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>

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>