Dying anemone?

krazedkazoo · 02/11/2011, 10:20 PM

My bubble tip anemone has been slowly going downhill for the past few months. Apparently my clownfish stopped feeding it and they just recently started breeding and are subsequently beating the nem up to try and get it to move away from their chosen egg-laying spot. The nem's color has gone from a healthy tan to a sickly, ghosty greenish white. I've been trying to feed it but it won't even grab onto/close up over the food. It just lets it float away. I also think it's sticky stingers are gone because I can put my finger in the tentacles and feel absolutely nothing. It still reacts when pestered and it reacts slightly to changes in light, but not nearly as much as it used to. Is there a way to save it? When do I know it's time to just take it out and bury it?

Here are some "before" and "after pics to show the color difference.

I really appreciate any help or suggestions! Thanks in advance!

aznsnakeboy89 · 02/11/2011, 10:35 PM

Im not sure but i think the "after" pix look much better than the "before" pix. IMO

bigt0706 · 02/12/2011, 12:14 AM

the after pic is bleached

jestr · 02/12/2011, 12:50 AM

feed it some mysis just in case and make sure its getting enough light... just to see if that makes a difference because clowns usually lay eggs under nems for safety

Postal · 02/12/2011, 08:19 AM

What lights do you have on your tank?

gp2 · 02/12/2011, 08:37 AM

Is the mouth open or closed, he looks fine to me.

ReeferBill · 02/12/2011, 08:49 AM

Hi KrazedKazoo ; I would try and cover your bubble with a net to stop the clowns from harrassing it. If that does not work maybe you can make some holes in a clear plastic container to go over your nem and hold it in place with some pieces live rock . The Bleaching will stop if you can get your bubble to eat again . Feed every third day a piece of ocean caught red salmon or whatever you it likes..... I nursed my green bubble back after bleaching... It can be saved. You must stop the clowns from getting to it so it will feed again.... Good Luck and keep us posted.

gp2 · 02/12/2011, 09:32 AM

They don't really need to "eat" per se if your lights are adequate, although I do feed mine just to encourage growth. Agree we need to know lighting. Usually pretty obvious when they're tanking typically they expel there stomach and shrivel up before they become a gooey mess. I have one right now that is expelling his stomach from a fed ex delay of 2 days

RARA · 02/12/2011, 09:46 AM

I feed mine silverside frozen fish two-three times a month. I don't just count on the clowns to do that. secondly light is important.

Ray

schudini · 02/12/2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReeferBill

Hi KrazedKazoo ; I would try and cover your bubble with a net to stop the clowns from harrassing it. If that does not work maybe you can make some holes in a clear plastic container to go over your nem and hold it in place with some pieces live rock . The Bleaching will stop if you can get your bubble to eat again . Feed every third day a piece of ocean caught red salmon or whatever you it likes..... I nursed my green bubble back after bleaching... It can be saved. You must stop the clowns from getting to it so it will feed again.... Good Luck and keep us posted.

Yes, the most important thing is to get the clowns away from it to give it a rest. Are you planning on raising the fry?

Don't worry about making it eat, just keep the water clean, don't change the flow pattern or the lighting cycle. Stability and rest are the two most important things.

RedAnt78 · 02/12/2011, 10:58 AM

Check your water parameters. The clowns shouldn't be the cause of this. As long as your lighting is adequate you shouldn't have to worry about the clowns feeding it directly since they will poop in it and it will eat the poop. I would do a couple 20-25% water changes this week. How long have you had the nem?

krazedkazoo · 02/12/2011, 03:09 PM

To everyone, I have PC lights on my tank. Here is a link to the exact product ( http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewit...ontent=CU01023 ). The bulb has recently been replaced within the past couple months. The anemone is not shaded and gets direct light from the appliance most of the day. I have had this nem for about a year and it seems like it started losing it's tan color halfway through.

Some facts to maybe help clarify:
1. My lighting are power compacts (see link above for exact product) with recently replaced bulbs. I have read/been told that BTAs can live under my lighting system just fine. If that is not the case, I do not have the funds to buy a more expensive lighting system.
2. I used to hand feed it before the clownfish began hosting. They will now drag food to it but it REFUSES to close up or grab hold. The food floats away, clownfish drag it back, repeat, repeat. It's diet so far has been brine shrimp and normal flake food.
3. The clownfish have been laying eggs very close to the nem which I know is normal. However, they lay them on top (instead of under) and then bite and pull the nem's tentacles to keep it shrunken away from the eggs.
4. The nem is not deflated and I have not seen an exposed stomach yet.

