Please advise! Anemone is a killer!

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

So I bought an anemone 2 days ago. I had been reading up here on them and figured I was about ready for one. Plus my clowns were looking a little bored. So everything seemed fine. I put it in the tank around mid-day and the next morning one of my clowns were already hosting in it!!! I came back at lunch time to tcheck on things and all seemed ok...except I couldn't find my bi-color blenny..uhoh...I figured he was hiding. That night after work I looked more for him and I couldn't find him..I feared the worst. Then right before bed he appeared...in very very bad shape. He was swimming around but had been through hell. This morning I got up hoping he'd pull through and nope, he was dead :*-(. As I went to pull him out of the tank I noticed somethign else...my brown tang got it too?!?!?!?! I couldn't believe it, I mean he's one hell of a swimmer and big too. But it looked like the anemone got ahold of him and did a number on him...I hope he'll pull though, I didn't think he was as bad looking as the blenny. to add even more to it I couldn't find the clown that was hosting in it...I hope it didn't get him. So my first question is this, I new it was a possibility for it to eat fish, but I didn't know somethign as big as a tang...it that normal? Next, should I chalk this up as tang/blenny being dump and keep the anemone or should I get rid of it for a differnt kind? I have pictures but I have NO idea how to post them to my post. Also I'm not 100% sure on the name of the anemone, but it's the kind they sell at Petco, with the little white bulbish tentacles (short) and brown foot. It was only like 22.00 bucks. Please advise, thanks!

[dcombs44]

Did you put any of the petco water in your tank?

My initial guess is that could be the cause of the fish issues.
What are your tank params, and how long has your tank been setup?

Typically most fish are smart enough to stay away from an anemone. If you want to post a pic, you should start an account at www.photobucket.com and upload your pictures there, then use the IMG button to post a picture here.

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

I didn't put any of the water in my tank, The fish were noticably eaten up, I mean the blenny looked baaad.

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

Here's pics, I hope

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj215/optumisprime/Picture488.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj215/optumisprime/Picture467.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj215/optumisprime/Picture471.jpg

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

Not the best pics, but I only had my phone available this morning to take em

[mr.stevebaer@ya]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj215/optumisprime/Picture482.jpg

[Agu]

Have you added anything else to your tank recently ? What are the other inhabitants ? It's possible the events are coincidental and not related.

It's also possible your clownfish was protecting it's new home and the other fish had no clue to stay away. My oscellaris females bite the heck out of my hand whenever I reach into the tank.

[marioensf]

Grab a not so bright lamp at night and search for unknown creatures, they normally come out at night, I hunt for large bristleworms at night but use a very underpowered flashlight so they don't retract immediately.

I had a 20G nano with 2 maroon clouns, one carpet anemone, couple shrimps and a coral beauty; one morning I noticed the anemone had something big inside, I thought a rock with maybe some polips next day the anemone was spitting out the remainings of the coral beauty.

It is possible for an anemone to grab a hold of anything coming into it's tentacles, if it grabbed your smaller fish maybe damaged it so much it could not live but the tang cause of the size and strenght, got away.

Still, search at night for unusual creatures...

[mwwhite]

WOW - that poor guy looks awful! I hope he makes it.

Personally, I'd get the anemone out and not take anymore chances.

[sgarron]

That looks like a Bubble tip anemone, has probably the least potent sting of all anemones. To me it looks like a coincidence, I think something else is getting to your fish. I have 3 BTA's in my tank and even my gobies don't have any trouble, my starry blenny actually rests on one occaissionaly.

[Tahlequah]

even though it is rare for a BTA to sting a fish, if they get ahold of one there sting is still deadly. I have seen a few fish get stung and most cases they dont pull through as the sting is a neurotoxin.

[nick96ss]

it is possible i have seen mine eat 2 of my cleaner shrimp and this past sunday he was eating a bristol worm
hope that guy pulls through

[Leafer]

You have come a long way in a short time. I remember you asking a whole bunch of questions about equipment not too long ago. It seems you’ve made some good progress. I really think its best for additions to be introduced very gradually. I would encourage you to return the anemone because they are hard to keep long term but frankly it will probably do better with you than Petco. Hopefully you have a potent lighting system. Take it slow, let your system mature and avoid impulse buys if you can. The intervening time can be used for research. Sorry, I’m not helping too much with your current disaster. Good luck with the recovery.

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11370123#post11370123 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sgarron
That looks like a Bubble tip anemone, has probably the least potent sting of all anemones. To me it looks like a coincidence, I think something else is getting to your fish.

I have to agree. Plus the BTA pictured looks fairly bleached, and I wonder if it has enough energy left to have much of a sting.

[bertoni]

Well, anemones are predators. Given that the anemone is bleached and likely in need of food, the nematocysts might be at full strength. I've seen a picture of a BTA eating a mandarin dragonet. The brownish patches on the tang might be marks from an anemone. If there's signs of flesh being removed, that's likely some other pest, though. Anemones consume their prey whole.

[Tahlequah]

An anemone will leave marks that look like either hickeys or bruises, its been a long time since I have seen an anemone attack so that description may be off a little.

[vito is hooked]

I had to remove my anemone at the cost of 2 coral cats, small lion,and cleaner gobie! Next smallest fish was mt mandarin. put them in the FO tank. They look awsome in there turned a deep pink color Depends on how many fish u got left now. Sorry about your loss