Condy Anemone Ok?

[George Monnat Jr]

Yesterday I drove down past the river to meet an ARC member (thanks Brian for the pod help!). He suggested meeting at AquaDome, which having never been there, I liked. I browsed inside for awhile. Man, that place is dangerous (to my pocket book). Things that I've been scouring months for at the north stores were all over the place. I finally got a pair of porcelain anemone (not rock) crabs, a purple condy anemone, a blue maxi-mini and small rocks with green star polyps and a green shroom (only $5 each). I was going to buy a huge white spot shrimp, too (I do love me some anemone crustaceans), but a couple also shopping really wanted it. I can get a second one later, and it was bigger than the one I have and wanted to pair up with in the BTA.

The drive home on 71->MoPac->2222 was going great until I almost hit a cyclist on a blind turn (he was against the cliff in the right lane with no shoulder, and I was doing 45mph around the turn). The next corner I had to slam on my brakes as traffic was at a dead stop. I was in park sitting in the middle of 2222 for over 15 minutes until traffic started flowing again. Then when I got home, my aquarium was silent. Both GFCIs had tripped! After some heart attack, everything looked ok. My return pump is on a UPS that should give a few hours of run time without power, and since it was off I'm gueesing power had been off for hours. The pH was about 8.00 at noon when the lights just started to came on and 8.10 when I got home, so the lights must have been on for a few hours. No idea how long in the 7.5 hours I was gone it was without power or why they both tripped (circuit breakers not tripped and no water on floor). I really need an Apex and smart phone.

I acclimated everything between 1-2 hours with a short Two Little Fishies ReVive Coral Cleaner™ rinse and placed in the tank. All looked ok, except the condy anemone looked like hammered dog doo going from the bag into the drip acclimation bin (same water) and into the DT. I don't know if it was the extra long drive and delay while I panicked or what. I've learned how to read when a BTA is unhappy and how to handle them, but I have no idea with the condy anemone.

The condy was flat in the acclimation bin with many of its tentacles pinched near the ends and several tentacles totally deflated/shriveled. I put it on a bottom LR to let it acclimate to the light (and let it find its own spot). It promptly fell through a hole in the rock and was hangin upside-down above the substrate. It looked like a small part of its foot was attached and holding it there, so I was hopeful that it was still alive.

Before going to bed, it had released its hold and was floating between the rock and substrate. I had nightmare visions of it melting and nuking my tank, but as I'm unfamiliar with them I didn't want to remove it from the tank. I moved it out from under the rock and into the front against the glass, so that if it looked dead in the morning I could grab it quick. It kinda floated with the flow until it wedged between a rock and the front glass.

This morning it looked better. It was still wedged between the same rock and the front glass and not really attached to anything, but the foot and tentacles were extended and looking more normal. At least as far as I could tell with this. A Sexy Shrimp was checking it out like it was acclimating to crawl into it, and luckily no signs of the typical carrion feeders (bumblebee snails, pepperming shrimp, etc.) that signal dying or death.

Does anyone have experience with condy anemones? Do you think its recovering from stress and/or shock or is it on its way out? I have no idea what's normal for this species.

[Gig 'em @ NDstructible]

Well it doesn't sound good so far, but condy's are pretty hardy creatures. It's probably dealing with a lot of stress from transportation, but doubtful that it was only your drive home that caused the decline. Who knows what that anemone went through before you picked it up. Just keep a close eye on it and take it out if it starts to break down.

Post a pic of your new maxi-mini, I must see!

[George Monnat Jr]

When I take the group buy stuff home I'll see how the condy and maxi-mini are doing and hopefully get some good pics.

Here's a blurry picture of the maxi-mini right after putting it in the tank - it's still angry.

[+brian.srock]

Yea I wouldn't worry about it. I have 2 condis and both shrivle up to next to nothing then the next day their fully streatched. I've even had them totally disappear in the LR only to reappear a week later in a new spot.

[ClarkiiCircus]

I have a couple condys, and I will attest to them being the most temperamental anemone I own. The one in my display tank is currently near 90% deflated and wedged between 2 rocks, oh joy (probably because he knows we're having company over soon and wants to completely embarrass me...). I have almost removed him a few times because I thought for sure he was a goner, but never did, and he has always perked up. Yours will get happy in time, and should open up. Try to feed him something perhaps and see if he "grabs" it. Mine eats tableshrimp (cut into small pieces) as well as silversides.

