dead amenome

[firemedicmackey]

I'm curious as to why my long tenicle anenome died! I only had it about 3 days and noticed all the tenticles fell off and it shrivled up. I've checked levels constantly, done partial water changes and been extremely vigulant. I put a yellow tang in at the same time and he seems to be really thriving (is it normal for the yellow tang to look almost white when I turn the lights back on for the day? After a few minutes, he goes back to looking very vibrant) The only thing I can thing of is that my compact flourecent 50/50 is only 130 watts and that he wasn't getting enough light (55 gallon tank). Any insight would be extremely helpful!

[localhost]

I don't think it would die with just 3 days of insufficient light. How old is your tank? Post all test results.

[HoopsGuru]

Yes, a yellow tang will often be pale in the morning before the lights come on.

As for the anemone, two things: it was either already near death at the LFS or it was not acclimated to your tank properly. The first is hard to identify here, the second could be discussed by elaborating on how you brought it home and acclimated it to your tank.

[seaham358]

What type fo water are you using? Tap water can contain heavy metals which are bad for corals, anemones and fish.
3 days I would go with acclimation and LFS not feeding and/or having poor lights.
Also 130 watts is not that much light for a 55 and an anemone.

[DragonForce]

You know, unless you saw the arms floating around the tank, he probably just shriveled up and retracted his arms, mine often does this when he is moving spots or when it's dark.

Anemones can go for a long time without good lighting, in their natural enviornments storms are fairly common and can block out light until the storm passes. Therefore he wouldn't just die from lighting alone.

As for your lighting, you are not even at 2.5 wpg. I would say that even most of the "hardy" anemones need atleast 4 wpg to do well.


Read read read read read read read is the best thing I can offer to you.

[melosu58]

I would agree not enough light. And as stated previosly that would not kill him in 3 days.Check your water params and your acclimation process. Sorry about the loss

[tecwzrd]

Originally Posted by firemedicmackey

(is it normal for the yellow tang to look almost white when I turn the lights back on for the day? After a few minutes, he goes back to looking very vibrant)

Yellow Tangs will loose some color overnight even with moon lights. Mine looses color and looks almost white with a brownish spot in the middle but within minutes of turning on the lights he is vibrant yellow again. Also make sure you feed him a well varied diet of Nori & frozen soaked in vitamins.

[melosu58]

A better thing is some green grape calerpa. All natural

[HoopsGuru]

Nori is also is an all natural, marine algae. The best part is that you don't have to worry about it's growth taking over the tank or ever going "sexual"....not to mention it is cheaper (only a few bucks at grocery stores). Although, ideally, if you could get some caulerpa, gracilaria, etc. from time to time it would keep things nicely varied.

[melosu58]

Thanks for the insite. I agree