kar93]

i always thought that a fully sized tang wouldnt be able to fit in its mouth but they still get eaten. :O.

Youve also got some aiptasia that i noticed

 

[Lance M.]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11298441#post11298441 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 07kar93
Youve also got some aiptasia that i noticed

Those look like yellow polyps to me.

And like GSMguy recommended- I have heard moonlights help the fish see the anemone at night so they don't wander in there on accident and die.

 

[davocean]

Yeah, the moons might decrease night time snacks.
My Naso's went straight in during daylight, one almost as soon as I put in tank, just swam straight into nems mouth, kamikaze style!
The other I actually heard it struggle (splash)while I was on here posting a pic of " my new Naso", walked into living room to see Naso gone and nem closed up.
I had just taken it's pic like 3-4 minutes b4.
Nothing worse than seeing the bones/skull of a cool fish spit out, especially at $90 a pop!

 

[TracyZeuner]

yes lance you are right, those are yellow polys.They came from the rock on the left side of the carpet. I do have some moon lights, I will try pointing one over the top of the carpet. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[kar93]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11298732#post11298732 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lance M.
Those look like yellow polyps to me.

And like GSMguy recommended- I have heard moonlights help the fish see the anemone at night so they don't wander in there on accident and die.

Thought they was aptasia i can never really tell the difference

 

[phender]

I have found that "browsing" fish in general are in danger from haddoni carpets. I have lost many a tang, rabbitfish, dwarf angel, etc., but have never lost a predator fish like a pseudochromis or hawkfish.

Davocean brings up a good point, although some host anemones live on the reefs, haddoni carpets do not. They live in the sand and grass flats away from the reefs. Maybe reef fish just don't give the haddonis the respect that they deserve.

To answer your original question. Some fish just get too close. Others end up in the anemone when they get startled or are chased by another fish.

 

[esdayal]

I have a Rose and my yellow tail damsel wonders on him all the time.. The damsel bothers my pair of nemos also so I dont find feeding the damsel to my Rose anemone since Its nealy impossible to take him out of the tank.

 

[mwood]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11298866#post11298866 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean
Yeah, the moons might decrease night time snacks.
My Naso's went straight in during daylight, one almost as soon as I put in tank, just swam straight into nems mouth, kamikaze style!
The other I actually heard it struggle (splash)while I was on here posting a pic of " my new Naso", walked into living room to see Naso gone and nem closed up.
I had just taken it's pic like 3-4 minutes b4.
Nothing worse than seeing the bones/skull of a cool fish spit out, especially at $90 a pop!

Does it really spit out the bones? I think I just lost a brand new goldrim to my blue haddoni and want to know for sure.

 

[TracyZeuner]

#day after I "lost" my trigger, I found the bones stuck to one of my Rio 1500 pumps. It seems they kinda float after the anemone spits them out

 

[SPARTAN VI]

In my case, I handed over the corpse of my dead chromis to my condy for supper.

 

[phender]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11314120#post11314120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
Does it really spit out the bones? I think I just lost a brand new goldrim to my blue haddoni and want to know for sure.

You don't get back a full skeleton or anything. Raw fish bones are pretty easily digestible. I have found partial skulls and a few small bones, but many times you don't find anything.

Here's what was left of my foxface rabbitfish.

 

[davocean]

Small things like silvers show no bones, but yeah my naso's looked a bit like Phenders pic, but w/ a very distinct skull as well, creepy!

 

[mwood]

How long after consumption?

 

[davocean]

I noticed next day, not sure exactly how long, coulda been that night.

 

[esdayal]

I usually just spot feed my Rose with Rods food using a syringe but today I fed her first time half a cub since the Rose is still small and it took him almost 2 hours to digest it.She was holding on to the piece the whole time and taking in small bits from it... Is that normal ??

 

[davocean]

When you say half a cube do you mean a still frozen something?
I give mine a silverside a week each and it's gone in seconds.
I ALWAYS thaw food first in a cup of RO water.