Help with Colorado Sunburst Anemone

[arking_mark]

Question: My newly added CSB (1 week) is hiding under a rock and only about half of it comes out with morning and evening lighting. This seems like odd behavior compared to previous RBTAs I've owned over the years that love light. What if anything should I do?

Morning/Evening:

Mid-day:

CSB acquisition and acclimation:

1. Bought from R2R reefer with mostly similar lighting/schedule (kessil a365x/BRS recommended and 360 PAR) and parameter (1.026 for salt . Alk is 11 , ca is 430 , no 5 and phos 0.1)
2. Overnight shipping, but CSB water temp was high at 85
3. Drip acclimation
4. Added to rock midway in the tank ~300 PAR
5. CSB immediately moved under the rock to another location
6. Where it pops out PAR is 350-400 Mid-day

Thing to note:

• Tank parameters are off from typical since I was on a 2-week vacation prior to getting the CSB. Typical: 1.0264 SG, 7.7dKH, 5 ppm NO3, 0.07 PO4, pH 8.23 - 8.45. After vacation: 1.0258 SG, 8:7dKH, 11 ppm NO3, 0.17 PO4, pH 8.15 - 8.35. Do to measurement accuracy, I don't particularly suspect anything here. I bumped up NoPox dosing slightly to reduce nutrients.
• Yesterday, I removed a flower nem that was on the other side of tank and started carbon in case there was chemical warfare going on.
• I've fed the CSB twice with a little frozen food.

Lighting schedule:

Tank Info:

Tank: 5' long RS 525xl
Age: 20 months old
Total volume: 400L
Lighting: 2 x Kessil 360x, 1 x Kessil AP9x, 2 x 4' Reefbright XHO Blue
Aquascape: Dry rock and DSB
Powerheads: 2 x Reefwave 45, 1 x Octo Pulse 2
Sump: Trigger Platinum 34"
Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo w/ recirculating CO2 Scrubber
Return Pump: Ecotech L1
Controller: GHL (Temp, Salinity, pH, & Alk)

Target/Typical Parameters:
Temp: 76.5 to 77.5
Salinity: 1.0264ish
Alk: 7.7ish dKH
Ca: 450ish ppm
Mag: 1450ish
NO3: 3-5ppm
PO4: 0.03 - 0.08

Dosing:
2.0 ml/min Kalkwasser (~ 0.5 dKH)
6 - 42 ml/day All-for-reef (~ 0.1 - 0.6 dKH based on dKH setpoint of 7.7)

Feeding: Very varied mix of Panta Nori, True Algae, TDO Chroma Boost, Sea Veggies, Reef Chili, Nutridiet Marine, Masstick, DKI Marine, Frozen Multipack, Frozen Bloodworms, frozen Mysis

Fish:
Candy Basslet (2 years)
Mollie (19 months)
Blue Striped Pipe Fish (18 Months)
Orange Goby / Shrimp Pair (14 Months)
Yellow Banded Possom Wrass (12 Months)
Possum Wrass (12 Months)
Green Banded Goby (12 Months)
2 x Gold Headed Slepper Gibies (10 months)
1 x Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (10 Months)
White Tail Bristletooth Tang (9 Months)
Copper-Banded Butterfly (6 Months)
Blue Hippo Tang (6 Months)
Aiptasia Eating Filefish (2 Months)
5 x Cardinals (1 Month)

Inverts:
Snails mixed
Peppermint Shrimp
Halloween Hermit Crabs
Mini Serpent Stars
Asterina Stars
Collonista Snails

Non-sps Corals:
Lots of softies (Zoas, Mushrooms,)
Some LPS ( Jellybean Chalice, BSA Tittie Twister, JF Dayglo, Space Invaders)

SPS:
Bubble Gum Digi (9 Months)
Walt Disney frag (9 Months)
Thing Frag (9 Months)
Pikachu Frag (9 Months)
Bill Murry Mini Colony (9 Months)

 

[fishguy242]

Hi, the alk change ?
@F i s h y @Lost in the Sauce @Rtaylor ?

 

[Dburr1014]

If it is still coming out a little it may still be getting used to the tank.
Could take another week or two.
I wouldn't stress out just yet.

 

[arking_mark]

...I should have posted this to the Soft Coral Discussion forum.

If the moderators could move this thread...

Thanks

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Firstly, Stop feeding it. Direct feeding is a luxury reserved for happy, settled anenomes. It is an additional stressor, that it frankly does not currently need.

Personally, I don't see anything alarming here. Your parameters seem to be in good order. So long as lighting and flow are good, the nem will likely come around.

It may go on a walkabout before settling. That would be an awesome time to confirm that your pumps and wave makers are all anenome proofed.

 

[arking_mark]

Firstly, Stop feeding it. Direct feeding is a luxury reserved for happy, settled anenomes. It is an additional stressor, that it frankly does not currently need.

Personally, I don't see anything alarming here. Your parameters seem to be in good order. So long as lighting and flow are good, the nem will likely come around.

It may go on a walkabout before settling. That would be an awesome time to confirm that your pumps and wave makers are all anenome proofed.

Thanks for the feedback. I will watch and wait. Pumps have nem/snail guards.

 

[ScottB]

Thanks for the feedback. I will watch and wait. Pumps have nem/snail guards.

Numbers and maturity check out good. Gonna be fine. Shipping stress is my guess.

