Sick Gig Carpet Nem - Updated CURED!

[Dom]

Did you acclimate it to new tank as if it were just purchased? Also was there a variance between both tank levels ?
Ideal values are;
Moderate light and water flow
Temperature 77-79
Ph 8.1-8.3
Salinity 1.025

The ammonia, nitrate at zero seems odd. I would suggest taking a water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test water and verify the parameters and to compare with yours

I thought the same thing. The OP stated that he had ZERO Ammonia using API. In my experience, API NEVER gives a ZERO reading where ammonia is concerned.

 

[terraincognita]

I thought the same thing. The OP stated that he had ZERO Ammonia using API. In my experience, API NEVER gives a ZERO reading where ammonia is concerned.

Might not be a true 0

but is 1,000 closer in color to 0 than .25 ppm

so I say “0” obv there’s a trace of it always.

but I use the “0” value rather than >.25 as .1 is still even toxic

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tao water can very well be a contributor as its unknown, the level of flouride, chloromines, ph and tds alone

 

[chizerbunoi]

Okay my recommendations. Follow Eagle Steve’s advice and order ciproflaxin.

Put the carpet anemone into a bare bottom quarantine with 5 gal freshly mixed salt water. If you don’t have RODI then use tap water but make sure the salt has mixed thoroughly. Buying a brute or using a Rubbermaid container where you can make 20+ gals at a time will save you huge time.

Setup quarantine with egg crate to keep heater and powerhead away from nem. I use a pond basket as pictured. Adjust your lights accordingly. If you don’t have any then a clip on fixture and led flood bulb in the 6500k range at Home Depot works fine.

Do daily 100% WC. If the water goes cloudy then do a WC. Take daily pics and post for us. You want to use a turkey Baster to suck out any Filament or debris the anemone spits up.

Since Minh is helping you with treatment the nem should be in quarantine and started treatment already as it’s been inflating and deflating.

 

[chizerbunoi]

He used to inflate deflate, inflate deflate, inflate deflate, but today is the first day he just gave up :-( He's not even trying.

Unless your anemone starts disintegrating and falling apart, it is still alive and treatment could bring it back.

 

[Z-man]

My $.02...He's attached to something! That alone tells me he's alive and well. Is he sticky? If so, I wouldn't mess around with him. Give him some time.

 

[D-Nak]

My $.02...He's attached to something! That alone tells me he's alive and well. Is he sticky? If so, I wouldn't mess around with him. Give him some time.

Being attached means literally nothing, unfortunately. Definitely not that an anemone is "well." I've had dead anemones that were still attached and furthermore still had the ability to fire their nematocysts ("being sticky"). Many anemones fire off their nematocysts right before they die. Granted, many dying/dead anemones detach, but it's not a key indicator. On the other hand, the smell test works 100% of the time.

 

[D-Nak]

OP... is your tank growing any coralline algae?

 

[terraincognita]

OP... is your tank growing any coralline algae?

At work now will give more info later re any other questions but immediately

Yes everything else on my tank is doing great.

I have a birds nest growing like a weed. All other sps growing.

also why I keep batting away all these “not mature enough” comments.

Why is everything else happy then?

this rock was bare when I started this tank. So that’s how much corraline growth.

 

[Z-man]

Being attached means literally nothing, unfortunately. Definitely not that an anemone is "well." I've had dead anemones that were still attached and furthermore still had the ability to fire their nematocysts ("being sticky"). Many anemones fire off their nematocysts right before they die. Granted, many dying/dead anemones detach, but it's not a key indicator. On the other hand, the smell test works 100% of the time.

That's why it's only worth $.02!
My personal experience hasn't had the same circumstances as yours' other than the smell. I stopped with the carpets when a powder blue tang was lunch from a large green one.

