Help! My Anemone got stuck and tore in half

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 24, 2023

Help!
I was on my way out to work this morning and I found my anemone stuck on the intake hole (I have a Fluval 13.5, it was stuck is that little hole that leads to the back filter chambers) I tried to pull it out and it ripped in half. I am horrified and so upset, is there anyway to save it?!? The foot is completely fine it’s the tentacles and head that got ripped. I will post pictures when I get home.

exnisstech · Apr 24, 2023

If the foots in tact it will most likely bounce back. I haven't had it happen personally but have read of them getting torn up in power heads and surviving.

AcroNem · Apr 24, 2023

I've had many nems get torn up, so have countless others. If it's a bubble tip, and there's part of a mouth and foot and doesn't become infected it can survive. Do you have a photo?

Rmckoy · Apr 24, 2023

They are possible to “ frag “ by cutting in half .

they will grow back into a circle with a mouth in the Center as long as there is a section of mouth in tact

fodsod · Apr 24, 2023

It's going to take some work on your end but Nems are tough and there's a real chance it could survive. Search the posts for a recent thread (last few weeks) on a similar situation. There was a member that had a Nem that looked really bad and it came back (with his help). Good luck, no one likes losing animals.

Cell · Apr 24, 2023

First question to ask is, what type of anemone?

LTA foot tears are typically fatal.

BTA's rip themselves in half to split.

vetteguy53081 · Apr 24, 2023

Place nem in container with flow and add carbon to system if you dont have some in there already and check later to see if it is healing or falling apart.

Rmckoy · Apr 24, 2023

A few years ago I sold a massive carpet anemone . When the guy purchasing it showed up he wanted to remove the anemone and thought he was the professional at removing them he tore it in half and later expected a discount

to recover I was advised to dip the anemone in iodide

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 24, 2023

this my Nem before it got hurt, I am currently at work and won’t be home till late to get a pic of it in half. I was in to much shock this morning to remember to take one. It’s a long tentacle Nem, the foot is intact and there’s a large piece of the head that got torn off.

The hole on the back plate behind the Nem was the hole it got stuck in. After I removed the Nem from the hole I filled it in so this can never happen again

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 24, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Place nem in container with flow and add carbon to system if you dont have some in there already and check later to see if it is healing or falling apart.

I always have carbon running, I changed the bag before I left this morning. I will pick up a breeding box or some to hold it though.
Thank you

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 24, 2023

Cell said:
First question to ask is, what type of anemone?

LTA foot tears are typically fatal.

BTA's rip themselves in half to split.

I am pretty sure it is a long tentacle so I sadly think it may be the end of my lovely baby.

AcroNem · Apr 24, 2023

Rose Garden Reef 96 said:
this my Nem before it got hurt, I am currently at work and won’t be home till late to get a pic of it in half. I was in to much shock this morning to remember to take one. It’s a long tentacle Nem, the foot is intact and there’s a large piece of the head that got torn off.

The hole on the back plate behind the Nem was the hole it got stuck in. After I removed the Nem from the hole I filled it in so this can never happen again

Unfortunately, that species likely won't bounce back from that. Monitor it closely

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 24, 2023

AcroNem said:
Unfortunately, that species likely won't bounce back from that. Monitor it closely

Yea of course, well I only really have myself to blame I should have filled in that hole before I put the Nem in. I will keep and eye on it but now sadly don’t have much hope.
I got that Nem for my clown because in about a month I am moving and setting up a 50G IM AIO. So I thought my clowns would like to have a Nem they could start to host it before moving into the new tank.

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 25, 2023

This is how it looks this morning, I am going to pick up a container to put it in to help it heal.

D-Nak · Apr 25, 2023

It actually doesn't look that bad. Now the question is... why do you think it got stuck on the overflow? Under normal circumstances, it typically won't float around. How old is your tank? How deep is your sand?

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 25, 2023

AcroNem said:
It actually doesn't look that bad. Now the question is... why do you think it got stuck on the overflow? Under normal circumstances, it typically won't float around. How old is your tank? How deep is your sand?

It wasn’t the overflow it was the hole that’s only like two or three inches from the bottom of the tank so it didn’t float. I think it was just trying to adjust itself because it was added recently, my tank has been running for a year and a half. My sand bed is about an inch, however I am in the process of moving and will be moving everything from my Fluval 13.5g into a IM 50G in a few weeks. My plan is to make a deeper sand bed in the 50g

D-Nak · Apr 26, 2023

Rose Garden Reef 96 said:
It wasn’t the overflow it was the hole that’s only like two or three inches from the bottom of the tank so it didn’t float. I think it was just trying to adjust itself because it was added recently, my tank has been running for a year and a half. My sand bed is about an inch, however I am in the process of moving and will be moving everything from my Fluval 13.5g into a IM 50G in a few weeks. My plan is to make a deeper sand bed in the 50g

Ah, got it. That totally makes sense. I wasn't aware that the Fluval tank had the lower hole. Sounds like a good plan. Hopefully the nem fully recovers.

Amstar · Apr 26, 2023

A lot of our AIO’s have this - what’s a good solution to “plug” it so our anemones don’t get sucked in? or is that not a good idea ?

Rose Garden Reef 96 · Apr 27, 2023

Amstar said:
A lot of our AIO’s have this - what’s a good solution to “plug” it so our anemones don’t get sucked in? or is that not a good idea ?

I had a panic attack when this was going on so I just used the coral putty. I mixed up a loonie sized ball and filed in the hole. So when I take down the tank I will put a more permanent fix in place. I have read about a few other people that have filled the hole and had no problem as well as some people on YouTube have done it as well.

Lavey29 · Apr 27, 2023

Sounds like you are conscientious and aware now but as you upgrade to your larger tank make it nem proof with special covers on powerheads and return nozzles.