New Print and eBook on Amazon:   Anemone Success Doing what it takes to keep Anemones healthy long-term by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Re: Anemone problem Thanks so much for the reply. I truly hate it when something dies in my care.  <agreed my friend> I don't feel I did a good job in researching an LTA before purchase. That said, I would still like to save this animal. <it happens... we can correct it though> The LTA is at the bottom of my 90G AGA (24" down). I tried to move him up onto the rocks last night, but he returned to the same location on the sand.  <unfortunate... there are many reasons for this too (sensation of another cnidarian, path of water flow, etc).> I was feeding him whole pieces of krill; 1/2" - 1" long so perhaps you are right about him starving. I will try the < 1/4" pieces tonight if he'll hang in there.  <yes... shredded meats of marine origin. Regurgitation is obvious if you know what to look for. A floating ball of mucous waste usually. Some other creatures scavenge it in the night though oftentimes> I've got three questions: Can an LTA survive with my lighting setup if fed nutritious food stuff?  <extra feeding would buy you time, but not replace weak lighting in the long run. Alas... most anemones need full reef aquarium lighting and most don't get it. I'd suggest that you set up a smaller tank just for the anemone by a South or East facing window with natural sunlight. Then you won't have to spend a lot on an expensive lighting system> Could my Condy be affecting his health at all?  <absolutely... in fact, almost certainly. Stinging animals sense each other and constantly conduct silent chemical warfare> Is there a trick to get him to stay on the rocks, higher in the column? What's the cheapest way to add MH lighting? (4th question snuck in:) A retrofit 175 watt MH with a 10K Aqualine bulb or a 6500K Iwasaki bulb would work nicely. Do consult DIY sites across the web for lighting support like at www.ozreef.org (follow DIY link)> Your help in saving this animal is GREATLY appreciated. I'm not very happy with myself on this purchase. Living and learning is OK, but no sense in making the LTA pay for it. <you will be fine my friend. Thank you for caring. We have options here rest assured. Anthony>

OOPS! <Anemone health?> Hi Bob, sup? Anyway, after seeing a 55 gallon at the LFS, I noticed it was the same length, height, and width as mine, so I don't have a 40 gal, I have a 55 gallon. So, do I have enough room for the Yellow Tang I wanted? <No, not much bigger.> Also, my Condy anemone is doing GREAT. It's grown like 3 dozen more tentacles since I've got it and is starting to get bigger. Anyway, I've also decided to upgrade my lighting to 1 daylight bulb and 1 blue actinic bulb. This should be enough for most polyps, mushrooms, and other softies right? <PC, VHO, HO, NO, what? A wattage of these lamps would be helpful. In the meantime, if these are not VHO 110 watt lamps or PC 96 watt lamps, the answer is no to most corals. You will be able to maintain a few mushrooms, but not much else.> My friend had corals for like 5 years with this setup and they all did great. Anyway, my real question is, my anemone has started eating his older larger tentacles, do they do that? <Not that I have seen.> I will walk in and see him with a number of the old tentacles in his mouth, like 1-3 at a time! Do they do this to make room for the new tentacles? <Perhaps he had just eaten something else.> Thanks for your time. Clint <You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

E. Quad turning brown? Greetings <Anthony Calfo in your service> First off, I must commend you and your staff for doing such a fine job / service to our hobby. It's difficult to be an electrician, plumber, chemist, doctor and mother,  <did you just call me a Mother? <G> Some appreciation... sheesh! :) > but your site has made it much easier. thanks :) <you are very welcome... I think> I have experienced freshwater for the last 15 years and recently plunged into saltwater. I purchased a BTA about three months ago with a pair of false Percs. The anemone seemed healthy when I purchased it...... med. in size, green in color with pink tips, brown base, sticky to touch, and attached to a rock. I feed it every two to three days (turkey baster) with a full spectrum cube containing a mixture of minced clams, krill, fish, fish roe, mussels, kelp and zooplankton. Over the last two weeks I have noticed some of the tentacles turning a brownish color. It still has it's bubbles but where the brown is, the bubbles are smaller. I have heard of this occurring but I'm not sure if its good, bad or something that just is.  <two different issues here... color change and waning "bubbles". Waning bubbles are common and unclear to cause. Some theories include lack of dynamic water flow which I subscribe to in part. Another theory is a lack of stimulation from fish guests, which I do not subscribe to. The color change is an entirely different matter. It is most often inadequate light (common) or aging/dirty lamps that reduce otherwise "good" light. Your lighting system below is rater modest for anemones and hard corals. If the lamps are more than 3" off the surface of the water then this color change was inevitable with any amount of fluorescent bulbs (NO or PC). Such bulbs need to be VERY close to the water to be effective at all. Furthermore, if you anemone is more than 8-10" deep in the tank...again, no surprise. UI suspect that some or all of these things are involved. Most anemones die within 6-12 months from slow starvation because they fail to reach their compensation point for survival even with heavy feeding. These are VERY demanding photosynthetic animals requiring hardcore reef lighting as a rule. If not the above, the next likely cause is excess nitrates/nutrients. If your skimmer does not produce dark skimmate every day then the zooxanthellae are being "over-fertilized" and the color change is a masking population of symbiotic algae. Get a better skimmer then :)> It hasn't wandered since I placed it in the tank in a crevice and overall appears normal (still eating, sticky, attached.) Here are my tank stats: 10 gal. 6 months old 15# live rock (Fiji) 1 in, sand bed aqua clear mini - foam insert, sometimes carbon bubble wand across back of tank for aeration and circulation 2 x 13 watt power compacts 50/50 (bulbs 4 months old) 1 15watt NO 18,000k (bulb 2 months old) <beyond the above... your lights may have too much blue to be useful (attractive color though). Most coral and anemone need full daylight illumination. Just add blue or 50/50 for cosmetic effect for the more demanding animals> -if this isn't sufficient, I have a 40 gal long with 4 x 55watt power compacts but I didn't want to stress it until I find out what's going on.  <yes my friend... the 41 watts of light over this anemone are staggeringly weak... but do acclimate the anemone slowly to the new/brighter lights. see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm > Plus there are some pests in there that I need to remove. Also, I was afraid it would eat my royal Gramma or bat heads with the 2 Florida sea cucumbers (bad, I know. -came as part of a "package" from you know who in Florida.  <ughhh! don't get me started...heehee. Fascists with little respect for life/animals> haven't had a problem yet but you'll be the first to know. hehe -in the meantime keeping fingers crossed, saying prayers, knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder.) salinity 1.025 ph 8.4 ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 0 calcium 380 temp 80 - 82 weekly water change of 3 gallons. top off with ro/di water -Kalk every other day or so tank friends: the e. quad 2 false Percs 3 blue legged hermits 1 Astrea snail 1 silver dollar sized brittle star <all fine> thanks so much for your advice / time. Denise <best regards my friend. Anthony>

