Is this anemone dying? help

amberj · 06-26-2008, 07:26 PM

Hey all.... got a situation on my hands.

Looks like one of my Bubble tip anemones is not doing so hot... he's been looking like this for a few days now.

I have two of them, and they used to hang really close to eachother but now the one has moved away.

I will attach pictures:

1 is healthy looking anemone - tips are fat and full, light peach-ish color

2 is a not-so-healthy anemone - tips get skinny/flat and he is a dark purple color

3 is a both of them together, so you can see the difference

Tank - 20 gallon tank with 2 bulbs - 10k T5 (yellowish color) and Actinic T5 (lights could be wearing out - are over a year old) - Tank is about 2 years old (anemones over a year in there)

params - were all in check as of last week - will do a water change this sunday (5 gallon water change every other week)

Temp - 78-79

Salinity - 1.023 (or just under it)

Sorry for the long post... wanted to get all the information out there

Read a few other forum topics and people say that once it is dying... you can tell and you should get it out of tank because its poisonous....

Thoughts? Any help would be appreciated

Note: anemone doesnt look tooo bad right now, besides the color, he was pretty flat/skinny a little while ago, but now he is a little more puffed up, but definately dark purple in color compared to peach for the other one

missionsix66 · 06-26-2008, 07:31 PM

Neither of them look like they are dieing to me. Atleast not to the point that I'd be ready to yank one out. There are(looks like) some nuisance anemones in your pic also.

amberj · 06-26-2008, 07:36 PM

Yes the aiptasias have been a real PIA....

we bought the tank with everything pretty much already in it....

Then about 2-3 weeks ago - we did a water change and had a Regal Tang die (should have had a bigger tank, LFS was sooooo sure that this one would be ok) from Saltwater ick and then it took our saddleback clown as well.

We are left with a 6 line wrasse as the only fish

We've gone through 6 peppermint shrimp to eat off the aiptasias... but the 6 line is a straight up **** head and kills them all within a week.

We are planning on trading the 6 line in for some more peppermints and having no fish in the tank until everything is under control. Need some snails, etc, as algae is starting to grow more

What makes you say that the one doesn't look like he is dying.... i mean he looks ok right now... but i can see his mouth/hole from where i am standing and it is a little puckered up... is that normal?

Thanks for comments

missionsix66 · 06-26-2008, 07:41 PM

Could be taking a dump. Do you see any brown excretion? Could be expelling water for new. From the looks of your picture(s), I wouldn't loose any sleep. Keep an eye on it. Should come back to action. If it dies(going to die) where it's at, something is not good with parameters. If it's light/current it will move.

snooopidydoo · 06-26-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amberj

Yes the aiptasias have been a real PIA....

we bought the tank with everything pretty much already in it....

Then about 2-3 weeks ago - we did a water change and had a Regal Tang die (should have had a bigger tank, LFS was sooooo sure that this one would be ok) from Saltwater ick and then it took our saddleback clown as well.

We are left with a 6 line wrasse as the only fish

We've gone through 6 peppermint shrimp to eat off the aiptasias... but the 6 line is a straight up **** head and kills them all within a week.

We are planning on trading the 6 line in for some more peppermints and having no fish in the tank until everything is under control. Need some snails, etc, as algae is starting to grow more

What makes you say that the one doesn't look like he is dying.... i mean he looks ok right now... but i can see his mouth/hole from where i am standing and it is a little puckered up... is that normal?

Thanks for comments

How long have you had the the tank with the anenomes?
Anenomes gotta poop, and do strange things. When they do they look wierd.
My bulb anenome shrinks to practicly nothing and turns blue when doing so, and then expands back within an hour or so..

Do some research. It looks ok to me :-)

amberj · 06-26-2008, 07:48 PM

I did research... i was searching through the forums for over an hour before even thinking about posting.

The reason i dont think he's taking a dump: he changed colors completely... he has been this way for at least a few days... and just today he started cruising around the tank (moved about 5+ inches from the same rock that both have lived on since we've had the tank)

I've personally had the tank for about 2 months.... before that, the guy we bought it from had it running for 2 years with the anemones in it for over a year.

Pooping.... i just wouldnt think it would take this long. You mentioned it would be "back to normal size" within an hour... he's been dark purple and not looking to "puffy" for multiple days in a row now

snooopidydoo · 06-26-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amberj

I did research... i was searching through the forums for over an hour before even thinking about posting.

The reason i dont think he's taking a dump: he changed colors completely... he has been this way for at least a few days... and just today he started cruising around the tank (moved about 5+ inches from the same rock that both have lived on since we've had the tank)

I've personally had the tank for about 2 months.... before that, the guy we bought it from had it running for 2 years with the anemones in it for over a year.

Pooping.... i just wouldnt think it would take this long. You mentioned it would be "back to normal size" within an hour... he's been dark purple and not looking to "puffy" for multiple days in a row now

Hmm. interesting.
Have you been feeding it? Or change the light, or current?
Usually an anenome wont move around unless it's un-happy with its current place. Normally they will clamp there foot under a rock so it can reach upwards to the currant and light. Mine is pink and turns dark blue when doing it's duties. But yours could be un-content. You checked everything in the water and have been doing water changes?

Whatever you do dont yank him out inless it is actually dead, because anenomes do strange things. (i'm honestly not the best person to talk to about it, only had a reef tank for 2 months also)

Good luck with everything.
Dont know what else to tell you.
Hope all is well!!

geekdafied · 06-26-2008, 08:57 PM

Your bulbs need to be changed. Are they T5's or T5HO's? The 10,000K should look whitish blue, not yellowish, thats a sure sign its changed spectrum and needs to be replaced. only replace them one at a time though. Like change one this week, then wait 2 weeks and change the other. When both are changed, cut back on your lighting period by half and each day extend it by an hour. If you dont do it in steps, you will stress out everything and even cause damage.