Carpet anemone shrinking/hiding

[Reefer79]

I've had 3 carpet anemones in my tank for over 6 months. Two of them are in the sand, fully open and happy. The third one has been about 2 inches and hiding in the rocks for almost 3 months. My tank is stable, he's hosting clowns, not bleached and still eating. I attempted to move him out of the rock work but he's gone back in again. He does get light but he's hiding in the back which of course is no fun for me as I can't see him or the clowns!! I'm confused as to why he won't fully open. He was about 6 inches when I got him. Could the clowns be too much for him? He was big enough for both at full size but now barely one can sleep on him. I notice my shrimps stealing food from him, I'm having to fight them off during feeding time. Should I worry or just leave him be? His size is my only concern, the rest looks normal. I can't even take a photo as he's hiding so well.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Not much of an idea of “what” is going on, but good color, eating (if you feed them) etc. My immediate thought is “leave it be”

If it isn’t showing signs of health crisis...... best to let it do its thing


One of my carpets is on a rock opened wide etc. The other is wedged between the rock base and sand. Just how they have been

 

[Jay Z]

I’d leave him be until he decides to come out. When you move them over and over again it usually never ends up good. They have a tendency to suicide in power heads.

A fixed anemone is a safe anemone. A traveling anemone, well that a mixed bag.

 

[Reefer79]

Not much of an idea of “what” is going on, but good color, eating (if you feed them) etc. My immediate thought is “leave it be”

If it isn’t showing signs of health crisis...... best to let it do its thing

It's only the size that's changed. It used to shrink down on occasion but it's not fully opened in 3 months. I'm hoping hes not on his way out. Surprisingly he's attached to a rock at the bottom so I can pull him out if it comes to that. I find it odd he won't go into the sand.

 

[Reefer79]

I’d leave him be until he decides to come out. When you move them over and over again it usually never ends up good. They have a tendency to suicide in power heads.

A fixed anemone is a safe anemone. A traveling anemone, well that a mixed bag.

Our power heads are covered. He hasn't been floating about, just moved to the back 3 months ago and hasn't come out since. I tried to move him towards better light yesterday, only a few inches over on the rock he's on, but this morning he is back where he started. I thought carpets liked strong lighting. I'm guessing this one isn't a fan of it. This was the first time I attempted to move him, which clearly was pointless. He likes it where he is, just tiny in size. The clowns are battering him, it's like they are trying to get him to open up. Could this be adding to the problem?

 

[Jay Z]

I had a lta with a pair of anemone crabs living on it. He was miserable for 6 months. I liked the crabs more than the anemone so I gave him away. Now my crabs bother my hammer coral.

My 2 mini carpets have different personalities. One in my main was in a open clam shell for 4 months. Always happy. One day he just climbed out and went behind my rock work in the shadows. Been there for 2 months. No idea why he moved. Nothing changed to force it.

One in my other tank picked a spot by the front glass and buried itself in full light and opened up nicely.

So one chose sand bed and full light, the other rock work and shade.

My big carpet (14”) put his foot back into a cave under the substrate and then stretched out to the light. His foot is probably 6-8” back into the cave. When my clowns started bother the big guy. He ate them.

Maybe there like people. Can’t expect everyone to act the same way.

 

[Reefer79]

I had a lta with a pair of anemone crabs living on it. He was miserable for 6 months. I liked the crabs more than the anemone so I gave him away. Now my crabs bother my hammer coral.

My 2 mini carpets have different personalities. One in my main was in a open clam shell for 4 months. Always happy. One day he just climbed out and went behind my rock work in the shadows. Been there for 2 months. No idea why he moved. Nothing changed to force it.

One in my other tank picked a spot by the front glass and buried itself in full light and opened up nicely.

So one chose sand bed and full light, the other rock work and shade.

My big carpet (14”) put his foot back into a cave under the substrate and then stretched out to the light. His foot is probably 6-8” back into the cave. When my clowns started bother the big guy. He ate them.

Maybe there like people. Can’t expect everyone to act the same way.

My clowns actually hide in its mouth. I don't know how it hasn't eaten him yet lol this guy is about 12 inches. He's got his foot in the sand in a cave but he's always open and in full view. I have multiple bubbletips, but none of them bubble lol they all have long tenticles. Again, must be my lighting. But all of them are bright and eating well.

 

[Jay Z]

Lol. My bubbles don’t bubble either. Just really long. Kind of like them better like that.

