Looking for an anemone

[cardiffgiant]

Has it extended itself at all yet? It's not unusual for an anemone to deflate and expel waste, but 2-3 days without any extension isn't a healthy sign.

What type of lighting is the sunpaq? Is that metal halide, compact florescent, T5? I've successfully kept 2 anemones under 260w of compact florescent in the past.

What is your salinity? What are your water parameters? How did you acclimate the anemone?

I wouldn't give up too soon. My first experience with an anemone didn't turn out well, but the RBTA that I have now has split a 3 times and the clones have gone to local stores and members of this board.

 

[polo2883]

Sunpaq is a compact fluorescent light. I only have the water test kit for pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia.

I dont have the exact numbers but I think most were within range. The salinity I think was around 1.027 using a hydrometer?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

A 'nem won't waste away overnight due to lighting. This has to be a water quality, disease, acclimation, or other such issue.

This is how I would troubleshoot:

1) Check your params. Make sure your test kits are good. Contact the vendor and ask their params, compare to yours.
2) Review your acclimation procedure. How did you transport the 'nem? How was it acclimated?
3) Contact the vendor and ask how long they had had the specimen before you bought it. Ask if they had any others from the same shipment and how they are doing.
4) How is it situated in your tank? Any chance it could have crawled or blown into a powerhead intake or other physically dangerous object?

Unless it is obviously dead to the point that it is clearly decaying, I wouldn't toss it. They can exhibit severe reactions to stress and bounce back just fine.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Unless it is obviously dead to the point that it is clearly decaying, I wouldn't toss it. They can exhibit severe reactions to stress and bounce back just fine.

I agree.

The next step is to purchase a refractometer or 16" lab grade float hydrometer. Swing arm hydrometers are all notoriously inaccurate.
Anemones are not for beginners.

 

[Jacwil]

Status update?

 

[polo2883]

Yea its officially dead. Considering its disintegrated to about half the size I bought it. This was my first attempt of something other than fish, snails, cucumber, and hermits.

 

[The J Man]

Yea its officially dead. Considering its disintegrated to about half the size I bought it. This was my first attempt of something other than fish, snails, cucumber, and hermits.

Sorry for your loss. I didn't have the greatest luck with nems at first either.
My recommendation is to really read up on nems, the site previously posted should help. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1381958

Make sure you parameters are set and provide the next one with the proper environment(ie rock crevice/sand, flow, etc. ).

Once I had these things set and planned ahead of time, I had a MUCH easier time, and now my nem is hosting clowns and growing

Good luck in the future! It's worth another try, just read up on em

 

[daveml]

Sorry for the loss. I would take a step back at this point and maybe do a little research before you buy anymore livestock. Jumping in with an anemone right away is a mistake that many later regret as they are not the easiest to keep.

You might want to give starter corals a shot next for the sake of your wallet and the animals. As always feel free to ask questions as there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board.

 

[polo2883]

I didnt spend too much on the nem. It was like $20... If it was one of my black clowns I would've been more devastated.

 

[daveml]

Then for the sake of the animals I would do some research. It's never fun to have something die in your tank.

 

[polo2883]

Yea I dont plan on adding any corals or nems right now. I am waiting for my stand to be built and also getting some of these http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-101/7-LED-PAR38-Bulb/Detail for light.

 

[daveml]

Nice - have not read anything on those LED's but that seems to be the way lighting in going.

 

[daveml]

Not sure if you saw this but here is a link to some info on the LED's that you are looking at:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1746535

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Not sure if you saw this but here is a link to some info on the LED's that you are looking at:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1746535

That's actually not the same unit. That thread discusses the nanotuners 5-LED PAR 38 lamps, which use reasonably good LEDs run at a low-ish power level; the OP linked to a 7-LED unit that's slightly less well known. It's important to be very specific when talking about LED units because differences that seem subtle (i.e. the specific bin and model of LED used) can result in the performance of the unit being different by hundreds of percent.

 

[daveml]

That's actually not the same unit. That thread discusses the nanotuners 5-LED PAR 38 lamps, which use reasonably good LEDs run at a low-ish power level; the OP linked to a 7-LED unit that's slightly less well known. It's important to be very specific when talking about LED units because differences that seem subtle (i.e. the specific bin and model of LED used) can result in the performance of the unit being different by hundreds of percent.

Good catch that link is to Nanotuners LED - my bad. Very interesting to see all of these LED options come out

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

There are definitely LOTS of options!