Anemone problem I have looked at a very large amount of anemone web sites on the internet and I believe that you site is ranked as one of the most informative in my opinion.  <thank you... as it is intended. I for one feel that most anemones should not be collected and that most aquarists should not buy/keep them. We could talk for hours about the reasons why. Simply know that for starters that they are likely doomed to fail (assuming you can even get a healthy undamaged one) if they are not kept in a species tank: no other cnidarians! No coral and no other anemones> I have kept many anemones with not much luck. They just all seem to slowly die. I hate that.  <don't keep buying them my friend> I currently had a big beautiful ritteri anemone.  <perhaps the most difficult of them all. They need full reef lighting... more than most coral. How many aquarists are willing to spend $1000 on a hefty halide lighting system just to keep a single anemone. This... most climb the walls starving for light and die without it or get torn/killed in a pump or overflow intake in their search. Tragic> It seems to be big in the morning but as the day progresses it just seems to get much smaller and tentacles begin to deflate. It has plenty of light  <250-400 watt metal halides?> and a moderate amount of water movement.  <very strong water movement needed here too> The thing with all my anemones is when the begin to die, they look like they begin to expel some sort of a smoky substance. Can you tell me what that is?  <one possibility is the expulsion of zooxanthellae under duress> And is there anything I can do to help my anemone? <natural sunlight supplemented with big halides, no unguarded pump intakes, heavy feedings of micro sized ocean meats, weekly water changes... essentially a species tank> thanks, Chris <best regards, Anthony>

Carpet Anemone Help I have a 55 gallon invert tank with 2 Percula clowns. I bought a green carpet anemone last night from the LFS. This morning the anemone is not looking too good. His mouth is somewhat spilling over.  <the anemone appears to be dieing of shipping induced trauma as it is all too common with many anemones. This and all animals furthermore need to be brought home to a quarantine tank first to prevent the transmission of disease, improve survivability of new stock and in this case... prevent the chance of wiping out your entire tank if this animal should die and be unattended for more than a couple hours overnight or while you are at work. Please read up on proper quarantine protocol> I tested my levels this morning and it seems okay. PH-8.2, Ammonia-0.0, Nitrate<10, Nitrite<0.22. Nitrate and Nitrite readings are the lowest my test kit can go. The tank is powered by a 800gph power head. Filtration is through live rock/sand with an AquaC Remora Skimmer. I took some pictures. Please let me know what I can do to heal my anemone! Thanks. <please do a Google search of WWM (check bullet) from the Wet Web Media.com home (index) page. Do a keyword search of "carpet anemone" and other like terms (sick anemone, etc). There is a tremendous amount of content written on this topic waiting to help/advise you my friend> Robert Benitez

HELP! new anemone owner! Hey bob. I constantly read your FAQs they are great! Here's my problem. I just bought a new Haitian pink tipped anemone. It has been at the LFS for months and months so I know its in good condition with no cuts or anything. <<Sadly, these can look fine for months and months, but actually be in serious decline from lack of proper light and foodstuffs.>> but there's one problem, when I put a shrimp pellet or something in its oral disk, it's tentacles sort of fold up around the food like normal and it eats it, but no sting. Shouldn't it be at least a little bit sticky? <<I would think so, but this does vary from species to species.>> It might have stung me once or twice but it was so faint that I could barely feel it. <<Well also on the hands where calluses are the thickest. I bet if you stuck it higher up your arm it would feel different.>> please help me I really like this little guy and want to keep him alive! Clint <<Well, Clint, the trick now will be lighting, circulation, and feeding. If you've got adequate lighting then you're off to a good start. I would continue feeding, perhaps moving to something besides pellet foods, to something like frozen silversides. Keep a close eye on your water quality. Cheers, J -- >>
Re: HELP! new anemone owner! thanks! <<You are welcome.>> I have good lighting and circulation, in fact I had to move it so it wouldn't be blown around by the whisper filter too much. its kind of small maybe 3 inches across or less. would it be okay to feed it a piece of a shrimp like once a week to supplement the pellets? <<You could - I don't know enough about these pellets, and more often than not I prefer to use food I can identify - fish, squid, clam, etc.>> and one more thing, would it be okay to have a FEW soft corals in my tank? <<Again, it depends on your lighting. You didn't really reveal anything about it, just that it is 'good' - what type of bulbs, what output wattage? These are important to giving you a good answer.>> not right away but slowly add them? <<No matter what you add, you should add slowly.>> maybe a max number of 5 different easy species? <<depends on the light.>> and some mushrooms and polyps of course? <<don't see why not.>> or would the anemone sting them? <<only if placed right next to each other.>> I have plenty of space to go around so it seems like it should be fine. what about "chemical ware fare"? <<depends on the corals you select.>> sorry for all the questions but this is my first marine tank. <<Many of these questions have been asked and answered and are posted within WetWebMedia. You should avail yourself to this resource.>> Thanks for all the help. Clint <<Cheers, J -- >>
Re: HELP! new anemone owner! <<Hello again, Clint...>> my lighting is 2 Coralife 20K high intensity purified super daylight lamps (that sounds kind of like of just boosting the selling power of these bulbs by using the words "super and purified" but that all came from the box. <<Sounds like standard manufacturer babble.>> it also says that fish coral and macroalgae thrive in its glow. bright high intensity output and the technical info says 360 degree output (please explain this I have no idea what that means) 15 watt fluorescent. <<Sounds like more box babble to me.>> 15 watts doesn't seem like very much to me but the box said coral likes it and the pet store owner assured me it was fine. <<Yeah, 15 watts is a little low, and even with the two together 30w is really not enough for your anemone or soft corals that you wish to place.>> please help! the corals I was thinking about were maybe a leather coral, bubble coral, and a xenia. Thanks a lot for all the help your advice is very useful o me. <<You have other options when it comes to lighting, and without something more intense, or many more of the 15w bulbs, you'll be quite challenged to get those corals to thrive. Check out these URLs: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/index.htm  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fixtures.htm  >> Clint <<Cheers, J -- >>

