Rock Anemone Attached Upside Down

[KeepYourAnemonesCloser]

Hi Folks,

I've had a rock nem for maybe 6 months or so and it was doing fine in the main tank. I had been feeding daily. I went away for 5 days and while I was gone there was only one feeding. When I got back I found peppermint shrimp harassing the nem!

I thought they'd stop but after 24 hours they didn't and the nem detached and was in the sand so I scooped him up and put him in the refugium where is was ok for a day or two and attached to a small rock. I then put that rock back into the main tank but a bit higher up where the peppermints wouldn't find him.

I noticed a small cleaner shrimp checking him out but not as agro as the pepps.

The nem moved off the small rock and then did a headstand on the larger rock. I thought it was just sitting there loose but it was slightly attached to the rock but using its mouth!

I picked it off and put it back into the refugium where its doing the same thing. Its sitting upside down attached to the rock with its mouth. Some of its tentacles are out, wrapped back around its foot.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Incidentally, does anyone in NYC need any peppermint shrimp? LOL. I have five and it looks like 2 or 3 of them are real heavy with eggs.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

 

[ourcoralreef]

Never seen that
Weird

 

[KeepYourAnemonesCloser]

Either foot started to melt a little last night or it had been damaged by the shrimp and was just shedding or something, but its still alive today. Still upside down

 

[albano]

Doesn't sound good!
Not sure that anyone recommends daily feeding for anemones...

 

[KeepYourAnemonesCloser]

not feeding the nems daily. feeding the tank daily so that there's something for the shrimps to scavenge. Fed nems weekly or biweekly. I just mentioned the feeding change cause that was the only change. My guess is the shrimps were content to scavenge but when they didn't get anything for a couple days they went for the nem. I'm removing them now and putting the nem back in his favorite spot. Last night he did something really weird. It looked like he was trying to turn himself inside out. Will update.

 

[Lenny718]

The shrimp would only bother it if it was sick or on its way out. I'd remove it from your tank ASAP.

 

[KeepYourAnemonesCloser]

It did turn green on the top surface (around the mouth). Does that mean its sick?

Its been in the refugium and not doing great but not dying either.

 

[r_jay]

I used to catch peppermint shrimp in the gulf (Galveston) and seems their entire diet was feeding on the rock anemones there. I am surprised they haven't gobbled it up already. True it seems they usually prey on smaller and sickly nems though.


-R_jay

 

[Lenny718]

It did turn green on the top surface (around the mouth). Does that mean its sick?

Its been in the refugium and not doing great but not dying either.

Is it falling apart at all? Losing tentacles etc? Pick it up out the water and smell it, if it smells like death "literally " dump it.

 

[KeepYourAnemonesCloser]

It died today. Thankfully I heeded advice here and had it quarantined so it didn't melt into the tank. Sad to see it go. Def learned my lesson here. Pepps gotta go. Thanks all!

 

[Lenny718]

Sorry for the loss. I don't think the peppermints are to blame though, I've had them throughout the years with different anemones and they never bothered them. They just say an opportunity since yours was dying.