Is my anemone ok? Please help?

[cnmonetti]

Hi friends, I’m fairly new to the care of an anemone and am looking for some input. I just got this anemone about 4 days ago and have been witnessing some strange behavior patterns, just wanted to make sure it’s normal with pictures to elaborate. So acclimation process went pretty smooth, temp adjusted for 30 minutes and drip acclimated for an 1 hour. Saw what it looked like at the pet store and how it ate and the sizing of it to have a set knowledge as to how it would be in the tank but so far it hasn’t measured up. When it was put it the tank it was about 3/4 the size it was chillin where we had placed it. A couple of hours pass and it’s still about that zone but had moved under our live rock pushed close to the glass with not much access to light. We left it in that spot for a bout a day and witnessed it shriveling and shrinking in size and diminishing in color. So we figured it wasn’t getting light as it needed and found it best to move it to a spot it would. We did and it moved to another crevice reducing to about a third of the size, expanding and shrinking over and over again. And not it has stayed in that spot continuing to stay small and doesn’t look like it’s doing to good. Parameters are all stable just wanted to make sure all was well.

Picture #1 right after acclimation into the tank. (3/4 of full size)

Picture #2 picked up and moved after being in dark corner under rock by glass. (1/2 of full size)

Picture #3 hiding under rock still doing alright (1/2 of full size)

Picture #4 back and forth from picture #3 reducing in size hiding mouth and body completely.

Is this normal?
Should we move it to a brighter location?
Is something wrong with it? Since we saw it at the shop it has not expanded even close to the size it was.
Does it just need time to adjust? Am I overreacting?
wht should I know about anemones to not stress out?
And my clownfish hasn’t even acknowledged it being there, is there a reason? How long does it take for them to host? Please help??

 

[cnmonetti]

Parameters checked once every 3 to 5 days depending on water quality. Most recent levels:
PH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite(2): 0 ppm
Nitrate(3): 0 ppm
Alkalinity: 250 ppm
Specific Gravity: 1.025

Water is changed every week and a half to every 2 weeks.
Light source in a tank lid light, doesn't specify the type just states its a bright LED light.

 

[sunken3]

Hello -

how long has your tank been up and running? fish can handle a new tank much better than corals.. (there are more parameters than most of us test for).. that said.. looking up your Alk @ 250ppm is way too high.. you should be between 125-215.. around 145 is great. (so that may be a big issue) - the other, your lighting. BTA's like good water flow and bright light.. if you are using a "came with the tank" light, it wont be enough to keep most coral.. maybe some LPS, mushrooms, Zoa's..

 

[PeterZammetti]

Hi friends, I’m fairly new to the care of an anemone and am looking for some input. I just got this anemone about 4 days ago and have been witnessing some strange behavior patterns, just wanted to make sure it’s normal with pictures to elaborate. So acclimation process went pretty smooth, temp adjusted for 30 minutes and drip acclimated for an 1 hour. Saw what it looked like at the pet store and how it ate and the sizing of it to have a set knowledge as to how it would be in the tank but so far it hasn’t measured up. When it was put it the tank it was about 3/4 the size it was chillin where we had placed it. A couple of hours pass and it’s still about that zone but had moved under our live rock pushed close to the glass with not much access to light. We left it in that spot for a bout a day and witnessed it shriveling and shrinking in size and diminishing in color. So we figured it wasn’t getting light as it needed and found it best to move it to a spot it would. We did and it moved to another crevice reducing to about a third of the size, expanding and shrinking over and over again. And not it has stayed in that spot continuing to stay small and doesn’t look like it’s doing to good. Parameters are all stable just wanted to make sure all was well.

Picture #1 right after acclimation into the tank. (3/4 of full size)

Picture #2 picked up and moved after being in dark corner under rock by glass. (1/2 of full size)

Picture #3 hiding under rock still doing alright (1/2 of full size)

Picture #4 back and forth from picture #3 reducing in size hiding mouth and body completely.

Is this normal?
Should we move it to a brighter location?
Is something wrong with it? Since we saw it at the shop it has not expanded even close to the size it was.
Does it just need time to adjust? Am I overreacting?
wht should I know about anemones to not stress out?
And my clownfish hasn’t even acknowledged it being there, is there a reason? How long does it take for them to host? Please help??

He may want to move around and find a place he feels safe. Very low water flow while he is doing this. Normally if his foot is holding on to something and tentacles aren't flattish smooshed looking, he should be fine. All Nems can handle Seachem reef/coral dip and freshwater dips. I usually do freshwater, then Seachem dip, then fresh again before adding new ones to my display.

 

[MaxTremors]

First, stop moving it. It will move into the light if and when it wants to. Second, you alk is way too high, as the above poster mentioned, right around 145 is ideal. Also, what kind of tests are you using (just based on the look of your tank, I don’t think your nitrates are zero).

Now, it can take several days, if not longer for anemones and corals to become fully comfortable and fully inflate. And lastly, the nem may never host the clown. Clowns, and especially captive bred clowns, won’t always notice a nem get hosted by it, sometimes they just won’t do it. It also looks pretty small for a clown to be hosted by it, IME the smaller the nem, the less likely they are to be hosted by it.