Is my buddy dead?

[wnehez]

I have an anemone that I cannot tell if it is dead. It has not looked healthy the past couple days, almost a week now. It has shrunk very small, tentacles have not been out in a while, and it just detached itself from the rock yesterday. It looks bloated sorta. Like puffy. I know they do some weird body shapeshifting but has this happened to anyone else? Im not sure what kind it is(horrible memory) but it has purple tips and a bright orang base. Is he dying or dead already?

 

[wnehez]

I just recently added two 110W VHO actinics on my lighting if this can help explain anything...

 

[jon1985]

we need more info, tank parameters, anemone species, a pic would be good to.

 

[wnehez]

Tank parameters were good unitl yesterday. I tried to feed my lion fish pieces of shrimp but he ujust watched it float to the bottom so I left it there for the CUC to enjoy. As of today my parameters are Am- <.25; Ph- 8.1-8.4; Nitrites 0; Nitrates <30. I think the shrimp I fed a couple days ago might have sat in there for it to raise the ammonia up. Before that everything was at 0 except Nitrates which was <30. But like I said this has been going on for a little over a week so I dont think its that. Im not sure of the species. Like I said I have a horrible memory. But heres a pic. This is what he used to look like. Sorry for the quality, phone sucks. I did have not the best lights for him as they were just regular flourescents but I was told he would be fine until I got my good lights up.

 

[t4zalews]

from the picture its a LTA and a bleached one at that. Really a bad sign that it's not attached to anything. Typically one of the easier anemones to keep. They prefer a sand bottom to bury their foot in. I'd look to water chemistry for your problem

 

[wnehez]

He started doing this before I got the new lights tho. Before I got the new lights I only had 2 flourescent 15w each. That shouldnt have bleached it should it have? I was told they liked bright lights from the LFS. They had him in the tank with nice t5's I know when they die they basically fall aprt in the tank. Should I take him out before he gets to that stage?

 

[wnehez]

When I get home after work today I will do another parameter check and do a water change if necessary.

 

[2Addicted]

Maybe it keeps detatching from the rocks because it is a sand dwelling anemone. It looks like an LTA. As Taylor said they like to bury their foot in the sand. Place it in the sand next to a rock. Was it white when you got it?

 

[wnehez]

Yes, the tentacles were white with a purple tip. The base is orange. I did not know it was a sand dwelling anemone. Hopefully thats what he is doing is moving to the sand and he will make it.

 

[wnehez]

Maybe it keeps detatching from the rocks because it is a sand dwelling anemone. It looks like an LTA. As Taylor said they like to bury their foot in the sand. Place it in the sand next to a rock. Was it white when you got it?

And this is the first time he detached from the rock. He always was on the rocks.

 

[2Addicted]

It will take some TLC to get it healthy again. The first step is to get it firmly attatched. Then you can work on feeding it to get some color back. Are all your powerheads covered so the anemone does not get chopped up?

 

[wnehez]

Yes. He will be safe there. How should I show it some TLC? like what do I do? Move it somewhere cuz I heard if you move em too much they will die because you keep messing with them... Learn me something! haha

 

[2Addicted]

It also could be a condy. Can you get a better pic of the underside ?

 

[bradleym]

+1 I think it's an LTA. It will climb the rocks if there isn't enough light, but it needs to be in the sand to be healthy. Make sure your parameters are all good and then if it is still detached, move it to the sand. Dig a spot next to a rock and set it in so it leans up against the rock and then bury the entire orange part of it. Make sure the spot you set it gets plenty of light. Hopefully it will reattach there and you'll be headed in the right direction.

If you get this far ok, I would suggest feeding it some cut up pieces of raw shrimp or scallops every couple days. The white tentacles means it is bleached. This means it can't use the light very well for energy, so feeding it will help make up the difference. If this goes well, the tentacles will start to turn tan over the next couple weeks, and then hopefully purple or green after that.

If it turns out to be a condy, just skip the first part about burying it.

 

[bradleym]

All that said, it is in bad shape, so it is a gamble as to whether or not it will survive. BTW, how long has your tank been setup? Anemones don't fare well in tanks under 6 months old.

 

[wnehez]

Update! I think it is a condy. I typed in google a bunch of different things trying to find a picture of what it looked like as a LTA and other an's and I couldnt find one, but when I typed in orange condy an. I saw two pictures on the first page. any advice from anyone with condys?

 

[xtlosx]

All that said, it is in bad shape, so it is a gamble as to whether or not it will survive. BTW, how long has your tank been setup? Anemones don't fare well in tanks under 6 months old.

Yea know, I keep hearing this 6 month statement from so many people but it simply isn't a blanket statement that is 100% true. I know what people are trying to say, a fresh tank, new rock, new sand, new aquarist, putting any nem is NOT a good idea.

Although, look at it on a case by case basis, let's take mine for example. I setup my cube almost 3 months ago now, I had a RBTA and GBTA in the tank within 2.5 weeks, and going on the 3 month mark both are large, hungry, and happy as can be... How could that be you say?? Well, for starters my live rock came from a local reefers tank that was JUST broken down the night before, and was previously in the tank for almost 2.5 yrs. The sand also came from the same system, so I had an insta-cycle from the start.

Sorry don't mean to come off like an ***, but just had to finally vent.. heh.

 

[bradleym]

Yea, in your case, I am not surprised that it worked. You have what I would call "an old system in a new box". I was just trying to make OP aware, in case he hadn't heard. If your live rock is from an LFS LR only tank, you can be tricked into thinking it's the same but it's not. Your rocks had time to grow large bacterial colonies that can handle a significant bioload. The rocks at the LFS only have enough to get you started after sitting in a sterile environment for so long. That situation won't always kill anemone, but it doesn't help matters with a sick nem.

 

[wnehez]

Update. yesterday I noticed that he wedged himself in between two rocks. A very tight, small wedge. This morning I did my morning check on the tank and feeding and I saw him on the bottom of the tank on the sandbed. He was pretty much flat and did not look right. I scooped in my net to flip him rightside up but pulled him to the surface to give a better inspection. I discoverd that he was about to start oozing apart as his orange body looked very "wet". He was my first loss in the tank I have another condy in there that I had first and he is doing great. Just sucks cuz I didnt want anything to die in there. Should I watch for ammonia spikes or anything else?

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Update. yesterday I noticed that he wedged himself in between two rocks. A very tight, small wedge. This morning I did my morning check on the tank and feeding and I saw him on the bottom of the tank on the sandbed. He was pretty much flat and did not look right. I scooped in my net to flip him rightside up but pulled him to the surface to give a better inspection. I discoverd that he was about to start oozing apart as his orange body looked very "wet". He was my first loss in the tank I have another condy in there that I had first and he is doing great. Just sucks cuz I didnt want anything to die in there. Should I watch for ammonia spikes or anything else?

Do a quick ammonia test. If there isn't any detected and you removed him, you won't get a spike (unless something else dies). If it is a condy, they're really cheap. Your picture looked like a condy I had in my tank over night... until it decided it liked the tank enough to almost triple in size over night.