Sick Anemone??? I have an anemone that seems to be having some problems. It appears shriveled up. It has done that at times in the past and snapped out of it, <it should only do so very briefly (less than 24 hours/digestion, etc)> so I wouldn't be so concerned, except that there is also a protuberance in the center.  <indeed... very serious with anemones. What are your nitrates like...under 20ppm? Close?> It looks like the mouth is sticking out about 1/2 an inch. The calcium in the tank has been running a little low and the PH is running about 8.6.  <no worries at all here, although on the higher end. Phosphates will precip out at 8.6 here... nice benefit> I've been trying to get the calcium up. (How do I lower the PH?) <it will naturally through biological processes/nitric acid, carbonic acid, etc> Could this cause that, or is there something else that might be the culprit. <almost certainly another cause. Do peruse anemone FAQs on Wet Web Media site. Another possibility is attrition from not feeding enough food or foods of small enough size. Most anemones need very finely shredded (less than 1/4 inch) ocean meats several times weekly if not daily. If not being given such foods or just as bad: large indigestible chunks (regurgitated later at night) then you anemone may very well be starving> I had been attempting to use baking soda to raise alkalinity (guess I overshot the mark),  <baking soda should only bring you to about 8.3... not higher. The Kalk will send it that high and beyond though if abused (added by day or too much at night)> and mixed Kalkwasser with water to make a "supplement" which I'm sure is what is causing the calcium to lower.  <couldn't possibly LOWER calcium, my friend... it IS calcium If added too much or too fast you could precip ALK and lose carbonates though> I've since gone back to B-Ionic calcium supplement, and calcium is rising again. <such products are fine when starting with a balanced Ca/ALK dynamic... not to correct one side of it easily. Do read more about water chemistry here if interested> Also having a small problem with temperature. With the ambient temp in the house (north San Diego County) being higher in July, the temp of the tank never gets below about 76, and by the end of the light cycle is over 80 at the end of the day. Any suggestions short of using a chiller? <evaporative cooling. Small energy efficient muffin fans blowing across the tank are in order. Plug into same timer as lights to prevent harsh temp swings. Best regards, Anthony>

Anemone health Hi Anthony, my new anemone (Condylactis gigantea) is totally shrunk, it's alive because it moves from time to time,  <normal if tentacles cycles (open and closed) on a daily basis... a sign of irritation if they stay closed continuously for more than a couple of days> but it has one day of inserted into the tank and has not "puffed". Should I wait a couple of days? <yes... it may simply take a little time> Is this a bad sign? It shows a lot of color, and if I put my fingers close to it the stick to the tentacles... <ahhh... the good color and stinging response are good signs. Also remember when the tentacles open and the coral acclimates to feed it regularly. It is critical that such anemones be fed several times weekly if not daily. But do not make the common mistake of feeding foods that are too large. Although the anemone will sting and draw in almost any large chunk of meat... they will regurgitate it later at night and the animal will in fact starve when you think it is eating. Do not feed brine shrimp either (very low grade food). Offer meats of marine origin (shrimp, krill, plankton, crab, etc) that have been very finely shredded (6mm or less).> Thanks. Julio <with kind regards, Anthony>
Re: Sick Condylactis? Just to answer your one question, I am using aged water that I store in a 30 gal bucket, aerated, salted, warmed and ready to go. <Good> Anemones don't wave their tentacles? Hmmmmm, maybe it was the powerhead I removed above him for my 30 gallon bucket! ~Pam <That is probably the reason for the change. -Steven Pro>

Anemone Is it normal for an Anemone to contract when the tank lights are off?  I fed it a couple of days ago and since then I haven't seen it open as much especially when the lights are off? Is this normal for a couple of days after feeding? <Yes in both cases... many species are photosynthetic to a varying (some receive something like 90% of their nutrition this way) extent... and it "pays" to "close down" (there are predators of anemones) when fed sufficiently, or there's not much to feed on...> I have VHO lighting and it stays on 10.5 hours a day. I've checked the water parameters and they are perfect. The tank temperature is a steady 81 degrees (fluctuating MAYBE only 1/2 a degree a day). Is this temperature too high for an Anemone?  <What species? For tropical ones, see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm  this should be fine> If so, how do I change the temperature slowly without creating a problem for everyone in the tank? <Depends on who "everyone" is... Read over your message here... you don't list the species involved> The only other change I've made is slowly increasing the salinity to 1.25. It is currently at 1.23 and I have been trying to raise it no more than a thousandth each day to make the change slow. Could the Anemone be reacting to low salinity? Although it seemed fine before I fed it. <Yes, certainly> Hopefully this is somewhat normal behavior for an Anemone -- before feeding him he was fully extended and looking great. He has stayed in one spot in the tank -- I guess that's a good sign that he's not moving around a lot? <One sign, yes> Thanks for any suggestions/help you can provide. <Thank you for writing, sharing. Bob Fenner> Elizabeth K. Birdwell

Sick Condylactis? Hello WetWeb Guys! 4 days ago, I bought a Large Condylactis Anemone, pink. It floated down to a crevice in the rock and stayed there looking very content and animated as it's tentacles drifted in the current. Today, it is sitting on the bottom of the tank a couple inches below it's original perch. It doesn't look quite as happy. It's tentacles are not waving about, but just kind of hanging straight up. You know, like a dead arm in the water. It's not moving about like before either, so of course I'm concerned. <Anemones do not wave their tentacles. It is the current that moves them and the current is probably weaker in this spot. Resist the urge to move the anemone to where you like it. They will usually find a spot they like.> I was at this link of yours: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/atl_anemfaqs.htm  but didn't see anything about symptoms of a sick Condylactis. So, I'm asking you. My nitrates are a bit high right now, about 60ppm, because I haven't had a skimmer for 2 days. <Are you using a source of purified water, RO or DI? They are my strong preference. Two days is not a lot of time to accumulate nitrate.> I just bought a new one, a AquaC Remora PRO HOT Skimmer, and I'm waiting for it's arrival. <A good skimmer. It should help, but may not completely alleviate your nitrate problem.> My salinity is a nice 1.023, right on for a change. I did a 7 gallon water change yesterday. Temp is 79F. Do you have an answer? Thanks, Pam <Time will tell if this animal has a real problem or merely adjusting. Not much to do except provide an ideal environment. -Steven Pro>

The Fate of All Too Many Anemones Hello, I have a purple tipped anemone and it seems to be dying. It's not moving around as much, not sticking its tentacles to its food, and its tentacles look like someone has wrapped tiny elastic bands around them, looks like the tips are going to break off it looked like it was doing well for approx 5 weeks. I have a sebae clownfish, and I am wondering what its host anemone is, and what are ALL the requirements for keeping it healthy in my 60 gallon tank. I have standard (one normal one blue) double bulbs. I am a beginner (within the last 10 months) and I need help! <An incredible amount of information for you to learn my friend. The care of anemones is not something to recommend to beginners. They are generally difficult and slowly die. Most imported are dead in less than one year. You can read more about them at the following links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm  http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html  Perhaps try some mushroom anemones instead. Clownfish do not need an anemone to live and thrive. -Steven Pro>

