HELP! I think my anemone is dying?

[coralgallore]

Hi Everyone,

I bought this anemone for my tank, the water perimeters are on point. I have done a lot of research before I bought it, but nothing I do seems to help.

I have two clownfish
1 hermit crab
1 harlequin shrimp
live rock
hang off the back tidal filter.

salt: .26
calcium - 450
nitrates - 0
ph 8.4

 

[Mike N]

What aquarium and lights setup are you using?

 

[coralgallore]

What aquarium and lights setup are you using?

I have a 30 gallon, LED current

 

[Mike N]

What kind of anemone is it and do you have decent flow hitting him?
Also, how old is your tank?

Edit: What are you feeding and how often?

 

[Liquid360]

Can't be certain as to the why, but you definitely need much better lights for anemone. How long have you had it?

 

[coralgallore]

Can't be certain as to the why, but you definitely need much better lights for anemone. How long have you had it?

About a week, what lighting would you suggest?

 

[coralgallore]

What kind of anemone is it and do you have decent flow hitting him?
Also, how old is your tank?

Edit: What are you feeding and how often?

Hey there,

It's a rainbow flame anenome, yes I have two power heads in there.
9 months the tank has been cycling.

Two times a day, mysis shrimp.

 

[Liquid360]

Something on par with the higher end LEDs such as Kessil, Ecotech, even Reef Breeder, etc.... they put out serious PAR numbers needed for highly photosynthetic animals like anemone. If not those LED's which can be expensive, you can find used Halide lighting for cheaper.

 

[Liquid360]

From an article....
"C) Lighting Requirements: Anemones need really good lighting to survive, similar levels to SPS corals. They will get a lot of their required nutrients through photosynthetic processes. They contain zooxanthellae algae within their tissues that will allow them to use light for nutrients. Metal halides or T5 HO fixtures traditionally have been the best choices for light fixtures. High quality LED will also provide all the lighting a anemone would need. I have had great success using T5HOs as well as good quality LEDs with my bubble tip and carpet anemones. I am currently using LEDs. Typically, if your lighting is just a little less than ideal for your anemone, you can compensate for that with some regular feedings.

There is a lot of differing opinions over what a minimum light requirement should be. I have found as a general rule of thumb, 4 watts per gallon of 14,000K or higher lighting should be a good starting point for tanks that are about 20 inches tall. Once again, that is only based on the success that I have had with my anemones."

http://www.reefaquarium.com/2012/keeping-anemones/

 

[coralgallore]

From an article....
"C) Lighting Requirements: Anemones need really good lighting to survive, similar levels to SPS corals. They will get a lot of their required nutrients through photosynthetic processes. They contain zooxanthellae algae within their tissues that will allow them to use light for nutrients. Metal halides or T5 HO fixtures traditionally have been the best choices for light fixtures. High quality LED will also provide all the lighting a anemone would need. I have had great success using T5HOs as well as good quality LEDs with my bubble tip and carpet anemones. I am currently using LEDs. Typically, if your lighting is just a little less than ideal for your anemone, you can compensate for that with some regular feedings.

There is a lot of differing opinions over what a minimum light requirement should be. I have found as a general rule of thumb, 4 watts per gallon of 14,000K or higher lighting should be a good starting point for tanks that are about 20 inches tall. Once again, that is only based on the success that I have had with my anemones."

http://www.reefaquarium.com/2012/keeping-anemones/

Great! Thanks. I will most likely pick up some metal halides.

Thankyou!

 

[Mike N]

Hey there,

It's a rainbow flame anenome, yes I have two power heads in there.
9 months the tank has been cycling.

Two times a day, mysis shrimp.

So as liquid said, you definitely need to address the lighting. Beyond that, you should probably only be feeding once or twice a week at most.

 

[Liquid360]

Just be sure not to BLAST it with light off the bat. Always keep in mind that you're trying to simulate their natural environment. Anytime I run into trouble I always go back to the basics which are chemistry, food, light, and temp [emoji4]

 

[coralgallore]

So as liquid said, you definitely need to address the lighting. Beyond that, you should probably only be feeding once or twice a week at most.

Great thankyou! Will try it

 

[coralgallore]

Just be sure not to BLAST it with light off the bat. Always keep in mind that you're trying to simulate their natural environment. Anytime I run into trouble I always go back to the basics which are chemistry, food, light, and temp [emoji4]

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[Liquid360]

So as liquid said, you definitely need to address the lighting. Beyond that, you should probably only be feeding once or twice a week at most.

I AGREE!!! Lots of people try to overfeed!! I'd even say once/week at the very most.

 

[TylerS]

Why do you think it's dying? Can you post a better picture? How long have the symptoms lasted (immediately since day 1, or have they materialized only after day 3 or 5 or so)? Is there any physical damage to the foot (how was it removed from the tank it was sold from).

 

[Jimbojames]

Better lights, cut back feedings to 1x weekly at most 2x times

 

[coralgallore]

Wahhhh it died, he was spewing brown stuff. I took him out. So upset.

 

[Jimbojames]

Yah he might have been pooping, you've been feeding him alot, hes gotta poop.

 

[happyhourhero]

Yeah typically when you add a new anemone for the first time, they go through phases of deflating, expelling waste, etc. Likely that you just threw out a savable nem. That said, in the op, the anemone did not look good.