Is my anemone sick, or is this normal?

[Fishmahn1964]

I just two days ago purchased a nice looking but small long tenticled anemone (LTA).
Day 1- looks great, perc loves it, starts to move as it doesn't like the substrate I put together for it (of course).
Day 2- morning- wriggles into some live rock, attaches but perc can't get to it so my wife moved the rock back a little. It still seemed happy.
Day 2- evening- perc "snuggles in" and it starts to "shrivel" a bit.
Day 3- morning- LTA is kind of "closed up" with the tenticles slightly exposed. No fish missing, all healthy and active.

Is this normal? This is a new species for me and I want to make sure I did not do anything wrong.

No major changes in major tank parameters (salinity, pH, NH, NO2, NO3), but the little fella just changed his look over night. Color of it's base is dark tan to purplish, tenticles about the same color as in the store.

[afilter]

Sounds normal, My condy anemones often contract especially when the lights are off and usually when expelling waste. Suggest you wait a see. If it does not re-open within two days then something might be wrong.

One caution is to try and avoid the urge to move it. It will settle in and attach its foot to a piece of rock or bury it in the substrate. Moving it may harm it and start the re-location process all over again.

good luck,

[Fishmahn1964]

I think it is looking for a place to settle in.
Do these things ever eat? The guy at the shop told me every few days.
It was looking better this morning, so I tried a little krill tonight. It wanted nothing to do with it. In fact, it is on the move again, looking for a new place to settle.
I figure it would be all about food. What with it being 90% stomach (10% tenticles).

[dralarms]

I give mine a little shrimp every few days, took some frozen stuff and put in a small chopper and then re froze it. They love it and so do all the other fish in the tank (gotta give them some to keep them from trying to take the condy's food). But they do shrink up quite a bit but mine never stay that way long. My biggest one is mad I took his favorite rock (it was really ugly) out of the tank and he has been on the move for 2 days now.

[afilter]

Shrimp is good, also try squid or muscle. I have a small bag of frozen seafood medley from the grocery store that mine love, especially the squid. One of my anenome almost tripled in size. I usually feed at least twice a week and sometimes as often as every other day if I am home. I did notice early on that if you give them too big of a piece they will just spit out the undigested portion which makes for a mess.

[Fishmahn1964]

I think I have a bum anemone. It doesn't have half the personality you are all describing.
In fact, it moved to the back of the tank, facing away from where anyone can see it.
What an odd creature!
Anyhow, I have determined the shrinking is what this thing does. Than you all for the help.
I will try the ground shrimp thing. Are you talking about regular uncooked shrimp, or should I be going to the LFS to get something special?

[afilter]

Regular uncooked frozen seafood from the grocery store. Check the package to ensure no preservative. I do not even grind/chop it. As I have multiple anenome and stars I judt take a couple of small peices from the bag unthaw it and cut it ino about 1/2" peices.

As for it hanging out in the back of the tank, where is your light source. Mine are on the front half of the tank and with the exception of one anenome that periodically moves from one side of a rock to the other they all stay put.

Good luck,

[dralarms]

I have been using cooked stuff, Is this bad? I know the raw is probally better but it's was easier to get to in the freezer .

[afilter]

I don't think it is bad, I have used both. Just make sure it is clean and don't overfeed.

[Fishmahn1964]

I know that some protein need to be cooked or they prevent absorption of other proteins. I also know that some proteins should not be cooked because once they are denatured, they will not be absorbed.
So I think it is 6 of one 1/2 dozen of the other. Seeing that these things evolved eating raw fish, I would go with raw.
As for the lighting, I have a 10000 K in the back, and an actinic in the front. The funny thing is, I put him in the center, so he moved to the back under in a rock cave I made for the urchin. Maybe he wants NO light.
Anyhow, I bought a bubble tip and he is doing great, and both of the clowns can enjoy him.

[Bearfan]

My Condy seems to like Mysis shrimp also, which is what I feed my watchman goby that hitchhiked onto my LR, so it all works out for me.

[afilter]

Sounds good, Just watch the two, some say you should not mix different tyes of anenome in the same tank as they can engage in chemical warfare releasing toxins in an attempt to kill each other.

I have never seen this problem personally and have seen many set ups with multiple anenome in them. I am sure if you continue to monitor water conditions and all checks out it should be fine.

[louis]

I've had mine for over three months now and every couple of weeks he moves again. I've seen him climb up the side of the tank between the glass and a fan all the way to the top. I've also watched him turn into a ball, tentacles out and float around.

[Fishmahn1964]

The comment on the "warring anemones" is timely.
I have been having odd problems in the tank unrelated to the normal
tank parameters.

Maybe this is what I am seeing!