Sick Anemone

[hansnfrans]

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Well my zoanthids finally started to open up, so it's only natural that another problem should arise in its place. The carpet anemone has been in the tank for 2 days. His mouth is gaping and I know this isn't a good sign.

I bought him from a fellow RC'er who had this under strong PC lighting. This anemone is now under 14k 175w of MH lighting in a 30 gal tank. The MH light is 17" off of the water's surface and the anemone is really opening up, so I don't think the light change is bothering him.

Here's the water parameters:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm
pH: 8.4
Salinity: 1.027

The nitrates are too high and the salinity is 1 point too high. I am doing 16% water changes every 3rd day in order to bring the nitrates down and slowly adjust the salinity.

Does anyone have experience w/ these anemone's and who might know the reason for the gaping mouth?

 

[Rod Buehler]

The nitrates are high and coud surely be causing the anemone to be unhally, but ont sweat it too much yet. Its normal for them (IME) to act like that for the first few days while aclimating to the new surroundings. Other than your nitrates, the first thing I would look at is the water flow. They seem to like quite a bit of flow which helps them purge..

On a side note. your 1.027 is nothing to worry about. I would rather see 1.027 than I would 1.025.

 

[hansnfrans]

Rod - Should I kick up the flow right away or give the anemone a few days to get comfortable? Don't wanna stress him out any more than he already is. Thanks.

 

[hansnfrans]

Also, how long should I go between 16% water changes? Don't want to upset the biological filter.

1 more thing.....I found a bristle worm at the base of the anemone and it looked like the anemone was detaching its base right near the worm. It was half pink, half brown/black.

 

[Rod Buehler]

I wouldnt get a large powerhead and point it directly at the anemone with a jet stream, but try to give it some good strong flow. Something like a seio at the other end of the tank pointing it way.

As for the water changes. I am not afraid of a big water change to lower nitrates. Infact I recommend it. Its a numbers game.. If nitrates are at 20 ppm, and youre removing 16% which is about 3 PPM (too early for math), now your down to 17 PPM which could easily/likely climb back up to 20 ppm by the time you do your next water change... Dont worry about upsetting the bio filter. the bacteria that is handeling the nitrogen cycle is not in the water that you are removing, its in the rock and DSB. If you do a large water change, be sure to match temp and salinity .

 

[Pufferpunk]

Water Change Math: http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/water/waterchangemath.html

 

[hansnfrans]

Another reason that I am worried about water change frequency is that after I swapped out some water yesterday, the anemone started pushing his insides out of his mouth. I am afraid that change might have upset him. Also he pushes his insides out after being under the light. When I first turn the lights on in the morning, he looks alot less stressed. Now I'm starting to think that the light might be bothering him. Maybe it's just a little bit of everything that is all adding up and making him unhappy.

 

[hansnfrans]

Well, the anemone was looking better yesterday than it was 2 days ago. Now it seems to have taken a turn for the worse. It is spewing forth its insides, here's some pics:

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How do I know when he's actually dying? Should I test the ammonia levels 1-2 times per day, and at the first sign of an ammonia spike, throw him out? I don't want him to wipe out my tank. But I also don't want to give up on it while there is still hope.