Anemones

Welcome to 3reef! Hope you are enjoying the hobby so far. Looks as if the food is to big for the nem. If it's to large they will spit it out that way it doesn't spoil in there stomach. They really only need very small pieces. I'm not expert on nems, or any coral as I am new to this hobby as well. Maybe someone with a lot more experience will give better advicd. And as far as a chocolate chip star as far as I know they are not reef safe. Not sure how it will act with a nem. But I do know they will eat soft coral like zoas and things like that.

 

Thanks for your response! I have tried giving smaller pieces (this particular piece was dropped and it wouldn't let it go! Lol! Did eventually spit it out) It did take a smaller piece after reinflating, swallowed it and moved around the tank. It is now hidden in a rock crevice and is deflated again and the smaller piece that it did take was spit out again. Not sure what's happening. I talked again to Petco and the seller assured me it was fine and it's normal behavior but I am thinking he is giving me wrong advice to save a sale. And he informs me of a no return policy on saltwater fish.

 

Not even the best petshop on the planet would guarantee an anemone unfortunately. Water quality/ lighting is extremely important for them.

 

It's good that it has eaten but you don't want to over feed it. There are photosynthetic so they get the majority of there energy from the sun. That's why lighting is so important with these guys. When they have good coloring it's very important, they get the lion share of there energy from a bacteria living on the called zooanthellia, excuse the spelling. Feed it once a week maybe two. And in my opinion I would look for a Local Fish Store other than petco, they should take it back if you purchased it with a flaw. Now in my case I chose not to take mine back and wanted to aid it to good health, but I didn't manage to pull it off.

 

It's an algae, not bacteria cody. Buying inverts from petco is honestly a bad idea. Finding a local fish/reef store that's not a chain is much better. My wife used to work at petco for years and trust me when I tell you that there is NO saltwater training so most of the time any info you get from them is probably false and the quality of there specimens are horrible. Maybe not all of them are like that, I'm just going on what I saw first hand.

 

Thanks for the correction.......

 

It's how we learn. Trust me, in a few years on here and having a reef tank you'll be suprised at what you learn buddy. That's what keeps me going in this hobby. It's not just the pretty stuff to look at, it's the ecosystem I'm creating and knowing I will never know it all so in turn I will never stop learning

 

Yes that what I like as well. I'm someone who gets bored with things unless it captives me. And as you stated this hobby beauty alone is captivating but it's never ending. There is always something to read or look up or just to get to know a specific coral more..... So truthfully I find my self just reading and reading.... lol. So in short it captivates me. I truly love this hobby. I would call it more a passion than a hobby.

 

As with me, it started as a hobby then grew into a passion. I soak in as much info as I can and use what works for my tank. I loose intrest in things fast so I believe reefing is truly meant to be my hobby and passion.