Rock Flower Anemone, Phymanthus/Epicystis crucifer hlth.       8/24/18
Hi Crew!
<Hey Danilo>
I purchased a RFA (the orange one in pics) about 10 days ago, and I noticed it wasn’t sticky or eating like my established one. Upon further inspection I saw it’s foot was pinkish with blotchy red, covered with lots of mucous, and appeared to have a small tear. Even worse, some of his mesenterial filaments seem to be protruding from the bottom. ��
<Ah yes; a torn pedal disc; tearing at the base; a common issue w/ especially wild-collected, but includes carelessly extracted captive specimens.>
I was surprised he look so well on his top part especially since I already had him for 9 days at that point! I know that RFAs notoriously die with any foot complications, despite iodine dips, revive baths, etc... Again that’s why I was surprised he even lasted this long.
<Mmm; well... the tearing likely occurred ahead of your acquisition. A note re "cold" vs. "warm" blooded animals; often such damage, loss of health is a while... days, weeks in showing up, compared with mammals, birds....>
Anyway, I didn’t want to just give up, and I also did not want to risk trying methods that have not yielded any solid results, so I am experimenting with Methylene blue. It has been highly effective as a prophylactic bath for my fish and acclaimed as being so safe it could be used even for inverts, so I figured I’d try to give my RFA daily baths.
<Sounds good. As you state, well-worth a try, trialing>
He certainly doesn’t seem to react very negatively to the baths, besides his mouth opening a little upon reentry into the display. I know he must absorb some Methylene blue so I only dip him in a cup of display water with only 2 drops, so hopefully anything expelled into tank isn’t very significant—should I run a Polyfilter while this is going on?
<I'd run the PolyFilter after administering, every few days... for several hours, then remove it and replenish the Methylene Blue; as the resins in this fine product will remove the Methylene Blue>
He’s usually in the bath 5 minutes. I’m on my third day of treatment.
Today his foot was significantly less mucous covered and the degeneration of the foot seems to have at least halted, but it is still pink and I can still see maybe a pencil eraser sized bit of mesenterial filaments—an improvement although still not in the clear. I do the “highly scientific” sniff test to help make sure he’s hanging in there too, as I know it’s a bit early to even make a prognosis.
<Okay; appears alive to me>
Well, I wanted to share in case this proves to be successful. I wasn’t sure if you had any insight in using Methylene blue for RFAs, if I should treat more, or if my efforts may be futile...?
<I do not know; but have read about, used literally gallons of Methylene Blue over decades of time in the trade. Is a very safe, and quite effective general anti- and fungi-cide, bacterio-cide, -static... Is a useful "converter of hemoglobin", even injected into humans at times/places. Look it up.>
It’s a 28g nano, nitrates and phos undetectable (working on raising that), dkh 9.3, cal 415, Mag 1350, temp avg 82, random turbulent flow from my gyre, and spg 1.025. Tank has no chem filtrants but does have a Aquamaxx hob 1.5.
Dani
<Thank you for sharing. Please do keep us informed of your further work, observations.
Bob Fenner>

Re: Rock Flower Anemone; torn base      9/17/18
Just an update, he didn’t make it ��
<Rats! BobF>

Rock flower nems     3/18/17
Hey guys how has it been.
<Fine Tom; thanks>
Have a quick one about some rock flower nems that we have been getting and shipping in. We are having a large number melting the second or third day in. Cal 440, Mag 1350, alk 8 no3 5. They seem to be expelling a large
amount of why looks like green brown stringy material almost like a small hay.
<Mmm; trouble>
They are still solid feeling when introduced to the system.
<Alive up till then likely>
Could they have an issue with the substrate ?
<Doubtful... something/s else. Are they shipped one to the bag? Are their pedicles intact; i.e., not torn?>
We acclimate them with :30 float and :30 drip.
<I'd be dosing (over; like three plus times) with iodide-ate and lowering the spg of the acclim. water a thousandth or two>
Have kicked around putting them in a bare bottom and doing water changes ever hour till they quit expelling that material.
What chemicals can be used to help with these issues
<As above... plus poss. a simple/hexose sugar... as detailed by Hans Hass decades back and myself in recent ones>
Thanks again
Tom smith
Aquascape Chicago
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: Rock flower nems     3/18/17
<Can't read this>
Re: Rock flower nems     3/18/17
Sorry about that
The nems all looked in tack in the bags and were shipped 5 per med sized bag.
<Mmm; I'd only ship one per... ALWAYS>
Just found the writing on the simple sugar treatment
What type is sugar works
Cane
Corn syrup
Simple cheap white ?
<Glucose is best... look for this at the supermarket for folks that do canning. Bob Fenner>

Re: Rock flower nems        3/22/17
This is that material I was trying to explain
<Bizarre Tom... looks like some sort of polypoid life, but what? Do you have other images; showing tentacles, mouths? Bob Fenner>

Re: Rock flower nems        3/22/17
Semi gaping
<These Phymanthus crucifer are looking MUCH better. I would keep running chemical filtrants (PolyFilter and ChemiPure) at double, and checking ORP as THE indicator of water quality. Bob Fenner>

Re: Rock flower nems        3/22/17
sorry but have no ChemiPure but have gfo
<Remove the Ferrous. Chemoautotrophs NEED HPO4>
and carbon. also have a good size skimmer running currently and have been doing a 25% water change daily just to keep it clean and the " stuff" cleared off any that are still ejecting it. should i still keep up with the simple sugar and iodide treatment?
<Yes. B>

Re: Rock flower nems... Time to separate, sell        3/24/17 What are your thoughts on a sand bed for the rocks vs. bare bottom <For just holding? Bare or carpet... like Quality Marine> Also what is this Cipro <The UN sponsored antibiotic?> Would this help any? <Not here; no> Mouths are still gaping and some are becoming soft <Do you have an ongoing reef system you can use to provide water for these Anemones? B> Re: Rock flower nems    3/24/17 Yes just started changing over to our 5 year old reef for the water changes and was working on discontinuing the extra iodine and simple sugar treatment based on your advice <Ah, good> Re: Rock flower nems    3/24/17 Updated pictures with filters Should I be worried about the mouths still being open like that? <Not really; no>

Re: Rock flower nems    3/24/17 Ok thank you again for sharing more priceless knowledge with me. <Glad to be of help. B> Re: Rock flower nems     4/3/17 Still having some melt off but not in the same mass quantities seeing if there are other things that I can dial in to reduce losses. Most of the losses are tending to be the very nice colored one :-( <I'd be separating (don't do well together), selling these... Bob Fenner>