Haddoni carpet anemone - mouth gaping

coralcouple · Nov 24, 2013

Haddoni carpet anemone - we've had it around 6 months, it has been doing great. About a week ago it's mouth started gaping. Do you think it needs treatment with Cipro? All my tank parameters are good -I check them every two weeks. I have had an outbreak of algae that looks like bryopsis though. I don't know why - Phosphates 0.03. Nitrates 10. Alkalinity 3.59, KH 10.2, Magnesium 1350, Calcium 350.

Martyd · Nov 24, 2013

Just my two cents, but your nitrates seem a bit high. Has that number changed recently?

coralcouple · Nov 24, 2013

No, they generally run 5-10.

coralcouple · Nov 24, 2013

Small triggers · Nov 24, 2013

Is it also loosing color? Or has it always been yellowish?

SeahorseKeeper · Nov 24, 2013

What lighting is it under?

coralcouple · Nov 24, 2013

It isn't losing color - it is a Champagne color. It looks healthy and as it always has except for it's mouth. Lighting is 250watt metal halide, 10,000K. Also some LED lighting to bring blue since we are running the 10K. Ever since we've had it, it puts it's foot down, stays awhile, then moves. Right now it's foot is not down. I usually feed it a fourth or fifth of a raw shrimp - it eats right away. I'm unsure if I should continue to feed it while it's mouth is open this way.

Trex · Nov 25, 2013

What size tank?
What do you have for flow?
What is your SG/Salinity? How do you measure it?
Are you using RO/DI water? If so, what is the TDS?

It moving off and on, is a sign that something is off with it, or the tank. My current S. haddoni hasn't moved since I moved, 2.5 years ago.
Have you added anything recently?
With some of the tentacles being a bit darker (( more of a brown tint )) I would say that was either bleached and slowly recovering, or is starting to bleach -- had to tell without a picture from when you first received it.

coralcouple · Dec 7, 2013

The anemone is not bleached. It has always been champagne colored. It is darker now than when we first had it, not lighter.
The lighting is 250 metal halide (10K) penetrating 18-19 inches depth plus additional light from LED. It is in 29 gallon Biocube plumbed with a 57 gallon Oceani Rimless - they share a skimmer.
The tank has a MP10 plus the return pump for flow. Salinity is 1.025 checked every two weeks with a hydrometer. We mix our salt with RO water. TDS are around 30.
Haven't added anything new to the system.

We started the Cipro treatment on Monday 12/2/13 as described in the sticky note. 250mg per 10 gallons. Changing 5 gallons daily and adding another 250mg Cipro.
It is slightly better, but not remarkably better, but isn't worse. I was wondering about using 500mg Cipro?
Also, we normally feed it raw shrimp piece (1/4 to 1/5 of a shrimp) every 3-4 days. Should I feed it during this treatment period?
It is looking fairly good except for the mouth.