Anemone split, now short and stubby

mikereefing · Jan 17, 2022

I've had this bubble tip anemone in my fluval 13.5 nano system for almost two years now. It used to be extremely vibrant and large (photo 1)...but after I added a fistful of new caribsea live sand 4 months ago, it has split and looked like this (photo 2) ever since. Both anemones now have short tentacles and look almost like stumps at this point. My clowns still host both anemones but I don't know what else to do at this point to bring them back to how they were. My parameters have been relatively stable. Lights are the same. I read that perhaps they were malnourished (which is odd as I've rarely fed it back when it was large and vibrant), so I started feeding reef roids and upping my nutrient export to try to balance out the additional nitrate and phosphate. I've been doing this for 3 months now without much appreciable change. Does anyone have any input?

MaxTremors · Jan 17, 2022

What lighting do you have, and what are your actual parameters?

Galasss · Jan 17, 2022

I feel you man, pretty much the same thing happened to me in response to a stressful event, BTAs were healthy and beautiful but after some Xenia died in my tank they looked exactly like what you have, I removed all the decaying stuff and did large water changes etc etc, fast forward to several months later and they’ve only gotten worse for me. I moved them to another tank a few days ago and seem to be slightly better. Here are some reference pic.

Galasss · Jan 17, 2022

After mentioned event

mikereefing · Jan 17, 2022

Alk 8.8, Ca 430, Mg 1430, Nitrates 5-10, phos 0.08. Im using an AI prime HD, same schedule as before.

@Galasss seems similar to what's going on with mine! It's a shame that we're in a similar boat. I don't want to move my anemones to my larger systems because they're already crowded to the brim.

Jekyl · Jan 17, 2022

Might be a good idea to run a course of cipro.

mikereefing · Jan 17, 2022

I might consider that as a last case option. If it was an active infection, I don't think it would've lasted 4+ months in the same state, right? Also, it looks the same exactly after it split from the large, healthy state.

Jekyl · Jan 17, 2022

Let's call in some experts. @Eagle_Steve @F i s h y @Nemguy123

F i s h y · Jan 17, 2022

Was there a stress event that caused the split? How do your other inhabitants look? Coral still thriving? In cases like this the split is not the cause of the issue but a result of some underlying issue. Infections can certainly last this long and cause the nem to slowly consume itself while it attempts to survive. Cipro may not be a bad choice. And you can treat the whole tank. Regardless of what you have in it. I also recommend dosing some microbacter 7 after the last treatment for a few days.

mikereefing · Jan 17, 2022

The stress event was me adding approx two fistfuls of new live sand to the tank. I added it over the course of one day but I guess that was too stressful for it. All other corals are fine and thriving. Looks like I'll have to take them out and run a week of cipro given all my other methods haven't worked

Duncan62 · Jan 17, 2022

mikereefing said:
I might consider that as a last case option. If it was an active infection, I don't think it would've lasted 4+ months in the same state, right? Also, it looks the same exactly after it split from the large, healthy state.

My original rbta split after moving him. I thought the one I could see was rotting but it stayed attached for a couple months. Looked like these in the pics. Next thing you know I have 2 beautiful rbta. Don't give up on a nem if he's still attached.

JcK03 · Aug 12, 2024

Hey ! It's been a while from this post, but I want to bump it cause I'm facing the same issue.. my bta was really vibrant color and long tentacle, and I have add a Maldives Blackfoot clownfish, who is a really hard Hoster, and my nem has split in 2 and now both look like the one of op pic, and they always on the move.. anyone have any input in what I can do ?