Anemone not eating

[Cerberusfish]

I know this was a bad idea, but a friend of mine who is a manager at a petco got in a shipment of severely bleached and sick anemones and someone other than her decided to go ahead and accept them. She offered me one for free, stating that I could give it better care than her and that it was likely just going to die in her or someone else's system, so I chose a small long tentacle anemone I took it home and immediately I noticed it was not %100 bleached as there was faint color on the tips of its tentacles that weren't apparent under the stores lights. Over the past roughly a week, it has moved around some and I've seen it grab onto a few spots on the rock (which is an improvement because in her tank it wouldnt anchor to anything or move). Its in a lower light area of the tank, which is seems to enjoy because it keeps moving in and out of a shaded spot just below where I originally placed it. It's also perked up slightly and the tentacles seem a little less deflated and a little more color has returned. The problem is that it seems very weak and wont eat. Is there a way to convince it to take food, or a technique to improve its health a lite more? This is my first nem so I'm not %100 sure what to expect since research and reality can be a little different

 

[ScubaFish802]

It sounds like you may want to check out the pinned threads in this section -

Protocol for using antibiotics to treat infected anemones

This is a re-post of what I wrote in ReefCentral on 3/09/2013 Many anemone keepers know, the collection and shipping process from ocean to local fish store (LFS) is a stressful event. Most host anemones do not survive this process without help, especially H. magnifica and S. gigantea. Other...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[reef lover]

I would not feed him until he settles and starts regaining zooanthellan. If hes an lta you'll want to bury his foot in the sand kinda under a piece of rock. Or use PVC pipe.

 

[Cerberusfish]

I would not feed him until he settles and starts regaining zooanthellan. If hes an lta you'll want to bury his foot in the sand kinda under a piece of rock. Or use PVC pipe.

Aaaahhhh, that would explain why he keeps grabbing the edges of the rocks by the sand. I assumed he was trying to get back up the rocks

 

[gh0st]

He needs to be on the BOTTOM. Dig out a hole near a base rock. Let him try to anchor on to the bottom glass of your fish tank. They like lower flow. So find a spot you see collecting debris and try there. Good luck. A picture always helps a bunch.

 

[Scdell]

I have a BTA for about two years now. It's split twice. None of them are on the bottom. They are attached to the rocks a few inches off the bottom. I never feed them, but I feed my tank heavy. They have all grown.

 

[Cerberusfish]

He needs to be on the BOTTOM. Dig out a hole near a base rock. Let him try to anchor on to the bottom glass of your fish tank. They like lower flow. So find a spot you see collecting debris and try there. Good luck. A picture always helps a bunch.

This helps a lot. Not sure if he can anchor to the glass yet because hes small and my clowns like to pile up the sand over there, but I can try putting him on a small rock and bury that. I think the area I have him is good because its shelters from flow and light, but the surrounding area has lots of flow so its not stagnant. When I get home from work I'll bury some small pieces of rock, try sticking his foot in the sand and see what he does

 

[reef lover]

I have a BTA for about two years now. It's split twice. None of them are on the bottom. They are attached to the rocks a few inches off the bottom. I never feed them, but I feed my tank heavy. They have all grown.

The OP has purchased a long tentacle anemone not a bubble tip.

 

[Scdell]

The OP has purchased a long tentacle anemone not a bubble tip.

Oops! Point taken. Obviously I didn't read the thread right.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I have a BTA for about two years now. It's split twice. None of them are on the bottom. They are attached to the rocks a few inches off the bottom. I never feed them, but I feed my tank heavy. They have all grown.

I have never directly given my BTA food either....

Had it for over a year, I “think” there are three now..... Hand for scale.

I am a firm believer in never directly feeding Nems.

 

[Scdell]

I have never directly given my BTA food either....

Had it for over a year, I “think” there are three now..... Hand for scale.

I am a firm believer in never directly feeding Nems.

Nice! Mine are almost that big. I think if you have a clown hosting them they get fed by the clown. I have a tomato clown that hosts all three. I also have a pair of perculas that the tomato won't let near his nems

 

[Cerberusfish]

I have never directly given my BTA food either....

Had it for over a year, I “think” there are three now..... Hand for scale.

I am a firm believer in never directly feeding Nems.

I have hand fed nems several times before and they reacted positively. I've worked with them a bit through my job (I work at a chain pet store) and I occasionally get passed around to different locations, mostly to help their aquatics departments. Ive heard it largely depends on what foods you try and feed, and how often. Feed them too much and it hurts them. Too little and they either starve or dont grow well. But like with everything we work with in this hobby, theres multiple ways they can get fed if you're system is thriving

 

[Cerberusfish]

So I've tried burying its foot in the sand, and it keeps unburying itself. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong. At first I thought it didnt like the spot, but it didnt really move, just got unburied and stay put.

 

[OrionN]

Please post a picture of the anemone so we can properly ID it and give you correct advises.

 

[RC Corals]

* * * This Thread is Not About BubbleTips! * * *


The OP is asking about a Long Tentacle Anemone.

 

[Scdell]

* * * This Thread is Not About BubbleTips! * * *


The OP is asking about a Long Tentacle Anemone.

Think that was addressed on here already.

 

[terraincognita]

So I've tried burying its foot in the sand, and it keeps unburying itself. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong. At first I thought it didnt like the spot, but it didnt really move, just got unburied and stay put.

When you say YOU'RE burying It i wouldn't bury it.

When we say let it bury move the sand away, put it there, and let it try to naturally attach.

Anytime I've EVER, EVER tried to "force a nem" to go in a certain position........ I might as well just punch myself in the face lol.

 

[Cell]

Can we see a full tank picture please along with a photo of the nem, both the tentacles and a good pic of the foot.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I havent directly fed my nem yet, but ive only had it like 4 days now so im going to feed every week. Nems can create sufficient energy from photosynthesis, but feeding does add a lil smth smth. But if the nem was partly bleached, I wouldve probably QT'd it and used antibiotics till it gained its colour again.

 

[OrionN]

* * * This Thread is Not About BubbleTips! * * *


The OP is asking about a Long Tentacle Anemone.

Think that was addressed on here already.

A lot of the time, without ID it ourselves, we find that the anemone in question was incorrectly ID. So I request that we have some picture so we can be sure to know which anemone species we are talking about.

Can we see a full tank picture please along with a photo of the nem, both the tentacles and a good pic of the foot.

Agree.