Possible sick anemone

[Colesweat342]

I recently got a salt water tank. All the test are good salinity is where it needs to be but I’m unsure on how to care for these creatures. I have an anemone that looks concerning to me I am unsure it looked very healthy when I got it but now it looks sick? I’ve fed it like last week I’ve heard it’s not good to over feed some tips will be nice I just want to be sure it’s not sick, it looks very un healthy right now, like it is shriveling up.

 

[Formulator]

For one, your tank is way too new to support an anemone. The unofficial rule is to wait at least a year before adding one to the tank.

That aside - what are your water parameters? These are salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, and phosphate. For a nem, I’d be most interested in salinity, alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate. Also, what lighting? Are you using RODI water or tap water for your salt water and top off water?

Stop feeding it. They are photosynthetic and food is bonus. They can survive without any targeted feeding in a mature tank.

 

[Colesweat342]

For one, your tank is way too new to support an anemone. The unofficial rule is to wait at least a year before adding one to the tank.

That aside - what are your water parameters? These are salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, and phosphate. For a nem, I’d be most interested in salinity, alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate. Also, what lighting? Are you using RODI water or tap water for your salt water and top off water?

Stop feeding it. They are photosynthetic and food is bonus. They can survive without any targeted feeding in a mature tank.

The anemone came with the tank… I was told it is 20 years old it has been in the tank for that long along with everything else. I’ve only fed it once, I am using a reverse osmosis filtration system that automatically fills the tank when low. The salinity is 1.24. I am using led lighting (blue). Nitrates (NO2) (NO3) are 0ppm along with the ammonia. Ph is 8.2. Is there anything I need to do to care for it because it looks nothing like it did before it got moved. I was told to feed it 1 shrimp a month by the old owners that had it since it was small.

 

[Formulator]

Exactly what LEDs? You need to get your nitrates up from zero. Nitrates = nutrition. You can do this by feeding the fish more or dose the tank with ammonia or nitrates. I like NeoNitro for this.

 

[Colesweat342]

Exactly what LEDs? You need to get your nitrates up from zero. Nitrates = nutrition. You can do this by feeding the fish more or dose the tank with ammonia or nitrates. I like NeoNitro for this.

The lights say led aquarium lights. They have sunset and sunrise settings. They came with the tank as well. All that I have right now is some jugs of tech cb by Kent marine I’ll add pictures of the stuff that came with it. If I need to get anything I will. I was told that the nitrates should have been low so I thought that was good. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Formulator]

Was the light previously used with this anemone? The no-name LED sounds suspect to me. These creatures need intense lighting in a very specific color spectrum. A general use aquarium LED will not sustain them.

Nitrates can be low, but you never want zero. 10 ppm is a good target. You also want phosphate between 0.05-0.1. Some people keep them lower, but ultra low nutrient systems are mostly a thing of the past since we have learned better in the last 10-15 years. But it makes sense if your advice came from an old-timer.

I recommend tossing that buffer in the trash. Its a good way to throw everything out of wack. The code A and code B are calcium and alkalinity supplements you can dose when you have corals and have tested the parameters enough to understand the alk/calcium consumption rate.

 

[Colesweat342]

Was the light previously used with this anemone? The no-name LED sounds suspect to me. These creatures need intense lighting in a very specific color spectrum. A general use aquarium LED will not sustain them.

Nitrates can be low, but you never want zero. 10 ppm is a good target. You also want phosphate between 0.05-0.1. Some people keep them lower, but ultra low nutrient systems are mostly a thing of the past since we have learned better in the last 10-15 years. But it makes sense if your advice came from an old-timer.

I recommend tossing that buffer in the trash. Its a good way to throw everything out of wack. The code A and code B are calcium and alkalinity supplements you can dose when you have corals and have tested the parameters enough to understand the alk/calcium consumption rate.

Yes the lights I have are the same ones the man used on the anemone. I’m unsure about what it needs in the lighting, such as how often does it need blue light, or how often it needs the white light. These lights are more than likely 10+ years old. It was a old man that had the tank and he explained as much as he could and how to care for it but I’m doing what he said and the anemone isn’t looking healthy at all….

All of the other creatures in the tank are doing great it all is healthy. The other big thing that is in the tank is I think I found them to be called leather umbrellas. I have clown fish and angel fish, hermits, starfish, there is so much in the tank I can’t identify most of it. But what I’m saying is they look healthy, I’m going to buy a new test kit, the one I have has no way to test calcium or alkalinity. If you have any tips or anything that can help me please give them to me, I’m trying my best to keep it alive.

 

[Asagi]

Boy, there is a lot of speculation going on in this thread. What is your concern with the new? Color loss? Deflation? It’s a mag right?

 

[Colesweat342]

Deflation is my concern

Boy, there is a lot of speculation going on in this thread. What is your concern with the new? Color loss? Deflation? It’s a mag right?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@Nano man

 

[Formulator]

Boy, there is a lot of speculation going on in this thread.

