Anemone acting strangely... LTA in a ten gallon...   1/31/06 Hi there,     Fist of all, I should say that I've read over a lot of the already answered postings, and I can't find something that sounds just like the issue I'm having with my LTA.  I'm sorry if you already have answered this, though, and maybe I'm just using the wrong search keywords.   <Possibly... but may not be there. WWM will never be "done"> Anyways, about my anemone.  I purchased a gorgeous LTA from the LFS a little less than a week ago.  The man at the store told me to make sure I have strong circulation around the anemone, feed it silversides, and make sure to change my 96-watt bulbs if they are over a year old.  I did change my bulbs (they were about two years old) and made sure all circulation was strong (I even added a powerhead and bubble wall).  I slowly acclimated the anemone through about a one and a half hour acclimation of adding small amounts of my water to the bag water. <Were the new/old water qualities about the same?>   The anemone moved around the tank for several days <A bad sign> until it finally settled in two days ago between some live rock.  It inflated quite nicely and my clownfish seemed to show signs of accepting it (he was nudging it and laying on it).  I then fed it a light feeding of brine shrimp just to see if it would eat--it accepted it willingly.  Then, yesterday morning, the anemone had moved again and looked absolutely horrible.  It was laying on it's side, the tentacles were shriveled and limp looking, and there were large globs of slime and large, black, curled looking balls coming out of the anemone's mouth. <Very bad sign>   I called the fish store and they said it was most liking ridding itself of waste. <<Nope; dying>> Today it has moved again and still looks the same (more black balls have appeared and it's difficult to discern the tentacles).  My question is, is it ridding itself of waste or is it dying? <A bit of both>   I have a ten gallon aquarium (yes, I know 10-gallons are dangerous, <... not able to sustain this animal> but I have very stable conditions with 8.2 pH, 0 ammonia, nitrite, and 0-10 nitrates), 96-watt 50/50 PC lamp, strong filtration with a Skilter, powerhead, and bubble wall, and about 20-30 lbs of live rock. The temperature stays steady at about 82º.  The tank is about 2.5 years old and has had a clownfish and coral banded shrimp living in it happily the entire time.  Should I get the anemone out, or will it revive itself?   <Too likely it is dying, will take the rest of your livestock with it... This animal may well have not been well-adjusted from wild-collection, had troubles no matter what was done with it, but placing it in such a small volume... very small chance of success. Bob Fenner> Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, ~Jonathon
Re: Anemone acting strangely   2/1/06 Thanks for your help.  I finally decided to take the poor thing out and toss it...  It was beginning to cloud my water slightly and I figured it had to be dying.  I had great luck with a BTA about a year ago (it lived 8 months!), but I guess I should just give up on anemones since my tank is so small.    Thanks again, Jonathon <Ah, yes. Bob Fenner>

LTA Injured >Dear Crew: >>Dear Angie, using Jeffrey's email.. Marina here. >I have a 44 pent saltwater tank w/an undergravel filter/Power Sweep 228 powerhead, Eheim Classic 2217, JBJ power compact lighting (1 36w actinic,  1 36w 10K), 1 15w Marine-Glo, and a crushed shell base.  The depth is 22". >>Ok.  Since this question, I'm assuming, is about a long tentacle anemone, I'm wondering why you've gone with an undergravel filter (assuming you're new to saltwater). >Currently, I have about 15 lbs of live rock, 1 Gorgonia, 1 flowerpot coral w/barnacles (these look like skeletal hands, it's really cool), 1 Montipora w/button polyps, a large hunk of Porites, some mushrooms, Ricordea, and what I think to be "waving hands" coral (growing like crazy).   >>That would probably be Xenia. >I also have a panther grouper, a Fiji damsel, a cleaner shrimp, a red fire shrimp and a curlicue anemone that I've had for 2 years. >>You've had *that* mix of fish for two years???  I would expect the panther (which is in a pitifully small tank for its ultimate adult size) to begin slurping up what fits in its mouth as soon as it thinks they'll fit. >All are doing great!  Ph is 8.4, salinity is 1.025, temp is 76,  no ammonia, 'trites or 'trates. (Pods and serpent stars are throughout substrate and live rock.)  Recently, I added an LTA and noticed that its pedicle was damaged (don't know if it was during collection or bagging at the fish store).   >>Uh oh.. rough handling, bad juju. >It looks like a white ragged rip about 1/4" long across the foot, which is 3" in diameter.  It wants to anchor but won't/can't (it seems to hover over the substrate, not quite off, but not quite in)  The coloring is great and otherwise seems healthy.  Is this anemone doomed or is there a way I can facilitate its healing? (I plan on upgrading the lighting to 2 55w PC bulbs instead of the 2 36w PCs within the next month.) >>Glad to hear you're going to upgrade that lighting.  I strongly suggest you set up a small (ten gallons should do) hospital tank, and line it with well-washed Astroturf (yes, Astroturf!).  This helps removal once the anemone has healed.  I would line all surfaces (remember, you don't have to fill the tank all the way up with water) with the turf.  From here you have two choices; you can either keep water quality pristine as you do in your main and observe, or you can begin treating with Spectrogram.  In either case, handle the animal with care. >Your site is incredible, one of the most informative I have ever seen on the web.  Thank you in advance!  Angie S. >>Thank you, and you're welcome.  I do hope this helps.  Marina
LTA Injured - Pt. II >So sorry about my husband's previous question about undergravs.  I told him to look through the FAQs first!   >>You've made my biggest smile for the day so far. >Thanks again for the response, but we are taking the LTA back to our LFS today and getting credit or a better specimen.   >>Sounds like a good idea to me.  Though, upon reading our FAQs, you'll notice that we strongly discourage keeping motile cnidarians (anemones) with sessile inverts, as they can move about and inadvertently sting them to death.  Just so you're aware of the possibility. >Have relocated the grouper to our trigger tank (don't gasp, they are about 3" compared to his 5" and either he is really docile -he thinks he's a dog!- or we feed him really well and regularly) and all are getting along.   >>No gasping here, I've had panthers and found them to be sufficiently "froggy" for lots of triggers.   >Thanks again for such informed people running a superb site!!!  Angie S. (Using Jeff's email again!!) >>You're quite welcome, and thank you!  Marina