Long Tentacle Anemone Hi Robert and the crew, <Cheers!> I was the one with LTA and no clue. Well, thanks to you, we are still surviving. (Sept-Oct 2001). But.... I have another question about coloration. My LTA was originally brown with orange base. The brown color slowly became transparent and the foot lightened in color. After I added more light, within a few weeks the brown color returned (iridescent green tips), but the base is still very light in color. My idea of VHO lighting did not work out, so for now we have 55g: 3 X 40W, 10K, 50/50 and Actinic. I have to say that LTA looks quite well, actually I think it looks nicer than when I purchased her, but that may be due to illumination. I did read about coloration changes, but did not find anything about the base. In case you are wondering, I pull her out every day and compare the base color to NA test cards... I'm very bright, you now.  <heehee...> Actually, she was moving a few days ago and I caught her in the act. If you have any thoughts on this issue, please let me know. (do I really have very little light?  <yep! You guessed it... that is the big problem IMO. Standard output fluorescents are very pale at even shallow depth (PAR not just appearance of daylight). If your anemone is below 10" of surface, we should be grateful to have gotten where we have. Still... the bright orange color may not be related to the zooxanthellae (most likely it isn't) and may not ever come back but be replaced by different pigmentation. Keep feeding it well and varied and increase the light brighter but slowly when you can> My life rock free-riding green (brown with iridescent green border) button polyps are multiplying... <very cool!> Thank you, Oksana <with kind regards, Anthony>

anemone (H. crispa, health) Howdy Bob! <Hello there> Luv your website! Spend a lot of time just reading information and planning next addition to my tank. Purchased what appeared to be a Sebae anemone about 1 1/2 months ago. Has been doing great. Feeding it Phytoplex 3x week, and supplementing with plankton crushed up and mixed with liquid vitamins. Increased my lighting (nowhere near enough, but it was looking great!). I purchased about 3 weeks ago 2 Clarkii clown fish for it. They dove right in and things were looking good. About 1 week ago, I noticed when I fed the supplements to the anemone, my Clarkii's would knock the food out of its tentacles and gobble it up.  <Yes, this happens.> Tried feeding fish and anemone at same time, but no difference. This am, my anemone is shriveled, and its mouth is hanging open. <Not good> My Clarkii's are still playing with it. It's not disintegrating yet, but am I going to lose it? No bad smells noted yet, but it doesn't look good. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. <Do try feeding the Clown/Anemonefishes ahead of offering some larger, meatier foods placed maybe with a turkey baster toward the anemones center... this and brighter light should do the job. Bob Fenner> Kat

Blue carpet anemones Hello, I have question about blue carpets. A local shop has some but they have brown rings around their mouths. They have had them for about a week now and I was wondering if this was normal and if not would this go away? Or are they on their way out? <possibly yes, but not for the reason that you suspect. The color of the mouth is highly variable and not an indicator of health. An open or gaping mouth would be a bad sign. The brown ring may be more natural than most would think. It is quite possible that this anemone has been color dyed. Happens every day. And the anemones "true colors" are shining through. Brown and green carpets are common and natural. Most others in the trade are dyed. Sebae anemones are also victim to this abhorrent practice. Read more under anemones at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/MarInd5of6.htm. Kindly, Anthony> Thanks, Scott

Anemone and Coralline Algae Hi, you answered my last email months ago in reference to live rock, and thank you. It has been, oh, I guess 5 months now since my tank went from fish only to a starting reef tank. I have a small bio-load 3 Regal Tangs, and 2 False clowns (LFS stated they are a mating pair??). I also have one Anemone. First question is: The clowns have no interest in the Anemone.  <A. ocellaris are notoriously picky about anemones and none need them to survive. Many live without host anemones in the wild> the LFS said they would be attracted to this Anemone. I do not have a clue what type of species it is, it's white with long tentacles, and has an orange base. Any idea on the type,  <sounds like a dying long tentacle anemone. No such thing as a healthy white tentacled anemone... just bleached dying ones that can linger for months to a year if you feed them enough. Read the following article and the other links on this page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemones.htm > and the compatibility for my clowns?  <there is a clownfish/anemone chart on this page above> It also has not made its mind on where to live, just wondering the tank. Sorry for the vague description I really do not have much more on this species and neither does the LFS.  <quite alright, my friend...this is a common question (weekly). Your LFS needs to know that their shipper is sending them doomed animals if they are getting white anemones. They are naturally brown or green. Some cutthroats dye the white ones yellow... jerks> What can you recommend for the mating pair of clowns? I understand the Sebae are not recommended for rookie at heart. My tank is 50 gal. 60 or so lbs of LR. What about the Carpet Anemone? <very bright lights are necessary for all host anemones... VHO or MH plus weekly feedings will be necessary whichever you choose. The carpet is a reasonable choice for a larger tank> Lastly, my LR has many different color Coralline Algae. Some of the algae are developing small white spots along with larger sections. From the postings I would suggest to myself that my water parameters are off.  <yes. most often the case> However my Ca is in the area of 380 to 420. I checked three times and did the average. My alk is in the area of 9-11 dKH.  <just a bit low if the test kit is accurate. 12dKH or higher as the tank matures and their demand/colony increases> I bought in to the mix bag of reef additives such as Strontium, Iodine, and reef elements, the Moly whatever, and such. I use Kalk with RODI for top off. So I also use super-buffer from Kent every 2 weeks. All other parameters are 0. My skimmer is the only filtration used,  <overall sounds good> and really have not had to do a water change for over a month, actually 6 weeks. I have checked the levels and all seem to be correct. No Ammonia, Nitrite, or Nitrate. I don't even have bad Algae problems. I killing the good stuff it seems. What can I do?????  <sugar-based calcium is fantastic for corallines (Calcium gluconate like Seachem's Reef Calcium)... just not useful for much else <wink> keep up with the Kalkwasser too> I would like to someday move away from additives and have a very natural tank.  <consider frequent and/or automated water changes to do so> I am trying to take my time and go slowly. Thanks in advance, and have a better day. Robert. <best regards, Anthony>

Anemone Question I have a purple-tip sebae anemone that this evening, excreted a large amount of mucus, and then shrunk down to about ? of its normal size. Is this normal? <Please explore this page and the many links on it to see what scenario is most likely to explain your anemones behavior. The brief description alone is no enough to tell... http://www.wetwebmedia.com/heteraccrispa.htm > Thanks! <Anthony>
RE: Anemone Question Thanks for the response. Shortly after the excretion, the anemone returned to a more full size. It seems to look a bit better, however, ignorantly, I bought one of the whiter purple tip. <no worries just yet... we'll have help of brown color returning. Please do research your animals first before buying though... with so many great resources available to read or hear just for the asking, it's a shame not to use them. Best regards, Anthony>

