Magnifica with Chronic Puffy Mouth Syndrome

[joshky]

OK that's not a real thing, but in my case I suppose it is. I've had this magnifica for a year now and the mouth has been "puffy" since its last treatment in December. I have two theories, one, it got injured internally during the last treatment from being moved around on the rock; and two, my A. bicinctus clowns are stressing it out causing this affliction. I can theoretically test the second theory out by removing the clownfish for a period of time, however I'm wondering what some of you more seasoned owners would say is long enough to cross that theory off altogether? Also what if it did get injured and the clowns are keeping it from being able to heal properly? Part of me wants to find them a new home and see what happens after a few months, but at the same time it feels wrong to get rid of them. I definitely don't want to house them separately for months.

It's basically impossible to say anything with any certainty, and this is all theorizing on my part, the mag is otherwise very healthy and settled in. My tank is about to hit its 2 year birthday and is very stable with growing SPS colonies, I'd like to sort this out as it worries me that it could eventually make it start walking again (it hasn't since being placed in the DT). Also I'm tired of having a "bounce" magnifica. :lol:

Thanks,
Josh

 

[joshky]

Nothing?

I figured maybe someone would chime in and call me crazy or something..

 

[Cliving1]

What do you mean puffy? My haddoni has has the same issue for a while now. Mouth is always out. Despite water changes and feeding, I cannot help it. Do you have a picture?

 

[manfrog]

How often do you feed the Nem and what do you mean by "last treatment"?

 

[joshky]

What do you mean puffy? My haddoni has has the same issue for a while now. Mouth is always out. Despite water changes and feeding, I cannot help it. Do you have a picture?

Yeah just the mouth is out, not tight like it should be. I don't have a picture right now. I didn't have this issue until my second treatment, the first time the mouth was perfect.

This is what I miss, what it looks like now is embarrassing at times to say the least lol.

How often do you feed the Nem and what do you mean by "last treatment"?

I never directly feed, my clowns however probably feed it more than I'm even aware. I can't even put clams on the half shell in my tank anymore because they always take the whole thing to the anemone.

This anemone had a second bacterial infection after its first treatment, S. gigantea and H. magnifica in the USA usually come in with bacterial infections and must be treated with ciprofloxacin upon arrival to survive.

 

[Steve Atkins]

Well that pic looks pretty normal. You are going to need a picture of how it is now. Mine holds it mouth in various positions at different times so from your verbal description its not really possible to say much more.

 

[joshky]

Agreed that pic is normal. Think of a gaping mouth with a new mag or similarly stressed anemone on arrival, well the mouth on mine is tight it just has large bubbles extruding from it like you might see when it's gaping. I'll probably snap a pic tomorrow just for reference. If you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about, it's quite common to see in anemones when they first arrive and USUALLY goes away on its own. It's definitely an indication of stress, the only thing I can think of is the clowns...

I took the clowns out tonight and put them in my sump, figure a week or so I should see it either getting better or maybe if I'm lucky fully healed if it's the clowns (I hope). Sadly the past month it's just gotten worse, which makes me think it's the clowns even more because the female has been putting on some size and she could easily be being really rough on it. I know A. polymnus have been known to kill anemones by diving in their mouth's, I haven't actually seen this behavior specifically but that doesn't mean it isn't going on, or some other behavior that's stressing it out.

I might try triton if this doesn't work, could be something off about my water that I don't test for perhaps.