Losing rock flower anemone

[mmw64]

Has anyone had a flower anemone just get smaller and smaller? As usual it seems for me, all I read is how easy they are to keep but not for me. Would appreciate any hints to bring this one back from the brink.

 

[marine2463]

Water Params?
How long has the tank been setup ?
Pic?

 

[ReefQueen]

Following as I am having the same issue. The babies are growing and doing fine, but the mommy just keeps shrinking and moving all over the place.

 

[mmw64]

Tank set up May 2015. 72 gallon Red Sea Reefer
Salinity 1025
NO3 0
Temp 79
ph 8.30
This is a soft coral and fish only tank. Don't dose cause I don't test for anything else.
Thank you ReefQueen for letting me know others having same issue.

 

[marine2463]

Your Params seem ok [emoji16]just need alkalinity ,calcium ,mag?
What lighting are you running ?
Do you have any shrimp in the tank (peppermint especially ) ? Or any crabs ?

 

[marine2463]

I've noticed a lot specially with peppermints they will dig in to the mouth of the nems to get food out and injure them. Also sometimes you will see bristle worms set up shop right under the nem and reach in for food also.

 

[shornik]

+1 on the peppermints if you have them. I do and they ate 2 of my flower anemone's, I guess they looked like really pretty aptaisa to them.

 

[marine2463]

Yeah rock flower anemones are weak compared to other nems and when the peps figure that out its open season

 

[mmw64]

Lighting -Kessils
I have clowns hosting in a coral.
I have no shrimp because either tang or yellow coris wrasse kills them.
I do have a few crabs.
Not smart enough or tech savy enough to post pictures.

 

[marine2463]

Keep an eye out for the crabs specially after lights out .... Try feeding the nem if the crabs have been picking from it they go to it right away when feeding

 

[ReefQueen]

I do notice bristleworms hang out near my rock nem during feeding time, but I haven't seen them steal food from it in a while. My shrimp also leaves mine alone. @mmw64 have you noticed any bristleworms bugging yours and do you only have the one? It just seems odd that only one if mine is shrinking while her babies are doing so well, in fact she has shrunk down to almost the same size as them. Can you post a pic of yours?

 

[ReefQueen]

Ok this is weird. I just went to dose my tank and found another baby just sitting on the sand! So that's 2 I've found within 24 hours. The first baby I found a few months ago, but have been keeping an eye out ever since for more. This is the only adult i have, do the females hold sperm? Could this be why they are shrunken? I felt shrunken after i had my son hahaha. Have you found any babies? If you have a UV flashlight shine it around and see. They look like small aiptasia at first, but glow under the UV light. Sorry bad pic, it's so close to the glass my camera was having a hard time focusing.

 

[mmw64]

I do notice bristleworms hang out near my rock nem during feeding time, but I haven't seen them steal food from it in a while. My shrimp also leaves mine alone. @mmw64 have you noticed any bristleworms bugging yours and do you only have the one? It just seems odd that only one if mine is shrinking while her babies are doing so well, in fact she has shrunk down to almost the same size as them. Can you post a pic of yours?

Hi ReefQueen, I put mine in the refugium after watching a hermit crab steal food from it as suggested on this site. I ordered three, one was d.o.a., one just disappeared in my tank so this is the last one I can find. Some day will have grandkids teach me how to post pictures. They are on vacation for the next couple of weeks.

 

[ngvu1]

Do you feed yours? I find they grow quite fast if fed. I use Fauna Marine LPS pellets.

 

[marine2463]

This mine I only have one Rock flower anemone currently but I have 6 bubble tips and one ritteri all doing great

 

[marine2463]

This is my magnifica anemone (don't know if spelling it right ) you can see one of my bubble tips behind it to the right all my bubble tips came from one parent

 

[ngvu1]

Where are the clowns?

This is my magnifica anemone (don't know if spelling it right ) you can see one of my bubble tips behind it to the right all my bubble tips came from one parent

 

[marine2463]

They're there that anemone is just over 16 inches across so they get a little lost lol

 

[marine2463]

If you look in the middle you can see the clown poking his head out a little bit

 

[marine2463]

@ReefQueen yes I've noticed my bubble tips will shrink after splitting but will gain original size in 2 days or so ... My rock flower anemone hasn't had babies yet so don't know how they act after