Anemone I purchased an Atlantic anenomes, brought it home, placed in a bucket for water acclimation. I placed an airstone in the bucket (after a bit) and the anemone attached itself to it.. When I place the anenomes in the tank, it is stuck at the surface, clinging itself to my current filter.  <clinging near an unprotected intake strainer can be dangerous... careful with the power heads and power filters> Is it stuck? air-bubble entrapment?? there is a bubble in it and I removed it from the water to see it goes away and it doesn't .. HELP??? <anemones can usually purge the bubbles from themselves easily. Do observe for several days and update us if necessary. Please read the archives too about anemones: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemones.htm . Kindly, Anthony>

PLEASE HELP, ANEMONE IN BAD SHAPE Howdy. I just got my first anemone. It is a long tentacle. It looks normal, color is good, opens and closes normally. He has been in the tank for about 4 days now. The problem is, that he wont attach to anything, and hasn't since I got him. I suspect that is foot may be injured as there is a slimy coat of skin that develops over it periodically, and falls off. <Good guess> The layer is very thin. I found a rock he fits well on, and we sit him on there where he stays usually. Problem is that he fell off upside down... I doubt that is very healthy for him. I know glue is not recommended, but wouldn't it be better than him falling and laying on his side all the time? I have 2 small clown fish, and they love it. I believe they are ocellaris (sp). The anemone seems happy otherwise... Water is 78F, pH is 8.5, Nitrates are 30(high, I know), nitrites are zero... I add Kalkwasser, buffer, DT phytoplankton, and Aragamilk on a regular basis. The tank I don't know what else I should be testing for... I have a skimmer going that does quite well, an Amiracle 125, 25 watt UV on a 200 gph head, one other head for water movement on a 55 gal oceanic... Also have a double chamber penguin hang over filter. Lighting is 440 watts VHO, 2 actinic, and 2 white... just got recently from hellolights.com? What should I do to make my anemone happy? I read as many posts here as I could find... But didn't find any people in my same situation. Please help! Sincerely, Jared Cosper <Much to relate. Please read through the Anemone section on our web starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemones.htm  reading the linked FAQs files at the top... esp. on placement, health, lighting, feeding... Many others have had similar experiences as you will find. Bob Fenner> LP

Concerns for anemone It has been a few months since I last wrote, and I have come across a boggle. First, lets start with the stats. 75 Gallon tank with 50 lbs of live rock and a 1-2 inch sandbed. Hang on back wet/dry skimmer system and a hang on back refugium. The refugium has 5lbs of miracle mud, some tang heaven Caulerpa, and a few pieces of assorted rubble rock. The wet/dry system is about to be converted into a secondary refugium area. Tank inhabitants are 1 yellow tang, 1 blue damsel, 1 Mithrax crab, 2 impatiens cucumbers, 1 red Fromia star, 1 black banded serpent star, 1 black Hawaiian brittle star, a small population of fanworms, 1 neon goby, 1 sebae anemone, small white wooly looking worms that show up at night, and the latest resident, a little baby anemone about the size of half my pinkie tip. It's tentacles are 1/8th inch, straight with a dark orangish brown color, with purple tips. Lighting is 2 48 inch Smartlight units. <Okay> Tank chemistry is Nitrate 2.5 ppm, Phosphate 0.1 ppm, pH is low at 8.1 and I have started adding baking soda to raise it. <This isn't so low> Iodine type concentration is 0.03 ppm, Calcium is 350 ppm, KH is 10.9 dKH Alkalinity is 3.89 meq/L and Magnesium is 1200 ppm. Temperature is on the low 80s. <Albright> I haven't added anything to the tank for several months, to let it mature. I have lost one false Percula clown to unknown causes. Here was there one day, the next day just gone. I know my sand depth is too shallow, so I am planning on increasing it to 3 inches. For the inhabitants I have, my levels all seem good, I also plan on adding at least another 20 lbs of rock, mostly for aesthetic reasons. I have a 29 gallon quarantine tank that has some small pieces of live rock and some fan worms in it. Once a week, I drain 7 gallons from the quarantine tank, fill it back with water drained from my main tank, and top off the main tank from premixed, aerated, temperature matched water I have in a 30 something gallon Rubbermaid trash bin. When that water runs low in the saltwater trash bin, I refill it from another bin that I have filled with aged DI water. This system should keep my tank chemistries very similar, and provide me with the highest quality water I can achieve. It also provides me with 30 additional gallons of aged water in case of emergency, plus the quarantine tank. All this possible with the information from your site and FAQs. Thanks a TON! <You're welcome> My concern is for the baby anemone. I am guessing he was a hitchhiker on my liverock, and has finally made himself seen. I am hesitant to add sand, rock, or anything else for fear of the tank chemistry going out of whack for a few days and harming the little fella. Also, my sebae was developing a nice brown color, but in the last month keeps getting lighter and lighter again. I am concerned he isn't going to last very much longer unless he can get his color back, which seems to come and go currently. Any advice on steps I can take to avoid any such tragedies? <More light, ancillary meaty feedings, vitamins added to foods, the water weekly...> Also, it seems my new remora I got for the quarantine tank has a slight leak. Should I use silicone or an epoxy to correct this? <A leak where? I will write to Jason Kim of Aqua-C for his input here> The original seal looks to be an epoxy. Again, any alive you can give will be greatly appreciated. I wouldn't have made it this far without your input. Thanks. Benji <Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Anemone on the Move Hello to you all, <Cheers, Anthony Calfo in your service> All of a sudden my anemone is moving quite a lot.....not far but around....he seems to be happy and growing and eating....I did notice that some of the tips of his tendrils seem to be a little curled. (that's the only way I can describe it.....a little scrunched up...) just on the tips....could this be something...? Could it be something not so good...? Could it have something to do with him seeming a little agitated?...Water parameters are fine and food and mineral levels are being monitored..... <anemones commonly move because of a change in light (usually worse). It is easy to overlook the changing of carbon for several weeks or more than a month which allows discolorants to accumulate and reduce light intensity (yellow water)... also, dust or salt creep on lenses, canopies or the bulbs themselves drastically reduce light. And finally, bulb age... for symbiotic inverts like anemones... fluorescent lamps must be changed every 6-10 months (they stray by that time and are weakly useful if anything)> Any insight would be appreciated....why don't you all just come for dinner every night so that we can visit and you can tell me aquatic truths and I can cook..... Have a good night...Helene <we are a hungry and rowdy bunch... watch what you wish for...<wink> Anthony>
Anemone on the move II Thank you... Bulbs were installed in February so I think that I'm OK there but I'll look into the carbon thing. Very interesting to be held captive by the antics of an anemone. Scrunched tips don't really seem to ring any bells with you? They are not all like that but a good number are....thank you for your quick response and take it easy. Helene <you might look for predatory action... either nips from a fish (like a dwarf angel, maroon clown, small puffer, etc) or tiny crustacean predators (clear or camouflaged crabs or shrimp). Regards, Anthony>

