Help with my Heteractis Malu

[aldo]

Hi,
Saturday I bought a small Heteractis Malu purple tip. When I put him into the tank on the bottom in the corner, he immediately jumped up and went into a small cave more or less out of sight. I left him there for a little while and then figuring, we could not see him, I moved him towards the centre of the tank. He in turn laid there and seemed very unhappy. I have moved him to a few places (maybe too many times) and then I looked up his species at CentralPet.com and they gave me all the information on how to take care of him. It said he requires high light and average flow. So I put him on a rock exposed to the light with a minimal flow. Again, he seems to be very very unhappy. He does not seem to be opening up. He has not closed up completely but my poor little guy does not look good.

Please help. What should I do? It is my first anemone and I need all your experience.

Thank you.
Aldo

 

[steve-s]

With the amount of light you have versus the transport time after capture (lack of light) and the LFS lighting it was kept under later, the anemone is most likely going through light shock. You should not move it about or try to position it anywhere other than were it wants to go by itself. Unless in danger from a PH (which should have prefilters on them ) or other intake device, do not touch the anemone.

The anemone will move as needed to were it wants to be. Keep in mind that everything for them is sensory and takes time to get in the right spot.

How are your water parameters? Age of the tank?

Cheers
Steve

 

[aldo]

Hi Steve,
It's on a top rock looking so small and lifeless i hope i am not loosing it.
VHO-4x110=440, no-0, ca- 420, po4-0.25 am-0, ph-8.2 kh-0 no2-0
sal-.235.
66g tank reef is app 22 weeks old.
Thanks so much for your help.
aldo

 

[steve-s]

A 6 month old tank is not really great for an anemone but on a positive note your numbers look fine, hopefully they stay there. The SG is lower than it should be. For more sensitive inverts 1.025 SG would be a much better number @ 80°. Only raise it a bit at a time over the next few days-week. The change must be slow, not rapid.

Shrunken is not neccessarily a bad thing but in your case I think it is a reaction to a sharp increase to the intensity of the lighting. I knew you had the 4x110w's, that is what I was refering to in my previous post. The anemone has basically gone from lower light to much higher light and not acclimating well. They need the same adjustment period as a coral would when introduced to an increased intensity....

Is the anemone attached or still loose?

kh-0

Not possible. What is the alkalinity?

Cheers
Steve

 

[aldo]

Sorry Steve slip of the finger Kh-10 .
The anemone is still loose. Should i leave it on the top rock high light ?
Thanks
aldo
.

 

[steve-s]

If the anemone is still "free" gentley scoop it into the palm of your hand ensuring you were a clean rubber glove and place it on the substrate near the rock. Be sure the area is in lower water flow and not near any corals. After that, leave it be.

If you try moving the anemone and it is still attached, leave it be. You will do more damage trying to remove it.

Cheers
Steve

 

[aldo]

Hi Steve,
The little guy is in the corner and has not really moved much.
I see a reoccurence of green & brown sort of HAIR algae around the rim of my Hammer coral, on the rocks snails crabs. ????????????
temp -80 lights 12h 10 am 10 pm.
Any ideas?
Thanks friend
aldo

 

[steve-s]

Hi Steve,
The little guy is in the corner and has not really moved much.

That's just fine. They are happiest when they stay put. The things to keep an eye on is a gaping mouth, loss of color and any possible damage or necrosis. Other than than that, just leave it be and let it find it's own way.

I see a reoccurence of green & brown sort of HAIR algae around the rim of my Hammer coral, on the rocks snails crabs. ????????????
temp -80 lights 12h 10 am 10 pm.
Any ideas?

You switched subjects on me ... LOL
Your temp and lighting routine are fine but if this a re-occurrance then it will be brought on by something you are using. If you are still using the DI tap filter, then most likely some impurities are being introduced via additives or foods. What is your normal routine for these and what brands if any?

Cheers
Steve

 

[aldo]

Sorry Steve for the change of subject.

Here are some of the additives and foods:
Kent Marine PhytoPlex or Kent Marine ZooPlex twice a week all systems off for awhile.
Once per week Seachem Reef Plus and Seachem Reef Strontium.
Very little Tetra Marine Flakes.
Very little Ginger Products - Professional Spirulina.
Ocean Nutrition Formula One - Angel Formula - Spirulina Formula and Formula 2 frozen and thawed and mixed with a little garlic.
Fresh Shrimps and fish and scallops chopped and soaked in garlic frozen until used.
San Francisco Bay Brand frozen brine shrimp and Bio-Pure blood worms.
These are the only foods that I feed them at different times for variety.

Just took phosphate 0.25
Also PH 8.3
Yes, I only use my DI filter which I check regularly to make sure that the cylinder is good. I check KH and phosphate.

Hope you can help me. Thanks.

Aldo

 

[steve-s]

Here are some of the additives and foods:
Kent Marine PhytoPlex or Kent Marine ZooPlex twice a week all systems off for awhile.

A little more than needed for these especially with the varieties of foods you feed. I would opt for once a week each and even alternate the Zooplex every other week.

Once per week Seachem Reef Plus and Seachem Reef Strontium.

If you are doing even twice monthly water changes I would not really suggest the Reef plus. It is basically a replenisher for trace elements that the salt would provide. If doing less water changes, I would still cut back to ½ the recommended amount. The strontium is definately not needed and can actually be harmful.

Very little Tetra Marine Flakes.
Very little Ginger Products - Professional Spirulina.
Ocean Nutrition Formula One - Angel Formula - Spirulina Formula and Formula 2 frozen and thawed and mixed with a little garlic.
Fresh Shrimps and fish and scallops chopped and soaked in garlic frozen until used.
San Francisco Bay Brand frozen brine shrimp and Bio-Pure blood worms.
These are the only foods that I feed them at different times for variety.

A variety is always great but I would suggest you discontinue the use of the Terta, brine and bloodworms once they are depleted. They do little or nothing for the fish you have. They are also contributing to the phosphates somewhat (all foods do really). Do not feed more than once per day except the tangs (still 2?). They should be given a daily grazing food like nori to keep up with their activity. I would also add Zoe to the foods you are already soaking with garlic. The added vitamin is always a plus.

Just took phosphate 0.25
Also PH 8.3
Yes, I only use my DI filter which I check regularly to make sure that the cylinder is good. I check KH and phosphate.

While dealing with algae problems (especially hair algae), any amount of PO4 will hamper getting rid of it. A high quality granular PO4 sponge will help get that down to nothing. That and cutting back on the feedings should yield possitive results. The only food you cannot cut back on is the herbavor grazing foods for the tangs.

Gentley removing the hair algae with a soft toothbrush from any corals and such will also help. You need to keep the algae cropped as short as possible and manually remove it daily so the crabs and snails will finish off the remainder.

Cheers
Steve