 

[arking_mark]

@Lost in the Sauce @ScottB @Dburr1014

CSB has disappeared!!

So the CSB was coming out a little more day after day.

Then Friday night after lights went down it went on a walkabout under the rock and into the crevasse of the two large rocks holding up the rock it was on.

I figured I get up in the morning and it would be in a new spot.

It's literally nowhere to be found in the tank. I've checked the behind equipment and nothing been sucked into a powerhead as they all have nem guards.

The only place I can figure is I know that underneath one of the crevasse rocks is a cave where my Candy Basslet lives.

It's only been a day since it disappeared.

Should I move the rocks and try to find it or give it more time to come out?

How long can a nem go without light and/or good flow?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

How was it looking while moving around? Color good? Tenticals inflated?

You'd be amazed at their ability to hide, sometimes in plain sight.

Don't move rocks. Just think if the foot is connected between those two rocks, and you tear it in half. No Good.

Give it time. It's likely looking for the right spot. Top down viewing often helps find them when they tuck in a weird spot.

 

[arking_mark]

How was it looking while moving around? Color good? Tenticals inflated?

You'd be amazed at their ability to hide, sometimes in plain sight.

Don't move rocks. Just think if the foot is connected between those two rocks, and you tear it in half. No Good.

Give it time. It's likely looking for the right spot. Top down viewing often helps find them when they tuck in a weird spot.

No really. I've checked everywhere...my tank has space behind the rocks so I pretty much can see everywhere.

Doing it's walk about Friday night, it's tentacles where pulled in. The space under the rock where it was is relatively tight.

When it was out it seemed nicely inflated.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

No really. I've checked everywhere...my tank has space behind the rocks so I pretty much can see everywhere.

Doing it's walk about Friday night, it's tentacles where pulled in. The space under the rock where it was is relatively tight.

When it was out it seemed nicely inflated.

No pile of goo to be found?

It's still likely in there

 

[Dburr1014]

I agree to give it time. Mine have gone for 3/4 days when first put in. Have you tried a flashlight around the rocks?
When they hide sometimes its too much light. You said this came from 300 par and you have 350/400? Perhaps you can lower the lights a little for a few days?
Keep looking for it, hopefully you'll find it today. As long as it's not bleaching or turning to mush or foot not connecting, don't worry too much yet.

 

[arking_mark]

No pile of goo to be found?

It's still likely in there

No pile of goo. It was pretty large, so I'd expect to see some evidence.

 

[arking_mark]

I agree to give it time. Mine have gone for 3/4 days when first put in. Have you tried a flashlight around the rocks?
When they hide sometimes its too much light. You said this came from 300 par and you have 350/400? Perhaps you can lower the lights a little for a few days?
Keep looking for it, hopefully you'll find it today. As long as it's not bleaching or turning to mush or foot not connecting, don't worry too much yet.

I've hit every external part of my rock work and the places in-between...I'm still guessing that it went into the cave system under the rocks.

My gut is telling me it's a goner.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I've hit every external part of my rock work and the places in-between...I'm still guessing that it went into the cave system under the rocks.

My gut is telling me it's a goner.

It is Possible, that it has melted away somewhere.

Looking back at your original pictures, That thing looks frag-sized. It could very easily hide in most tanks.

Lowering your lighting may encourage it out. Time really is the only thing that will tell.

 

[arking_mark]

It is Possible, that it has melted away somewhere.

Looking back at your original pictures, That thing looks frag-sized. It could very easily hide in most tanks.

Lowering your lighting may encourage it out. Time really is the only thing that will tell.

It looks small because of location in tank. It was at least 4-6" when fully opened.

I'll lower the lights.

The real question is whether it's worth trying to find it and moving it to my observation tank...which unfortunately already has some anemones...which I could relocate.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

If I didn't see it by Wednesday am, I'd probably go looking, but again, if you move rocks without knowing where it is, you run the risk of fatally wounding the nem if it is connected at the juncture of two rocks.

 

[Jekyl]

@Lost in the Sauce @ScottB @Dburr1014

CSB has disappeared!!

So the CSB was coming out a little more day after day.

Then Friday night after lights went down it went on a walkabout under the rock and into the crevasse of the two large rocks holding up the rock it was on.

I figured I get up in the morning and it would be in a new spot.

It's literally nowhere to be found in the tank. I've checked the behind equipment and nothing been sucked into a powerhead as they all have nem guards.

The only place I can figure is I know that underneath one of the crevasse rocks is a cave where my Candy Basslet lives.

It's only been a day since it disappeared.

Should I move the rocks and try to find it or give it more time to come out?

How long can a nem go without light and/or good flow?

Never start tearing apart your tank. Nems go where they want. Have some patience and if still hiding after another week then start to worry. Mine hid for almost 2 weeks before finally coming out and flourishing

 

[arking_mark]

Never start tearing apart your tank. Nems go where they want. Have some patience and if still hiding after another week then start to worry. Mine hid for almost 2 weeks before finally coming out and flourishing

Thanks for the heads up. I've never had a nem that hid. To me this is just weird behavior

 

[Jekyl]

Thanks for the heads up. I've never had a nem that hid. To me this is just weird behavior

Seems your parameters are good, no chemical warfare and sufficient lighting. Just keep everything stable. If you don't have cipro on hand now would be a good time to order some. If next time you catch a glimpse it looks to be going down hill then moving to a hospital tank and antibiotics could help.