Help with Long Tenacle Anemone

[Barbera]

I added a beautiful, rather large & very healthy-looking long tenacle anemone to my 2-yr-old tank a week ago today. I have a pair of clowfish who hosted my brain coral to death, so I thought it was time to get them their own. The anemone was thriving up until about about 3 days ago. He moved himself a few inches from where he was. Then he moved again. Then his foot became unseated & he shriveled & swelled a few times. Since then he hasn't seemed to find a spot he's content to put his foot down in. He's still sticky and he ate a piece of shrimp this morning. The LFS told me somthing was probably irritating his foot. There has been a lobster hanging around very near him. I examined (on their advice) his foot for signs of tears. Fortunately I found none. Then I moved him to the other side of the tank (the lobster-less side). He's looking shriveled up like a freshly-moved anemone looks. Anyone have any advice or experience with this matter? Is there anything else I should or shouldn't do? Please help!!!!

[reefrunner69]

There really isn't too much you can do, accept make sure the anemone has what it needs. Continue to feed it, make sure there is the right flow requirements etc. IME LTA's like to bury their foot in the sand, usually against the base of a rock, so if it's in just the rock, it might not be happy.

[Barbera]

Thank you for your quick response. I'm worried sick about this silly thing. I did dig a hole against the new rock I moved him to, so he could bury his foot.

Since I last wrote the clowns have found him and are trying to "fluff him up". Gosh, I just hate playing "God", when I don't even begin to have all the answers. Thanks for your help. I'll leave the poor thing alone as you advised and leave the rest to the real God.

[d9hp]

i know how you feel trying to play God. Nothing you can do.

[newbie]

but most of anemones will move around and find the spot it likes. it took my anemones about 2 weeks to find right spot. I did try to move it because it was spot has low flow, but every time I move it, it went back to spot. so I given up, but my anemones is doing great least I think its doing great.

like everybody told anemones are impossible to keep in aquarium

[Barbera]

The anemone was decidedly NOT happy where I moved him and was about to battle a curlycue anemone, so today I moved him back. I am definately not cut out for this GOD business. And to think I'm only trying to decide what's best for 55 gallons of water....


One thing this whole reef thing is TRYING to teach me is patience. I hope I learn the lesson before I cause too much suffering.

Interesting developement: although the maroon clowns are staying near the anemone, they are not all over it like they were. Anyone have any experiences or thoughts about this?

[Barbera]

I've been re-reading yours (and everyone elses replies) for the umteenth time and it just occcured to me .... I don't have sand. I have a crushed coral substrate. Could that be why he's not happy planting anywhere? If so, would you recommend putting sand in the area he's in? He's getting worse by the day, and I'm starting to lose hope. When do you give up and pull him out before he dies & pollutes the tank?

BTW, this is such a wonderful resource. I've had my tank for 2 years now, but in the past few weeks since I found this site, my knowledge (and confidence) has skyrocketed. I don't feel so all alone, at the mercy of my LFS anymore. Thanks!!!

[Anemoneman]

I had a LT with a CC base of less than 1/2". It wasn't enough CC to bother it and it stayed attached to the glass bottom. The tank it was purchased from had a coarse sand substrate several inches deep. The anemone is now in a tank with a 4" DSB but in actuality, it is in very little sand. The clown has fanned most of it away with his tail forming a large dish shape. When fully inflated, the anemone fills this dish shape but the foot is wedged between some rocks and attached to the glass. It is under MH lights but I had luck with it under 4 4' NOs in a 55. It sounds like it is unhappy with it's environment. You mentioned another anemone. Many times anemones have fairly large territories. In the wild you never see them close together as you would in an aquarium. Perhaps it is being irritated by the other anemone or other inhabitants. Maybe the lights not quite right. Maybe it was injured during collection. Tough to say. Anemones have one of the poorest survival rates in aquariums. Many folks may post to say they've had one for years with "no problems" but that is not the norm. The sad truth is that upwards of 90% do not last more than 3 months in the home aquarium for a variety of reasons.
You could try removing the CC and slowly adding a sand bed. OR just remove the CC altogether, it doesn't add any benefit to a reef tank IMO.

[Barbera]

Thank you for your informative response. The poor thing is really taking a nose dive today. I'm going to take it to my LFS who said they'll see what they can do to nurse it back. I feel so bad.

I didn't realize that a tank doesn't need a CC substrate. Can I replace it or parts of it with live sand?

Thanks again for your insight!

[Yellow Eye Tang]

I've experianced with differnt types of bottoms in the years ive been with my SW tank. There really are so many different types / sizes to choose from and ive found that CC or sand has done about the same as far as PH and calcium but that is JUST from my opinion.

Currently i have half of my tank filled with crushed coral and it blends over to live sand on the left half. Ive noticed the hermit crabs love the CC but the tang, and Algae loves the sand. i think the sand side honestly is not as healthy as the CC side. Ive thought about putting CC on top of the sand but putting in a smaller sized CC then i have on the right side. Its acually wild how much healthier one side seems then the other. Also on the anemone subject..... My anemone went in on the sand side and shrivled up greatly. I left him alone so that he could decide for himself and over the first night he went to the CC side and dug in. These are just my experiances and i hope they might shed a bit more of an idea for ya.

GOOD LUCK
--- Llegolis