Deflating anemoney

[Blane]

I am recently new to the hobby and have just begun to set up my first tank. It is a 46gal bow and right now I have about 20lbs of live rock in it. The tank seemed cycled and stable after about three weeks so I stocked a few fish, one a cinnamon clown, and decided to get an anemoney for it so I bought a green bubble that looked very healthy in the dealer tank. I have had it for about 3 days now and on the second and third day it deflated and inflated in a period of about three hours. I have read about anemones doing this once in a while to expell waste but should it be doning it every day. I also fed it a pinchfull of frozen thawed mysis the first and second day. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Blane

 

[NeilsReef]

I'm no expert!

Welcome to a fabulous hobby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like I said, I'm no expert. But what I have learned, in the few years of keeping my saltwater tank: is going slow is almost always better. It seems to me if your tank has only been up or cycled for only "3" weeks, and you are adding three fish and an anemone? You are moving to fast. Some times the LFS will ask how long yout tank has been up, and if it is still fairly new they won't sell you livestock. Atleast that is how it works at SeaHorse Aquarium in Portland Oregon and many other LFS in Oregon. I hope all turns out aswell as possible. There are some amazing experts in these forums, I am sure they will be able to give a more scientific answer.

 

[Cougra]

What kind of lighting do you have on your tank? What are you water parameters; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, pH, alk, temp, SG/salinity? What kind of filtration are you using on the tank? Do you plan on getting any more live rock anytime soon?

The more information we have about your tank the better off we will be able to help figure out the problem.

What kind of anemone did you get? Anemones are not suited for a new tank or for beginners. They are extremely difficult to care for and their requirements are often downplayed by an LFS. The average life expectancy of anemones in an aquarium is a small fraction of the life expectancy in the wild. Most anemones slowly starve to death due to inadiquate lighting and feedings or are poisioned by poor water quaility.

 

[DonW]

Re: I'm no expert!

Some times the LFS will ask how long yout tank has been up, and if it is still fairly new they won't sell you livestock. Atleast that is how it works at SeaHorse Aquarium in Portland Oregon and many other LFS in Oregon.

You must have some great LFS in Oregon. Around here all fish are reef safe, manderines eat flake food and anenomes dont need good lighting.:lol:

Don

 

[NeilsReef]

LOL

Pretty funny

 

[Blane]

The tank has two actinic and two 10,000k 36 in compact flourescents, all 96 wat bulbs for a little over 7 wats per gallon. The anemone is a green bubble, as far as the scientific name, I don't know. I have a trickle filter and uv sterilizer on the system and I have ordered 25lbs of rock and should have it soon. My water perameters as of today are: amonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0 or very low, and Ph 8.2, SG .0225, calcium 450. I hope this helps.

 

[jlehigh]

We definately need to see those water parameters, and lighting/feeding details. As mentioned Anenome's are not well suited to newer set-ups. Daily contractions for extended periods is a stress indicator. My Rose did this for 3 days after adding it to my system and is now doing quite well.

This FAQ is one of the best overview resources on Anenomes I have found: http://www.carlosreef.com/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

 

[Mushroom Boy]

It sounds like you have Entacmaea quadricolor, which fortunately is one of the hardier species of anemones. Having said that, I would definitely either take it back to the store where you bought it, or find someone with a well established tank to adopt it from you. This is for a couple of reasons. First is that your tank, at 3 weeks of age, is not ready to house an anemone (or much else for that matter). Second, if you're going to be adding more live rock, chances are, you will see a spike/mini-cycle associated with its addition. Either one of these is trouble enough, but with the combination of the two, I'm afraid you will likely lose all of your inhabitants if you don't remove them. Your description of the anemone's behavior sounds to me like an animal in distress. Yes, they do deflate and reinflate from time to time, but usually not that frequently. It is not happy in its current setting. I'm not trying to sound like a downer, but that's the reality of the situation. I would also seriously consider removing all of your fish until you have all rock in place and your tank has been established for sometime thereafter - at least a couple of months. HTH.

 

[jlehigh]

Well put Mushroom boy and I concur.

Blane: Don't fret too much. This is part of the learning process. Reef keeping is an advanced hobby which requires allot of study, patience and thought. Take your time and continue to use forums like this one to increase your knowlege and ability.

We have a resource library on this site with information that will help you out.

 

[Blane]

Here is a pic of the anemone and clown

 

[Blane]

Here is a better view of the tank...

 

[DonW]

I noticed your in Tacoma. Did you get the anenome from Indoor Reef?

Don

 

[Blane]

Actually I was going to purchase it from Paul from Indoor Reef but he couldn't get the little bugger off the rock and there were numerous others on the same piece so I went to Aquarium paridise.

 

[DonW]

I was just wondering, Indoor Reef usuall keeps them in a clam or clam style tank under MH. They would would be pretty unhappy to go from MH to CF. If I remember right the invert tanks at Aquarium paradise are MH also.

Don

 

[Blane]

So will it get used to the new light or what should I expect? The actinics are on for 12 hrs a day and the 10k's are on for 10. They are on timers. It has also been moving around a lot and is currently under a ledge. My water perameters seem good but maybe like you all have said, the tank just isn't ready for stock yet.

 

[nemoisfound]

great info mattseattle sent me, though i should share! good luck

 

[nemoisfound]

oops! hehee here it is
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...threadid=358253

 

[Blane]

Thanks for all the help guys. It's nice to have a place to get some real information without it being given off the basis of a sale. Thanks again.

 

[Beeba]

Here is an excellent (easy to read and understand) article on anemones. I learned a lot from it.

Anemone FAQ

 

[nemoisfound]

ok try this one =0P http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=358253