Anemone help,

Payday · May 14, 2024

Looks like overnight my anemone went from fully open to half shriveled. Parameters haven’t changed. Only thing I can think of is that I added a rock to the tank yesterday. What do you guys think?
Phos 0.02, nitrates 3, Alk 8.9, Ca 430, Mg 1280

This is the rock that I added yesterday: https://www.etsy.com/listing/142187...click_sum=285a3501&ref=shop_home_recs_1&crt=1

WalkerLovesTheOcean · May 14, 2024

Almost looks like some of the tentacles are shredded? My phone is shattered, so it's hard to tell. It does not look good, at all. Is there something in your tank that could have been eating it? What about if there is any powerheads in your tank? Maybe it split?

PharmrJohn · May 14, 2024

It does look like a few are shredded. That rock you added. Is it possible it may have something coating it that may be leaching into your system? I cannot find any details on the product at all. Seems to me that this is pretty straight forward cause and effect. I'd get the rock outta there. Now, a doom and gloom warning. Keep a VERY close eye on the anenome. If it is affected so much that it gives up the ghost and dies, it'll almost certainly have far reaching, negative effects on your tank. At best it would release toxins. At worst it would disintegrate and get EVERYWHERE. Do you have a QT tank handy?

Payday · May 14, 2024

it hasn’t moved at all I don’t think it was shredded by anything. It’s being hosted by a clown that’s pretty protective over it.

I took the rock out today just in case. I don’t have a qt unfortunately. I’m tempted to just cut my losses and take it out even though it’s one of these Chicago sunburst.

I would think that if the rock was leaching something then the other corals would be upset as well? Everything else seems normal.

I did increase flow a bit yesterday as well but the power head is on the opposite side of the tank and the anemone had decent coverage in the rocks.

PharmrJohn · May 14, 2024

It could just be my old eyes. You do have a point concerning the other corals. It could be coincidence.....it's tough to tell. The good thing is that it's still attached to the rock. If it decides to drop down on the sandbed THEN you know to get it out of there Pronto. A question to you.... Do you think the clown may have just irritated it? Or have the movements been pretty steady and routine? These things, unfortnately can be a guessing game. How is it looking right now? Any better?

crazyfishmom · May 14, 2024

It's hard to tell from the picture but my anemones sometimes shrivel up like this when I add Red Sea AB+ amino acids to the tank. They look awful for 1-2 hrs and then the next day they are super gorgeous and more inflated than ever. Freaked me out the first time they did it.

Payday · May 16, 2024

Looking better at the moment. Still not as big or as happy as it was, but much better than when it was shriveled. Not sure if I was just overreacting but I had never seen it look so bad. All I did was take the new rock out. Everything else seems to be doing fine as well. I’ll keep you guys posted.

jkcoral · May 16, 2024

Payday said:
Looking better at the moment. Still not as big or as happy as it was, but much better than when it was shriveled. Not sure if I was just overreacting but I had never seen it look so bad. All I did was take the new rock out. Everything else seems to be doing fine as well. I’ll keep you guys posted.

Nem looks good here! Sometimes they can just be moody, and other times they can just do weird stuff. I’ve also seen them deflate and sometimes look rough after taking a big poop haha.

Also, whenever I add a piece of rock I like to put it in a bucket of Rodi or saltwater with a little pump for a couple days. Sometimes there will be little flakes of purple pigment/coating that will come off. Not that the rock was causing any issues here, but soaking for a few days does give a little peace of mind just in case.

Malum Argenteum · May 16, 2024

I don't see the shredding that others see in the first photo. My RBTAs (one clone line, but many divisions for fifteen years or so) are quite variable in appearance ('moody' is a good word), and the look of yours would not make me bat an eye.

Good call on looking to the other animals in the tank to diagnose.