Anemone trouble

Massengill · #1 12/01/2007, 09:54 PM

I have a long tentacle anemone that appears to have a problem. I have had it since August. It has been doing so well, always big, eats and hosts my pink Skunk clown. A few days ago it just shrunk up and never fils out during the day, it also does not attach it's foot any more. It appears to have some form of junk coming out of it's foot, kind of like the waste they produce from their mouth. I did some closer investigation and there also appears to be a hole in the side of it's base. Is it dying, and should I remove it? Could this be a possible bristle worm infestation, did my clown injur it, or could my emerald green crab be a culprit? It really saddens me because it was such a nice specimen, it was probably 8-9". Now my clown just hides in the corner where it's anemone use to be.

Newlin · #2 12/01/2007, 10:24 PM

I know that the clown will not harm the anemone that is hosting it. The crab, I have never had a problem with. But, with you saying that there is a hole, the first thing that came to mind was the bristle worm. I'm going to say that is what is killing it. I'm not sure if you can get the worm out of the anemone but if you can, there is a chance. If you have another bare tank that you can put him in, try to put him on some egg crate and see if the worm will come out on his own. You can also try to put food right next to the hole and see if he will come out.

Slakker · #3 12/01/2007, 11:45 PM

I would say that the crab is a definite possibility, as Mithrax crabs have been known to nip at anemones. I'd doubt it was the clown.

sarahkucera · #4 12/02/2007, 09:30 PM

Bristle worms will not attack a healthy animal, they are detritus eaters only. The bristle worms may be picking at the foot of the nem now that there is damage, but they have no ability to slice open a healthy animal.
Have any of your rocks moved or slid around? A tear in the foot could be caused by a rock falling on the nems foot.
I don't know about the crab, having never had an emerald crab.

RBTA · #5 12/02/2007, 11:32 PM

I do not believe it was the Bristles, they only prey upon sometihng as it is dying. However what are your water parameters?
There could possibly be something off in the water levels that is causing the problem.
Also what kind of lighting do you have on the tank?
If the anemone starts to melt away or fall apart, then you would want to take it out.
Its very possible something could have been wrong with the anemone to begin with, but often enough it can take a lot of time ((months even)) before it shows any signs.