How to prepare shrimp for anemone?

[Miami Reef]

I have a bleached Seabae anemone that isn’t really eating and not that sticky. I was feeding it silversides, but I stopped because I heard a lot of bad reviews on it.

The anemone isn’t eating fish pellets, or Mysis shrimp. I’m thinking it’s too small for it to grab?

I was thinking of buying shrimp from the grocery store, but I’m honestly not sure what type to buy because I never ate shrimp in my life, which means I have no experience with shrimp whatsoever.

Do they need to be deshelled? Do they have a type where the shell is already off? Raw, not cooked, correct?

 

[Dancingmad]

If its stressed the smaller the better - I'd keep trying mysis if it were me.

How long have you had her? Hows the foot - any evidence of bulb foot, tears, or issues getting planted? Did you run a light acclimation cycle over several days? If not, I'd run a light acclimation cycle, and after maybe 3 days try to feed it mysis. That's just what I'd do, but I'm just some hobbyist.

 

[Dsnakes]

None of the food should be too small. They grab all sorts of particles. In terms of shrimp from the store, I would get raw peeled shrimp or peel them yourself. Be sure to cut it to reasonable sizes.

 

[davocean]

small like mysis is best, less energy to consume, less stressful, keep trying. It's probably picking some up

Silversides should be avoided

 

[TankLife86]

My Seabae anemone is about basketball size. I usually cut the large size peeled shrimps into 3 pieces and hand feed him placing the shrimps at different parts of the anemone then let the tentacles just grab on n eat! Being fed every 3-4 days.

 

[Dom]

How does it look; can you post a picture of it?

I like to take a cube of brine shrimp and defrost it in an irrigation syringe with some tank water. Then I turn off the flow in the tank and gently squirt the brine at the mouth and tentacles. It folds in on itself, grabbing everything. After 10 minutes, I turn the flow back on. Some of the brine will get away, but most stays with the nem.

The other inhabitants hang out around the nem, anticipating some of the shrimp getting loose. They take care of everything the new doesn't grab.

 

[Pntbll687]

I have a bleached Seabae anemone that isn’t really eating and not that sticky. I was feeding it silversides, but I stopped because I heard a lot of bad reviews on it.

The anemone isn’t eating fish pellets, or Mysis shrimp. I’m thinking it’s too small for it to grab?

I was thinking of buying shrimp from the grocery store, but I’m honestly not sure what type to buy because I never ate shrimp in my life, which means I have no experience with shrimp whatsoever.

Do they need to be deshelled? Do they have a type where the shell is already off? Raw, not cooked, correct?

They don't have to be de-shelled, but in this situation it would probably help. It reduces the effort needed to hold and digest the shrimp.

If I run out of brine or mysis, I get a medium raw shrimp. I put it in a nutri bullet blender and give it 2-3 pulses of about a second. This chops it up fine and makes it easy to feed with a turkey baster.

Start with a small amount and feed once or twice a week. Hopefully the nem will make a come back.

If shrimp didn't work you can try clams it scallops.

I do feed a whole shrimp once a month too my larger bubble nem. Sometimes it shoots it out after a few hours. I would start with half a shrimp if you plan on freeing larger pieces.

 

[D-Nak]

If it’s not eating mysis, I would not try shrimp. Sounds like there is no feeding response at all. The nematocysts should immediately fire if the nem wants to eat.

However, if you still want to give it a go, ideally you want to find wild shrimp not treated with STPP. Unless marked wild, most of the frozen shrimp and the shrimp defrosted in the case are treated with STPP.

 

[cracker]

Iv'e heard about silversides not being good for nem's . why is this?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Iv'e heard about silversides not being good for nem's . why is this?

I'm curious as well, years ago that's what we fed ours and never had issues.

 

[Miami Reef]

That’s so much everyone for your responses.

Honestly, I was stupid and desperate. I didn’t do enough research on anemone bleaching and purchased a white seabae and had no clue it was supposed to be brown. I’ve had him for a week. He buried his foot in the sand in the corner 2 days after buying him. He has no feeding response and will not even hold the food. It let go of the sand this morning and is floating around again. I’m going to return him and probably just get a BTA.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

To bad your not in Kansas, I have 5 BTA's in my 32 and need to thin some out. I'm still curious about feeding them the silver sides.

 

[Miami Reef]

I heard the reason silversides aren’t good to feed anemones is because they are not human grade. It could have been frozen and defrosted numerous amount of times while in transport, and you won’t even know how long it’s been sitting there at the lfs. People claimed feeding spoiled silversides killed their anemones.

 

[Dancingmad]

Since it's bleached I want to reaffirm my suggestion of doing a light acclimation cycle. If its lacking her photosynthesis homies for all intensive purposes she is nekkid. Ever have a sun burn so bad on your back you could feel every hair twitch when hit w/ a breeze? Thats what I imagine it's like for a bleached nem under our full blast lights.