Is this a strange looking gig?
- Thread starter ponokareefer
- Start date
ponokareefer
New member
So after looking perfect for 2 weeks, it has decided to deflate today. I'm guessing this is the beginning of the end.
ponokareefer
New member
how is it deflating? if it's deflated but no gaping mouth and has not moved, then I wouldn't worry too much. Normal behavior
It's in the identical spot, but it's tought to tell if the mouth is open or not with it being scrunched up. When it was about half deflated, the mouth was still closed.
D-Nak
Active member
how is it deflating? if it's deflated but no gaping mouth and has not moved, then I wouldn't worry too much. Normal behavior
IME, any deflation during the day is a bad sign and is not normal behavior. At night, my gig deflates to about 3/4 of it's daytime size, but as soon as the lights go on, it begins inflating and stays that way the entire time the lights are on.
Typical sick gigs inflate for most of the day but then -- strangely IME at the same time every day -- deflate as if to expel all of the water inside them. My guess is that they are attempting to expel either dead zoox or dead tissue caused by an infection. Either way, healthy gigs RARELY deflate, so I take it as a bad sign.
Also, sick gigs rarely move. They aren't like BTAs or other anemones that tend to wander. Once they plant their foot, they don't move much as all, unless they are extremely unhappy, and I usually attribute this movement to poor water quality. I had a sick gig that stayed planted in the same location until it died, nematocysts still firing as it shriveled up into a blob.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm just preparing you for the worst. Of course, I hope I'm wrong and the deflation was just a one time thing!
Jamie1210
Active member
D-Nak, i semi-agree with what you posted above, except for the sick gigs don't move segment. I've gone through 4 or 5 of the sick ones and for the most part, IME, they start off in one spot, but then begin moving *while* balding and gaping. It's interesting that you've never seen yours move when it was sick.
For the most part, gigs are not supposed to deflate in the daytime, that's true. But, I have seen mine do it occasionally (maybe 3-4 times since I've had it in 8 months). However, the caveat for this is that when I say daytime, it is daylight for us, but the tank is still semi-dark bc the lights have not kicked in yet. When the lights kick in at night, I have NEVER seen it deflate.
Deflating only ONE time in 2 weeks that you've had it is still promising news to me (I will be "glass half full" here! haha ) I would be very concerned if it started deflating more often .. . now THAT would be bad.
OP, do u have any updates? Pics would be good too.
For the most part, gigs are not supposed to deflate in the daytime, that's true. But, I have seen mine do it occasionally (maybe 3-4 times since I've had it in 8 months). However, the caveat for this is that when I say daytime, it is daylight for us, but the tank is still semi-dark bc the lights have not kicked in yet. When the lights kick in at night, I have NEVER seen it deflate.
Deflating only ONE time in 2 weeks that you've had it is still promising news to me (I will be "glass half full" here! haha
) I would be very concerned if it started deflating more often .. . now THAT would be bad.OP, do u have any updates? Pics would be good too.
ponokareefer
New member
The gigantea is back to normal today. It was still deflated this morning, but re-inflated. It looks identical to the last picture on file.
One thing I forgot to mention is that I did a water change yesterday morning and it was the first one since getting the gigantea. I'm guessing it might only be that it didn't like the change in water. I've just always read that a fully deflated gigantea is always a bad thing. It does deflate a little bit each night, but never during the day, and never had it fully deflated before.
One thing I forgot to mention is that I did a water change yesterday morning and it was the first one since getting the gigantea. I'm guessing it might only be that it didn't like the change in water. I've just always read that a fully deflated gigantea is always a bad thing. It does deflate a little bit each night, but never during the day, and never had it fully deflated before.
ponokareefer
New member
It's starting to lose its tentacles, is no longer sticky and deflated again yesterday afternoon.
ponokareefer
New member
So it has partially reinflated today. At what point do most people flush these things before they die and contaminate your tank?
aandfsoccr04
Active member
Can you post an updated picture?
ponokareefer
New member
Here is a picture of it this morning before the main lights turned on.
ponokareefer
New member
double post
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BonsaiNut
Premium Member
I've seen worse. It could go either way. You have to understand that anemones have pretty basic circulatory systems. When an anemone scrunches up like that, it is often a sign that it is pumping out bad water, or waste, or dead zooxanthellae, and it will shortly reinflate with fresh water. This is not at all uncommon when you introduce an anemone to a new system. However what you hope to see is that over time the contractions become less pronounced and less frequent. If the anemone gets worse (say due to bacteria infection), the contractions will become greater and more frequent until the anemone remains in a completely deflated state. Full deflation combined with a gaping mouth is usually a sign of death, though the anemone can continue to contract and respond to physical stimuli for hours afterwards.
One thing for certain - a dead anemone smells worse than anything on this planet. If you smell the anemone (even in a bowl of water) and it does not stink like a zombie sitting in cow dung eating roadkill, then the anemone is not dead yet.
One thing for certain - a dead anemone smells worse than anything on this planet. If you smell the anemone (even in a bowl of water) and it does not stink like a zombie sitting in cow dung eating roadkill, then the anemone is not dead yet.
D-Nak
Active member
I'm not sure if you're kidding or not, but the photo above is that of a sick gig. I wouldn't recommend buying one that looks like this.
ponokareefer
New member
So my gigantea went MIA yesturday. I pulled out a bunch of rock, checked powerheads, changed my filter sock and finally found it on the back side of a rock fully deflated where there is minimal light.
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