Is this Anemone going to make it?

Tofik · Nov 21, 2018

Hello everyone,

Please help! I picked up this RBTA half an hour ago from a LFS nearby. It was attached to a rock and the store clerk was not too gentle when he was removing it for me. No when i got to my office its just laying on the bottom of the bag, not moving, all tentacles "unraveled" and it doesnt shrivel in tat all. A small blister formed near base of the foot and the mouth looks swolen too. Should I take it straigh back in there or is there a chance for it to recover. I was looking for one for some time now and I finally fond one i like, hate to see in in the shape its in now. Its the size of a quarter maybe. I posted pictures of it in the bag now and back at the LFS.

flooddc · Nov 21, 2018

Looks ok to me. Is the last photo of it in your tank?

Tofik · Nov 21, 2018

Does it? I assumed it would stay shriveled while in the bag. The last picture is back at the LFS before it was removed off the rock. Here is a better picture of the foot. It moving its tentacles a little, but otherwise just lays flat on bottom.

flooddc · Nov 21, 2018

They usually deflated when removed. from the above photo, the mouth looks good and is closed.So it should be fine. Small tear on the foot usually healed up pretty fast.
They should have giving you the rock along with it. Most LFS usually kept anemones in a basket.

cancun · Nov 21, 2018

Tofik said:
Does it? I assumed it would stay shriveled while in the bag. The last picture is back at the LFS before it was removed off the rock. Here is a better picture of the foot. It moving its tentacles a little, but otherwise just lays flat on bottom.

I agree....from the pics it looks ok....the foot should heal up if it is a small wound. Yea most LFS will give you the rock or keep them in a tank with no rock. Did you add him to your DT? Did he attach to something?

Tofik · Nov 23, 2018

The anemone seems fine, I guess I just panicked, i didnt expect it to look like a blob of jello when it was in the bag. Once I drip acclimated it and added it to the thank it opened up and inflated as in the picture below. Next day it walked about an inch and didnt inflate as much, but today it crawled inside a small cave/hole and is barely visible, its not reaching for light and tentacles are retracted. Is this normal behavior?

Right after it was added.

Day after it was added.

Today, two days after it was added. Its inside of a small care barely visible, not reaching for light and retracted tentacles.

wlittlefield · Nov 23, 2018

Do you mind me asking what it cost at the fish store?

Tofik · Nov 23, 2018

I only paid $10 for it

wlittlefield · Nov 23, 2018

Also yes, that's totally normal. Usually they are very shy and take a little while to find a safe place to plant their foot, and acclimate to the water. Once that's done, they will start inflating

Tofik · Nov 23, 2018

Thanks, I hope it adapts well to my tank.

wlittlefield · Nov 23, 2018

I'm sure it will, give it a few days. Can't speak for everyone, but I've found them to be pretty responsive and adaptive.

DeniseAndy · Nov 23, 2018

Should adjust well as long as your tank has some nutrients. I have seen them worse off and recover. Although, you never know how they will re-act. I had one shrivel up, disappear under rock only to appear and start growing months and months after I thought is was a goner. It is about an inch now. Still tiny, but hanging on.

flooddc · Nov 25, 2018

As stated above, it’s nornal for new nem to hide and search for a suitable spot. Once it settled in it will be more visible. Some people feed their nems, but I never feed mine. Good lighting and water quality will keep nem healthy amd grow. Best of luck with it.

Danh Ngo · Nov 27, 2018

Your tank looks new. How old is the tank? Water param?
My nems sometimes do the same thing, they will find the most comfortable spot for them. Just keep eyes on it, if it deflate, mouth is opened, it can be a bad sign

Tofik · Nov 27, 2018

Sadly it didn't make it. I took the baster and pumped few squirts in the 'cave' it was hiding in, and the remains floated out the other side

... Not sure if I did anything wrong here, it seemed to be fine the first day.

Danh Ngo · Nov 27, 2018

Can you tell me abit about you parameter?
Temp? Ph? Alk ? Ca? Mg? No3? Po4? Light? Flow?

Tofik · Nov 27, 2018

Danh Ngo said:
Your tank looks new. How old is the tank? Water param?
My nems sometimes do the same thing, they will find the most comfortable spot for them. Just keep eyes on it, if it deflate, mouth is opened, it can be a bad sign

I set it up 3 months ago, Amonia and Nitrites at 0, Nitrates at 10 ppm, and Phosphates at 0.1 Mg/L

Tofik · Nov 27, 2018

Danh Ngo said:
Can you tell me abit about you parameter?
Temp? Ph? Alk ? Ca? Mg? No3? Po4? Light? Flow?

Temp is at 78, Ph at 8 and and the rest i gave in post above (i dont test for Alk, Ca and Mg yet). I do weekly wc at 35%. Light is Kessil A360WE at around 25% and MJ1200 for flow/return.

Danh Ngo · Nov 27, 2018

My suggestion is waiting for 2-3 more months till you add a nem. New tank water parameter is not always consistent. Nems like stable water.

Danh Ngo · Nov 27, 2018

Tofik said:
Temp is at 78, Ph at 8 and and the rest i gave in post above (i dont test for Alk, Ca and Mg yet). I do weekly wc at 35%. Light is Kessil A360WE at around 25% and MJ1200 for flow/return.

I would recommend you to check on those 3 param, they are critical. You never know if it is in an acceptable range or not