Long Tentacle Tangled Anemone 10/11/05 Greetings and thank you for such a great site! <Hello, and thank you for the kind words.> I purchased 1 LT anemone a few days ago and have been very concerned with its health. Several of the little critter's tentacles appear to be tangled within one another. Imagine long clown balloons used for making balloon animals. The poor little tentacles seem to be tied up in this very fashion! I have observed 2 separate spots involving about 4 tentacles each. It almost seems like there is some fiber constricting these little clusters! <It may appear to be tangled but I can assure you that this is not a problem. They will never be sticking up from the base at a 90 degree angle swaying in perfect unison as a popular cartoon would suggest.> Additionally, it seems to have a difficult time staying "stuck" in its spot.  <Anemones often have trouble adjusting to captive environments. It may still be finding the spot it wants.>  It will appear to be stuck into the crushed coral only to roll over a few hours later and then recover once again. Should I attempt to move it to a rock for better "hold" and/or lighting?  <No you can damage it in this way, furthermore the Long Tentacle Anemone is properly placed in the sand bed and not the rock work.>  Its mouth is closed and it tentacles are inflated (save the "tangled" ones).  I have a 55 G tank w/ 55 pounds of live rock Emperor 400 and Aqua Clear 70 Berlin Air Lift skimmer <You may want to upgrade this eventually, if its working out and you have no nutrient problems then disregard this.> Two 65 watt 10,000K and two 65 watt True Actinic compact fluorescent Lamps <These may be inadequate for the anemone, monitor it for signs of bleaching and be sure to feed it once per week.> All test show levels at 0 (Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite) pH hovering at 8.1-8.2 Any help you could give me is much appreciated. <Read here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/macrodoreensis.htm, and read the linked FAQ's as well.> Brooke <Adam J.> 

LTA deflated Tentacles / Cyano Problems  11/7/05 Good Afternoon, I have a couple of questions regarding my 55g reef. I believe I may have a problem with my tank as I am experiencing some Cyano problems. Currently my water parameters are as follows: Salinity 1.026 pH 8.2 Ammonia .5 -1 <Trouble> Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Phosphate 0 KH 10 My anemone will open it's mouth everyday expelling a slimy substance and it's tentacles are deflated. <A good clue... something is amiss> It seems to almost flip inside out almost everyday. I know an anemone in general is hard to keep, but it was fine for the first two months with the water chemistry not changing much. My maxima clam and pipe organs are doing just fine though. Everything else in the tank is fine except a yellow tang that has died recently from unknown causes, my best guess is starvation as the seaweed I've been trying to feed her is getting taken away by my Clarkii clown. I actually only have about 25lbs of live rock and 15lbs what was sold as live rock but seemed like base rock. So if I count them, it'll be 40lbs which is probably too little for a reef tank. <Is fine for this size, shape, type system> I also have about 30lbs of Lava Rock <This may be problematical... I would at least have the water tested for iron content> I hope will eventually become "live." Should I buy more live rock? <Would help, yes> And if so, where can I purchase it at your site? <Mmm, we don't sell anything (other than the books, pix we produce...)> Here is my tank set up. Standard 55 gallon 80lb live sand 260w power compacts with 130w 10,000k and 130w actinic Tidepool I Mag Drive 7 AquaC Urchin with MaxiJet And its inhabitants: 2 Damsels Clarkii Clownfish Fire Shrimp 3 peppermint shrimps 2 conch 1 brittle star 15 blue leg hermits 10 red leg hermits 15 Astrea snails 2 emerald crabs bubble coral Maxima Clam Pipe Organ LTA Rusty gorgonian Various feather dusters Thanks for all your help! <I would keep an eye on the anemone, be ready to siphon/vac it out if/when it dies... something is awry in your system chemically... I would remove the lava rock precautionarily (is this a word?),  <<Not that I can find (other than a specific use in translated online Islamic texts), but we get your meaning.  Marina>> and look