jbharlan91 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'm very new to saltwater aquariums, and to the reef club forum. An awesome friend of mine gave me a 29 gallon BioCube, already set up, for my birthday a couple of weeks ago (it is a used aquarium, had been running I think approximately a year). We were very ecstatic and jumped right in (probably before we did enough research, but we were somewhat cautious). I got a condylactis anemone, and at first it seemed very normal for what I know about anemones. Now however, he keeps deflating and pulling his tentacles in, and when I got home from work today and looked at him, some of his tentacles are starting to look like they're pinching off towards the top (he's still somewhat deflated and has pulled himself farther back into the rock). Is this "pinching" normal? He hasn't moved much since he planted himself between a couple of rocks, and he has eaten when we tried to give him a piece of shrimp. The only water parameter I know right now is the salinity, it's 1.026 (other testing strips and a thermometer are ordered but not here yet), but since my friend set everything up for me very recently I'm fairly confident that the water is good. Thanks for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'm reading that pinched tentacles can be a fish bite. Just keep watching the anemone. It's probably time for a water change too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 I read that too, but haven't seen any fish going near him. He's pulled himself just about completely underneath a rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I read that too, but haven't seen any fish going near him. He's pulled himself just about completely underneath a rock. That's how my Green Bubble Tip was about the first week I had him. He was just all mad about being moved. As long as it's eating and not getting bleached out (losing it's color) I'd say you're doing ok from what I've read. It'd be nice to see some parameters for your tank, but your testing gear isn't here just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Oh yeah, but thanks for the info - mr. elite reefer! I'm just a guppy...How's Livi?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Oh yeah, but thanks for the info - mr. elite reefer! I'm just a guppy...How's Livi?? She's covered in rashy stuff.. otherwise in good spirits. As far as Elite Reefer goes, it should just say "jibber jabber", I do too much talkin and not enough learnin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yeah mr. jibber jabber, seems like you've learned quite a bit! Did your bubble tip's tentacle tips look like they were pinching off? He's coming out of the rock now, but a lot of the tips look like they're being pinched off and about to literally come off. And he is turning much more brownish green, not nearly as much white as when we first got him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yeah mr. jibber jabber, seems like you've learned quite a bit! Did your bubble tip's tentacle tips look like they were pinching off? He's coming out of the rock now, but a lot of the tips look like they're being pinched off and about to literally come off. And he is turning much more brownish green, not nearly as much white as when we first got him. My bubble tip doesn't look like the tips are pinched but my torch has some "lumpy" looking tentacles ends. As for the color change and the rest I'm going to have to defer you to the pros which will hopefully chime in this evening. You might try and move it away from your BTA. Perhaps it's getting hit with sweeper tentacles at night. You'll need to slide a credit card under it's foot if it's good and stuck and gently move it to the other side of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Well, the BTA won't settle down. He keeps moving all over the tank. He's kept his distance so far from the condylactis, but I'm starting to wonder if we should remove one from the tank - maybe it's too small for both to be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Well if you decide to get rid of it toss it in the trade/free section and ask for some zoas/paly frags in trade. Easier to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 He deflated and swallowed up his tentacles again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Well, this morning he has inflated some, moved up on top of the rock that he was underneath last night, and he's lost some of his brownish color and is a lot more white. Just about all of his tentacles look pinched at the top, very close to where the dot of color is. But he is a lot more inflated than yesterday, but not opened up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Well, this morning he has inflated some, moved up on top of the rock that he was underneath last night, and he's lost some of his brownish color and is a lot more white. Just about all of his tentacles look pinched at the top, very close to where the dot of color is. But he is a lot more inflated than yesterday, but not opened up. Lets hope he re-inflates. If you get a chance check if it's tentacles are sticky (they should be). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Well, today he wouldn't hang on to a piece of shrimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Take some water to petco. Check for ammonia. Inverts are sensitive to it if I recall correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 better yet if you are going to get salt over at RCA take the water and have them test your ammonia/nitrate/nitrites/alk/ph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I ran some water over to Petco on my way back to work and told them I was having a possible condylactis issue, they said the water checked out fine, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite and alkalinity all checked out and were perfect. I'm assuming they checked the pH but I forgot to ask, I can always bring a bit of water to work and check the pH though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I'm not sure your employer is going to want 'fish water' on their pH probes. In the event it doesn't matter, 7.9 - 8.3 seems to be the acceptable range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Are you feeding the condy? They are carnivorous, and like to capture food. Also, it is normal for anemones to inflate/deflate dramatically. As long as it does not look like it disintegrating or not staying attached to a rock, then I wouldn't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Are you feeding the condy? They are carnivorous, and like to capture food. She's given it raw shrimp bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Are you feeding the condy? They are carnivorous, and like to capture food. Also, it is normal for anemones to inflate/deflate dramatically. As long as it does not look like it disintegrating or not staying attached to a rock, then I wouldn't worry about it. +1 I have one, it goes from looking like a pile of flat noodles to the below in a few hours.....every single day. Lights out it almost evaporates....20min with lights on and bingo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Yep, we've given it raw shrimp bits and some frozen brine shrimp. The first 2 shrimp bits it devoured. Today it wouldn't hang on to it. The pinching off of the tips of the tentacles is worrying me, it looks really weird, like they're about to become detached and float off. I'm also worried that maybe I made a mistake and shouldn't have put in the GTBA. But they're staying away from each other. I also think my husband set a profile pic for me, good thing I like Dori and jellyfish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) I would ditch the condi if your going to get rid of one of the nems. Or you can sell me the GBTA lol! Also, how often are you trying to feed the condi? Edited July 12, 2011 by DerrickH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflux Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I would ditch the condi if your going to get rid of one of the nems. Or you can sell me the GBTA lol! Also, how often are you trying to feed the condi? I agree on ditching the Condi. The GBTA and your clown are too happy together to get rid of either of that pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbharlan91 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 We were trying to feed it once a week, maybe twice. Today we tried just to see if it would make it happier. I don't really want to ditch it, I like both of them, but I agree I would ditch it over the bubble tip. Plus, the clown fish would be very angry, and then my daughter would get angry, and she's probably going to get really mad when I tell her we may not be able to keep her starfish because it's probably going to eat my coral! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.