Ritori ... HELP!!!!

[ddetar00]

I have a Ritori that appears to have his photoperiods backwards. During the day with lighting on... It is very unhappy, wilts down mouth gapped open like he is turning inside out.
At night... moonlighting and total darkness is approx 10" accross and happy.
I am running t-5 (Current USA 8 x 55 watt, recommended bulb configuration of the grim reeper in the T-5 Q&A thread). using vortech set on 50-60% reefcrest mode. All other inhabitants are very happy with current and lighting. temp range from 80 - 82... Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[garygb]

Is the anemone new to your tank? If so, I would say it's acclimating. The lighting where it was prior to you receiving it might have been quite different from your setup. T-5's can be strong and the anemone might need an adjustment period. I have heard of people putting a few layers of plastic fly screen between the bulbs and the animal and every few days removing a layer until all the layers are gone and the anemone is acclimated.

 

[ddetar00]

thanks for the insight... it has been in the tank for approx three weeks now... I went home and moved one of the t-5 bulbs toward the front and put a blue one over the anenome thinking that the 6500k bulb directly above him could be an issue, it being a rotori he is at the highest point overlooking the reefwall... adequate water flow... my wife got home from work approx 11:00 and it looked pitiful again, we turned off the day bulbs and left only the blue... was perking up by 12:30... thus the theory of the bulb move.... any additional assistance would be greatly appreciated...

 

[ddetar00]

still looking for advice....

still looking for advice....

ttt

 

[garygb]

Could you put all blue lights over the anemone except one daylight and then slowly reconfigure until you get to a a final mix of both blue and daylights?

BTW, the spelling is ritteri, another common name being the magnificent anemone, but Heteractis magnifica being the Latin name.

 

[ddetar00]

Lights Changed

Lights Changed

Yes, I realzed the correct spelling as I was googeling yesterday... got a lot more information after the correct spelling.

Last evening I pulled the 6500K daylight and replaced it with another actinic... soe now have a crisper blue overall... still have s UVL 50/50 and a UVL AQUASUN running... all other inhabitants look well... spouse is off today so will be keeping a close eye on the retteri as last night it started to release from his perch...

 

[garygb]

If it's releasing it's not exactly happy with something about the situation. Lighting or water flow can be a cause for moving. What is your specific gravity, temp., etc.?

 

[ddetar00]

All the help is appreciated !!!

All the help is appreciated !!!

Specific Gravity 1.023, temp ranges between 80 and 82... have new pumps on their way to hopefully generate less heat transfer.
I have a vortech creating random current (reefcrest mode) and have now lowered it to approx 30% of max power. the return is not heavy flow... but what I would consider adequate. this based on movement of the Torch, Goniopora, Duncan etc...
I do have two Alardi clowns hosting, the larger of the two did seem quite aggressive in the cuddeling last night... was thinking perhaps too agressive (???).

I have uped the photo period by two hours in the am giving a total of 12 hours opposed to 10 (two of those being blues only), and as stated a more crisp blue than bright white bye removing the 6500K tube and rplacing with actinic....

Keep the ideas coming folks, I do not want to watch this creature die ... Thank you soooo much.

 

[ddetar00]

Forgot this...

Forgot this...

I am going to do a 10% water change this evening... followed by another Friday... then perhaps an additional Monday... I do not feel as though water quality is a problem as I am pretty religious about doing changes... but when in doubt... do a water change...

 

[garygb]

You want to get the sg up to 1.026-1.027, slowly by adding mixed salt water to replace evaporative water. Anemones need full strength salt water. Your temp of 80-82 is fine. As far as measuring sg, a refractometer is the preferred method. An expensive ($20 or so floating hydrometer) is also likely to be accurate. Those swing arm cheap hydrometers aren't necessarily accurate. If you do have a refractometer, it needs to be calibrated using a saline solution. Pinpoint solution is calibrated at 1.025. Refractometer instructions often suggest using distilled water to calibrate, which will yield approximately a .003 error.

 

[ddetar00]

GREAT INFO!!!!!

GREAT INFO!!!!!

Thanks so much... I will get a calibrated meter @ LFS when I pick up water... hopefully we have caught this in time...

 

[ddetar00]

BTW....

BTW....

Home at lunch... lights had been running for approx 6 hrs (on a bit early today so i could check on things before leaving for work) and looked a bit perkier, mouth closed considerable from yesterday, has gained a good hold on his rock again... color looks healthy again... not out of the woods by any means but I certainly feel better...

 

[garygb]

Good to hear. Assuming it was healthy when you got it, there's a good chance it will be okay. They are most delicate at the beginning. Once they are established they can be quite resilient.

 

[ddetar00]

OMG!!!

OMG!!!

LFS had a refractometer... was not prepared for the $100.00 price tag... !!!! Marine depot has one for 49.00 and an upgraded unit (easier calibration) for 69.00... will order one from them I suppose... I love to help out the local businessman... but in this case does not make sense.

 

[garygb]

Yikes, that is steep. The $49 is more like it. Ifyou order if from Marine Depot, I think they carry the Pinpoint Calibration Solution too. Again, the refractometer instructions will probably say use distilled water, but that isn't going to yield the correct sg for your marine aquarists. The Calibration Solution is exactly 1.025. You calibrate your refractometer to that, and you're good to go. The Solution is like 4 or 5 bucks and will last you forever. Supposedly we should re-calibrate every so often as the refractometer setting might drift.

 

[ddetar00]

Confusing!!!

Confusing!!!

Last night, water change... started the process of bringing SG up... went from 1.023 to 1.0235(+-) (baby steps)... light went out @ 8:00 PM... critter inflated a bit... looked happy... wrapped up the Alardi's like a Taco... lights on this AM... seems to be closing up again... temp currently 79.7...

I am going to continue on present course of slowly introducing higher salt level over the next few days... hoping he gets turned around.

OH BTW... he has now positioned himself on the face of the rock he was perched on... so the lighting is less direct than two days ago... current seems to be a bit more constant where he is rather than a pulse as he had at the top of the rock.

 

[garygb]

You can increase the salinity by just replacing evaporative water with mixed salt water. The point is, you want to bring it up slowly over a few days.

 

[ddetar00]

Yes... I am doing so... the water change was just intended to insure a clean water column... the evaporated water is being replaced with DI/Salt water to slowly bring it up... I was not very clear on my process huh...

 

[ddetar00]

DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT IS GOING TO SURVIVE.....

 

[garygb]

Oh no, what's it doing?

That species doesn't make it through the collection/transport process very well. You can at least know you did what you could to save it.