I have literally almost cooked a condy (water temp near 90 thanks to a heater malfunction) and he has come back vibrantly after looking like total %&^*%%$) for like 2 weeks. They are VERY, VERY hardy. He will start to look better soon I'm sure. Maybe place him in an area of little to no flow to allow him to grab something.

Signs to look for that may indicate he is on his way out: tentacles with no grip at all, brown sludge oozing out of him.

[George Monnat Jr]

Thanks guys. This made me laugh.

The one in my display tank is currently near 90% deflated and wedged between 2 rocks, oh joy (probably because he knows we're having company over soon and wants to completely embarrass me...).

[George Monnat Jr]

Just ran home to float the group buy stuff. Everything looked good - the condy even looked like it was standing up. It was still in the same spot on the substrate between a rock and the front glass but upright. The blue maxi-mini looked good, too, but I didn't have my camera and was in a rush.

After dealing with the group buy stuff, I looked at the DT. The condy had fallen on its side again. it looked firm and healthy (some tentacles pinched on the ends still) with the foot extended and tentacles out, but it was just laid over without the foot being attached to anything. I tried to look into its mouth but couldn't really see (plus I was in a rush). It kind of looked like the tip of one tentacle was in its mouth - like it was doing the anemone equivalent of sucking its thumb while rocking in a fetal position.

Some sad news (for me), one of the porcelain anemone crabs that I'd finally gotten at AD was dead. Its exoskeleton, which was still mostly articulated, was laying opened up and empty of meat. It was about 2.5' from where it was last night, so given the state it looked like it died there not dragged there. Anyway, I wish the condy had been ready to be a host when I introduced everything or the crabs had found the empty RBTA. No sign of its partner.

[mFrame]

Just ran home to float the group buy stuff. Everything looked good - the condy even looked like it was standing up. It was still in the same spot on the substrate between a rock and the front glass but upright. The blue maxi-mini looked good, too, but I didn't have my camera and was in a rush.

After dealing with the group buy stuff, I looked at the DT. The condy had fallen on its side again. it looked firm and healthy (some tentacles pinched on the ends still) with the foot extended and tentacles out, but it was just laid over without the foot being attached to anything. I tried to look into its mouth but couldn't really see (plus I was in a rush). It kind of looked like the tip of one tentacle was in its mouth - like it was doing the anemone equivalent of sucking its thumb while rocking in a fetal position.

Some sad news (for me), one of the porcelain anemone crabs that I'd finally gotten at AD was dead. Its exoskeleton, which was still mostly articulated, was laying opened up and empty of meat. It was about 2.5' from where it was last night, so given the state it looked like it died there not dragged there. Anyway, I wish the condy had been ready to be a host when I introduced everything or the crabs had found the empty RBTA. No sign of its partner.

Don't be so quick to assume the crab is dead. I've done the same several times only to find that as soon as I put one in my tank it molted. The molt looks amazingly like a dead crab. Check around tonight, you might be surprised to find him elsewhere in the tank sporting a new suit.

[George Monnat Jr]

Don't be so quick to assume the crab is dead. I've done the same several times only to find that as soon as I put one in my tank it molted. The molt looks amazingly like a dead crab. Check around tonight, you might be surprised to find him elsewhere in the tank sporting a new suit.

I really hope that's what it is. The shell looks whole and solid. I see shrimp molts on almost a daily basis, and they always are more transparent than the real deal.

[DerrickH]

The crabs molt is much thicker than a shrimps. I think he molted. I did have a big carpet nem eat one of my emerald crabs though....well and half my hermits. They are ruthless. condy's are die hard. Petco has oodles of them in their tanks, that should tell you how easy they are to keep alive.

[George Monnat Jr]

The crabs molt is much thicker than a shrimps. I think he molted. I did have a big carpet nem eat one of my emerald crabs though....well and half my hermits. They are ruthless. condy's are die hard. Petco has oodles of them in their tanks, that should tell you how easy they are to keep alive.

That's good news. They weren't in my empty RBTA or in with the White Spot in the GBTA. I'm sure they'll hide in the rocks until they find something they like.

Which Petco sells SW livestock?

[sifuentes31]

The one in Round Rock does. It's right behind Hooters in that plaza. And i think ClarkiCircus said there was one in Down South on Brodie. I haven't been there yet....

