Can an anemone choke?

jeg2105 · Jan 29, 2021

this might sound silly but I'm just curious your thoughts. Yesterday I got a small orange goby and a few sexy shrimp. I drip acclimated them and all seemed fine. Last night I couldn't find the goby anymore but just assumed it was hiding since it was so small. This morning I saw that my green Bubble tip anemone detached itself from the rock and was upside down on the floor (it had wedged itself on a rock near the bottom and has been there for a couple of weeks (it tends to stay put then wander). It's been there all day, hasn't moved at all and the goby is still missing (searched the tank and the floor and back of the biocube (even though I have a net top).

Any chance the small goby got stung and eaten and the nem couldn't handle it?

It was open and bubbly yesterday. The sexy shrimp are all alive and none of my fish or coral or nems (rbta, maxi mini and flower carpet) or cleaner shrimp look/act any different than they did yesterday.

Should I leave the gbta alone for now? Try and move it back to a rock? If it's dead it's preferable i remove it right?

Oregon Grown Reef · Jan 29, 2021

jeg2105 said:
this might sound silly but I'm just curious your thoughts. Yesterday I got a small orange goby and a few sexy shrimp. I drip acclimated them and all seemed fine. Last night I couldn't find the goby anymore but just assumed it was hiding since it was so small. This morning I saw that my green Bubble tip anemone detached itself from the rock and was upside down on the floor (it had wedged itself on a rock near the bottom and has been there for a couple of weeks (it tends to stay put then wander). It's been there all day, hasn't moved at all and the goby is still missing (searched the tank and the floor and back of the biocube (even though I have a net top).

Any chance the small goby got stung and eaten and the nem couldn't handle it?

It was open and bubbly yesterday. The sexy shrimp are all alive and none of my fish or coral or nems (rbta, maxi mini and flower carpet) or cleaner shrimp look/act any different than they did yesterday.

Should I leave the gbta alone for now? Try and move it back to a rock? If it's dead it's preferable i remove it right?

I personally haven't seen anything about anemones choking. I've fed them some pretty big chunks of meat that they initially took, but after some time they spit it out. I would guess if the fish was too big, it would have spit it out. Not sure why the anemone would be upside down? Any signs of deflation? Do you have pics?

jeg2105 · Jan 29, 2021

oregongrownreef said:
I personally haven't seen anything about anemones choking. I've fed them some pretty big chunks of meat that they initially took, but after some time they spit it out. I would guess if the fish was too big, it would have spit it out. Not sure why the anemone would be upside down? Any signs of deflation? Do you have pics?

Thank you. Thats what I thought too. Am just so stunned do was worth a shot.

Anything could of gotten the fish or it can still be hiding, we'll see.

No pic, it's in the back of the tank where I can't get a clear picture unfort. It's totally shrivled up, but its similar to what it does when lights go off anyway, just now on the floor instead of attached. makes me think it might be dead. We shall see.

Rubberfrog · Jan 29, 2021

I'm not an expert like Wayne Brady....

have you tried turning it right side up and observing it?

Oregon Grown Reef · Jan 29, 2021

I believe @OrionN has a ton of experience with treating deflated anemones with cipro. Maybe he can chime in.

jeg2105 · Jan 29, 2021

Unfortunately it was dead. Now to make sure I keep my parameters stable. Thanks for the replies!

Poseidon03 · Jan 29, 2021

jeg2105 said:
Unfortunately it was dead. Now to make sure I keep my parameters stable. Thanks for the replies!

How did you know it was dead? It could just be very unhappy. Typically anemones will shrivel up to nothing

jeg2105 · Jan 29, 2021

Poseidon03 said:
How did you know it was dead? It could just be very unhappy. Typically anemones will shrivel up to nothing

Flipped it over and it had lost its color, whitish grey, very different than normal. there was no reaction to me poking at it or having turned it over. Have had it for a while now and other than moving a few times there weren't any issues. I'll need to keep an extra eye on the other rbtas

Apollo7235 · Mar 4, 2021

jeg2105 said:
Unfortunately it was dead. Now to make sure I keep my parameters stable. Thanks for the replies!

Awwww such a bummer! RIP little guy! I was ready for the 'little rascal was playing hide and seek' post. Shame. Sounded like it had a personality.

jeg2105 · Mar 31, 2021

Apollo7235 said:
Awwww such a bummer! RIP little guy! I was ready for the 'little rascal was playing hide and seek' post. Shame. Sounded like it had a personality.

never got a chance to report back... yeah RIP it was def sad. I think my flow and lighting have just been getting worst and worst. Upgrading to a new red sea E260 so the better flow and lighting should help with things moving forward.

On a positive note. The missing goby appeared in the back sump. So there was some positive news to report back!

Apollo7235 · Mar 31, 2021

jeg2105 said:
never got a chance to report back... yeah RIP it was def sad. I think my flow and lighting have just been getting worst and worst. Upgrading to a new red sea E260 so the better flow and lighting should help with things moving forward.

On a positive note. The missing goby appeared in the back sump. So there was some positive news to report back!

Glad to hear you found him! Thanks for the update!