Anemone closed!! :(

allendehl · 12/04/2017, 08:50 PM

Hello guys,

Not sure this is normal so I am kinda freaking out with my new anemone. I brought it home yesterday and It was super happy and fully opened until I turned off all equipment (pump, skimmer and powerheads) for feeding time today. It right away started to close. It must have been less than 10 minutes when I turned everything back on and it is even more closed now (more than an an hour later).
Is this normal?...did I do wrong by turning flow off? It didnt have any flow when I brought it and it wasn't as upset as it is now.
Will it open up again.....hope so!!!

LeJeune981 · 12/04/2017, 09:01 PM

Prolly just spooked it is all... all ya can do is wait it out and see what it does..

Mine did the same thing when I first got and turned on my metal halide lights... hell the whole tank freaked out...except the corals...
Nem was about 90 percent closed for a few hours after.. but then it was all good... I still haven't tried the halides again though...and I really wanna run them...they were expencive! Lol

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allendehl · 12/04/2017, 09:04 PM

Photo here...poor thing is all foot.

LeJeune981 · 12/04/2017, 11:13 PM

Has there been any changes in your tank.. new fish.. anything get in the tank?
What's your parameters?

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OldReefGuy · 12/04/2017, 11:16 PM

how old is your tank?

JUNBUG361 · 12/04/2017, 11:16 PM

Looks stressed out

LeJeune981 · 12/04/2017, 11:18 PM

Looks like it's puffing it's insides out of its mouth actually.. not a good thing

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LeJeune981 · 12/04/2017, 11:20 PM

I just reread... you said it closed up at feeding time... did you by chance try and feed it?

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allendehl · 12/05/2017, 08:22 AM

It looking a lot better this morning

, though not totally open yet. I did a water change on the morning before I brought her so parameters should be ok. Test kits for alk, mag and calcium are on their way but the others have been very stable and in check for a while so I don't have any reason to believe they went crazy right after a 20% WC.

It happened right when I turned off the pump and powerheads at feeding time, I did put a piece of thawed raw shrimp on her when I turned everything back on as I thought that would make her happy.

Now, she definitely didn't like the sudden change in flow...but on the other hand if I don't turn equipment off the food would get all blown around the tank. How do you guys do it?

pfan151 · 12/05/2017, 10:19 AM

Do you have a pic of it when it is looking good?

allendehl · 12/05/2017, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfan151

Do you have a pic of it when it is looking good?

I do have one from before, here it is. Haven't taken from after...can do this afternoon when I get home if you're interested.

BlueMoods · 12/05/2017, 10:41 AM

Nems can be touchy about flow, they tend to dislike it being turned off. There is really no reason to do so for feeding, the fish can chase food just fine.

sde1500 · 12/05/2017, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allendehl

It looking a lot better this morning

, though not totally open yet. I did a water change on the morning before I brought her so parameters should be ok. Test kits for alk, mag and calcium are on their way but the others have been very stable and in check for a while so I don't have any reason to believe they went crazy right after a 20% WC.

It happened right when I turned off the pump and powerheads at feeding time, I did put a piece of thawed raw shrimp on her when I turned everything back on as I thought that would make her happy.

Now, she definitely didn't like the sudden change in flow...but on the other hand if I don't turn equipment off the food would get all blown around the tank. How do you guys do it?

Fish can swim after their food, it won't hurt them. Leave flow on. Just a heads up nems are sensitive creatures, more so than most corals. Not advised really to add them without having proper test kits and knowing your tank parameters. But obviously you are past that now, be sure you are testing very regularly. They benefit a lot from stability.

ReeferNoob4ever · 12/05/2017, 11:10 AM

IME they are finicky but also tougher than people give them credit for. I have one that inflates and deflates all the time. More than anything i think it upsets my clown who loves to lay in it when it's open. This has been going on for 6 months+

Small Heavens · 12/05/2017, 11:34 AM

When flow is changed radically, they easily react as if a giant predator is hovering over them; and hide.

They also tend to need some time to stabilise their inner chemical releases as they adjust to new conditions, during which they might retract and rearrange the amount of algae inside their tissue; and that can be a freaky thing to watch for new Anemone keepers.

After they feed they can easily be unhappy looking while concentrating on what happens in their "belly". The "unhappy" feeding look can also return when they need to expel waste later.

When using target feeding and you want to avoid the food spreading, you just feed the Nem first (if it needs feeding that day), and let it close up with the food already inside and then feed the rest of your aquaria and turn the flow back on.

I agree with ReeferNoob4ever that they are finicky but also tougher than they get credit for.

Enjoy.

Small Heavens · 12/05/2017, 11:43 AM

Oh, also, in regards to "Frozen Foods", remember that humans add tons of things to our own frozen foods, including those called "Fresh Seafood".

If you don't buy food prepared for use in aquariums, make sure you get clean seafood and if needed freeze fresh meaty seafoods yourself, so you can have the frozen food available for feeding your aquaria without the additives used in foods for human consumption.

pinnatus · 12/05/2017, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeJeune981

I just reread... you said it closed up at feeding time... did you by chance try and feed it?

