Dead Purple Tipped Condylactis Anemone?

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by jasond56, Jun 4, 2006.

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  1. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    There's a problem with my Purple Tipped Condylactis Anemone. For the last few days, it's been shriveled up and not opening or moving at all. It's laying upside down on its tentacles too. I tried to pick it up and move it, and it isn't rotten and slimy (I've handled dead amenomes before...ewww) but it still feels firm. My other two flower amemones are doing fine. Any ideas?
     
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  3. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    It may be in the process of regurgitating(ridding itself of waste) causing it to shrivel up and get very small. Usually after this it will open up again. If they are unhappy where they are, they will usually move on their own to find a better place to locate.
    Your best bet is to check your water parameters and play the waiting game...time has a way of healing alot of things!!!
     
  4. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Funny you should mention "regurgitating". I jokingly told my fiance that it looks like it's "throwing up" it's insides, because remember, it's upside down - tentacles down. Then I thought it was damaged, ripped more like. Again giving it that regurgitated look. I'll just wait and test the water and see what happens. Thanks!

    Jason D.
     
  5. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Everything in the water checked out fine except the calcium. Turns out, the calcium is sitting at 550. Unfortunately, the purple tipped died today too...fell apart in my hands. Now, one of my flower anemones is shriveling up too. He won't attach himself to anything in order to hide his foot and protect himself and my Lemon Peel Angel is beating the snot out of it. Every time I place the anemone is a seemingly protected spot, it winds up out in the middle of the tank, dragged out by the Lemon Peel. I've never had a problem with the Lemon Peel/anemone before. Chaos is breaking out apparently. A result of 6-6-06?? :-/
     
  6. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    You may have a problem with lighting or another water parameter problem besides the calcium. Anemone's really don't require calcium, especially to the degree that stonies do. How is your ph, salinity, nitrate and phosphate levels?
     
  7. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    I said the same thing about a wrasse I had put in my tank but as soon as "they" "dropped and separated", it starting eating my sps corals, which it was known to do as a mature fish.

    I'm not sure if anyone has asked if you have a ground probe in the tank? How are other inverts such as snails, shrimp, hermits and starfish doing, assuming you have any?
     
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  9. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    My LFS said the high calcium levels might be shocking the anemones. I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, but the tank temp was in the high 70's. Last night I adjusted it into the lower 70's (approx. 74-76). Other tank mates are doing fine. Especially a flower anemone that hasn't been affected at all by the recent trauma...strange. I've lost some snails, but from reading around 3Reef, this is a pretty normal occurrence. Hermits are doing good. Conchs are well. Fish are eating like pigs. Saw my mini Coral Banded Shrimp the other day. Water parameters all checked out fine (except for the calcium levels) and I keep the salt at 1.024, high for the anemones. Lights are Coralife Combo lighting and they're kept on for about 7.5 hours a day.

    AMCARRIG...what did you mean by a "ground probe"? Do you mean sand sifters? If so, the only sifters I have are 2 conch and a half dozen blue legged hermits. I haven't had the guts to try a star yet.

    Jason D.
     
  10. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    Ground probe redirects stray voltage out of your tank water:

    http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=TA1111

    No reef tank should be without one.

    As for your calcium level, I don't honestly consider 550 to be "high" so I doubt that's what killed your anemone. If you haven't already, post your alk and magnesium levels.

    Also, "high 70's" is not what I would consider a dangerous temperature. However, anything over 81, in my experience, is too high.
     
  11. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Oh that's what a ground probe is. I'll have to look into that. As for Alk and magnesium, I do not have any test for that. I'll have to head to my LFS tomorrow to have that looked into. Bad news - I lost the other anemone. Since it wouldn't plant its foot and hide for defense, the Lemonpeel and butterfly killed it :( That's 2 in two days, while the other is doing just fine. So strange.
     
  12. jasond56

    jasond56 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Do you bury the probe in the substrate?