Chicago Anemone help needed! Experts pls

[faiz_latif]

Hey all I’ve had this waterbox 60 running for over a year. Over the course of the year I have tried 4 separate Colorado sunbursts.

2 of the originals died, after a couple weeks of looking quite happy. They suddenly start excreting their guts out of their tentacles. Or alternatively eat their tentacles. Any advice would be appreciated. Pictures below. You will notice one nem is bleached, I got it like this. I paid for one and he gave me an extra one that was in a shaded area for free.

I have started an in tank cipro treatment. It’s the only thing I can think of that I haven’t done. I’ve tried these nems from multiple sources and it’s starting to feel like I’m just renting them at this point. I can keep LPS/SPS no issue however, with good growth.

Tank parameters:
Alk: 8-8.5
Mag: 1390
Cal: 390
Po4: 0.4-0.9
No3: 1-3
Ph: 7.85-8.25

The tank has been stable in these ranges for 9+ months.

 

[Tahoe61]

Lighting please.

 

[faiz_latif]

Lighting please.

Xr30, blade, Orphek bar.

High of 350 par the middle/top low of 150 at edges of tank. Should be sufficient….

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Your nutrients are extremely low is the first thing I see.

Can we see a full tank pic? Experienced hobbyists can look at a tank and good a good impression of whats working and whats not working.

 

[sushiboss]

I’m not an expert but when I tried nems too early it never worked out.

You over a year so that should have plenty of biodiversity.

Try increasing your nutrient levels and see if that helps?

They are quite low

 

[faiz_latif]

Your nutrients are extremely low is the first thing I see.

Can we see a full tank pic? Experienced hobbyists can look at a tank and good a good impression of whats working and whats not working.

I took some shots of the tank today, here they are!

 

[faiz_latif]

I’m not an expert but when I tried nems too early it never worked out.

You over a year so that should have plenty of biodiversity.

Try increasing your nutrient levels and see if that helps?

They are quite low

Yeah good suggestion ill up the nitrate dosing. Low but stable should suffice though…no? I’ve kept rose anemones in this water chemistry.

 

[backbayreef]

I have 5 Colorado’s and 2 Chicago’s (edit: 4 now since one split last night and I fragged the other one last week). I have not seen this behavior before though.

Shooting in the dark — are you running any carbon? Something is in the water column? Cipro is good to treat infections. I’ve actually put the nems in a box and turkey baste it. Perhaps need to have higher potency doing it directly vs treating the whole tank?

Also, have you tried to get these nems from another source or it’s been the same all this time?

Lastly — you’ll need some nem guards on your MP40s. My Haddoni’s wrapped around that twice!

 

[faiz_latif]

I have 5 Colorado’s and 2 Chicago’s (edit: 4 now since one split last night and I fragged the other one last week). I have not seen this behavior before though.

Shooting in the dark — are you running any carbon? Something is in the water column? Cipro is good to treat infections. I’ve actually put the nems in a box and turkey baste it. Perhaps need to have higher potency doing it directly vs treating the whole tank?

Also, have you tried to get these nems from another source or it’s been the same all this time?

Lastly — you’ll need some nem guards on your MP40s. My Haddoni’s wrapped around that twice!

I have guards I leave on if I’m out of the house for 9+ hours otherwise I would prefer the flow through them for the sps lol.

Different sources. Constantly running carbon (apart from during cipro).

 

[backbayreef]

I have guards I leave on if I’m out of the house for 9+ hours otherwise I would prefer the flow through them for the sps lol.

Different sources. Constantly running carbon (apart from during cipro).

I see - so you don’t sleep and watch these guys? j/k All good - CSB don’t move often so you should be good.

Some fish nipping at them?

Perhaps @OrionN and others may chime in…

 

[faiz_latif]

I see - so you don’t sleep and watch these guys? j/k All good - CSB don’t move often so you should be good.

Some fish nipping at them?

Perhaps @OrionN and others may chime in…

Also I literally check on the nems when I wake up in the night and need the restroom LOL psychotic right… refuse guards tho

Fish list:

Yellow tang
Yellow Coris
Ornate leopard wrasse
2 clowns
2 bangai
5 chromis
Midas blenny
6 spot sleeper goby

Any red flags?

 

[ontarioreefer]

Do you keep any other types of anemones in the tank with the CSBs?

 

[backbayreef]

Do you keep any other types of anemones in the tank with the CSBs?

Me? I got Chicago, Colorado, Haddoni, and Magnifica — all in the 90gal tank!

 

[daniel leyva]

Me? I got Chicago, Colorado, Haddoni, and Magnifica — all in the 90gal tank!

Mixing anemones is a big no no lol

 

[backbayreef]

Mixing anemones is a big no no lol

Really? Why?

 

[BryanM]

Tank parameters:
Alk: 8-8.5
Mag: 1390
Cal: 390
Po4: 0.4-0.9
No3: 1-3
Ph: 7.85-8.25

I see people saying low nutrients, but the phosphates numbers are sky high.... Sure, nitrates are low, but that phos number needs to be lower, and more stable than this range.

Consensus says phos .06.
I and some others say .03, up to .3 is okay. I'm shooting for .1 myself.

 

[bubbgee]

Mixing anemones is a big no no lol

Never had luck mixing Colorado, Chicago and Black Widows. Now just sticking to Chicagos.

 

[bubbgee]

I have 5 Colorado’s and 2 Chicago’s (edit: 4 now since one split last night and I fragged the other one last week). I have not seen this behavior before though.

Shooting in the dark — are you running any carbon? Something is in the water column? Cipro is good to treat infections. I’ve actually put the nems in a box and turkey baste it. Perhaps need to have higher potency doing it directly vs treating the whole tank?

Also, have you tried to get these nems from another source or it’s been the same all this time?

Lastly — you’ll need some nem guards on your MP40s. My Haddoni’s wrapped around that twice!

Carbon is a must! I have both carbon bag and carbon mixed with GFO in a reactor.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

older thread but I do mix nems. Right now its black widows and rbta. rbtas tend to stay away from black widow.

 

[bubbgee]

older thread but I do mix nems. Right now its black widows and rbta. rbtas tend to stay away from black widow.

Interesting. Long term, I would want a tank dedicated to black widows.