apmark Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I was admiring my new Anemone when I got home today and it was totally "out" and fluffy. About 30 mins later it started to shrink and I noticed a hairlike something that seemed to be coming out from amidst it's tenacles. I assumed that it found a bit of hair algae and was eating it but it's now shrunk down to almost nothing. Is it okay? Will it inflate again? What could have caused this if it's not okay. I'm more than a little freaked!!!! HELP!!!! crybaby2.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Anemones will deflate some from time to time. However, I would check all your parameters and make sure nothing is out of whack. If he starts sloughing off flesh he is real trouble. I am a little surprised you were advised to get an anemone so soon. I have always heard that your tank needs to be established at least several months before getting one. They need a stable tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I have a few anemones and they inflate and deflate all day long, especially the magnificent anemone. It changes about once every 20 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I've seen my bubble tips do the same thing all the time. In fact I purposely mess with the baby, getting it to pull in a deflate, trying to get it irritated enough that it will move to the back side of the rock since I can't get him off to trade it. Like Gabriel says, unless it starts sloughing off flesh, I wouldn't worry. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfish Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Gabe said it; "they need a stable tank." Anems deflate because of gradients (differences) in water parameters between the inside and outside of the anemones tissue. In a newer tank, esp. one with algae blooms, hair algae etc., oxygen saturation is in constant flux due to algae photosynthesis. Algae uses CO2 during the day and oxygen at night, causing rapid and frequent changes in pH. This causes the anem. to regulate its osmotic balance, ( water inside and outside of its tissue). The more change in the tank the more the anem. has to adapt (deflate). You can't really control this in a new tank, just hope for the best. This is the case with most anemones. The magnificent anemone (Heteractis magnifica) aka the ritteri anemone, is a totally different story. This an organism, that for years, experts and hobbiests alike have struggled to keep this thing alive for longer than a month or two (if not just mere weeks). My opinion on ritteris, as well as Anthony Calfo's, is that buying, selling, attempting to keep ritteris is irresponsible reefkeeping. These organisms should not be sold in LFSs, if they happen to be in a local LFS, don't buy it no matter the price. Let it die at the LFS to teach the retailer a lesson to not order these again. If you respond to this post with, " but i've had a ritteri for 6 months," also include how many you had to kill to keep that one alive. The one at the store that I used to work at, that is so famous here in austin, was like the 6th or 7th yellow ritt. that was killed to get just one to survive. That was 7 years ago, now you couldn't even get ahold of 7 yellow ritteris no matter how much money you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apmark Posted November 14, 2006 Author Share Posted November 14, 2006 Thanks for the replys. So as long as it's not sloughing, leave it alone? It might recover? It's amazing how quickly it happened. It was doing great for the first 3 days, found a place where it was happy(i thought) right away and in minutes it went south. Anything I can do to help it along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 does it look any better? If not I personally would take it back if you can get it off the rock without tearing it's foot. Ice cubes applied to the foot are supposed to work. Take it back and wait a few months to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apmark Posted November 14, 2006 Author Share Posted November 14, 2006 It looked somewhat better, but not normal this morning. All of the "arms" had some fluid in them but it was still sort of retracted. Something else my wife noticed last night was that it's foot had turned from sort of brownish to more of a redish color. I'll check on it when I get home and decide if I should take it back. Thanks agan for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apmark Posted November 15, 2006 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 She's alive and looking better than ever. blob7.gif Weird huh? Bruce at Aquatech suggests that maybe it was just going to the bathroom. Thanks for all the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 That's funny, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Brian I've had my mag for 6 weeks. Each day it looks healthier and healthier. Mine deflates and I purposefully left this out because my Tunze 6060 is on a timer. When the Tunze comes on it retracts, when it goes off BAM!! It instantly inflates and looks gorgeous. It eats a small sliver of silverside once a week and all the mysis it can catch. How many have I killed? None yet, sorry. I found out about the ritteri thing long after buying it. Isn't it sad that fish and corals don't come with those little plastic tags like flowers at the nursery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 I found out about the ritteri thing long after buying it. Isn't it sad that fish and corals don't come with those little plastic tags like flowers at the nursery? That is so true. I guess that makes it all the more important that we do research before we buy. I have not done that a few times and paid the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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