[Niko's Reef]

The Petco's off of Techridge and Kelly Lane do too.

[ClarkiiCircus]

And the one at 41st st and redriver/hancock center does. Well, hope your condy gets acclimated soon! The important thing to do now is make sure to put a sock, sponge or something over your intake so it doesn't get sucked up while its not attached to anything. watch the powerheads too.

[George Monnat Jr]

Now that the group buy stuff is winding down, I can get back to my condy and porcelain anemone crabs. Here is what the condy looked like yesterday immediately after placing it in the DT.

Here's a few minuted later as it kept "oozing" through the hole in the rock.

I didn't get a picture this morning or when I ran home with the group buy stuff. Here's a pic from about an hour ago (about 22 hours after introduction).

Looking good! It's climbed up and attached to a rock, finally. Its mouth looks loosely closed (not gaping open or puckered tight). Its tentacles are getting a little close to out yellow maxi-mini, as you can see in the blurry picture below (yellow MMCA bottom middle)/

That's our favorite maxi-mini, and probably my wife's favorite invert period. Should I move one of them? I know maxi-minis are very sticky and pack a good wallop, but I'd rather not risk them duking it out or accidentally stinging each other.

As far as the porcelain anemone crabs, here's a pic of the empty carapace.

I was happy to just now see one of them on the backside of the rock where they were introduced yesterday.

It looks like the smaller of the two I got (easy to tell the two apart as one was significantly bigger), while the molt/carcass looks like the bigger one. So no conclusive evidence, yet, but my fingers are crossed.

Gig'em, here's a couple of shots for you. I kind of wish it had more blue and less green, but it's still nice.

[Gig 'em @ NDstructible]

Very nice! Mine has some green in it too, I have yet seen one that was completely blue, but when I do I'm going to fight my hardest to get it! Thanks for posting pics!

[Bannerfish]

they are super hardy! and grow very quickly if fed. mine survived after to attatched itself to a heater in a sumpless tank....i let it heal up and then rehomed it. its doing very well their tank too.

[mFrame]

I don't think you will be able to move either. The nice thing about anemones is they'll move away if they don't like it, so I'd leave them be. My mini-carpet and sebae are right next to each other.

[George Monnat Jr]

The condy expelled some stuff. If it was a BTA I'd just siphon it off knowing it was expelled waste and expect the BTA to shrivel up for a few hours. That's what it did, so I'm not worried. Unless someone says otherwise. I wondered why it wouldn't take any shrimp - I guess it was already full. It seems to have a better grip on the rock. My tiger pistol shrimp is a bit upset the condy parked over it's front door.

On a side note, this was stuck to the bottom of my blue maxi-mini. Is it a ricordia? Any particular kind?

[+Grog]

I'm not an expert but my condy poops out stuff then shrivels up for a bit. Even with that not happening, the condy expands and contracts drastically during the day. When I come home she is pulled into her 'sheath' and almost no tentacles, then by the end of the evening, she fully extends and engorges. It is like a 8X change in size in two hours. Wish I had a time lapse camera for it.

And to agree with an earlier poster, I think they intentionally shrivel up when you have guests over, just to show us who's the boss.

[Nwehrman]

There was riccordia in the tank with the maxi-mini's at the dome so I would assume that's what it is...

Nicole

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[cMidd]

yep looks like an orange ric. lucky you!

[George Monnat Jr]

There was riccordia in the tank with the maxi-mini's at the dome so I would assume that's what it is...

Nicole

yep looks like an orange ric. lucky you!

Yea, I feel like I owe AD some more money.

[George Monnat Jr]

I'm not an expert but my condy poops out stuff then shrivels up for a bit. Even with that not happening, the condy expands and contracts drastically during the day. When I come home she is pulled into her 'sheath' and almost no tentacles, then by the end of the evening, she fully extends and engorges. It is like a 8X change in size in two hours. Wish I had a time lapse camera for it.

And to agree with an earlier poster, I think they intentionally shrivel up when you have guests over, just to show us who's the boss.

That's funny, because when my wife finally got home, the condy was looking pretty good. I was all ready to show it to her. Five minutes later when she walked over to the tank, it was shriveled and covered in poop.

[George Monnat Jr]

Ok, the expelling and contracting didn't bother me, because BTAs do it all the time. But falling off the rock?

Then again it didn't hold onto anything last night, either. Is that normal? Seems to me that would be very bad in an actual ocean.