Need Help Desperatly! Sick anemone!

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
Ok in my other post I have a brackish tank I'm slowly converting to salt. I have my salt at 1.024 and stable but it is still mid cycle I am doing small water changes almost daily just to keep ammonia and nitrites in check. The are lower than they have been but not anywhere near good enough for an anemone. I was gone for a couple days and had my sis taking care of the taank for me. God bless her but she didn't realize she probably gave this poor thing a death sentence. She new I wanted to do a nemo themed tank for my son but not not this soon, I wanted it matured and stable first. Anyway while I was out she tried to be nice and went to deathco and picked up 2 clarki clowns and a condy and a chocolate chip star. The star seems to be fine but the clarki and anemone I pulled from the big tank and put in a 10gal I set up to isolate them with about 10lbs of live rock. Well my nitrites are .5ppm and ammonia is 2 ppm nitrates are 2ppm and now I have these guys. The anemone has been balled up during the day and seems to only come out at night which I'm not sure if it is normal. But last two days its mouth has been hanging open a bit and it just seems loose and limp is the best way I can describe it. My little tank is a constant water change to stay somewhat stable. It has an over flow and I've been keeping a 30 gal tote full of heated ocean water slowly dripping in through airline tubing. This is getting a bit pricy though and not sure how much longer I can keep doing it.

I guess what I'm getting at is there someway to quick cycle the 10 gal to make it safe for them till my 90 is cycled, my 10 has no sand or anything yet would 10lbs live sand or aragonitework? Is there anything else I can do to help the anemone feel better and if not what do I need to look for to know when to remove it.
 

TL1000RSquid

AC Members
Apr 6, 2011
2,364
1
38
46
NY
filling the 10g up with cured live rock(transported wet to avoid die off) live sand would only be useful if its fresh out of someone elses tank. or using someone elses established filter media is the only shot at quick cycling it. RC is down for maintence right now but I did see a thread in the anemone section about treating sick nems with antibiotics maybe read through that when they come back online.

The condi was probably in bad shape before you got it, I've never seen a healthy looking one in a petco before, always bleached and half dead. Also FYI condi's aren't hosting anemones they come from the atlantic and gulf where no clowns exist, also choc chips aren't reef safe something to keep in mind if later on you want to venture from fowlr to reef.
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
Ok I went to take a picture of the condy to show what it is doing and what it looks like and this is what I found. I am not sure if I should be hopeful or not. Will the clarki be able to bring it back, it got it to open up?
photo(1).JPG

Oh and after watching a bit the one clarki seems to be being a prick to the other. It doesn't look like its hurting it just bumping into it but the other goes limp on its side for a sec almost like its submitting to the others dominance. Is that whats going on just them deciding there rolls in the tank, ie male n female?

photo(1).JPG
 

TL1000RSquid

AC Members
Apr 6, 2011
2,364
1
38
46
NY
surprised the clown took to it, but I've heard on rare occasions clarkiis will pair up with a condy, though its not exactly a good thing with a sick nem to have clown harrassing it.

Is its mouth still open?
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
Ok two more things I just went to check the anemone a little close to see if its shows sighns of any ruptures or tears in its foot or main body tissue and my dang clown bit me lol but no tears or anything. I did find a the pic I took earlier today though. This is what its been doing.
photo(2).JPG

photo(2).JPG
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
surprised the clown took to it, but I've heard on rare occasions clarkiis will pair up with a condy, though its not exactly a good thing with a sick nem to have clown harrassing it.

Is its mouth still open?
no its mouth is closed now it just doesn't seem to want to come out. I'm hoping i'm worrying over nothing but i feel bad enough stressing it with my uncycled tank. I'm adding an extra light just in case that is part of the problem. I have just a cheap single 32w t8 i have that came with my one tanks its a 6500k light but I read in another post on here that they need good light and its better than whats on there now.
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
Oh I just saw the earlier post. The live rock came from my friends reef display at his shop and has been there for almost 6 months now undisturbed. I caught him rearranging it and got him to sell me 2 5lb chunks I don't think I can get him to part with his substrate too. But the anemone and fish are staying on the opposite side of the tank by the heater and air stone. I originally placed the anemone on the rock but I guess he didn't like it to well and moved. I just finished changing lights to the florescent wich looks redicules having a 36" light on a 10 gal but it seems to like it. Almost immediately responded to the light turning towards it and popping open even more than the clown got it to do.
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
filling the 10g up with cured live rock(transported wet to avoid die off) live sand would only be useful if its fresh out of someone elses tank. or using someone elses established filter media is the only shot at quick cycling it. RC is down for maintence right now but I did see a thread in the anemone section about treating sick nems with antibiotics maybe read through that when they come back online.

The condi was probably in bad shape before you got it, I've never seen a healthy looking one in a petco before, always bleached and half dead. Also FYI condi's aren't hosting anemones they come from the atlantic and gulf where no clowns exist, also choc chips aren't reef safe something to keep in mind if later on you want to venture from fowlr to reef.
Hoping this isn't a dumb question but what kind of filter media are you meaning, like the bio balls from his canister/sump, not sure what he's running. And if so and he won't part with his filter media would tossing some of the gook from the bottom of his sump have enough bacteria in it work? Also if it will work how would I apply that to my 10gal straight to the filter or in the water and just let the filter pick it up.

Please remember this caught me unaware so all I have is an aqua-tech 5-15 filter for now. I had drilled the overflow just last week for a separate project but have no sump or return on it yet. I only improvised with a straight piece of pvc to get the over flow running this much for now.
 

TL1000RSquid

AC Members
Apr 6, 2011
2,364
1
38
46
NY
Any media containing bio bacteria, sponge, pads, polyfil, some bioballs could help too.

If your friend is nearby and has room the best thing you could probably do would be let him hold onto the anemone for awhile for you till your tank has time to get more established.
 

RClever82

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
20
0
0
42
Warren, PA
Real Name
Bud
Any media containing bio bacteria, sponge, pads, polyfil, some bioballs could help too.

If your friend is nearby and has room the best thing you could probably do would be let him hold onto the anemone for awhile for you till your tank has time to get more established.
Well I called figured worst he could do is say no which he did. Wish he could take it but he said his sabe would most likely finish it off and the rest of his saltwater tanks are for sale inventory and r full. He said just keep doing what i'm doing and it should bounce back. I've known him for years and the only anemone I've ever seen in his tank was his sabe so its not that I don't trust him I just want a second opinion. I know taking it back to petco would defenatly be giving it a death sentence so I would like to avoid that if at all possible. He was going to change filter pads tonight but said he will wait till I can come down tomorrow and give me the pads. Not sure how to apply to my tank other than cutting it up and stuffing my filter with it.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store