Sounds like the best bet is just covering it with a plastic container or net (to keep clowns off) and maybe trying to feed it silversides? It is not holding on to any food so I don't know if silversides are the answer here.

Thanks for all the input!

krazedkazoo · 02/13/2011, 09:53 AM

Bump now that light info is up.

Postal · 02/13/2011, 11:16 AM

The lights you have should be sufficient for a BTA. I'm not sure why it looks so bleached.
Have you tested your water parameters lately? Nitrates are never good for nems. You can also post this in the anemone forum where you might get responses from some successful long-time anemone owners.

Pacific Reefs · 02/13/2011, 02:22 PM

I would recommend T5s or Halides for anemones.

Postal · 02/13/2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacific Reefs

I would recommend T5s or Halides for anemones.

I would as well, but the light he has should be sufficient for a BTA assuming it isn't at the bottom of a tank.

jestr · 02/13/2011, 05:15 PM

suppliment feed it see if it comes back.. i would say pc if the nem is high in tank would be ok... and feed it mysis or krill i and a few others have had bad luck with silver sides on bta

TampaSnooker · 02/13/2011, 06:02 PM

FWIW, I keep BTAs under much less light - and much more. Ones kept at the low end of the light spectrum need to be fed more to compensate. I think we should look at what was going on when it bleached. Perhaps aging lamps before the change started its decline.
Isolating it from the clowns harassment is probably a good idea. Keep feeding it - or at least trying. Shrimp, fish - anything meaty. I see many grab spirulina flakes that pass by. Try a variety until it accepts something.
I don't think you posted chem yet - low Ca/KH or elevated PO4 could be a problem.
At least the 'nem can retract from their nips. My tomato pair just rolled a 20 head bicolor frogspawn over TWICE from its spot - over a foot away. Right on top of my high end zoas. Nice.

02/11/2011, 10:20 PM	#1
krazedkazoo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 193	Dying anemone? My bubble tip anemone has been slowly going downhill for the past few months. Apparently my clownfish stopped feeding it and they just recently started breeding and are subsequently beating the nem up to try and get it to move away from their chosen egg-laying spot. The nem's color has gone from a healthy tan to a sickly, ghosty greenish white. I've been trying to feed it but it won't even grab onto/close up over the food. It just lets it float away. I also think it's sticky stingers are gone because I can put my finger in the tentacles and feel absolutely nothing. It still reacts when pestered and it reacts slightly to changes in light, but not nearly as much as it used to. Is there a way to save it? When do I know it's time to just take it out and bury it? Here are some "before" and "after pics to show the color difference. I really appreciate any help or suggestions! Thanks in advance! __________________ I'm a starving artist. Current Tank Info: 40g reef,1 clown, 2 firefish, 1 flame hawk, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 yellow watchman, various soft corals.

02/12/2011, 12:14 AM	#3
bigt0706 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dover , Fl Posts: 1,645	the after pic is bleached __________________ if it dosent break the bank something else will Current Tank Info: 5'' 120 2x 250radiums vho atinics mp40 and tunse 6055 with multicontroller das dual resec skimmer , 70 tech oceanic with 6x36 teck t5 custom sump and miracle mud with bubble magnus cone skimmer

02/12/2011, 08:37 AM	#6
gp2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Central Florida Posts: 258	Is the mouth open or closed, he looks fine to me. __________________ Hobby is a gross understatement...

02/12/2011, 08:49 AM	#7
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	ANenome? Hi KrazedKazoo ; I would try and cover your bubble with a net to stop the clowns from harrassing it. If that does not work maybe you can make some holes in a clear plastic container to go over your nem and hold it in place with some pieces live rock . The Bleaching will stop if you can get your bubble to eat again . Feed every third day a piece of ocean caught red salmon or whatever you it likes..... I nursed my green bubble back after bleaching... It can be saved. You must stop the clowns from getting to it so it will feed again.... Good Luck and keep us posted.

02/12/2011, 09:32 AM	#8
gp2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Central Florida Posts: 258	They don't really need to "eat" per se if your lights are adequate, although I do feed mine just to encourage growth. Agree we need to know lighting. Usually pretty obvious when they're tanking typically they expel there stomach and shrivel up before they become a gooey mess. I have one right now that is expelling his stomach from a fed ex delay of 2 days __________________ Hobby is a gross understatement...