 

[wolfthefallen]

I would highly recommend getting and RODI unit, it removes a lot of unknowns that can come up. I have help a lot of local people fighting all sorts of things, and after they switch to RODI water most of it goes away. My sister was actually having similar issues with her BTA and when she switched to RODI it perked up in about a week (She did small 5 gallon water changes every day for week after she got the RODI unit), she also had to put her clown in a timeout box during that time to reduce stress.

you can check with your LFS most of the time you can buy RODI water or even premade saltwater from them. Do small water changes until you get at least 75% of the volumn switch over, wait two days and see if it makes a difference. If so make the investment of an RODI unit. Or just pull the trigger and switch over, it would not hurt anything, and this way you can control what is in the water.

I understand you have been using tap water for awhile but who knows maybe the process at the water treatment plant changed? that could effect a lot of things.

 

[terraincognita]

I use RODI

I have RODI.

just the initial water load of 45G I used tap. Because it was quicker. I didn’t realize if it is in fact just the tap water, the long term effects.....

I now regret it either way.....

 

[wolfthefallen]

Don't panic, I would still get the API test done and do the recommend medication treatment. Just remember to use RODI with the 100% water changes on the QT tank ^^ .. I hope the carpet pulls through

 

[terraincognita]

I want to thank everyone for their inputs and opinion even the ones I was bantering with.

hopefully we can get it figured out .

hospital currently under construction.

had a 5G Pico Frag tank which will be perfect.

and yes I used my RODI water.... this time....

also here is my Maxi-mini I got around the same time.

he’s gaining coloration around his tips now.

I know they’re hardier but he seems just fine.

 

[Taylor t]

Ok. You’ve established several things. You are an educated reefer. I too, have moved tanks, and have put anemones in a moved tank, and a new tank, it CAN be done, but only by those that are dedicated. You have proven you are dedicated.

So, all BS and cordials aside, that anemone can still be saved. To my eyes, it looks like a gig. No one has mentioned that. They can be tough to acclimate, they’re different than haddoni. Are you certain it’s haddoni??? From the pics you’ve posted, no gig would do well in those locations, regardless of water quality. Does it have dots under its skirt? It’s pretty bleached so dots might be hard to detect. I’ve had both haddoni and gigs. I only have gigs now. I’m familiar with both.

If I was you, pull that guy. Clowns and crabs will make it worse, until they’re healthy. Put it in a tank by itself, do 100% changes everyday. New water everyday. It’s best to have water made and let age 24 hours before using, there’s chemical balancing that happens that no one talks about after a day, for new saltwater. Use an airstone. Oxygen levels affect gigs. RODI is best, I use only RO. I’m guessing, that guy to me, doesn’t look like needs treatment. Needs a flush. Just my best guess. Change water everyday for a few days and observe progression. Get meds incase, but I wouldn’t use them since you’ve had it so long, I suspect it’s an environmental issue it’s not happy with. Not chemical, since your sps are doing well. That said, there are bacteria that go through cycles that happen, and they affect anemones differently than corals.

 

[Taylor t]

And gigs, and haddoni do best with WHITE lights. Many however, are successful with bluer lighting. White lights will help get it back to health, then acclimate to bluer lighting.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Ok. You’ve established several things. You are an educated reefer. I too, have moved tanks, and have put anemones in a moved tank, and a new tank, it CAN be done, but only by those that are dedicated. You have proven you are dedicated.

So, all crap and cordials aside, that anemone can still be saved. To my eyes, it looks like a gig. No one has mentioned that. They can be tough to acclimate, they’re different than haddoni. Are you certain it’s haddoni??? From the pics you’ve posted, no gig would do well in those locations, regardless of water quality. Does it have dots under its skirt? It’s pretty bleached so dots might be hard to detect. I’ve had both haddoni and gigs. I only have gigs now. I’m familiar with both.

If I was you, pull that guy. Clowns and crabs will make it worse, until they’re healthy. Put it in a tank by itself, do 100% changes everyday. New water everyday. It’s best to have water made and let age 24 hours before using, there’s chemical balancing that happens that no one talks about after a day, for new saltwater. Use an airstone. Oxygen levels affect gigs. RODI is best, I use only RO. I’m guessing, that guy to me, doesn’t look like needs treatment. Needs a flush. Just my best guess. Change water everyday for a few days and observe progression. Get meds incase, but I wouldn’t use them since you’ve had it so long, I suspect it’s an environmental issue it’s not happy with. Not chemical, since your sps are doing well. That said, there are bacteria that go through cycles that happen, and they affect anemones differently than corals.