Anemone info and Books Hello Anthony , <greetings, Mr. Cioffi> Thank you so much for your response. This is more helpful then you can imagine. <very welcome indeed> First let me say that a ph of 8.0 was a typo ! Sorry . It was indeed 8.2 when I first wrote. I added a ph up to the water and after 24 hrs , I am reading 8.4 . Should I bring it up again to 8.6 ? <yes...close for a peak daytime reading would be nice. Aim for 8.5/8.6 by day and drop no lower than 8.2/8.3 by night. And do check that your ph Up product includes borates, carbonates in addition to bicarbonates... otherwise the ph increase may be temporary> One last question about the lighting. If I replace the 2 , 15 watt , fixtures with another 72 watt fixture for a total of 2 ... 72 watt fixture (144 watt) will I be ok?  <not considered intense/bright but very good and may be just fine if the anemone is kept I the top 12" of the tank> If so , then I will be using 4...36 watt PC bulbs. What combo of white and blue bulbs would you recommend. <balanced between daylight and blue or leaning towards daylight (like 2 daylights and 2 50/50 bulbs)> Is this set up safer than the 150 watt metal halide. By safer I mean less heat.  <the heat with a properly designed halide canopy is not an issue at all. The 150 watt halide would be a much better choice that would serve you nicely with corals too down the road> There is no one home during the first four hours that the lighting system is on and I am a little nervous with the heat from the M.H. <no worries...good fixtures have muffin fans that make the issue a moot point> The carpet anemone appears to by slightly more active with the lights off. Is this possible?  <to an extent yes... retracting, funneling I suppose to capture food/plankton?> It seemed to be motionless and open with the lights on <symbiotic and quietly soaking up the sun> and very active with the lights off.......whew , I guess I have a lot to learn. Can you recommend some reading that is specific to the Stichodactyla gigantea ? Thanks you very much, Stephen <some dated books on Anemonefish and hosts still good (Fautin) and newer ones with an emphasis on Anemonefish with great incidental information (Wilkerson). I must admit that I am not well versed on their husbandry as my knowledge of their collection and shipping realities has made me disinclined to keep or recommend them. But do study and enjoy this animal. The industry needs such considerate aquarists to contribute to the pool of knowledge by making the best possible captive environment for their charge. Remember to keep feeding it weekly or more often. If so, you may have this magnificent animal for many years. You can even sex them at times. Dr. Ron Shimek has discussed this and has a book on them as well that may be helpful. Kindly, Anthony>

Anemones Hello Bob (or whoever I get this time) I recently acquired (2 days ago) a sebae anemone. Researched your site on feeding requirements, purchased needed foods, (plankton, MVI's) and prepared a "meal" for my anemone.  <Within two days of placement? I would have waited... a good week... much of this species food is derived from photosynthesis> I made a small ball of the food and placed it on the center exposed area of the anemone. It appeared to be eating the food. About an hour later my water got VERY cloudy. I checked my water chemistries and they where skewed. My pH 8.4-8.6, ammonia 0.0-0.25, Nitrite 0.0, and nitrate was over 60. Conducted a small partial water change, put new carbon in my filter. This morning my anemone seems a little shriveled. I prepared some new food for it. Yesterdays feeding got "washed away" when I changed my water. It is slowly moving the food towards its mouth. I added an outside lamp to shine on the anemone until I can purchase new bulbs for my set up. Is there anything else that I can do?  <Yes. Don't put more food into the system. Procure the better lighting.> I would hate to lose it as my husband bought it and loves it. My ocellaris clowns won't have anything to do with it, but I know it could take time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Kat <A good practice to do the study, preparation for your pets before their acquisition. I'm sure you agree. Bob Fenner>

Re: need help with carpet anemone Hello Bob , <Steve, Anthony Calfo again... I just answered you r last query. In it you mentioned a pH of 8.2 which I was inclined to mention was low if it was a daytime reading. In this message your latest reading is 8.0 which is getting to be quite stressful for many reef animals. Assuming that the kit is accurate and not even reading a bit high (heaven forbid!) that means that your night-time pH is dropping to 7.7 or lower (dark night)!!! That will stress a lot of marine animals and even kill some. You have a pH problem for starters. Have you been aerating and buffering your R/O make up water. If not, there is a large part of the problem. Test your alkalinity... you might be surprised. I suspect you need some sea buffer (not just baking soda).> I have read and reread the FAQ and I can not come up with an answer. The other day I asked a question regarding lighting. Now my anemone appears to be sick but I am not sure. It is a 44 gallon pentagon shaped tank. I have a 15 watt 10,000k light , a 15 watt 100% actinic bulb and a 72 watt PC daylight fixture. <very nice color lights but dangerously weak for most symbiotic invertebrates> Ammonia is .25 Nitrate 20 SG 1.021-1.022 ph 8.0 calcium is 450 alk 3.2 temp is 78 I have live sand and 50 lbs of live rock. I am running a Magnum 350 canister . I have a power that rotates . I have just started a protein skimmer but does not appear to be working to well yet. My question is this : I have a giant green carpet anemone. When placed in the tank , his underside was a nice white color and the top was a bright green.. It has taken a hold of its spot , in other words it has dug into the live sand along side of a live rock. Today it appears like its underside has started to turn brown and the green is no longer so bright. I have touched it and it appears to be somewhat sticky and recoiled away from my touch.  <has it been fed at least weekly?> Almost buried itself under the rock. There is a Sebae anemone around the other side of the rock. Could I have a low light problem ?  <almost certainly> Is the Sebae bothering it ?  <not even remotely possible> Should I sit it on top of my rock formation closer to the light ?  <for now yes until you upgrade lights> What can I do to help it look healthy again ? Thank you very much in advance Steve <with kind regards, Anthony>

