Please help. Maxi-Mini Anemone ?

April in MD · 03/13/2012, 03:02 PM

Hello. I am a new member as of today. My husband & I started a nano reef tank 6 months ago.

We have a 20g nano reef with:

Equipment:
Approx 25-30lbs of live rock (fiji)
3 1/2-4 inch live sand bed
Marineland Penguin 200 with bio wheel filter
Hydor protein skimmer
Marineland Maxi-Jet 400 in circulation mode (500 gph)
1 Bio Cube Circulation pump
2 Heaters on either end set at 79 deg.

Occupants:
Fish:
One small Cardinalfish
Two small Maroon clownfish
Clean-up crew:
8-10 Dwarf blue legged hermit
1-scarlet hermit
1-peppermint shrimp
2-margarita snails
2-astrea snails
1-nassarius snail
2-turbo snails
Coral:
1-small torch
1-small blue chalice
1-small moon coral frag
1-elegance coral
1-small birdsnest frag
1-suncoral

And the newest member, a maxi-mini carpet anemone (has a max size of 6 inches).

All parameters in tank test perfectly.

My question:
Yesterday I purchased the mini-carpet. This afternoon I noticed that it had expanded to about twice its size while it was aclimated and started to expell a white blob (at a loss for a better word). When the blob released it was followed by a steady stream of smoke-like fluid. For about 5 minutes. The anemone then shrank back to reg size.
The tank is cloudy with the substance. What happened?
Pee?

Any input is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

daplatapus · 03/13/2012, 03:11 PM

Funny, I just finished reading this in an article in the Anemone and clownfish section of this forum. Have a read, it might be a boy anemone and releasing sperm:
http://www.wifeofnerd.com/images/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

daplatapus · 03/13/2012, 03:11 PM

Oh! and Welcome to RC

seapug · 03/13/2012, 03:13 PM

likely just a bit upset with the move. Anemones will often contract and re-expand like that when moved, sort of their way of performing an internal water change.

Palting · 03/13/2012, 04:14 PM

Give it time. Those mini-maxis are a hardy bunch. I have several in varying colors. In about a week, feed it a small piece of silversides. It's cool how it wraps itself around the food for a few minutes, then open up and it's all gone!! They can survive without feeding, but it's still a cool thing to do!

bobpiker · 03/13/2012, 04:47 PM

I have 8 of these little guys in various colors and they have to be the hardiest anemones to have...with the exception of aptasia or mojanos...but with a lot better color. Really easy to take care of and I only feed them a small piece of shrimp or silverside once every couple of weeks. My largest, I think, has reached its max of about 6". They can get sand blown on them and in a day or two always find a way to shake the sand off. Plus, they rarely move at all unless they are competing with another maxi for a better footprint. I've got a couple which are always going back and forth, jockeying for better light between he two of them, one overlaps another and then back the other way the next day. It's fun to watch which one comes out on top daily. I think of all of mine, my bright burnt orange maxi looks the best.

bnumair · 03/13/2012, 06:48 PM

give a bit time. it needs to adjust to ur tank. also i personally think 6 months old tank is a bit young for anemone.

Whisperer · 03/13/2012, 07:37 PM

I got a green one that went deep inside a cave and never came back out. I have forgotten about it until a couple of days ago when I decide to look for it. It is stil in the same spot but had split and their color turned highlighter green. I never fed it because of its location.

03/13/2012, 03:11 PM	#2
daplatapus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Port Alberni, B.C., Canada Posts: 895	Funny, I just finished reading this in an article in the Anemone and clownfish section of this forum. Have a read, it might be a boy anemone and releasing sperm: http://www.wifeofnerd.com/images/AnemoneFAQ.pdf __________________ 130 lbs Tonga LR, GFO and Carbon reactors, Tunze ozmolator ATO, 2- 20 gal QT tanks, Current Tank Info: 80 gal display 48L X 24H X16D, 2 MP-40's, Odyssea 2-250W MH 4-HO T-5 Actinic's, 80 lbs Aragonite sand, 4 - 150W titanium heaters, Reeflo Baracuda return pump, 150gal sump, Filter Guys Reef Miser 6 stage + 1 Dual RO/DI, LifeReef 48" Skimmer

03/13/2012, 03:11 PM	#3
daplatapus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Port Alberni, B.C., Canada Posts: 895	Oh! and Welcome to RC __________________ 130 lbs Tonga LR, GFO and Carbon reactors, Tunze ozmolator ATO, 2- 20 gal QT tanks, Current Tank Info: 80 gal display 48L X 24H X16D, 2 MP-40's, Odyssea 2-250W MH 4-HO T-5 Actinic's, 80 lbs Aragonite sand, 4 - 150W titanium heaters, Reeflo Baracuda return pump, 150gal sump, Filter Guys Reef Miser 6 stage + 1 Dual RO/DI, LifeReef 48" Skimmer

03/13/2012, 03:13 PM	#4
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	likely just a bit upset with the move. Anemones will often contract and re-expand like that when moved, sort of their way of performing an internal water change. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

03/13/2012, 04:14 PM	#5
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Give it time. Those mini-maxis are a hardy bunch. I have several in varying colors. In about a week, feed it a small piece of silversides. It's cool how it wraps itself around the food for a few minutes, then open up and it's all gone!! They can survive without feeding, but it's still a cool thing to do! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/13/2012, 06:48 PM	#7
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	give a bit time. it needs to adjust to ur tank. also i personally think 6 months old tank is a bit young for anemone. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

03/13/2012, 04:47 PM	#6
bobpiker Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 349	I have 8 of these little guys in various colors and they have to be the hardiest anemones to have...with the exception of aptasia or mojanos...but with a lot better color. Really easy to take care of and I only feed them a small piece of shrimp or silverside once every couple of weeks. My largest, I think, has reached its max of about 6". They can get sand blown on them and in a day or two always find a way to shake the sand off. Plus, they rarely move at all unless they are competing with another maxi for a better footprint. I've got a couple which are always going back and forth, jockeying for better light between he two of them, one overlaps another and then back the other way the next day. It's fun to watch which one comes out on top daily. I think of all of mine, my bright burnt orange maxi looks the best.

03/13/2012, 07:37 PM	#8
Whisperer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Punta Gorda, FL Posts: 4,020	I got a green one that went deep inside a cave and never came back out. I have forgotten about it until a couple of days ago when I decide to look for it. It is stil in the same spot but had split and their color turned highlighter green. I never fed it because of its location. __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. --------- No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Current Tank Info: 120G reef, 30G sump, 10G QT tank