Anemone id and questions

[thickerson]

I was visiting a new fish store and made an impulse buy of a new anemone. I picked out a nice pretty white one with purple dots on the tips, and after reading more about it I think I made mistake. Is it true that white anemones have lost their color and are unhealthy?

It took up home under a a rock and looks healthy to me. I tried feeding it some frozen brine shrimp and it takes it wraps around it and eats it. I upgraded to 1/4" x 1/4" chunks of silversides. It seems to have a good eating response every night. Should I feed it a variety, or is the silversides ok. What about frequency and quantity of food. How much and how often should I feed it.

I have a 55 Gallon reef that has been established for several years. I have 5 T5 HO lights (3 daylight, 2 actinic). I have several other corals, snails, crabs, and a percula clown.

I have attached a picture.

Thanks!

[PhotoJohn]

On WWM they suggest feeding anything but silversides, they say mysis and small chopped foods are a better choice. brine is more or less useless, its like candy.

The anemone has lost its zoothanzelly (sp?) it can recover, it could die. Keep feeding it, anemones just dont travel amazingly well.

[Phurst]

It looks like it might be a sebae to me. They're almost always bleached when acquired. The good news is, with a little TLC, it can make a full recovery. It will eventually be a nice golden brown color with purple dots on the tips. The fact that yours is eating is a good sign. Mysis is good as is small pieces of shrimp or squid.

I usualy frown on impulse buys, but in this case, you have a pretty good shot. Anemone's need mature tanks, good light and excellent water conditions. Looks like you've got those covered. Good luck with it. Love to see some updated pics in a few months.

[rayme07]

Hi, to me it looks like a Condy Anemone heres the link. Does it have a red foot.

Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Reef Aquariums: Condy Anemone (http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+499+619&pcatid=619)

[Amphibious]

Way to go Raymond. You are spot on.

It is a Condylactis gigantea or Haitian anemone, Pink tipped anemone. That color is natural along with several other shades of pink and light blue. As with all anemones, they have the capability of stinging smaller fishes BUT, the anemone does not seek out and capture unsuspecting fish. It's when the fish stumbles into the tentacles that trouble can happen.

As far as feeding it is concerned, every couple of days would be fine. If you don't give it time to digest previously given food, it will regurgitate an ugly, foul smelling packet which you would want to remove from the tank. Some people do not recommend silversides. I see no reason why. I cut silversides into small pieces and feed them that way.

Here is a link to more information - Condylactis gigantea (http://www.fishlore.com/profile-condyanemone.htm). I have not reviewed the information for accuracy.

Dick

[Polks]

Hi, I too did an impulse buy yesterday.

The LFS had both brown and white anemones to choose from, and even yellow. I should have wondered why they were all the same price.
1) Can anyone confirm that the attached photo is a BLEACHED anemone? It has white arms with purple dots on the end.
2) Is this a Sebae? They told me it was a bubble... I have a goldstripe Maroon clown - any comments on compatibility with x anemone?

I bought it yesterday and situated it in a crevice - it hasn't moved. I fed it a small piece of scallop today (24 hrs) and it promptly moved it across tentacles into mouth and ate it. Unfortunately it's now kind of on its side, with the foot only 1/2 sticking. I see the sticky stuff.

3) Pic 1 is this AM, when its foot was stuck on the rock. Pic 2 is this PM, after feeding, he kind of gradually went to the side, and his foot is just barely on. Normal behavior, while it's getting situated?

4) Think I should make a case to the fish store? They did tell me to buy the colored one, but I was like, "this one sure is pretty!". But they didn't say anything. :mad:

Tks all...

[Phurst]

Yes, it's definitely bleached. I can't say for sure it's a sebae, but I can confirm it's NOT a BTA.\

There's good news and bad news here.

The good news is, it has a feeding response, and it's situated in a well established tank with sufficient light.

The bad news is that it's not sticking well. this could be because it's week, or because the foot was damaged during collection/transport/bagging at the LFS. It should have a firm grip on the rock with its entire foot.

It's entirely up to you weather you want to try to nurse what seems to be a pretty poor off anemone back to health, or return it to the LFS for a healthier specimin.

