Doomed Anemone ?

[boxerzz]

I have to say that I bought a green bubble tip anemone on bad judgement. I saw it stuck to the glass and thought it was all good.

After acclimation, it put into the tank on a rock. At first, it did attach but only half the foot. With the light flow swaying it, it started to release the foot. Now I placed it on a rock with very low flow and it is barely holding on, with just bits of its foot.

Its foot does not seem damaged but it looks slightly bleached especially at the centre which I did not notice before it was bought. Can this anemone be saved ?

[boxerzz]

The tentacles are not sticky at all and only some parts of the foot are.

[sethd12]

It does sound like the anemone is struggling quite a bit but I would give him a little more time and see what he does. Less touching is always better.

[boxerzz]

Well it was hanging and drooping over on maybe 0.5 inch of its foot so I took it out and place it in a small floating container. Any suggestions to help it ?

[sethd12]

not really. anemones kind of just do their own thing. if part of him is still sticky and attached it sounds like he might make it. how long have you had him?

[boxerzz]

1 day. It mouth is wide open.

[carolina reefer]

There is a thread on here dealing with saving these. Feeding is the number one thing he talks about. Search for it.

[traveller7]

Feeding a new arrival is not likely a good strategy. During the acclimation phase, they expand, contract, move around, etc., which do not go along well with a "full" stomach cavity.

It appears you picked up the anemone from a local supplier, what were the conditions(water, flow, lighting,etc.)?
What are the current conditions(water, flow, lighting,etc.)?

It would be helpful to identify the new tank particulars as well: size, inhabitants, filtration, heating, age, etc.

Don't give up on the anemone too soon, if the environment is right, they can recover from amazing stress.

[boxerzz]

it came from very low flow, low light.

It is in my separting container but in the main tank with low flow, not under direct T5.

NO3 5
ph 8.3
Alk 8
sg 1.026

Apparently it is expelling zoos as it looks whiter than when I got it.

[traveller7]

I would be concerned about significant deviations in prior water conditions to your current tank, especially pH and Specific Gravity.

BTAs will frequently attach and retreat from stronger lighting, but not attaching, mouth gaping, near term bleaching, tend to coincide with other environmental differences.

fwiw: I would recommend checking the source water conditions prior to acclimation. I have frequently needed to adjust the target tank environment to reduce the range of the change prior to acclimation.

Best of luck and update as you can.

[steve70]

It could be acclimating to params to your tank. now after it gets acclimated it will probably get real small don't panic just yet. Do you have any fresh shrimp from the supermarket? Take a tiny piece and offer it to the nim after it has done its thing. Sounds like your nim is just getting settled in. you are going to notice it moving around the tank until it finds a resting place.

[Henryreef]

Try cutting the flow for several days to let it get settled in, as for your parameters, they seem fine. Do you measure Calcium? As for feeding it, I recommenced avoiding feeding it right now and let it acclimate.

[tufacody]

I usually cut all flow for a few hours when introducing a new nem. I also like to dose a SMALL amount of iodine. If this animal came from low light, chances are it is nutionally starved. Try squirting some mysis at it when it is fully attached.

[boxerzz]

ok. I will monitor it now, the cal is slightly low at 300 but I am brining it up.

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15371400#post15371400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxerzz
ok. I will monitor it now, the cal is slightly low at 300 but I am brining it up. Given the amount of changes the anemone has already gone through, dosing to change calcium, etc., would not be my strategy.

Let it acclimate to what you have now, that is what it is trying to deal with. Changes going forward should be gradual or you'll have a repeat of the current situation.

[boxerzz]

3rd day now, it foot is still not really holding, still in my container. Mouth gaping open wide. It is still expanded though and does deflate at times.

[gabberjaw]

I would just leave it alone. watch it from a distance. You will kill it if you dont leave it alone. They find their own spot and it may not be where you want but give it time and you will have a beautifull new addition. If you forcast feed the tank he will get some food and once he settles in you can feed him directly for growth and spliting will then take place. Just give him time! :)

[andywe]

Forecast feeding? Hmm is this a new method where you don't actually feed, and just think about it earlier in the day? (joke) I think she meant broadcast feeding...:)

[boxerzz]

It seems likewhen it expands its mouth is smaller but when I deflates it mouth gapes wide open.

[adambirk]

listen to gabberjaw put the nem in your tank in the general area you want it hopefully away from coral and leave it alone. one thing you have to remember about nems is they will go were they want. if you move them they will move right back. right now it sounds like it is really stressed and you handling it does not help at all. it will attach were it wants and if it came from low light it will probably attach somewere with lower light while it recoupes then will start moving again to a higher light and flow when it is stronger. i can not stress enough that you should not change anything in your tank right now. leave your calcium alone till the nem settles in. anything that changes will only stress it more and from the sounds of it it is almost at its breaking point. also do not feed it as this will only stress it more. dont even try feeding it till it is fully attached to a rock and inflated fully for a few days. now for the good news from what i have seen personally bta are quite resiliant and can bounce back rather quickly if given great water quality. once again just leave it alone!!!!!!! in the tank to you said that you had it in a container. take it out and that should be the last time you touch it till it has regained its strengh and health. hope it pulls through for you. good luck

[boxerzz]

It is still pooping zooxan now and seems like it expands at night and less in the day.

[boxerzz]

I am not touching it but when it deflates it is facing the sand and it looks depressing.

[Rhubarb]

dont forget that some nem's just dont like being in a tank. Sometimes they can just die, so if the worst happens dont get downhearted. Mine passed away but I wont replace it, if i dont have the skill for keeping one then I wont sacrifice another just for my pleasure. I had 2 clowns before the nem and they bumped into it from day 1 which stressed it out immensely.

Hope it gets better!

[muddysr5]

I'm pulling for the nem, but I really think that it may come back. As stated in a previous post, they come back from incredible amounts of stress.

My RBT was a split when I got it (so I guess my story is slightly different here), and it literally for about a week, would inflate and deflate. I didn't think that it would make it for sure. I was told that I should just sit back and leave it alone. Sure enough, it came back. It wandered and moved a bit, but swear to goodness, the thing has doubled in size in just 4 months!!!

Keep us posted!