Anemone help needed

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Just got a bubble tip on Friday, added to tank and looked good, yesterday was staying on the rock I put it on, this morning I can't find it, I spent the last 30 minutes looking, finally found it, it has moved down and into a cave, away from most light, is hanging upside down and from what I can see is deflated. This cave is also where my camel shrimp all hang out. Any ideas? Thanks!

twilliard · Aug 14, 2016

It will find a spot where it is happy with flow and light.
As it becomes settled in with the tank it may seek out more light.
Right now it doesn't want a lot of light due to stress

Chrisfish · Aug 14, 2016

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Thanks! I thought it would be due to stress, just hope it will be ok, also that it wasn't trying to eat the shrimp. Hope he comes back out soon!

twilliard · Aug 14, 2016

Double J said:
Thanks! I thought it would be due to stress, just hope it will be ok, also that it wasn't trying to eat the shrimp. Hope he comes back out soon!

Actually it may be the other way around, sometimes shrimp can pester an anemone causing more stress.
Don't try to move the anemone. What I do is once my splits settle in I move the rock they are on, not far but move to be more visible.

Milkmanskid · Aug 14, 2016

Mine did this and would then stretch for light for the longest time. I moved it to my new tank and it ended up doing the same at the very top, nothing around it and all the light it can handle. They are weird little creatures. Let it settle in. I'm sure it will be fine. Just try and offer it some food here and there. If it doesn't take it, don't stress. Just leave it be. The light should be more than enough to keep it healthy

BoneXriffic · Aug 14, 2016

Normal behavior, seemingly. How old is your system and what kind of lighting?

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

The tank has been running since February. My light is a current orbit led, it might be underpowered, may have to add a second light.
Should I turn off the power heads? The nem stayed in place the night before, but the power heads were off. Not sure if it maybe doesn't like the flow?

pga7602 · Aug 14, 2016

From what Ive seen this is normal behavior. Give it some time and it should either extend out or move again.

I would leave the flow as is and let the nem acclimate and move where it wants. You may also want to hold off on trying to feed it since feeding can further stress it out.

Do you have a pic of the nem to share? I would love to see it.

BoneXriffic · Aug 14, 2016

Dont adjust or turn off flow once they plant the foot. They need to move to a spot they liked based on normal operation.

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Thanks for the advice, will leave the flow alone and hope he comes out. I do have some pictures from yesterday, can't get them to paste on here. I'm using my phone.

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Hope this works, here is one from yesterday, it is now deflated and hiding.

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Here is where the nem is now

he is hiding in that cave between the clown and the card

Amoo · Aug 14, 2016

This is normal behavior IF you don't light acclimate you anemone properly. It probably came from T5s if its lucky at a LFS and you just dropped it directly under an LED, even if it is just the orbit. If you want an idea of what I'm talking about, walk outside, close your eyes for 10 seconds then stare directly into the sun. That's basically what just happened here. The prevalence of people saying this is normal behavior really needs to be quelled as it is NOT.

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Amoo said:
This is normal behavior IF you don't light acclimate you anemone properly. It probably came from T5s if its lucky at a LFS and you just dropped it directly under an LED, even if it is just the orbit. If you want an idea of what I'm talking about, walk outside, close your eyes for 10 seconds then stare directly into the sun. That's basically what just happened here. The prevalence of people saying this is normal behavior really needs to be quelled as it is NOT.

Makes sense, I got the nem from foster and smith, so no idea what lighting it was under. I guess I should have used the acclimation mode on the light, another reefer told me I didn't need too, too bad, now the nem is stressed out

Double J · Aug 14, 2016

Just checked on him again, looks better has came out closer to the edge and has inflated back up and has come color, hopefully he's getting used to his new home!

Amoo · Aug 15, 2016

DFS was running MH last I checked on their Nem tanks.

Double J · Aug 15, 2016

so i looked this morning before work, doesn't look good, although its very hard to see into the cave the nem decided to call home. From what i could see, or couldn't see, all i can see is the pink base of the nem, nothing else. didn't see the shrimp either. When will i know its time to take the nem out if it doesn't make it? Will have to look tonight after work and see if anything has changed.