Why is my anenome dying ?

My "reef" tank has been up for about 1 1/2 years now and I have quite a few corals and mushrooms as well as 2 percula clowns (prob tank raised). I purchased a purple tipped anenome about 3 weeks ago and both clowns just love to stay in it. However for the past 2-3 days, the anenome has been shrinking rather than expanding. It looks like the anenome has shrunk about half its size. I have done a water change and all water tests show that nitrates are very low, ph is 8.3, temp is 79F, salinity is 1.022. All the corals are doing fine except for the anenome. Are they more sensitive than my corals ? Anyone have any ideas on what to do ? Any help is appreciated. Thanks ahead of time !!

 

Hey Markgsiy, Good to see another Vancouver person on this site.

as for your anemone, were did you purchase it? would be my first question as many LFS aren't the best at maintaining there tanks.
Anemone's are very short lived creatures in captivity
[quote author=Craig_Manoukian link=board=ASAP;num=1060220066;start=0#9 date=08/07/03 at 11:49:21]Oh, check this out as well. http://www.reefaquariumguide.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=255230#post255230[/quote]

What kind is it?
I hope your anemone is OK.
Jason

 

As Jakets said click on in the quote in the link in his post above. It may have nothing to do with you or your tank.

Welcome!

;D 8) :

 

[flash=468,60]http://www.3reef.com/fish/sitepics/threesteps3.swf[/flash]

Thanks for joining!

Yes, anemones are very sensitive. What kind of lights do you have on your tank?

 

Thank you for that extremely warm welcome.

As for where I bought it, I got it from an Aquarium store here called King Ed Pets in New Westminster. They have quite a collection of corals.

As for lighting, I currently use a dual compact flourescent set, 55 watts each at 10000K. My coral tank is about a 35 Gal tank and uses undergravel filter, an external filter and a protein skimmer.

I will post again in about 15 min and try to upload a picture of my anenome as of today. It really looks bad today.

 

Does anyone know how to upload a picture ?

 

use the reply button below and to the right. type your measage and then below the measage box there is a Attach box with a browse box use that to browse your pic
J

Like below (this is not me but a very strange guy who runs a great web site)

 

Okay.. got it.. thank you very much...

Anyway, here is a picture of it as of today. I had to decrease the resolution to 320 x 240.

 

you're right It really doesn't look good.
In the pic it looks as though it isn't attached to rock but the substrate, is that correct? you may want to try to move it were it can attach. I would go higher because the lights on your tank are low for keeping LTAs. 
Will it take food?  I would try to feed it shrimp, I feed mine frozen uncooked tiger shrimp you would get at Safeway.

I have to admit king ed pets is a place I was in once and have not steped foot in again.  It was not because of the fish or coral condition but the condition of the Parrot by the cash. It was obviously suffering and had gone quite nuts  I figure if they miss treat a bird they prob mistreat all they stock.  I won't shop there.

J

 

Hmmm... okay, I will try to move it... but the bottom and the mouth (in the centre of the anenome), there looks like a brown substance comming out of it. On the bottom of the anenome, a whole lot of brown stuff is comming out and the white coating on the bottom of the anenome seems to have disappeard.

Is this due to rough handling by the clownfishes ? I have noticed that the clowns seem to want to burry deep into the anenome... or is it the light (thought 110Watts was enough) or could it be the water or what ? Any thoughts ?

I first thougth it was worms or other critters like bristleworms or something.. but I am not sure.

As for King Ed Pets, maybe I should't go there anymore - just like Big Al's, but around Vancouver, there are not that many aquarium stores that sell nice corals and fishes. Where do you go ?