Curiosity?

Stege_saurus · May 31, 2019

So a friend of mine has a condy anemone. I don't know that much about anemones so im not any help. We fed it a piece of raw shrimp last night and it spit it out, mouth was open for probably 3+ hours. It's still kinda open, what should I tell him? I've been reading some of these posts and getting mixed answers. Here's a picture of it from this morning. Is this normal for them to do this? Is it dying? This is more of a curiosity for me because I'd like to get some sort of anemone in the future.

Eagle_Steve · May 31, 2019

How new is the anemone to the tank, how old is the tank? Newly introduced nems usually do not eat at first, and feeding new nems is not advised. In my experience, especially with condis, if fed to soon they tend to eat it, spit it out and then proceed to try and poo out whatever they had in them previous to the feeding. If it is not a newly introduced nem, it may just not want to be fed and is getting enough nutrition from the zoo in it. Nems do not have to be fed to live, especially condis. Light and good water will carry them for years and years.

Jon Fishman · May 31, 2019

I never feed my Anemone (well, I guess I have 2 now....) and despite being ripped nearly in half by a powerhead accident about 2 months ago, never being "treated/dipped etc" he's doing amazing now.

Is there a reason you felt it needed a piece of shrimp?

Stege_saurus · May 31, 2019

Aquarium is somewhere between 3-4 years old. Anemone has been in there approximately a week?

Stege_saurus · May 31, 2019

We read online that you should feed them..but I guess that's wrong and an outdated post.?

Eagle_Steve · May 31, 2019

Denton Stege said:
We read online that you should feed them..but I guess that's wrong and an outdated post.?

It is not really wrong, as I feed my mags and haddonis multiple times a week. They are established and been with me a long time. I just like to feed them as they accept it and I am aiming for faster growth to get them up to 24-26" in size.

With the nem being a week old, its mouth slightly open but not gaping, it does not have its "stomach" (so to say) out of its mouth, I would not feed it for now and let it adjust. After it is settled in all nice and pretty, then you can try some mysis to start out with, but just a few pieces. Or you can just not feed it and it will be fine. I have a condi that is 6 years old and has never been fed, unless food falls on it while feeding the fish.

Again, for now, just observe and if it starts to look like its guts are coming out of its mouth and it deflates completely then hit us back up for a course of action.

Jon Fishman · May 31, 2019

People feed them all the time....... never heard a compelling argument for it other than people like to watch them eat. I am no expert but most of the times someone has troubles with one, they are either feeding it, or trying to move it to where THEY think is should go..... I would just make sure the parameters are good and let the nem recover or return to normal on its own

Stege_saurus · May 31, 2019

Ok thank you! Another question since we're on the topic, I was reading Condys aren't a hosting type for Clowns, are there exceptions to that? If a clown and condy are hosting is it bad? What if the clown is bigger than the condy?

Eagle_Steve · May 31, 2019

Denton Stege said:
Ok thank you! Another question since we're on the topic, I was reading Condys aren't a hosting type for Clowns, are there exceptions to that? If a clown and condy are hosting is it bad? What if the clown is bigger than the condy?

It has been recorded that some condis will host a clown and even damsels. It is not a common occurrence though. Size also does not seem to play a role in if the nem will host the clown.

KorD · May 31, 2019

Denton Stege said:
We read online that you should feed them..but I guess that's wrong and an outdated post.?

Feeding them is fine, I feed mine everyday because I'm trying to help it split. Other then that I feed a 1/4 x 1/4 hump of shrimp or a good basting tube of Mysis every 4 days.

I alwys give the anemone a week or two to settle into the tank before feeding the first time. If they do not want the food they will drop it until they find something else later they might want.

Is your friend acclimating an enemy to the lights in his tank? That could also be what is making it a tad mad