 

[Reefer79]

Lol. My bubbles don’t bubble either. Just really long. Kind of like them better like that.

They were all bubbled in the store, but never in my tank. Always curious what causes that. I've read its normal but still very odd.

 

[Jon Fishman]

My bubbles never bubble either! It (when it was one) wasn’t bubbled in the store though...... was the size of a dinner-plate before the split:

 

[Reefer79]

My bubbles never bubble either! It (when it was one) wasn’t bubbled in the store though...... was the size of a dinner-plate before the split:

Wow, none of mine split.. Yet!... but I have a few snakelock anemones that multiply rapidly. I keep giving them to my local fishstore.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I tried to give one of them away, but couldn’t get it out of the rock despite trying for 2 days. Wish it were still one big one!

 

[Reefer79]

I tried to give one of them away, but couldn’t get it out of the rock despite trying for 2 days. Wish it were still one big one!

I have a tiny red luminescent one, I hope it grows like yours! Only about 2 inches atm. Fingers crossed

 

[chizerbunoi]

From my experience, when I provide constant random flow my BTA string out their tentacles. But when I have a short wave pulse from A to B, they all bubble up. This is across two different tanks and throughout the entire tank.

I personally would move the hiding carpet so that I can ensure it’s health, is eating and viewable for my enjoyment. Maybe the clowns are hosting it too aggressively and should pick one of the other two carpets. It’s been 3 months you said, and that carpet might be eating itself and dying. What if there is a bacterial infection and you need to give it treatment before it spreads to the other carpets. You don’t know until you pull it out.

 

[Reefer79]

From my experience, when I provide constant random flow my BTA string out their tentacles. But when I have a short wave pulse from A to B, they all bubble up. This is across two different tanks and throughout the entire tank.

I personally would move the hiding carpet so that I can ensure it’s health, is eating and viewable for my enjoyment. Maybe the clowns are hosting it too aggressively and should pick one of the other two carpets. It’s been 3 months you said, and that carpet might be eating itself and dying. What if there is a bacterial infection and you need to give it treatment before it spreads to the other carpets. You don’t know until you pull it out.

My other 2 carpets are already hosted by clowns. They all have their own and since they are different types, they don't get along, they keep to their own side of the tank. The only reason I've not pulled it out is because it's attached to a rock that I can move if it does start to look sick. I can still see it from the back if I remove the black film on the glass but not from the front. So I'm able to keep an eye on him. I've attached a photo taken from the back of my tank...after lifting the film for a quick picture. Last time I tried to move him, he just wandered back in the night so I don't want to stress him too much,especially since I can get to him where he is. I'd hate for him to hide in the rocks that I can't move.

 

[bam123]

From my experience, when I provide constant random flow my BTA string out their tentacles. But when I have a short wave pulse from A to B, they all bubble up. This is across two different tanks and throughout the entire tank.

I personally would move the hiding carpet so that I can ensure it’s health, is eating and viewable for my enjoyment. Maybe the clowns are hosting it too aggressively and should pick one of the other two carpets. It’s been 3 months you said, and that carpet might be eating itself and dying. What if there is a bacterial infection and you need to give it treatment before it spreads to the other carpets. You don’t know until you pull it out.

LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS!! CARPETS HATE BEING HANDLED. THey are not BTAs

 

[vetteguy53081]

Age of tank and brightness of tank?
Moderate light and moderate flow and feed2X per week required,

 

[Reefer79]

LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS!! CARPETS HATE BEING HANDLED. THey are not BTAs

That's what I thought. That's why I've left him alone. I attached what he looked like before he went into hiding as well as what he looks like now.

 

[bam123]

I wouldn't try and feed him solids as that will further stress him. I would try dosing aminos and making sure your water is pristine. Other then that, good luck. I would probably get rid of him soon if he starts to look much worse or if the clownfish leaves. You don't want his rotting corpse to kill everything else.

 

[Reefer79]

Age of tank and brightness of tank?
Moderate light and moderate flow and feed2X per week required,

18 months since stable, we have v2ilumienAir lights, on a 10 hr light cycle. 4 hours a day high light. We actually had a reef tank professional come and help us so I know the lighting is where it needs to be. We also have many other anemones in our tank that are very happy. Our other two carpets are nearly a foot in size. We feed them smelt every 3 days. Plus the clowns feed them also.