Anemone issue...

McFish

Goby
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
hey all,

For the past few days my anemone has been looking super off. It eats a little, but a lot of the time it can’t hold it
 

Haddonisreef

Orca
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
Definitely looks stressed the way the tentacles are sucked in. How old is the tank? and parameters like specific gravity alk phosphates?
 

Dr.DiSilicate

Great White Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#4
Yup, what in the tank has changed? The current and typical perams plus age of tank and how long you have had the nem. Lighting?
 

McFish

Goby
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Nothing in the tank changed other than adding a fish or two. I left for Italy for a week and had a friend feeding the fish and nem. After I returned it started going bit downhill over the next few days. Before I left, it was really big but also looked like it was starting to split a little.

Heres the parameters:

Nitrate - 30
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Alk - 7.8
Gravity 1.023

Calcium was also a bit low but I don't have any Stony corals
Temp 81 degrees (turned up a bit to kill some ich)


I have an Orbit IC, I believe it is the 27 watts model #4105
https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-4105-36-Orbit/dp/B01M3SLQPB

Also have two T-8 bulbs.
 

SynDen

Administrator
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#6
Well id say its a combination of factors, certainly those high nitrates, plus not enough light, and/or wrong spectrum, and the high temp likely not helping either. Need to get those nitrates down to 10 or less. Ive seen some tanks do well with nitrates in the 20s but generally after that it starts having a pretty dramatic affect on the health of the inhabitants, especially sensitive inverts.

How old is the tank, and what is you current filtration setup? Whats your feeding schedule like currently? What bulbs do you have in those t-8s?

Really a few ways to deal with it, and a combined approach would be best, but first, and prolly most important, would to identify the source of the high nitrates and get it under control. Second is to increase filtration. After that I would ditch the t-8s, and either get t-5 vho, or another led fixture.
 

zombie

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#7
The SG is also low for a tank with corals. Fish can handle 1.023 well, but corals need to be closer to 1.025 or 35ppt. If you change this, make sure it's super slow. The best way is to start mixing your water change water to 1.025 and do no more than 10% weekly changes with that mix (emergency changes of 25-50% should be matched to tank salinity). Should be right on target salinity in a couple months.

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McFish

Goby
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
The tank has been established for 6-months, but the tank itself is probably 5 years old? I bought it used and can't tell. Right now I am feeding everyone once a day. The Nem and snowflake eel get one small krill each and everyone else splits a fish gumdrop. I'm currently looking for some new/used lights and hope to have some by the time I get the 150 or 180 gallon.

I've had a constant battle with nitrates - its been quite frustrating but have oddly enjoyed the challenge. When I first started the nitrates were at 50-60 w/ a wet-dry filter and after upgrading I've slashed that in half. All of the parameters are stable every week but I know I need to get the nitrate down as much as I can.

heres whats currently on the 75 gallon for filtration:

Corner Overflow w/ a filter (one of those black sponge like ones) - I clean this out every week

Reef Octopus OCT-MF300B 2.5" media reactor
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016ABH9EW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

DrTrim's Aquatics 802 NP-Active Pearls Media
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MP0JBW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

eShopps AEO140005 Reef Sump RS-100 (changing out 7" filter sock every week)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OP4GWI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bubble Magus BM-Curve 5 Protein Skimmer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AAFVMAM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also have some snails and crabs to eat left over dead stuff....

I'll slowly start increasing the SG, I'm sure that will help some of the frags in there at the very least!
 

zombie

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
When you say a fish gumdrop, do you mean an entire cube of frozen? If so, that's the source of your problem right there. My current 65g with 4 medium fish gets the equivalent of 1/3 a cube daily and when I had my fully stocked 125g with like 12 fish they got a cube a day. Ideal amount is what can be almost entirely consumed within 5 minutes.

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McFish

Goby
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
They're pretty fat fish, so maybe its time for a diet! I've got 5 in there now so I'll try feeding them just 1/3 of a cube and see how that goes!
 

SynDen

Administrator
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#11
How you feed it can have a big impact as well. Feeding one big large meal a day can also be part of the problem, generally want to feed multiple smaller feedings, instead of a large one. More likely it will all be consumed that way too.
 

zombie

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
They're pretty fat fish, so maybe its time for a diet! I've got 5 in there now so I'll try feeding them just 1/3 of a cube and see how that goes!
I would suggest cutting a cube up into thirds or quarters and then timing how long it takes for everything but the tiny bits and pieces the fish dont notice easily to consume. 1/3 may be too little 1 cube is likely too much. The sweet spot and general consensus for both fresh and salt seems to be 5 minutes, so feed whatever amount fits that time.

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