Anemone Question

[Lorna]

Okay a bit of history. In about March I purchased a bubble tip anemone which at the time I didn't realize was totally bleached. I have spent the ensuing months trying to nurse this poor thing back to health. It is positioned in the worst possible spot on the underside of the bottom piece of liverock in my tank......a contortionist challenge to target feed. Regardless I have been feeding it about 1/2 a silverside every 3 days and it looked to be coming around. This past week though it has shrunk back up into the rock and seldom is seen. It is still alive at this point though barely......(I think) My quesiton is.......I have tried to remove it but this only stresses it and it pulls itself right up inside the rock (which is a 30lb solid piece of marshall island full of holes and very porous) if and when this dies how much time am I going to have to get it out of there....provided I can? If I can't what is the worst case scenario......an ammonia spike yes......multiple large water changes????? will it be eaten by scavengers? I hope.....then just monitor for ammonia and nitrates, water changes, skim really wet and hard......and cross my fingers??????

 

[Lorna]

Bump.....need some help here

 

[aresgod]

one of the risks of buying anemones, it will cause a stink in your tank, large water changes, if it dies some should be eaten, but hopefully it will partially discharge itself from its hiding area and you might be able to use a siphon to suck it out. Run carbon, and do large water changes, thats about it.

 

[Lorna]

Thanks......I have been monitoring ammonia and so far nothing. It has pulled itself so deep into the rock it isn't even visible any longer. The peppermints are all over it so who knows.....I think I am prepared for the water changes etc.......live and learn.....

 

[Lorna]

Well after spending many months trying to save this animal it has finally passed. I did manage to get the remains out of my tank before it desintigrated thank goodness. I did learn alot about anemones during this venture and I know I will be reluctant to add another to my tank that is not a healthy speciman up front. The small gbta that I have now has grown from the size of a quarter to about a silver dollar size. The colour is great with a tannish green colour with green on the bulbs that almost flouresceses (sp) in the light.......so far so good.