Need help with green carpet

[bowhunter42]

Ok, so I recently picked up what I was told was a green haddoni , it is about the size of a small softball but when I got there it was a very light color , pale, almost white/light green color ?
The mouth was closed and everything looked ok with it , I have had it now about 3 weeks , I feed it lg mysis shrimp , silver sides and mussels ? It is very sticky and looks like it's starting to get it's color back ?
Sometimes it looks a little brown ? From what I've been able to fin out the pale color means it's sick ? Correct ? Will continuing to feed this help him come back ? My parameters are all good as far as water and he gets a decent amount of flow , 250w mh 12k reeflux light
Want to know what else I can do to help this guy get it's color bac and continue to hopefully grow ??
Thanks for any help

 

[hypnoj]

sounds like you're doing all you can. Not all haddoni's are bright green with great color. Some come in the colors you're describing. Unless you've seen the original color of the anemone, you'll have no idea what's it's supposed to look like. Regardless, just keep doing what you're doing and if it is sick, more then likely things will improve. Just remember, anemone's take forever to get their color back

 

[bowhunter42]

sounds like you're doing all you can. Not all haddoni's are bright green with great color. Some come in the colors you're describing. Unless you've seen the original color of the anemone, you'll have no idea what's it's supposed to look like. Regardless, just keep doing what you're doing and if it is sick, more then likely things will improve. Just remember, anemone's take forever to get their color back

Ok , cool , so I shouldn't be worried about the brownish color ? There are spots that look darker green ? It doe's have some nice folds and to me looks like it is doing ok so far ?? Is it ok that I feed it every few days ? At night when the moon lights are on I can see it is stretched almost completly straight up ! I thought when carpets were a very light color they were sick ? Maybe I'm thinking of something else ?? Other than a "slimy" mouth how would I know if it is sick ?
Thanks for the help !

 

[kduen]

The brownish color is the zooxanthellae starting to return in places. The light color of the anemone is a sign of the zooxanthellae missing (bleached) wich in turns means that the anemone will have to rely on food in order to survive long enough for the remaining zooxanthellae to reproduce to a healty population. Once the zooxanthellae has returned the anemone will be able to use photosynthesis for it's food source and will not "need" direct feedings. So yes you correct that a light colored anemone is sick but it sounds like you are on the right path to saving it.

I would not use the silversides to feed the anemone as there have been more than a few people that have had their anemone die literally overnight from feeding them. Thawed out krill, scallops and table shrimp(uncooked) that are no larger then the anemone's mouth would be better choices.

Other than being severly bleached (transparent) the only other indications of a S. Haddoni being sick/stressed that I know of is a gaping mouth, consistantly moving around or a stress related spawn. Once you have observed your anemone for a while you will know when something doesn't seem right.

 

[Reef1589]

When carpets colors are faded they are bleached, which i guess you could count as being ''sick''..

as long as its foot is planted to something, remaining sticky, mouth is closed, and under good lighting now, and still accepting food.. it should be fine, and over time you will see its color start to come back.

but as hypno stated, there are different shades of green... a picture would help alot to decide if its natural shade of green or if its a bleached out green.

feeding every couple days is fine. imo

 

[kduen]

I forgot to add that S. Haddoni's are sand dwelling anemone's and prefer a depth of 3-4 inches, they also do not like a ton of flow just enough to ruffle the edges of the disk is plenty.

 

[bowhunter42]

when carpets colors are faded they are bleached, which i guess you could count as being ''sick''..

As long as its foot is planted to something, remaining sticky, mouth is closed, and under good lighting now, and still accepting food.. It should be fine, and over time you will see its color start to come back.

But as hypno stated, there are different shades of green... A picture would help alot to decide if its natural shade of green or if its a bleached out green.

Feeding every couple days is fine. Imo

i wish i could post pictures here ? Cant seem to get them to load ? I have a few on my phone i can direct e mail to you ? My e mail is bowhntr78@yahoo.com and thanks for the help ! I appreciate it

 

[bowhunter42]

i forgot to add that s. Haddoni's are sand dwelling anemone's and prefer a depth of 3-4 inches, they also do not like a ton of flow just enough to ruffle the edges of the disk is plenty.

cool , thanks for the help ! Now flow wise , ya then its perfect , he gets a moderate amount to just move and ruffle the edges but mine when i picked it up has been on a big piece of rock , the guy said he had it for about 3 months and it was always on this rock , i have it near my sand but so far it hasnt seemed to want to move from the rock ? In a few months i will be going to a larger tank , maybe then i can lay the rock down into the sand more to where it can feel it ?? So i can go to the grocery store and but a bag of uncooked frozen shrimp and feed those ? Does it matter if the tails are on or off ?
Thanks

 

[kduen]

cool , thanks for the help ! Now flow wise , ya then its perfect , he gets a moderate amount to just move and ruffle the edges but mine when i picked it up has been on a big piece of rock , the guy said he had it for about 3 months and it was always on this rock , i have it near my sand but so far it hasnt seemed to want to move from the rock ? In a few months i will be going to a larger tank , maybe then i can lay the rock down into the sand more to where it can feel it ?? So i can go to the grocery store and but a bag of uncooked frozen shrimp and feed those ? Does it matter if the tails are on or off ?
Thanks

If it is on the rock then just leave it for now, it might be too weak still to expend the energy required to move down and bury itself in the sand. Frozen should be fine as long as you yourself would still eat it (not freezer burned, old etc.) what I used to due was take a shrimp out and cut a piece off no bigger then the mouth of the anemone while the shrimp is still frozen. Put the small chunk into a small glass of tank water and put the rest of the shrimp back in the freezer for the next meal. Wait until the shrimp was thawed out and then gently placed it on the disk of the anemone while trying no to get my hand entangled by the nem at the same time.

 

[bowhunter42]

if it is on the rock then just leave it for now, it might be too weak still to expend the energy required to move down and bury itself in the sand. Frozen should be fine as long as you yourself would still eat it (not freezer burned, old etc.) what i used to due was take a shrimp out and cut a piece off no bigger then the mouth of the anemone while the shrimp is still frozen. Put the small chunk into a small glass of tank water and put the rest of the shrimp back in the freezer for the next meal. Wait until the shrimp was thawed out and then gently placed it on the disk of the anemone while trying no to get my hand entangled by the nem at the same time.

sounds good ! Thanks for all the help !

 

[bowhunter42]

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THE HELP AND ADVISE ! I APPRECIATE IT :bounce3: