Will clowns host a dying/dead anemone?

[Zante]

Can the presence of clowns in an anemone be considered a sign of good health?

I found this morning my Heteractis magnifica on the sand, in front of the reef it has been sitting on for the last four weeks.

I don't know if it has fallen off the rocks as this is the first time it moved since settling right under the lights at the top of the reef, but it is standing upright on its foot although it is a bit closed (the lights are off at the moment). The clowns are happily swimming in it.

I'm a bit concerned because this is quite unusual according to my research on the critter. I know that there is a lot of unusual in a reef tank, that is what I like it, it's just that I've grown fond of this 'nem and I'm a bit concerned of this sudden change.

I was wondering if clowns hosting it was a good sign or if it means nothing.

 

[tatuaje08]

I only keep btas but I have noticed my clowns will only host in healthy specimens. They stay away from anything I'm nursing back to health, or anything I've recently split. Don't know how scientific this is.

 

[Zante]

Well... it now looks as the 'nem has two feet, so I guess it's splitting. I suppose it's a good reason to move to a"more comfortable" position

Clowns are still sticking with it.

 

[D-Nak]

Clowns with stick by a dead or dying anemone. It's not a sign of good health at all. I had a dead gigantea, and my clowns stuck by it even as I was removing it from the tank,

 

[mnchartier]

Clowns with stick by a dead or dying anemone. It's not a sign of good health at all. I had a dead gigantea, and my clowns stuck by it even as I was removing it from the tank,

Same thing happened to me with a ritteri, the clowns where still in it as I was pulling it out of the tank and it was falling apart

 

[Zante]

In my case it was still alive when I left for work, as I could see it was clinging to a rock with a corner of the foot. It looked like it might be splitting, but I'm not sure about it.

 

[cet98]

does Heteractis magnifica split???

 

[Zante]

does Heteractis magnifica split???

Ah... good point. I assumed they do being an anemone, but never checked.

 

[Zante]

I must have read it and it must have stuck at the back of my mind because I found it almost immediately
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=153667

Apparently most do, and heteractis magnifica is explicitly mentioned as a species that does split.

 

[Zante]

I must have read it and it must have stuck at the back of my mind because I found it almost immediately
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=153667

Apparently most do, and heteractis magnifica is explicitly mentioned as a species that does split.

 

[mnchartier]

Yes mags split. As for moving, have you made any changes lately, lighting or flow? Also whats your nitrates at, found that mine would move around when my nitrates were elevated but never moved to the sand, normally they dont move down they normally try to go higher.

 

[Tmoriarty]

Normally mags won't move into the sand. The prefer a hard surface, and normally they do not climb down. If it dettached that is normally not a good sign for a magnifica.

 

[D-Nak]

Normally mags won't move into the sand. The prefer a hard surface, and normally they do not climb down. If it dettached that is normally not a good sign for a magnifica.

+1. Mags are unlike other rock dwelling nems in the sense that they like to spread their foot on a flat surface. I describe it looking like a fried eggs, where the foot is flat and spread out as much as possible. Once my mag liked its spot, it never moved. Moving is always a sign that it's stressed, most likely due to a change in environment or less than ideal water quality.

 

[G4546]

Clowns with stick by a dead or dying anemone. It's not a sign of good health at all. I had a dead gigantea, and my clowns stuck by it even as I was removing it from the tank,

+1. Mags are unlike other rock dwelling nems in the sense that they like to spread their foot on a flat surface. I describe it looking like a fried eggs, where the foot is flat and spread out as much as possible. Once my mag liked its spot, it never moved. Moving is always a sign that it's stressed, most likely due to a change in environment or less than ideal water quality.

+1 and +1

As well, to the OP, you should research more on the splitting of the H. Magnifica. It's a little different than most.

 

[Zante]

Never mind. The anemone was fine after all. It just climbed up the glass and into the pump wiping out my tank in the process.

I have just finished pulling out every fish (dead) except for the pair of clowns which seems unaffected.

 

[D-Nak]

Sorry to hear. Assume you didn't have foam covers on the pumps. Lesson learned, I guess.

 

[Zante]

Indeed.

If I HAVE to find a silver lining in this, I wanted a clam, now with the coral beauties dead i can get a clam, once the aquarium clears and processes the blended 'nem.

Funny thing, I have a couple of corals that are fully extended and apparently enjoying the blended 'nem

 

[bues0022]

Please cover your powerheads next time. It'ss unfortunate to see this happen too often. There are grates over household fan blades for a reason, right? You normally won't go and stick your hand into a spinning fan blade, but you might by accident. Protect your nems from the same hazard.

 

[Zante]

It's the first thing I did today.
It was a harsh lesson, but I did learn it.

 

[cet98]

sorry for the OT post, but........

sorry for the OT post, but........

:inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: :inlove: