Strange question...I know what it is...is it dead?

[reefgurl03]

Hello,
I've just finished re-setting up my marine tank after about two years away from it. Instead of doing just fish this time, I thought I'd add some live rock and other interesting creatures. It's a 50gal with about 2-3" crushed coral bed, and about 30lbs of live rock. After cycling it with the rock, a couple of damsels, and some live bacteria, I bought an anenome from my local fish shop. I was told it was a Condy but it is not pink-tipped, just white. I brought it home and added it about 3-4 weeks ago. It's been a beautiful creature, full and lush and seemingly happy moving about the tank. Then a few days ago I noticed it's tentacles were thin and some were retracted...no big deal I thought. Today I came home from work and it looks like a piece of chewed gum, it's totally enguled itself and is loosely sitting in the substrate. How do I know if it died or is dying? I have a new angel, some hermits, and a chocolate chip star in there now. My tests came out good:
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia: 0
SpGravity: today was about 1.020 but it was a hot day and my tank is about 82 degrees right now. Normally it is about 78. Maybe too warm for it? Everything else is doing fine.
I have even checked the water hardness which was fine.
I am altenating foods with marine flake, mysis shrimp, and daphnia. Should I have been feeding another supplement? Sorry this got so long, any ideas would be appreciated.
Bente

 

[Will C1]

your choclate chip probably ate it. i had a huge seabae anemonie and a huge star, and woke up one mourning to find he was eating it and it was almost gone. sorry to hear your bad luck. chalk this one up to expierience.

 

[reefgurl03]

I checked on it just a few minutes ago and a few stringy tentacles were poking out. I'm reluctant to throw it out just yet. Maybe I'll wait till the morning. Thank you!
Bente

 

[Anonymous]

I think Will is right. If you want to keep any corals or sessile inverts in your tank, I suggest taking the star back to the lfs. Also, it has been my experience that a happy anemone stays in one place.

Welcome back to the hobby!

Chris

 

[klingsa]

I had a similar experience with a carpet anemone. Is it turning into a pile of goo? If so, it's dying, and there's nothing you can do about it.
I, also, hate to take it out until I'm sure. I usually get another tank or bowl or something, and separate it so that it doesn't mess up your tank.
Depending on what kind of anemeone it is, it may be that your specific gravity is too low. It should be between 1.022-1.025. 82 degrees is fine, if it is a clownfish host anemone or a condy. In any case, there may not be anything to do about it. This is why they are considered very hard animals to keep, even for the pros. Separate it, give it plenty of water movement, and see what happens. That's my advicee.

Good luck! :lol:
Sara

 

[Anonymous]

If it's still attached to something, it's not dead. If it dies it will fall off whatever it's attached to and just drift around. Your specific gravity, however, seems low. I didn't think it would make much difference between 78 and 82 degrees in the tank. My tank is usually around 78-80 in the winter and 80-82 in the summer, but my specific gravity sits between 1.023 and 1.024.

 

[reefann]

I agree with ChrisPrusha anemone normally find a happy spot and stay there. I had a chocolate chip star in my 210 before I went reef and removed him because I knew he would cause trouble. I would recomend his removal
JJ
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