fambrough
Member
Hi,
Not new to keeping anemones, but am in the trouble with two nems. They're in a 37 cube with 150 14K and two clarkii. I do not have a sump on this tank and, over time, I have developed an issue with nutrient export. I've got about a 3 to 4 inch sand bed, which, of course, has not helped at all, but has become part of the problem...or, what Iperceive to be the problem. The tank has been running for a couple years now. This past summer the nitrates spiked and I've tried various methods to bring them down, including vodka. At this same time, the anemones started to move around, not happy in any one spot. I think the higher bacterial counts associated with vodka dosing only increased their discomfort. Recently they've abandoned the rocks completely and will not attach anywhere. Their feet are turned into a strange cap shape. Seems like a mechanism to allow them to more easily drift with currents to a new location? That's my best theory. Additionally, they've really shrunk in size and on one of them the mouth looks like it stays partially open. All of these are bad signs. Aside from high nitrates, my parameters are decent.
Here's my plan. Take down the tank and get the nems acclimated to a neighbors tank while I remove the sand bed and excess nutirents. I plan to put back only a shallow bed that I can easily vacuum. The rock and fish will do fine with a heater and pumps in a rubbermaid bin. I can start with mainly fresh RO mixed salt water and acclimate the fish back in one day. Then, assuming the nems make it, I'll acclimate them back to the tank.
Does this sound like a reasonable plan? Also are there any other causes/issues I should be looking for which might have contributed to the decline of my anemones?
Thank you very much for any experienced insight you might provide.
Ben
Not new to keeping anemones, but am in the trouble with two nems. They're in a 37 cube with 150 14K and two clarkii. I do not have a sump on this tank and, over time, I have developed an issue with nutrient export. I've got about a 3 to 4 inch sand bed, which, of course, has not helped at all, but has become part of the problem...or, what Iperceive to be the problem. The tank has been running for a couple years now. This past summer the nitrates spiked and I've tried various methods to bring them down, including vodka. At this same time, the anemones started to move around, not happy in any one spot. I think the higher bacterial counts associated with vodka dosing only increased their discomfort. Recently they've abandoned the rocks completely and will not attach anywhere. Their feet are turned into a strange cap shape. Seems like a mechanism to allow them to more easily drift with currents to a new location? That's my best theory. Additionally, they've really shrunk in size and on one of them the mouth looks like it stays partially open. All of these are bad signs. Aside from high nitrates, my parameters are decent.
Here's my plan. Take down the tank and get the nems acclimated to a neighbors tank while I remove the sand bed and excess nutirents. I plan to put back only a shallow bed that I can easily vacuum. The rock and fish will do fine with a heater and pumps in a rubbermaid bin. I can start with mainly fresh RO mixed salt water and acclimate the fish back in one day. Then, assuming the nems make it, I'll acclimate them back to the tank.
Does this sound like a reasonable plan? Also are there any other causes/issues I should be looking for which might have contributed to the decline of my anemones?
Thank you very much for any experienced insight you might provide.
Ben