[DCisGnar]

Yeah that first one looks like a purple condi anemone, I have one in my tank. Does it have a red foot? That'd be a dead give-away

[Polks]

Fed on Days 2, 4, 6, each 1 small (like a 1/2 marble) piece of fresh scallop. It took it quickly and did not seem to regurgitate.

I moved it on Day 5 to a container w/i fishtank, as it seemed too far from the lighting. I put a rock in there in case it wants to duck from the light.

Day 6 had a small piece of intestine looking material on the ground near it. I moved the Maroon Clown (which has been ignoring it) into the container on same day.

Day 7 AM had more intestine stuff on the ground. It looks OK in terms of rigidity, and has at least some stickiness on the foot.
Day 7 is about to complete and the stubborn, unknown type, bleached anemone is still thankfully alive.

The Gold stripe maroon didn't take to it in the tank, but at least isn't afraid to touch it in the container.

Fingers crossed...

[CarmieJo]

Could the "intestines" be poop? Kind of brownish and stringy?

[Skurvey Dog]

The last pic appears to me to be a sabae nem. From the pic, he does not look in the best of health, but like others suggested.... with some TLC, good water quality and proper lighting, he should look much better in a few weeks. I too agree with CJo about the stringy stuff being excrement. How does his mouth look? His mouth and foot are always 2 very important clues when seeking answers. It is a good idea not to let the nemos around him because I personally believe that they are capable of worrying one to death with their love of them if they decide to host immediately. Nemos can get quite enthusiastic with their possessiveness with a nem. Just my 0.02 worth. :rolleyes:

[Polks]

Hi guys, Thanks again.

The intestine stuff did look brown & stringy. There was some other stuff, like slime, but I guess that is just its regular "slime". Hopefully this is just excrement then.

Foot - since being in the container, its foot was stuck pretty well to the corner. Tonight, Day 8, it moved within the container, to the path of a new filter (Koralia 2) I just put in. Its foot is not really stuck to anything. (Actually, since I posted, it moved to a vertical position, and its foot is now planted)

Mouth - seems like no problem, pretty small, not sagging. I fed it this AM some more scallop.

Is it inappropriate to ask about filtration here? I bought a Hydor Koralia 1 & 2, with the intention to replace my 2 Hagen Aquaclear 50's. I was concerned it would be too much b/c of the huge GPH quoted by Hydor. BUT, it seems like it's not that powerful - I know, I've read that it's b/c it is wide output, but still - I feel like the fish like a little current sometimes.
30 gln tank, with an Aquaclear 150 hangon & a offbrand cannister.

[CarmieJo]

You don't see the flow with a Koralia like you would with a traditional powerhead with a small outlet. I have two K2's in my 54. (I wish now I would have bought K3's.) I definitely see the flow, especially when I am feeding. I usually turn the return off and let the Koralias on. But if I want to target feed I have to turn them off or the food won't stay where I put it!

[Polks]

So after reading lots of articles, it seems that a "white" anemone is not always equivalent to bleached?

What's your opinion here? My (I guess sebae) looks just like this Sebae anemone image by yardboy on Photobucket (http://media.photobucket.com/image/SEBAE%20ANEMONE/yardboy/reef%20lab/Sebaeinquarantine.jpg)

People call it a purple-tip sebae... is mine healthy too?

Btw, I added the 2nd Koralia, so have the 2, the 1, the Aquaclear 50 powerhead, the Aquaclear 150 hang on, and a cannister... The anemone is still good.

[Phurst]

There is a fine line between "white" and "cream". Bone white, is bleached, cream is fine. To my eye, yours does look a little bleached, but not awful. It seems like Sebae's are more susceptible to bleaching after collection and shipment. It's unusual for me to see a sebae in a LFS that isn't at least somewhat bleached. They do seem to recover fairly easily though. I think your flow is fine, however, you might consider ditching the canister, or at least running it empty if you are relying on it for flow.

[Polks]

Thanks - it has Carbon and those ceramic rings in it.... Just thought it was a must have, but others told me to ditch the ceramics too.

So the LR just replaces that need?

Thanks.

[Phurst]

LR, LS and a skimmer will do the trick. You can use it to run carbon if you wish, but if you do, pull everything else out of it, run the carbon a few days, then run it totally empty until you need t run carbon again.