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This^^

If food fell on it, it would tend to close up while it eats.

pfan151 · 12/05/2017, 02:07 PM

Is that a Magnifica? I’ve never seen a BTA with any bifurcated tentacles like your anemone appears to have. If it is a mag you need to move it up to the top of your rockwork.

allendehl · 12/05/2017, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfan151

Is that a Magnifica? I’ve never seen a BTA with any bifurcated tentacles like your anemone appears to have. If it is a mag you need to move it up to the top of your rockwork.

Not sure, it was sold to me as a "purple bottom maroon" and I was told by some it looks like a LTA.

pfan151 · 12/05/2017, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allendehl

Not sure, it was sold to me as a "purple bottom maroon" and I was told by some it looks like a LTA.

Definitely not an LTA. Try posting a pic in the anemone section. There were some BTAs that looked a lot like mags that came in last year that fooled some people. I’m wondering if what you have may be the same. Nice anemone regardless of whether it’s a BTA or a mag. Those are the only possiblities IMO.

LeJeune981 · 12/05/2017, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinnatus

This^^

If food fell on it, it would tend to close up while it eats.

That and all I have read highly recommends NOT feeding a new nem for about a week

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allendehl · 12/05/2017, 08:13 PM

Thank you all!!...Nem shrunk today again...hopefully I'll find it better tomorrow. All I did was to turn ONE powerhear (the one blowing right on top of her) to see of the food stayed above her and the clowns would come check her out. Pump stayed on as well as one more powerhead. I kept it off less than a minute as I saw it starting to close slowly. It looks like this one is extremely sensitive.
I am not messing with the flow or the nem anymore at least until my next water change.

Uncle99 · 12/06/2017, 12:58 PM

If you are sure your water is perfect and your lights not to strong (while he is getting used to the new environment) and he remains secure to the rock, I would just leave him alone.
They shrink when they eat, they shrink when the poop, if the piece of shrimp you feed was big it could takes days for him to digest. Keep the food small, 1-2 per week max, size of your baby fingernail, or better, shoot some frozen brine on him with a turkey baster. After they acclimatize, so about a month or so, they do less shrinking.

allendehl · 12/08/2017, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

If you are sure your water is perfect and your lights not to strong (while he is getting used to the new environment) and he remains secure to the rock, I would just leave him alone.
They shrink when they eat, they shrink when the poop, if the piece of shrimp you feed was big it could takes days for him to digest. Keep the food small, 1-2 per week max, size of your baby fingernail, or better, shoot some frozen brine on him with a turkey baster. After they acclimatize, so about a month or so, they do less shrinking.

Uncle, I posted some pics from last evening of the nem closing for no apparent reason in my other thread. People believe it's sick. Do you mind taking a look and giving your opinion?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2660531

Thanks!

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ReefMaster48 · 12/08/2017, 07:48 AM

I do not turn off the pumps for feeding. The fish can work for their food lol

Also, you nem has only been in the tank for a day. I would expect it to do some odd stuff in the first day or two. You are drastically changing his environment, so he will be POed and scared. Nothing to worry about. I would be more concerned with covering your powerheads or doing something to make sure that he doesn't get blender-ed.

12/04/2017, 08:50 PM	#1
allendehl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 692	Anemone closed!! :( Hello guys, Not sure this is normal so I am kinda freaking out with my new anemone. I brought it home yesterday and It was super happy and fully opened until I turned off all equipment (pump, skimmer and powerheads) for feeding time today. It right away started to close. It must have been less than 10 minutes when I turned everything back on and it is even more closed now (more than an an hour later). Is this normal?...did I do wrong by turning flow off? It didnt have any flow when I brought it and it wasn't as upset as it is now. Will it open up again.....hope so!!! __________________ [Newbie here so please take my opinions carefully] Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 350 (72G) \| Jebao DCT 4000 (1056 GPH Max) \| Reef Octopus 152-S \| 2 X Jebao PP8 (2100 GPH Max)

12/04/2017, 09:04 PM	#3
allendehl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 692	Photo here...poor thing is all foot. __________________ [Newbie here so please take my opinions carefully] Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 350 (72G) \| Jebao DCT 4000 (1056 GPH Max) \| Reef Octopus 152-S \| 2 X Jebao PP8 (2100 GPH Max)

12/05/2017, 08:22 AM	#9
allendehl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 692	It looking a lot better this morning , though not totally open yet. I did a water change on the morning before I brought her so parameters should be ok. Test kits for alk, mag and calcium are on their way but the others have been very stable and in check for a while so I don't have any reason to believe they went crazy right after a 20% WC. It happened right when I turned off the pump and powerheads at feeding time, I did put a piece of thawed raw shrimp on her when I turned everything back on as I thought that would make her happy. Now, she definitely didn't like the sudden change in flow...but on the other hand if I don't turn equipment off the food would get all blown around the tank. How do you guys do it? __________________ [Newbie here so please take my opinions carefully] Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 350 (72G) \| Jebao DCT 4000 (1056 GPH Max) \| Reef Octopus 152-S \| 2 X Jebao PP8 (2100 GPH Max)

