Why is my H. Crispa's mouth protruding?

[TikiDan]

I feed it frozen shrimp once a week and it eats the whole thing. I have noticed it spew out a stringy brown goo a few times in the last 3 years but I don't know if it expelling waste or spawning. One thing I would like to know is How big do these things grow? Mine is 3 years old, and about a foot across! Do they split like RBTA's or do they just keep getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger?

 

[55semireef]

I am about 99% sure they just grow and once they are done, they are done. I am pretty sure no one has ever reported a H. Crispa splitting on its own.

 

[Amphiprion]

Mine maxed at around 24"--bigger than what is scientifically recorded. Hasn't really grown since then, so I think there is a limit, but splitting is very, very unlikely to happen. I have heard of budding (very rare) but never splittin in this species.

 

[TikiDan]

Well, the good news is if it gets bigger than I will have to get a bigger tank!

 

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10215294#post10215294 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
Mine maxed at around 24"--bigger than what is scientifically recorded. Hasn't really grown since then, so I think there is a limit, but splitting is very, very unlikely to happen. I have heard of budding (very rare) but never splittin in this species.

I wonder what would happen if you were to split it yourself just like Phender did with his Mertensii? Do you think you would end up with two Crispas?

Well, the good news is if it gets bigger than I will have to get a bigger tank!

Its always good to buy things that outgrow your tank because it gives you a reason to upgrade.

 

[shred5]

I have seen this several times with my anemones after feeding but is usually goes away after a hour or so.

Although I have never had one last more than a few hours in my tank some people I know have had them stay like this for several days.. In most cases it lead to a downturn in the anemone health and in some cases death. I am assuming this could be from some sort of stress in most cases, maybe something totally different in your though since it has been this way for a while and agian maybe it is stress.

I would try and keep your clowns away from the anemone for a few days and see what happens, sometimes clowns can really stress an anemone. I would add some carbon and poly-filters to the tank to make sure it ain't some chemical warfare...

Dave

 

[55semireef]

Thanks Dave...I was thinking that it could also be stressed related. I will run some carbon however I doubt I could ever keep my determined Clarkii clowns away.

 

[shred5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10218091#post10218091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 55semireef
Thanks Dave...I was thinking that it could also be stressed related. I will run some carbon however I doubt I could ever keep my determined Clarkii clowns away.

I am not saying it is stress related but allot of cases it seems to be. Maybe it is deformed or having some internal problems.

Can You you put something over it like a strawberry basket? Clowns can really be a source of stress for a anemone in a reef tank. Some can really be hard on them esp when a clown is not with its normal host anemone. I have a female onyx that sometime just tears into anemones. Just be nice to rule out the clowns as the problem.

Dave

 

[55semireef]

Well A. Clarkii is a normal host to H. Crispa naturally. My Clarkii are all not that agressive with my Crispa altough sometimes they can be easily spooked in which they will dive into the anemone fast!

I doubt its deformed...I bought it very small and bleached and grew rapidly and has always been healthy. It would also take a pretty big strawberry basket to cover this nem. Its about 13 inches in diameter. Not to mention, I am not sure how I would harness this basket down without the flow pushing it away.

Thanks for the help so far

 

[55semireef]

Ahhh, this is still driving me nuts. I can't seem to figure out why its doing this...here are some more pictures:

 

[Amphiprion]

Hmm, looks more pronounced than before. Wish I could tell you exactly what is going on .

 

[55semireef]

It does look more pronounced. I hope this goes away because its really irritating me. It can't even feed it self with a huge mouth like this. I have to place the piece of food in the mouth kind of for it to take it in and thats not good. I don't understand whats going on. I have never seen a case like this before...

 

[Amphiprion]

Well, when I was having difficulties with mine, I performed a large water change and it seemed to help, though I think I had narrowed down the problem (excessive rusting from a broken magnet). It may not hurt to try at this point in an attempt to help it. I would try at least 30% and up to 50% if necessary. Just make sure everything is spot-on first before performing that large of a water change.

 

[55semireef]

What was going on with yours at the time?

 

[Amphiprion]

Unfortunately, the symptoms were much different (and more dire). Basically, she began to lighten in color, bleaching in certain areas (making an odd mottled appearance) and then detached completely and made no effort to move (then you know something is wrong). I take back what I said about the magnet, because while that occurred at the same time, I think it had more to do with my old coralife RO/DI suddenly giving out--perfect water one day I tested, the next time 800+ppm tds. I think that had more to do with it, actually.

 

[55semireef]

Maybe its the water I'm using? I get my water from the glacier machines at Publix.

 

[Amphiprion]

Certainly doesn't hurt to check it.

 

[55semireef]

How would I check it? I am buying an RO/DI systmen soon anyways.

 

[GuOD]

55 I've kept my Crispa in tap water (bad water at that) for many months without any ill effects. It's actually improved a lot. I've never seen the mouth go like that except when it was about to eat.

Maybe you should try feeding it very very small pieces of mysis on its tentacles or something?

 

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10257527#post10257527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 55semireef
How would I check it? I am buying an RO/DI systmen soon anyways.

TDS meter. When you get your unit, definitely get one with it. In the meantime, look for an LFS that has one and will check it for you.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10257587#post10257587 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GuOD
55 I've kept my Crispa in tap water (bad water at that) for many months without any ill effects. It's actually improved a lot. I've never seen the mouth go like that except when it was about to eat.

Maybe you should try feeding it very very small pieces of mysis on its tentacles or something?

That all depends. How bad is bad? You haven't seen bad until your DI resin fails and regurgitates all that crap back into your product water, making unmeasurable levels of TDS. I am certain that was the issue because after a water change with 0 tds water, it was remedied rather quickly and never occurred again.