Long Tentacle Anemone - is it actually dying?

[krcdance17]

Hello everyone! I'm new to these forums, but my boyfriend and I are truly stumped, and we figured we'd turn to people with more experience!

The main issue is, we can't tell if our long tentacle anemone is dying or not.

Background:
We started the salt water tank about a month ago, and we've had the anemone in the tank for about 1.5-2 weeks. The tank cycled rather quickly. It's a 10-gallon tank with a salinity of 1.024 ppm, a pH of around 8.5, ammonia level of about .25 ppm, nitrite level of around .25 ppm, and nitrate level varying between 0 and 5 ppm, and these levels are before our daily water changes.

We usually feed the anemone once a week, with a piece of thawed krill, sometimes two.

When we went to feed her a couple days ago, she held onto the krill but never actually ate it. Her body is bubbled up while a lot of her tentacles are inflated but just hang. Tonight we watched her insides START to turn inside out, but then it went back to how she's been.

So, now we don't know what to do!

I've also attached pictures from the day we first got her, to pictures taken tonight.

 

[krcdance17]

I'm also adding to this that this has all happened within the past day or two. Before that, she's been absolutely fine!

 

[Swayze27]

Ok, this may be blunt but you need to know. Anemone are some of the most sensitive creatures in this hobby and should only be added to a tank that has cycled and a tank that maintains the stablest of parameters. Most recommend not adding anemones until after a year of the tank running. I say at least 6 mo providing that you have done significant research and have a good hold on keeping your tank stable and maintaining good husbandry.

A few things about your situation: your tank is too small for a long tentacle anemone, fully grown they get literally bigger than your tank. Secondly your tank still has presence of ammonia and nitrite, which are extremely harmful to any inhabitants in the tank especially an anemone. Thirdly, the anemone appears bleached which can be a sign of inadequate lighting, anemone require intense lighting to thrive. Make sure you have adequate lighting down the road.

Take it slow in this hobby, let your tank cycle completely before adding anything else, especially sensitive creatures like anemones. Read up on these forums, there is a lot of information on here from a lot of people that have been around the hobby a long time. Learn from their mistakes so you don't make the same. This is a very rewarding hobby when patience is utilized but it can be the opposite when it's not. Good luck and go slow. Your anemone more than likely will not survive in its current environment, sorry.

 

[humphreyhh]

You added anemone too soon. Following the 6 month rule will give you much higher success rate.

The anemone is looking bleached. What's your lighting?

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[elegance coral]

My advice would be to contact your local aquarium club, and try to find someone that can properly care for it. It's not dying right now. It is bleached though. If it's environment does not change, it will likely die.
Sorry.
EC

 

[vhuang168]

If you actually have ammonia and nitrite readings, your tank is not cycled. Could be the reason why the nem is stressed.


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[OrionN]

Agee with all the above. Your tank is too small, too newly set up and you are too inexperience. You need to get him to a man re experienced Reefer with more suitable tank if you want him to live. Best of luck.

 

[Pond Boy]

Quit feeding so much feed it once mebbe twice a week tops.
Do water changes every few days.
Cross your finger hope for the best.

 

[DasCamel]

I tested the 6 month rule, it just makes life harder.

 

[humphreyhh]

I tested the 6 month rule, it just makes life harder.

I mean...which part of life isn't hard though...

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[DasCamel]

I mean...which part of life isn't hard though...

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LOL, I guess you like things on extreme difficulty mode?

 

[krcdance17]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your responses! The anemone unfortunately did die the next day (it looked like it was essentially leaking out of itself), but at least we are more aware for the next time, should there be one!

 

[humphreyhh]

Sorry to hear that...I'm newbie too, I have a lot to learn before I can get more delicate animals.


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