02/11/2011, 10:35 PM	#2
aznsnakeboy89 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Largo Posts: 543	Im not sure but i think the "after" pix look much better than the "before" pix. IMO

02/12/2011, 12:50 AM	#4
jestr Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: orlando Posts: 396	feed it some mysis just in case and make sure its getting enough light... just to see if that makes a difference because clowns usually lay eggs under nems for safety

02/12/2011, 08:19 AM	#5
Postal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 2,707	What lights do you have on your tank?

02/12/2011, 09:46 AM	#9
RARA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Clearwater Posts: 903	I feed mine silverside frozen fish two-three times a month. I don't just count on the clowns to do that. secondly light is important. Ray

02/12/2011, 10:58 AM	#11
RedAnt78 Likes fish Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Edgewater, FL Posts: 649	Check your water parameters. The clowns shouldn't be the cause of this. As long as your lighting is adequate you shouldn't have to worry about the clowns feeding it directly since they will poop in it and it will eat the poop. I would do a couple 20-25% water changes this week. How long have you had the nem? __________________ 40 Breeder Rimless. SPS dominated - 2x Radion XR15

02/12/2011, 03:09 PM	#12
krazedkazoo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 193	To everyone, I have PC lights on my tank. Here is a link to the exact product ( http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewit...ontent=CU01023 ). The bulb has recently been replaced within the past couple months. The anemone is not shaded and gets direct light from the appliance most of the day. I have had this nem for about a year and it seems like it started losing it's tan color halfway through. Some facts to maybe help clarify: 1. My lighting are power compacts (see link above for exact product) with recently replaced bulbs. I have read/been told that BTAs can live under my lighting system just fine. If that is not the case, I do not have the funds to buy a more expensive lighting system. 2. I used to hand feed it before the clownfish began hosting. They will now drag food to it but it REFUSES to close up or grab hold. The food floats away, clownfish drag it back, repeat, repeat. It's diet so far has been brine shrimp and normal flake food. 3. The clownfish have been laying eggs very close to the nem which I know is normal. However, they lay them on top (instead of under) and then bite and pull the nem's tentacles to keep it shrunken away from the eggs. 4. The nem is not deflated and I have not seen an exposed stomach yet. Sounds like the best bet is just covering it with a plastic container or net (to keep clowns off) and maybe trying to feed it silversides? It is not holding on to any food so I don't know if silversides are the answer here. Thanks for all the input! __________________ I'm a starving artist. Current Tank Info: 40g reef,1 clown, 2 firefish, 1 flame hawk, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 yellow watchman, various soft corals.

02/13/2011, 09:53 AM	#13
krazedkazoo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 193	Bump now that light info is up. __________________ I'm a starving artist. Current Tank Info: 40g reef,1 clown, 2 firefish, 1 flame hawk, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 yellow watchman, various soft corals.

02/13/2011, 11:16 AM	#14
Postal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 2,707	The lights you have should be sufficient for a BTA. I'm not sure why it looks so bleached. Have you tested your water parameters lately? Nitrates are never good for nems. You can also post this in the anemone forum where you might get responses from some successful long-time anemone owners.

02/13/2011, 02:22 PM	#15
Pacific Reefs Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,768	I would recommend T5s or Halides for anemones.

02/13/2011, 05:15 PM	#17
jestr Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: orlando Posts: 396	suppliment feed it see if it comes back.. i would say pc if the nem is high in tank would be ok... and feed it mysis or krill i and a few others have had bad luck with silver sides on bta

02/13/2011, 06:02 PM	#18
TampaSnooker Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Land O Lakes, FL Posts: 1,401	FWIW, I keep BTAs under much less light - and much more. Ones kept at the low end of the light spectrum need to be fed more to compensate. I think we should look at what was going on when it bleached. Perhaps aging lamps before the change started its decline. Isolating it from the clowns harassment is probably a good idea. Keep feeding it - or at least trying. Shrimp, fish - anything meaty. I see many grab spirulina flakes that pass by. Try a variety until it accepts something. I don't think you posted chem yet - low Ca/KH or elevated PO4 could be a problem. At least the 'nem can retract from their nips. My tomato pair just rolled a 20 head bicolor frogspawn over TWICE from its spot - over a foot away. Right on top of my high end zoas. Nice. __________________ With fronds like these, who needs anemones?

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