Spawning Behaviour ? (brown Anemone, health) Hi Bob (and Guys) <Howdy, partner? Anthony... just one of the guys> I've recently noticed some weird behaviour of two of my fish.  <you mean that one of them has donned a kelp tutu and both are humming Dean Martin tunes underwater?!?> These are just local varieties caught from the Southport Seaway. I've been told they are known as "Sergeant Majors".  <hardy...big damsel...mean...Mmmm, tasty> Anyway, they've started to go up one end of the tank and thrash their tail madly stirring up all the gravel off the bottom and making a hollow. Then they pick up any largish shells they find and carry them to the other end of the tank and drop them !! Could these guys be "nesting" or are they just psycho ? <possibly both, but more likely neither... at least just yet. A very territorial fish, Sergeant Major damsels will stake a claim and cultivate a bolt hole or crevice. In time it may lead to spawning, but for now it may fairly be called pair-bonding> Thanks, Glenn. <Anthony>
Re: thank you (Brown Anemone, Health) Morning Anthony, <Ha! Morning?! If I didn't see my own reflection in the mirror at times I'd swear I was a vampire...hehe. Too many great old movies on at night> Thank for your reply..... <very welcome, indeed!> well... I spent my 1 hour on the WWM site this AM finding the part that I was unclear about and copied it.....here it is.... .............. Finally, I have found a web sight with all the answers to my questions. <Wowzah! Many more questions to come for sure.> I have an anemone in my tank for about 7 months. In the last two months, he has turned completely brown, and does not eat as well as he used to. I was told to stop adding any extra vitamins, or additives. <Possibly the latter might be of more help than harm... definitely vitamins are not an issue in causing color loss.> I only use Start Right now. This did not help. I was also told to change my actinic bulb because it was over 6 months old. This did not help either. I do water changes every 3 weeks. I also have live rock in the tank. Any advice? Let me know if you need more details. Lora <A few things might help here... principally measuring your system for biomineral (mainly calcium) and alkaline reserve... Yes, both important to Anemones even though they're not biomineralizing life forms... Do you utilize iodide occasionally? You should... It may well be that this animal is under-illuminated by other light spectra ("white"), that it has cast out its endosymbiotic algae for other reasons... But I would be feeding it chunky meaty foods weekly, using a vitamin prep. to soak the food in and administering same to the water about weekly... and you may well find the animal will never re-color... or strangely enough, that it does with the introduction of other stinging-celled life that release some of their zooxanthellae that it re-incorporates. Bob Fenner> ................ It is the "other stinging celled life" that I was unclear about... <essentially, any other cnidarian that is compatible (coral, polyps, anemones, etc. that also have zooxanthellae that can be shed into the water and taken up by your anemone... a sort of inoculation by association of proximity...hehe. I would advise against another anemone of any kind. Some common hardy button polyps might be just fine to share symbiotic algae> as well as (now that I reread this) how do you measure the iodide and how much could should you add.  <tough to measure accurately (although test kits such as Seachem are available).. not to worry... iodine is used quickly (within hours) and is hard to keep in solution. A very necessary additive. For now, just buy a prepared mix for reef tanks and begin with a half dose as per manufacturers recommendations> I have to admit that having this little guy in the tank does make me nervous but he seems OK so far.....I'm still trying to find a picture that is accurate of him so that I can talk Latin to him and about him....or is he a she? <may be a he/she> Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you...(I hate to tell you this but they also sent me a flame scallop that is also doing quite well... <aiiieee! I wish you hadn't told me. Who was this shipper again so we can print it in the FAQ post...hehe <wink>> for now...but understand that they require a little know how too...... <do look into buying and properly using (see WWM archives and message board) DT's phytoplankton for your scallop> they must have thought I sounded smart...all else from them was really fine and they were very helpful..... <forgive me , but sending unsolicited and difficult animals is not a help to this industry, respectful to the animals or a sensible use of our precious and limited reef resources. No bad on you my dear, but I do hold the merchant responsible for their actions as it should be.> the replacement animals did throw me for a loop, however....) Thanks again....Helene <do keep asking, learning and teaching others! kindly, Anthony>

Re: thank you (marine emergency, anemones) Hello all, <all the voices in my head or all the WWM crew? Anthony> Thought that I would thank you for all your help through my emergency skyrocketing nitrite ammonia and nitrate stint... <di niente> All is well in the world and the tank has cycled (the ammonia and nitrite have only a tad more to go to be at perfect levels and the nitrate is beautiful)...I'm the one who had to put all my fish in an uncycled tank because the fish only tank sprang a leak....happy days...all fish except one are fine and I want to stay like this for a while until I really think that all is well in the tank world.....the garbage can of emergency salt water is out of the shower and the family is clean again...the 17 yr old is esp. happy not to have to talk baths with his busy schedule.......oh my.. < a true emergency> When Tampa Bay sent the cleanup crew before my other tank leaked they sent along an anemone because they were out of starfish....this sent me into a panic as I wasn't prepared for it and knew not a darn thing about it..... <rightly so... an irresponsible thing to do in my opinion> but I read fast and all seems to be well.... Almost.... hopefully... anemones in general are challenging an rarely to be recommended> I did want to ask you two things...the anemone is happy (I think) eating, (we aren't giving much...you said not to, so far only a little shrimp mashed up once a week and I'm going to investigate vitamins and other varieties of food this weekend at my LFS)  <more specifically... small food sizes, not so much reduced frequency. Depending on species you will likely need to feed several times weekly> He is perched up near the lights (I told him in no uncertain terms to stay there!!! got him to float on my gloved hand twice to put him there and he's been there for 2 or 3 weeks) I move the water around (we do that for the rock at this point anyway) and he looks good...except that he has turned from pure white to brown.... <excellent!!! Sounds like a survivor... the zooxanthellae symbiotic algae has returned> I have searched the site and I'm still unsure about what to do about this or what it means....I don't mind unless it means that I should do something.... <don't change a thing... keep doing what you have been> and what critter do you mean I can add and they can share something ?(I'm sorry I forgot to write it down and I don't dare at this minute start looking at your website or I won't get a darn thing done today) What I understand is that he has produced his own algae and has done that for a reason and it may stay that way...but how do I determine what it is in response to....especially with all that spiking of the tank....? < I don't follow either reference/question clearly (many daily emails)... please elaborate> Second thing is...My clown couldn't give 2 you know whets for my anemone and I was wondering if later when I add more clown fish will they teach the old one the joys of an anemone's arms or will he continue to be stand offish ...(hmmm off FISH hmmm) <hmm...more clownfish as in more than two is asking for trouble. And none need an anemone to survive. In fact, the anemone will likely do better in the safety of captivity WITHOUT an irritating clownfish. Not a necessarily mutualistic relationship> I really want to thank you all again for your help...what a comfort to know that someone is there .....that you can trust....Helene <with kind regards, Anthony>

