sick anemone?

[Justin0329]

I have a condy anemone that I've had for about a month. He has been doing great! Just today however, he seemed to have died (I think). He let go of the rock he latched onto and seems to be just drifting around. His tentacles aren't as full as usual. I feed him a silver feeder (minnow) about once every other week so I know he's not starved. I also have three other fish so he gets food from the water column during regular feedings as well. I don't know what to think. There isn't any signs of slime or anything being extruded from its mouth and the tank isn't cloudy. I'm just concerned because I don't want health issues for my fish by not getting it out soon enough. Any advice or thoughts in general?

 

[SarahSmile]

Hi Justin,
Can you post your parameters? How long has your tank been set up? Salinity, nitrates, nitrites, amm, ph numbers please.
The general rule is to NOT add an anemone to a tank that is less than a year old as they need a mature, established tank with perfect water and lighting conditions.

 

[FishyReef]

If you have a separate quarantine or treatment tank, please pull your anemone from your display tank asap. They release tons of toxins that will wipe out your entire tank when they die!

 

[AmberSunrise]

mine never floated around but they would detach and move and even severely deflate to where they looked dead.

I would suggest taking him out and putting it in a separate hospital tank with a section of rock to see if he will attach and if he does place it back in the tank at least if it is dead you wont mess up your water quality

 

[little_fish]

+1 Amber

Nems will wander (generally not a good sign) but usually they stay attached

 

[Bifferwine]

Condy anemones can be tough to keep. Anemones in general have very poor track records in this hobby -- especially in new tanks or tanks without sufficient lighting. An anemone detaching and floating around is a bad sign, but it doesn't sound as though it's "dead" already, so I'd do as the others suggested and try to separate it from the rest of your tank somehow.

If the anemone does die -- and I know this from disgusting experience! -- it can look whole, but as soon as you reach your hand or a net down in there to pull it out, it disintegrates on contact, contaminating your whole tank. Don't wait that long to get it out!