Anenome Help

[Kevin Gougherty]

Anthony, I'm a big fan of your book. Although now its pretty much dog eared and overly highlited. Maybe you can lend a hand with this little problem I have.

My beautiful rose anemone took a turn for the worse. Got real sick looking with inverted tentacles. I was afraid that my new red toothed niger chomped him. So I evicted the niger.

So this evening I'm looking around the display and what to my surprise. My anemone got sick looking because he's suffering from Post Tramatic Split Syndrom(PTSS).

Real nice I know, except the two daughters are in my overflow box clinging to the return pvc line. Not sure if I should try and get them out, or just through a clown fish in there.

I do not have a clue on how to safely dislodge an anemone from whats its clinging to. I don't want to pull and tear. I just want to rescue these little guys.

Three way split, pretty cool huh!!!!

[Anthony Calfo]

Anthony, I'm a big fan of your book. Although now its pretty much dog eared and overly highlited. Maybe you can lend a hand with this little problem I have.

* Thanks kindly my friend :) And a pleasure to share an opinion.

My beautiful rose anemone took a turn for the worse. Got real sick looking with inverted tentacles. I was afraid that my new red toothed niger chomped him. So I evicted the niger.

* Hmmm... often a sign of impending division just the same in this commonly cloned/cloning animal. And few worries about the planktivorous Niger Odonus... outside of occasional curiousity with cnidarians.

So this evening I'm looking around the display and what to my surprise. My anemone got sick looking because he's suffering from Post Tramatic Split Syndrom(PTSS).

* Oops... I should read further before preaching :)

Real nice I know, except the two daughters are in my overflow box clinging to the return pvc line.

* OK.. now that part sucks. To be clear, did you place them there or did they migrate there?

Not sure if I should try and get them out, or just through a clown fish in there.

* For their safety they will almost certainly need to come out (and to prevent them blocking the passage of water through the overflow... the day after you go away on holiday :D )

* And please don't bother with a clownfish... especially not on a stressed and recoverging anemone. One of the very few benefits to having clownfish is that some feed their host. You can do that instead better and more reliably.

I do not have a clue on how to safely dislodge an anemone from whats its clinging to. I don't want to pull and tear. I just want to rescue these little guys.

* I'm not sure how much room you have to work with... but if space allows... put a piece of rock or rubble next to one of the anemones (almost touching) and shine a small light upon it. At the same time, block the light above the anemone with an obstruction . Force the little bugger to migrate in this box to the light rock/rubble just like they do up a rockscape in our reefs or to esacpe the shadow of a growing coral above them. Else you will simply have to work it (only one anemone at first) very slowly with a thumbnail, plastic spoon or edge of a credit card as the collectors do. A 15-30 minute endeavor.

Three way split, pretty cool huh!!!!

* very cool! Please take a series of pictures of the developing anemone and the move/technique. Share/post them too!

Best regards, Anthony

[Kevin Gougherty]

Anthony,

Thanks very much for your response!!!

The one I was most concerned about, the smallest, was sitting on the bottom of the 24" deep overflow box. There clearly was not room for me to reach, let alone manuevering room. So I took a few hours to think about tearing down that overbox without encountering a major water leak.
I came back to visualize my plan and the little one had climbed to up the sump pipe and seated on the foam filter cylinder(Oceanic Aquarium setup). Very lucky for me. I pulled the filter out, gently removed the anemone and placed in the display. Its now residing on my pavone. Temporary I hope.

The second, larger of the two, was fairly well seated on the return pvc pipe. I took a business card to the drug store and had it lamented so it was thin, plyably rigid, and waterproof. I wore platex gloves and began to gently slide the card under the outside footing. I freed about 1/4" and then gently tickeled underneath the foot to relax the animal. I the worked the other side. Now I had the sides lifted towards the center. I just kept tickling under the footing with my finger tip and it released. No damaged tissue left behind. I carefully noted this. An infected wound would be trouble.

Now both anemones are resting very comfortable in the display. They are taking tiny pieces of shrimp from an eye-dropper. They adapted to this feeding method very readily. Very beautifully colored and healthy looking specimens.

The parent has taken about 8-10 days to recover. It looked bad immediately following the split. Unaware of this phenomenon I was sure the animal was stressed and sick. Thats when I wrongfully evicted the niger. He went to a good home. Too bad he was a very nice little fish.

The parent is still not taking food from me. Whereas before I was feeding it pieces of shrimp from my finger tips. The maroon gold banded clown fish has been very attentive. Not sure if this is good or bad, but the parent is footed securely and still very nicely colored. I think they split along the line of their mouths. When I could see into the body when the animal was at its worst condition, this area was fairley damaged looking. I'm hopeful that some form of nurishment is being exchanged between the parent and the clown fish. They have been very close buddies since they were introduced.

Just prior to the split, and my business trip, the parent anemone swelled up huge. Engorged its self with water, then overnight moved to the flat surface of the overflow wall. During my trip, the split must have occurred and the daughters climbed or slipped over the overflow wall. I will have to patch an eggcrate rail to fill the 1/4" gap between the top of the overflow wall and the glass top. The daughters may have been in there for several days. I just happened to see them there.

Thanks again for your response, Anthony. Your book is a very important reason why this hobby has developed into a passion for me. I keep it onhand, read it on airplanes and share info with friends.(hopefully this activity doesn't hurt sales)

I'm not having any luck posting photos on this site. The CGI keeps timing out. I'll get with the help pages, figure it out, then post some photos.

[Anthony Calfo]

My pleasure, Kevin...

Its good to poll friends and research to get a general (if not intelligent :) ) consensus.

I suspect that the lack of feeding response will pass in due time. Quite certain of it. A few weeks will be no trouble. Maintain good water quality in the meantime.

"Thanks again for your response, Anthony. Your book is a very important reason why this hobby has developed into a passion for me. I keep it onhand, read it on airplanes and share info with friends.(hopefully this activity doesn't hurt sales) "

Good heavens... no harm to sales at all. Ha! Or if it does... I simply don't mind :) Its an honor that anybody should find my opinions or experience worthy of being shared or considered. Besides... once you get to know me, you realize that I really am the anti-capitalist :D Its amazing in make enough money to even feed myself! Ha!

The truth of the matter is that with God's grace and my mother's outstanding parenting... I am a successful student of "do what you love and the money will follow". Please share my work in any way you see fit (non-profit of course... same spirit ;) ) I spend anywhere between 2 to 4 hours daily... every day of the week... mentoring through e-mail on wetwebmedia.com with Bob Fenner and the gang. We are all volunteers and truly aspire to serve the hobby and industry that we all love so well. I hope and have faith that you are doing the same where you can.

Best regards,

Anthony