When is an anemone dead?

[BonsaiNut]

I am curious about this - and I have no idea about the answer.

For the experienced anemone-keeper out there, I am sure you are familiar with what I can only call "dead anemone walking" syndrome. It is when an anemone shows certain unmistakable signs of extreme stress and almost looks dead, but then lingers on for several more days while going through a period of weaker and weaker expansions and contractions - at some points looking almost like it is strengthening or recovering.

It has gotten to a point that I can "foresee" a dead anemone - even when it looks pretty healthy. Gaping mouth, inverted gut, etc, even if it is exhibited for only a short time, can indicate to me a "dead anemone" that just doesn't know it's dead yet.

I can honestly say I have never seen an anemone recover once it exhibits these signs - even in an environment that is healthy and stable and has numerous other healthy individuals of the same species.

I have no idea what causes this or how to "cure" it - or even if a cure is possible. It almost reminds me of a dead pine where the branches can contain live tissue and active sap even when the rest of the tree is dead. The branch is dead - it just doesn't know it yet.

I have no active hypotheses at this time. Initially I thought it might be due to an irreversible infection, but not all anemones displayed signs of infection. I have come to think of it almost like the anemone dies but continues a long state of involuntary nervous reactions - expanding and contracting until it eventually rots.

Any thoughts?

 

[Crustman]

I have the same problem with a carpet that I just posted. I nursed an LTA that bleached back to health but it took over a month. I put it in a net breeder basket at the top of the tank and gave it light. It is fine now but the journey was long. If the animal does not attach and feed then it is on a death spiral. Mine acts like a jellyfish.

 

[Fishy_Clown]

Wow BonsaiNut - good post.

I agree - the 'dead anemone walking' is unfortunately something I have become familiar with over the years. I recently had an haddoni die on me - absolutely nothing wrong with my params, had been in a tank with 2 others for over 2 years without any issues - fed well, lovely colors, then out of the blue - RIP. I initially moved it to a nurse tank (on the same system) so it did not get bothered by my clowns - it inflated then deflated but I convinced myself that I could bring him back. But as you say, when you dont know what caused it, its like feeling around in the dark when trying to save it. I did everything I could - but all my experience was not enough.

When I suspect a nem starts climbing that stairway to heaven, the first thing I do is lift it out the water and smell it. 100% of the time you can smell that it has already started the decay/rot process. This is obviously irreversible so I have partly given up on the idea they can be saved (like you have already said), but I thought it would be different with this one.... silly me.

So I started thinking about what was different between this nem and the other healthy ones in the tank. The others regularly inflate/deflate to a small extent, usually with my lighting cycles - but this one had not for a while. I always stayed inflated. I didn't really think much of it until overnight it became a lost cause. Could it be related to, and forgive my silly wording here, but 'stale internal water' that is potentially ammonia and nutrient rich (from food digestion perhaps?) But even if this was the case, what would be the cause? What would cause this behavior. I received this particular nem when it was about 8 inches in diameter. It grew slowly over the first year and then hit a growth spurt (no change in feeding routine though) and died at about 14 inches. Perhaps it is age related? Perhaps contaminated food? (although I think this is unlikely) Pathogens in the water that it had lost resistance to? Perhaps it was complacent and lost the power to fight and succumbed to allelopathy- my goodness I just don't know.

But please, if you do ever find the answer to your question, let me know !!

 

[Crustman]

I took a carpet haddoni back to the store because of these reasons. Open mouth, everted gut, expanded body and flaccid. Blackish gunk coming out of the mouth, not feeding and not attaching. This was a bad experience but now I know better.

 

[BonsaiNut]

But please, if you do ever find the answer to your question, let me know !!

I wonder if somehow it is related to spawning behavior. Anemones may be relatively large, but they are very simple creatures anatomically. We know that stress can cause them to spawn. On this forum we have heard people who regularly discuss how their dying anemone contorts and releases "smoke" into the water. I wonder if the anemone, as it is dying, continues to try to release eggs and sperm?

 

[Fishy_Clown]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I recently had 2 beautiful gigs imported, and while still at the importers facility, died. He had sent me pics if them after he received them and they looked in good health. Thought I was quite lucky as I know how difficult it is to get heathly ones.... Anyway, he put them in a tank with SPS - and the water was perfect and great lighting and flow etc - but withing a few days (before I could get out to him) they simply "melted" away. Brought a tear to my eye as I felt responsible and it never gets any easier losing a gig. (I think a fairy dies each time a gig dies really... ) Anyway, just wondered if you had any new thoughts on why/how and what the secret is... the tell tale signs of a sick nem were NOT present, water was perfect, conditions just right, but there you go.... The importer is even baffled.