12/05/2017, 11:10 AM	#14
ReeferNoob4ever Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: NM Posts: 523	IME they are finicky but also tougher than people give them credit for. I have one that inflates and deflates all the time. More than anything i think it upsets my clown who loves to lay in it when it's open. This has been going on for 6 months+ __________________ Get a life! Current Tank Info: 20gL mixed reef, 10g mixed reef w/nem & clown, 5g NPS & harlequin

12/05/2017, 11:34 AM	#15
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	When flow is changed radically, they easily react as if a giant predator is hovering over them; and hide. They also tend to need some time to stabilise their inner chemical releases as they adjust to new conditions, during which they might retract and rearrange the amount of algae inside their tissue; and that can be a freaky thing to watch for new Anemone keepers. After they feed they can easily be unhappy looking while concentrating on what happens in their "belly". The "unhappy" feeding look can also return when they need to expel waste later. When using target feeding and you want to avoid the food spreading, you just feed the Nem first (if it needs feeding that day), and let it close up with the food already inside and then feed the rest of your aquaria and turn the flow back on. I agree with ReeferNoob4ever that they are finicky but also tougher than they get credit for. Enjoy. Last edited by Small Heavens; 12/05/2017 at 11:40 AM.

12/04/2017, 09:01 PM	#2
LeJeune981 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 747	Prolly just spooked it is all... all ya can do is wait it out and see what it does.. Mine did the same thing when I first got and turned on my metal halide lights... hell the whole tank freaked out...except the corals... Nem was about 90 percent closed for a few hours after.. but then it was all good... I still haven't tried the halides again though...and I really wanna run them...they were expencive! Lol Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

12/04/2017, 11:13 PM	#4
LeJeune981 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 747	Has there been any changes in your tank.. new fish.. anything get in the tank? What's your parameters? Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

12/04/2017, 11:16 PM	#5
OldReefGuy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 542	how old is your tank?

12/04/2017, 11:16 PM	#6
JUNBUG361 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Antioch,CALIFORNIA Posts: 1,091	Looks stressed out

12/04/2017, 11:18 PM	#7
LeJeune981 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 747	Looks like it's puffing it's insides out of its mouth actually.. not a good thing Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

12/04/2017, 11:20 PM	#8
LeJeune981 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 747	I just reread... you said it closed up at feeding time... did you by chance try and feed it? Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

12/05/2017, 10:19 AM	#10
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	Do you have a pic of it when it is looking good?

12/05/2017, 10:41 AM	#12
BlueMoods Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Arkansas Posts: 32	Nems can be touchy about flow, they tend to dislike it being turned off. There is really no reason to do so for feeding, the fish can chase food just fine.

12/05/2017, 11:43 AM	#16
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	Oh, also, in regards to "Frozen Foods", remember that humans add tons of things to our own frozen foods, including those called "Fresh Seafood". If you don't buy food prepared for use in aquariums, make sure you get clean seafood and if needed freeze fresh meaty seafoods yourself, so you can have the frozen food available for feeding your aquaria without the additives used in foods for human consumption.

12/05/2017, 02:07 PM	#18
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	Is that a Magnifica? I’ve never seen a BTA with any bifurcated tentacles like your anemone appears to have. If it is a mag you need to move it up to the top of your rockwork.

12/05/2017, 08:13 PM	#22
allendehl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 692	Thank you all!!...Nem shrunk today again...hopefully I'll find it better tomorrow. All I did was to turn ONE powerhear (the one blowing right on top of her) to see of the food stayed above her and the clowns would come check her out. Pump stayed on as well as one more powerhead. I kept it off less than a minute as I saw it starting to close slowly. It looks like this one is extremely sensitive. I am not messing with the flow or the nem anymore at least until my next water change. __________________ [Newbie here so please take my opinions carefully] Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 350 (72G) \| Jebao DCT 4000 (1056 GPH Max) \| Reef Octopus 152-S \| 2 X Jebao PP8 (2100 GPH Max)

12/06/2017, 12:58 PM	#23
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	If you are sure your water is perfect and your lights not to strong (while he is getting used to the new environment) and he remains secure to the rock, I would just leave him alone. They shrink when they eat, they shrink when the poop, if the piece of shrimp you feed was big it could takes days for him to digest. Keep the food small, 1-2 per week max, size of your baby fingernail, or better, shoot some frozen brine on him with a turkey baster. After they acclimatize, so about a month or so, they do less shrinking.

12/08/2017, 07:48 AM	#25
ReefMaster48 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 342	I do not turn off the pumps for feeding. The fish can work for their food lol Also, you nem has only been in the tank for a day. I would expect it to do some odd stuff in the first day or two. You are drastically changing his environment, so he will be POed and scared. Nothing to worry about. I would be more concerned with covering your powerheads or doing something to make sure that he doesn't get blender-ed.