Anemone...

[idgy]

How can you tell if an anemone is not happy or dying?

I got one about a month ago, it's in a Red Sex Max with T5 lighting. The tank is over a year old. From the first day I put it in the tank it found a spot and has not moved, but what I notice is that keeps shrinking down to nothing and the next day is fine and does it again and again. It seems it's staying large in the sense of length but some tenticles seem small.

Thanks.

 

[jag3534]

DO you feed it? If so what, and how often?

 

[idgy]

Actually, I have not. I feed the fish in the tank frozen food and the clown seems to grab some and from what I can tell feeds it to the anemone. It that possible?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Try feeding it small bits of shrimp, clam, oyster, squid, or non-oily fish.
Should perk right up

 

[returnofsid]

It is much more likely that the Clownfish are hoarding food, within the anemone. People swear that their clownfish feed their anemones, but it's not something that ever happens in the wild. However, it may happen in captivity.

Does your anemone shrink down at night, or close to the time that the lights go out? Once lights are on in the morning, does it fully inflate again? If so, this is perfectly normal. If it's showing different behavior, there may be a problem.

What species of Anemone is it? What kind of lighting is it under? What tank mates are in the tank? What are all of your water parameters? What kind of flow is it in? Is it in sand or rockwork? Tell us as much about your tank as you can. It'll help identify any possible problems. Also, any pics you can provide would be helpful.

 

[Mopar Reefer]

What is your light cycle? I have two RBTA's and if the lights are on longer then 8 hrs per day they have a tendancy to shrink up.

 

[idgy]

I have BTA and the T5 lights are on more than 8 hours. All the parameter are good, I have rock and sand and he has found a spot since day one and has stayed put. He looks ok, but constantly shrinking and inflating. The flow in the tank is good, not too strong. There is a coral beauty, gobie and pistol shrimp and a clown that would let me near the anemone.

Someone told me that if the lighting was good, that you did not have to feed them? Is that true?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Perhaps true, assuming that the light was excellent and nutrients in the water. With t-5, best to give it some snacks to keep it happy

 

[Mopar Reefer]

^ Agreed it's good to feed it meaty food every now and then.

 

[user 26995]

How can you tell if an anemone is not happy or dying?

I got one about a month ago, it's in a Red Sex Max with T5 lighting. The tank is over a year old. From the first day I put it in the tank it found a spot and has not moved, but what I notice is that keeps shrinking down to nothing and the next day is fine and does it again and again. It seems it's staying large in the sense of length but some tenticles seem small.

Thanks.

Maybe this will help you, maybe it wont. I found this web page somewhere, but it has some info on anemones.
http://fins.actwin.com/species/anemone.html

 

[burning2nd]

mine is mainly Light fed, I very seldom feed maybe 3-6 months apart...

test for stickyness with something other then finger...
Mine just went thur a small (1 week or so) period where it was turning it self inside out, and molting or doing something.... Nemo was upset it got very very small (smallest ive seen) and after observation of melting (death) It returned to its OEM size...

They do this, even if fed reqularly, they do some kind of growth thing.... and B4 spliting its even worse i hear. I thought mine was gonna split... nope