Good catch on possibly being a gig. I am at home now and on pc and have to agree, it may be one. Need to see tentacles at and around the mouth to make a positive ID.

Note to self, mirror phone to pc at work lol.

 

[Taylor t]

The best guys I’ve seen for advice are DNAK, Minh, chizerbunoi, and eagle steve.

 

[Taylor t]

Like Columbo.. “oh, and one more thing”...

Once gigs are ACCLIMATED, they are BULLETPROOF. Even when your sps go white.... and die...

Getting them bulletproof is work. Many don’t have bulletproof gigs.

 

[terraincognita]

And gigs, and haddoni do best with WHITE lights. Many however, are successful with bluer lighting. White lights will help get it back to health, then acclimate to bluer lighting.

Was running whiter lighting in my Fluval 13.5 makes sense.

Ok. You’ve established several things. You are an educated reefer. I too, have moved tanks, and have put anemones in a moved tank, and a new tank, it CAN be done, but only by those that are dedicated. You have proven you are dedicated.

So, all crap and cordials aside, that anemone can still be saved. To my eyes, it looks like a gig. No one has mentioned that. They can be tough to acclimate, they’re different than haddoni. Are you certain it’s haddoni??? From the pics you’ve posted, no gig would do well in those locations, regardless of water quality. Does it have dots under its skirt? It’s pretty bleached so dots might be hard to detect. I’ve had both haddoni and gigs. I only have gigs now. I’m familiar with both.

If I was you, pull that guy. Clowns and crabs will make it worse, until they’re healthy. Put it in a tank by itself, do 100% changes everyday. New water everyday. It’s best to have water made and let age 24 hours before using, there’s chemical balancing that happens that no one talks about after a day, for new saltwater. Use an airstone. Oxygen levels affect gigs. RODI is best, I use only RO. I’m guessing, that guy to me, doesn’t look like needs treatment. Needs a flush. Just my best guess. Change water everyday for a few days and observe progression. Get meds incase, but I wouldn’t use them since you’ve had it so long, I suspect it’s an environmental issue it’s not happy with. Not chemical, since your sps are doing well. That said, there are bacteria that go through cycles that happen, and they affect anemones differently than corals.

Thanks for the encouragement. And yes while I'm new to this site, I'm definitely a dedicated reefer.

I drive about 5,000 miles a month, and 3,000 of those miles I'll pop on youtube and just listen to reefing videos almost like podcast for hours a day haha..... So my brain is a soup of random information.

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Alright, so I've got this little hospital tank set up right now.

Mixed it to 35PPT and temp at 79 matching the tank.

I get what you mean about the salt mix, you can literally smell it lol.

So I'll wait til tomorrow morning to add him, unless you think it will be okay tonight. I mixed it in a bucket until clear, and then put in the tank with Return pump running. it's 90GPH on a 4.5G Pico, so plenty of movement. STarted the mix at around 3:00 PST, so by tonight around 11:00 will be 8 hours only.

Probably better if I wait til the morning yeah?

I put an air stone in the back where the pump is, if I put it anywhere else it causes too much water to bubble out of the tank on the sides and I don't want to constantly worry about that, and topping off or adding saltwater and measuring salinity etc.

Makes the water super bubbly though in the same chamber with the pump... not sure if that will be an issue with a Nem?

Do I need the airstone with a pump agitating the water surface?

You also possibly just meant use an airstone while I mix my water hahah in which case yeah I got you.

WITHOUT AIRSTONE

WITH AIRSTONE

Got filterfloss only in the back so just any random particles will be filtered out.

Got another 5G bucket mixing now, so I'll do a 100% WC 24 hours after adding him.

Got him in a breeder net right now with just the crab.

Once I move him I'll knock the crab off into the breeder net with 2 rubble pieces, but I don't want the crab running around the tank getting caught up in a fight with my Pistol or who knows what.