What do you mean exactly?

 

[Asagi]

Deflation is my concern

Is it inflated now?

 

[Colesweat342]

Is it inflated now?

It is inflated a little more now but nothing compared to what it use to be…

 

[Asagi]

It is inflated a little more now but nothing compared to what it use to be…

Is it a stichodactyla magnifica anemone? I’ve cared for a lot of their cousins (stichodactyla gigantea). Mags are not easy, but once established (as you’ve seen from the previous owner) can be hardy. The position of yours does seem fine to me. They are prone to bacterial infections that causes them to deflate, but this is usually a shipping stressor and might not be the case for yours as it’s a local purchase. I’d say leave it alone for now. Get worried and prepare to treat with antibiotics if it detaches. Let’s see another picture.

 

[Colesweat342]

Is it a stichodactyla magnifica anemone? I’ve cared for a lot of their cousins (stichodactyla gigantea). Mags are not easy, but once established (as you’ve seen from the previous owner) can be hardy. The position of yours does seem fine to me. They are prone to bacterial infections that causes them to deflate, but this is usually a shipping stressor and might not be the case for yours as it’s a local purchase. I’d say leave it alone for now. Get worried and prepare to treat with antibiotics if it detaches. Let’s see another picture.

What antibiotics would be needed to treat (just incase). Also could it be uncomfortable? It was put in a bin and moved but the tank isn’t setup exactly how it was. Does it need more rocks beside it to lay on? It seems as if it try’s to stretch out to lay on other rocks that are next to it. But if I recall right it had rocks closer to it before it was moved and it looked way bigger, and was laying on them. Could this be an issue? And this is the first time I’ve seen it do this (picture attached) it did this yesterday but I was told it was from stress by someone.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Ok so based off all information.

The only main changes were aquascape and I'm assuming water flow since the aquascape was changed.

Did the previous owner provide you with baseline parameters that they kept?

Its likely agitated from all the changes once you redid the setup. Nems can take weeks to finally get the right spot and flourish. Especially if this one had been in the same spot in the tank for a long time and you now changed it.

As for being completely closed up. That's telling you its not happy. You may see it do this during the day. Then open at night and potentially move around.

 

[Colesweat342]

Ok so based off all information.

The only main changes were aquascape and I'm assuming water flow since the aquascape was changed.

Did the previous owner provide you with baseline parameters that they kept?

Its likely agitated from all the changes once you redid the setup. Nems can take weeks to finally get the right spot and flourish. Especially if this one had been in the same spot in the tank for a long time and you now changed it.

As for being completely closed up. That's telling you it’s not happy. You may see it do this during the day. Then open at night and potentially move around.

Water flow as in the wave makers?

And no I wasn’t left with the parameters they kept the tank. But ive read up on some stuff as to if what everything needs to be in the tank. I’ve ordered more test and because the ones I was provided with expired in 2022… I just want to be sure it’s reading accurately.

What are good parameters to keep the tank. It has coral, leathers, starfish. Etc, I’m not sure what the rest is called because i cant find anything, there is a lot more in the tank.

 

[The new fish on the block]

Is it a stichodactyla magnifica anemone? I’ve cared for a lot of their cousins (stichodactyla gigantea). Mags are not easy, but once established (as you’ve seen from the previous owner) can be hardy. The position of yours does seem fine to me. They are prone to bacterial infections that causes them to deflate, but this is usually a shipping stressor and might not be the case for yours as it’s a local purchase. I’d say leave it alone for now. Get worried and prepare to treat with antibiotics if it detaches. Let’s see another picture.

This is Heteractis Magnifica, so a different species aside from carpets but as you know relatively the same care requirements.

 

[The new fish on the block]

Water flow as in the wave makers?

And no I wasn’t left with the parameters they kept the tank. But ive read up on some stuff as to if what everything needs to be in the tank. I’ve ordered more test and because the ones I was provided with expired in 2022… I just want to be sure it’s reading accurately.

What are good parameters to keep the tank. It has coral, leathers, starfish. Etc, I’m not sure what the rest is called because i cant find anything, there is a lot more in the tank.

Are you running carbon at the moment? Leathers are known to release toxins when stressed, and a tank move is pretty stressful, it’s quite possible they could be irritating the anemone.

Optimum parameters would be around:
Dkh 8 to 8.5
Ca 400
Mg 1400
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 5 to 10 ppm
Phosphate 0.07 to 0.13
Ph 7.8-8.2

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Yes wave makers. If you adjusted the flow to make them stronger or moved them around. This will also affect the nem.

As for parameters. Its debatable among reefers. Each tank finds equilibrium.

I own 3 nems. I can only tell you that mine prefer
Nitrates: 5-10ppm but can go as high as 20.
Phos: 0.03 to 0.15
alk: stable at 8
PH: 7.8-8.2
Salinity: 1.025-1.026
Calcium: 400-460
Magnesium: 1400-1500
temp: 78F