Sick Gigantea

T

TeeJay77

New member
Hey all,

I entered into the wonderful world of keeping Giganteas a month or so back after finding someone here in the UK that imported them and got them healthy before selling. I bought a blue and a purple to go in my 34x26x20 tank. They both settled in very quickly, sticking to the rock straight away and taking food within 24 hours. The blue has really thrived since then, growing tentacles, mouth firmly shut, never deflating and a really strong feeding response but the purple has not.

It started by stretching out its column, as though needing more light but did not move at all. Then it started deflating at night by around 70% and in the last week it seems unable to hold its shape anymore and will deflate during the day as well as after lights off.

Ive spoken to the local vets today, after reading some of the threads on here about antibiotic treatment, and have 10 x 250mg Ciprofloxacin on prescription (which unfortunately im not going to be able to pick up for a couple of days).

Some advice on treatment please!?:

The Ciprofloxacin is dosed at a strength of 250mg / 10G. Should the anemone be in this solution 24/7?
How often is it advisable to perform a waterchange? I presume that its not advisable to feed during this period?
Should a normal light cycle be maintained?

Some pictures:

On introduction to the tank

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Blue doing really well

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Purple today 2 hours after lights on

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Purple today just after main lights off

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
Do a search on here, but OrioN has developed this strategy with great success. From what I understand you want to put the Cipro in when lights go out, or right before because it breaks down in light. Then do a 50% water change the next day.

Like I said, I haven't done it, but there are plenty of threads on here which document the process step by step. Good luck, and the blue Gig is beautiful!
 
I would take him out and treat him. Use Cipro at dose of 25 mg/gal for at least 7 days. Change water daily, at least 50%, using tank water. Remove any solid or anything spew out by the anemone as you see it to keep it from fouling the water. I would change water in the evening when light go out and add medication after water change. Dose the full amount 25 mg/gal every day regardless of the amount of water change, because by the end of the light cycle, most of the medication may be gone due to photodegradation. Do not feed them in treatment tank, but try to provide as much light as you can.

Keep salinity and temp stable and give it great circulation
 
OrionN said:
I would take him out and treat him. Use Cipro at dose of 25 mg/gal for at least 7 days. Change water daily, at least 50%, using tank water. Remove any solid or anything spew out by the anemone as you see it to keep it from fouling the water. I would change water in the evening when light go out and add medication after water change. Dose the full amount 25 mg/gal every day regardless of the amount of water change, because by the end of the light cycle, most of the medication may be gone due to photodegradation. Do not feed them in treatment tank, but try to provide as much light as you can.

Keep salinity and temp stable and give it great circulation
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, Orion. Ill document the process on here. :thumbsup:
 
I would not recommend feeding it until it is well. IMO, when anemone is sick, feeding it just foul up the fluid inside of the anemone, cause more problems. Starved anemones just re-absorb some of their tissue and get smaller, but they will be fine.
 
Tim, I'm not convinced the gig is sick. I think this is a case of two gigs that aren't getting along. These gigs were imported into the UK 3 months ago (I know the importer) so we are not dealing with the usual import type issues. They should be well passed that.
I've had similar happen to one of my 5 gigs, all of which are in the same tank.
It started not to opening up much, not extend its tentacles and staying small. Would only feed when the food was directly placed on or near the mouth. I removed it and placed in a tank with a haddoni. Within a couple of days it was fully extended again. Two weeks later I placed it back in the tank with the gigs and it's been fine since re-introduction.
I think Randy Holmes-Farley had a similar issue with his two gigs.
IMO, the nem does not look like it's at deaths door. Just stressed.
Before trying antibiotics, I'd think I would try separating them first into different tanks if you have the ability and see if it recovers on its own.
 
Hey Stickleback,
I did have my doubts as to whether it was actually infected as, like you said, these gigs were all antibiotically treated on import and therefore should be free of any infection. Unfortunately, the tank that ive borrowed to treat the gig only has a couple of t5 bulbs for lighting, which i cant see it being happy under for too long. Might have to see if i can get my hands on a cheap MH....
 
The tank I moved mine one into only had a couple of t5 over it. I just made sure the nem was close to the surface by placing the rock the nem was attached on some egg crate.
 

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Day two in quarantine. Not started treatment yet.
I *think* it's looking a little better. It certainly seems to hold its shape better and is more folded than before and it's 'stem' has shrunk down do its not blowing about in the current so much.
However..... It's mouth is still open to some extent for the majority of the time and it completely deflates about an hour before lights off until an hour or so after lights on......So I'm going to do a 75% water change tonight and begin treatment at 25mg/gal.
 
TeeJay77 said:

Untitled by teachy_monkey_dance, on Flickr

Day two in quarantine. Not started treatment yet.
I *think* it's looking a little better. It certainly seems to hold its shape better and is more folded than before and it's 'stem' has shrunk down do its not blowing about in the current so much.
However..... It's mouth is still open to some extent for the majority of the time and it completely deflates about an hour before lights off until an hour or so after lights on......So I'm going to do a 75% water change tonight and begin treatment at 25mg/gal.
Click to expand...


Good luck... keep us posted. Nice looking Gig!
 
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