Anemone Acclimation

[Robert04]

I've got myself 2 anemones at the moment and I've had trouble on the last two Long tip anemones that I have tried and don't seem to do well. I did my normal 2 hour drip the first time though I have heard of people doing much longer so I set my drip tube valve a little tighter and left it for 5 hours the second time... The next day the anemones seem agitated and begin "shedding" or "puking" some mucus then slowly dying off by day 2-3. I noticed abit of cyano at the LFS this week but the anemones are still fine, the same batch.. They were in the LFS store tanks for a month before I purchased and I tried one 2 weeks ago and one last week when I got my lucky clownfish. I tested my water and the only thing that was above my moderate levels was my nitrates at 10ppm.

I noticed my flame reef lobster had eaten my little sponge that I purchased and caught him munching out on it several times so I was glad to figure that one out. But could he be the suspect? have they ever been known to take a bite or two out of anemones?

I've had him for awhile now and he's only ever attacked the sponge and all my other corals/anemones are fine untouched and he is quite weary of them.

[Fishfriend1]

Can we have a pic or 2?

[Robert04]

The anemones are gone now, I fished the carcace of the last one out this morning and if you have ever seen a dying anemone the way it just sort of slowly melts away.. Thats how it looks after day 1.. let's go of the rock and dies.

I am waiting for a camera to take pictures of my gonorias purchased a couple weeks ago.. I will be posting them today and I will post photos of the other two anemones in my aquarium.

[Amphiprion]

I don't think the lobster is to blame for the anemones. In this case, it is hard to pin down, but just from what you describe, I don't believe they were in that good of a condition to start with.

[Robert04]

They were hosting clownfish and looked so good in the store.. I thought it would be a sure thing.. Could you give me some tips on how to find a nice healthy anemone, or signs of a sick one?.

[Amphiprion]

It can be difficult, especially if the damage has already been done. In any case, I look for anemones that have fully attached to their respective preferred substate (even if it means taking a rock home for a little while), are full and open, mouths are firmly closed, no visible damage, and the column is full and firm. If the anemone is limp, it may be harmless (regular exchange of intracellular water, etc.), or it may be ailing. That's why it is important to observe over time like you did. Other than that, you just provide as best you can for the animal. Anemones are reasonably difficult to begin with. The terrible shipping and handling conditions don't help the fact that they are one of the highest failure rates in the hobby.

[Robert04]

It is quite discouraging because the anemones I have been trying are 70$ each :) hehe plus the fact that I can't walk into a store without buying a bottle or prime or jug of carbs hehe. Can never have enough prime!

The mouths of these ones we're actually a little puffy now that you say it and the first thing to happen was the mouth would deteriorate then it would sag and fall over then rott away. I read in a book that for some anemones it is recommended to touch the tenticles to see how sticky they are and that would give you a good idea of how healthy the anemone is, though this was an ancient book from the library.

[Ace25]

Why would you ever need to use Prime in a SW tank? I think that tells more of your problems than anything.

[Robert04]

Really? I treat my water before I ro/di it.. Is that innapropriate? I was advised to at my lfs when I purchased my RO/DI.

[Ace25]

Please explain. How does one go about adding Prime to water BEFORE it goes through an RO/DI unit?

[Robert04]

I have my RO/DI hooked up to my pump that sits in a big garbage can of water, which runs into my refill "bucket kart" I was told that was how it was done.. I questioned it but I figured it removed ammonia or something from the tap water.

And I do have the fitting to hookup straight to the Faucet I believe.

[Ace25]

ok, that makes sense.. that was really the only way I could imagine how one would do it as well..

next question, how much Prime are you adding? I use Seachem's version of it after I make my RO/DI, but I only add 5 drops per 30 gallons and that is solely to break up any chloramines that may have made it past my chloramine filter, then let it sit aerated for 24 hours before I add salt to mix it. Also, are you checking your TDS on your RO/DI unit to make sure it is good water coming out?

[Robert04]

I change the filter when it starts hitting 5-7 and I use about 8 drops of prime right now to every 40g so I think I'm using way to much.

I use the syringe from I think it's the kent Iodine solution but its an old one I cleaned thoroughly.

[Ace25]

Naw, everything sounds good on your end.. just wanted to make sure because when you said "you can never have enough Prime" that kinda of scared me thinking your adding way too much.. but it doesn't sound like it.

Just taking a wild guess, but maybe some water parameters between your LFS and your tank at home are so far off from each other than even a 2 hour acclimation still isn't enough for the anemones to adjust properly. If it seems healthy at the LFS and dies within a couple days at home that tells me something between the 2 tanks is very different. I agree with the "stickiness factor" you read.. to me that is another good way to tell if an anemone is healthy.

[Robert04]

Yea, you are probably right.. The guy who manages the fish and lizards at my LFS store informed me that they didn't bring any stock in for 2 weeks because they were treating the tanks. I waited a few weeks and observed the anemones throughout the treatments and maybe I prematurely started purchasing.

[Ace25]

What kind of treatment did they do? Most common treatment I know of at a LFS is dosing with copper to get rid of Ich, but you can't do that with Corals or Inverts, and if that is what they did I would say that led to the demise of the anemones.. just another wild guess though.

[Robert04]

They were doing seachem cyano prevention treatment and I believe a "Ich treatment" that I didn't get specifications on which treatment it was. They also cleaned alot of the tanks thoroughly.. Maybe they caused a mini cycle?

[Ace25]

Cyano treatment, no problem with that and corals and inverts, it is the Ich treatment, more specifically, the method they used, that would be the biggest concern. If they used Kick-Ich it shouldn't harm anything.. it won't help anything either though. I would ask them what method they used for the "Ich" part just so you know. If they used copper, that is your answer to the dying anemones IMO.

[Robert04]

Okay copper question now.. I've read about copper being stuck in tanks and the silicone permanently, is this a myth or could I have introduced this copper into my aquarium.. I need to buy a test kit for copper.

[Ace25]

It is a myth that never dies, silicone can't absorb anything. If it could you would have water leaking out the seams. ;) If the anemones were treated in copper at the LFS then they have already absorbed it and that was the end of them... they can still look healthy for a couple weeks after the fact but still be dying.

[Robert04]

Right on. glad to know this. I thoroughly cleaned the heck out of my aquarium and resiliconed it because of the fear hahaha.. I never bothered asking my aunt if she had used it on the setup but it didn't matter I was paranoid enough to get'er done :)


Thanks for the help everyone.

[Amphiprion]

I still don't understand why you are needing to use Prime before water is pushed through your RO/DI unit. If anything, that will raise the TDS and eventually shorten membrane and resin life. If it is chloramine you are worried about, they make catalytic carbon blocks for that purpose. I just don't see the Prime doing you any favors.

[Robert04]

So can I get rid of the garbage can? lol sorry to sound excited but It's been a dread having to use two buckets instead of one.

[Amphiprion]

Yes, you shouldn't need it. First, make sure whether or not your municipal supply uses chloramine. If it does, you'll need catalytic carbon blocks instead of regular carbon blocks. One of the arrangements found here (http://www.thefilterguys.biz/chloramine_filters.htm) would be ideal if your tap has chloramine and it will negate the use of your dual garbage can systems. Just be sure to test on a regular basis and take the precautions that Ace does. A bit of Prime in the product water to be safe seems like a good idea regardless.