Sea anemone Just to let you know my sebae anemone died today. :(  <I am truly sorry to hear that...Anthony> I took it out of the main tank two days ago as its tentacles started to wither, and I noticed a dark object coming out of its mouth (turned out to be its insides). I had hoped that maybe I might be able to save it, but I have heard that once they start a downward spiral it is very hard to bring them back. Is this true?  <yes... without a skeleton and dense tissue, infections set rapidly> When these things start to die, do they make your tank water a slightly cloudy color? <indeed> I did a partial water change in the main tank that it was in and added some 'cycle'.  <the water changes are your best bet> All the other fish seem to be fine for now. Poor 'Bozo' my Percula clown seems to miss the anemone,  <not at all...the tank is truly safer without one... clowns take up shells and hardy coral just the same. Try a large shell if you have one> I have moved a cloth type plant over to where the anemone used to be and he seems to like that enough. Not as much as he liked his anemone, however it will do. <agreed> Do you know if anyone makes artificial sea anemones? Would be cool if they did, then my clown could have an anemone and I would not have to worry about it dying. <they do...but they are terribly expensive (marketed for zoos and their budgets> Thanks for all your help and I do pass on what I learn from you. <the ultimate compliment... kind regards. Anthony> Kathy
Re: sea anemone, one last question Hi Anthony, <Aloha!> thanks for retting back to me so quickly. Just one last question, if I may. How often should I do these water changes to rid the tank of the slightly cloudy water?  <best determined by if and how much ammonia the tank tests for> I did a 20% water change today.  <a good start> Should I do them weekly until the cloudiness is gone? Or would small daily water changes be in order under the circumstances? <two in the next week might be nice... but do check the basic water chemistry... if fine, two will be enough> thank you very much for all your help. Kathy <very welcome, indeed>

Re: Unknown anemone problems Robert, <Anthony Calfo in your service> Robert Ponder again. Eight months ago, I gave up on trying to keep anemones for the foreseeable future due  <most people should... too many die in captivity to poor import/handling conditions and beyond> to the fact that they would die within 72 hours of introduction to the tank. <case in point> They would just go limp and basically start turning themselves wrong side out through the mouth. <not a specific symptom of anything other than impending death> I tested, tweaked and tested to no avail. That left my clowns as orphans with no host all this time.  <no host needed either, by some estimates far more often than not clowns live without hosts in the wild, and ALL clowns bred commercially are done so without hosts> I have been keeping my eye open for a really nice anemone the last couple months at the LFS's. Finally found one Saturday. <what species, what color and how long has it been held captive?> I picked it up knowing that the tank has been in absolutely perfect condition the last several months. <good, but not quite perfect. see below> At introduction conditions were: 200 gallon, Ammonia 0, Nitrate/Nitrite 0, Ph 8.3, (if this is reading while your lights are on, then you have a slight ph depression. pH is highest peak day. Range for reef invertebrates like anemone should be 8.3 (black of night) to 8.6... your flat alkalinity supports this observation> Temp 76-77, Copper 0, Alkalinity 2.9, <assumedly this is meq/l, and if so it is a little flat for cnidarians, but fine for fish only> Salinity .023, chemical additives Kent Tech-I and Phytoplex, <what's the Phytoplex for (do you have gorgonians and many Nephtheids soft corals...otherwise it is likely a waste for zooplanktivore like most LPS, SPS and anemones)... and is it a) purchased and held in refrigeration, b) dated and less than six months old and c) whisked in an electric blender before use. Otherwise, the particle size for the product becomes too large for any cnidarian to possibly use and you are just contributing to Jack Kent's college fund for his kids at that point. Rob Toonen did an objective and scientific study (published and reported at Baltimore MACNA conference) on such phyto substitutes... you'd be disappointed to read it> lighting 3 - 40 watt fluorescent plant/aquarium 3 - 40 watt full spectrum sun simulating fluorescent. <nice spectrum, but not intense enough to penetrate a 200gall to keep almost any anemone alive long-term. You could have 50-40watt bulbs and that still wouldn't help unless your symbiotic invertebrates are in the top 6" of water. If you have any doubts about this, buy/borrow a lux meter my friend. You need more intense lighting to keep anemones alive at 8+ inches of water depth (MH lighting if tank is 24+" deep> I match the lighting with real world conditions, sunrise to sunset with moonlight simulated until I go to bed. <very nice> The same thing is happening AGAIN to this really big Sebae specimen !!! <unless it is chocolate brown or richly green, you bought am already dieing anemone...much has been written on this subject or white/yellow sebae anemones with pink/purple tips> I have 15 years experience and I'm at a total loss here. No, it's not a reef tank but there is plenty of live rock, actually more than enough. I tend to keep a predominantly fish only tank with a few anemones here and there to spice it up a little and allow for displaying the symbiotic display of anemones and clowns. I usually keep a couple cleaner shrimp and the usual host of invertebrate cleaners and a couple large cowries (they are and remain unaffected all this time).  <algae grazing species? which ones?> The anemone hasn't given up the ghost yet but he's obviously hurting and I won't give him long except for his large size 10" - 12" spread. I got up this morning and it was upside down (face planted) on the substrate. <very bad sign> Any suggestions and ideas are more than appreciated. I'm just lost about this one. Fluoride? Iron? The ugly painting over the tank?  <more likely than the aforementioned <smile> What am I missing here??? Thanks a million, Robert Ponder Chattanooga <please follow up with the above mentioned queries...particularly the color of your anemone. We'll worry about the lights later. Feeding very fine meaty foods will provide necessary carbon/nitrogen if it will eat. Kindly, Anthony>

RE: Visiting Marine Club in Phoenix, dead anemone Hi Bob, You mentioned that you would be in Arizona to the Desert Marine Aquarium Society in a few months. Since I'm not currently a member, I was interested in what you would be speaking on, and when you will be there. <Think it's April 25th... likely Fiji or Australia pet-fishing... Do you have a topic in mind?> Also, I'm having problems accessing the web today, so I am surely asking a question that is on your Faq's. I apologize. My quadricolor anemone is apparently dying, and I don't know how to identify if it's dead, or just extremely sickly - a question I alluded to in my past e-mail. right now, it's still on the rock, but just by a small edge, and almost all of the tentacles have fallen off. The body is very dark brown in color, but the few tentacles left are light yellowish. I moved it into a less strong current, afraid that it would lose grip on the rock, other than my water changes, what else can I do? <Not much at this point. I would siphon the remainder out of the system. Bob Fenner> Thanks much for your time, Daron
Re: the nature of the truth, anemones Hi Bob, Fiji or Australia pet fishing sounds interesting. Being as new as I am to saltwater, I don't have a good idea of what would interest a large group of experienced aquarists. I am always interested in environmental impact of my hobbies, both perceived, and real. Although I am usually able to quantify the 'environmentalists' M.O. by realizing that they pick on the little guys who they conveniently imagine to be destroying Earth because they are unable to stop the large destructive forces - notably big industry and mass development. I digress.... <But well> When I got home, my clown was swimming around with the dead anemone in its mouth. It was quite a bit of work to get him to give it up so I could siphon it out. I also had a snail unfortunately get caught on a powerhead input. Sad day on the reef. <Indeed. We have a dog that sits on what's left of its "pillows" when the others are tearing them asunder... Bob Fenner>