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my2rotties
02-01-2009, 06:07 AM
I noticed my anemone was not looking so fresh this morning. Finally I gently turned it over and see it is almost blown open on the bottom side. It is not soft tissue and it very rubber like in appearance. I don't know where it is coming from but there is a bubble of normal tissue underneath it. I don't know how to post full sized pictures but here is a link to the picture in my photobucket.

It is hard and like rubber and I feel no holes or damage aside of the odd looking flesh. My poor clownfish is beside himself and I am wondering if I should take this anemone out. I have been unable to find any useful info on what could have possibly happened to him. It also looks like its insides are coming out of its mouth. The damaged tissues looks like it was shredded on a cheese grater and healed up with scar tissue if that makes sense.

http://s388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/?action=view&current=002-3.jpg

http://s388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/?action=view&current=003-1.jpg

I am sorry about picture quality but it is all I have for the time since I have a camera phone. I saw a hermit crab by it the other day but thought nothing of it. It looked excellent last night and not so fresh this morning. SHould I take it out?

superduperwesman
02-01-2009, 06:16 AM
You just do this http:/.... (image location)

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/002-3.jpg?t=1233472368

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo330/my2rotties/003-1.jpg?t=1233472384

my2rotties
02-01-2009, 06:43 AM
You make it look so easy.:mrgreen:

Thanks for posting pics of my odd and creepy nem. I hope it makes it but I'm thinking I should pull it before bed.

mike31154
02-02-2009, 02:46 AM
How's it going with that. Sure doesn't look good.

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 03:54 AM
I had to take it out this morning as I did not feel it was worth risking my system any longer. I have no idea of what happened to it but it appeared that something had been feeding on it. It still was stinging but there was another area on its base that appeared to be eaten away. I could stick my finger into it.:neutral: It was not rotting but it was clearly missing tissue. It looked damaged and not decomposing.

It was fantastic the night before was eating and I had no worries about it. What happened to it overnight is a mystery and no research prepared me for what I saw in the morning. My poor clownfish is homeless now, and I have no way of learning anything from this loss so far. I know this is a new system, however the rock is from a canreef member and is well matured, and my water params were perfect.

I hope someone might have some insight into this eventually.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-02-2009, 04:41 AM
What are you nitrates at?

Anemones don't really tolerate nitrates being too high and I know you have a lot of fish for a reef set up. I would test and see.

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 05:36 AM
All levels were zero. My husband brought this nem home and I was really ****ed at him for it... I made sure everything is zero at all times. For the amount of fish I have in my system my water is extremely stable and never has spikes and such.

I guess it is due to the 350 or more pound of rock I have in the entire system and the fact that is very well established. I also have a 36w UV sterilizer and phosban reactor. I also have over 9000gph total flow in my system and am just very lucky until this point.

When my 55g crashed I saw what a dying nem looks like. This nem looks like it was eaten by something or perhaps the clownfish was bullying it too much and ground it into the rocks.

When I came down to see the nem in the shape it was in first thing I did was check my water, several times throughout the day. It was all fine but I still did a water change in case something was happening beyond my water tests... If there was it did not show in any or my corals or fish at all.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-02-2009, 05:42 AM
Oh I just remembered you have puffers too :D

Were they eating it? I have yet to be able to keep a nem with puffers. They have eaten them every time :(

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 06:23 AM
Oh heck no. Griff has eaten many a things but has no interest what so ever in the nem. The maroon clownfish that was hosting it would launch such a vicious attack on whatever swam anywhere near the nem, nobody dared to go over there. The damage on the nem was below the rock line it was nestled in. No fish could get below the tenticles if it wanted to do so.

The best I can describe these injuries to the nem is the outside looked like an exit wound from a bullet. I was able to put my finger inside of it, but did not really go in to check it out. I'm not the type of person to be sticking my finger in strange holes:surprise:. Perhaps I should have done so to see if something might have been inside. There was no change in water quality at all and I checked before bed and after wake up. This was a very sudden thing to happen.

Oh I just remembered you have puffers too :D

Were they eating it? I have yet to be able to keep a nem with puffers. They have eaten them every time :(

Ollie
02-02-2009, 01:17 PM
If it's not to late. You might try keeping it in a seperate tank. It might be splitting.

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 04:49 PM
I had to take it out since I did not want to take any chances. I have almost 400g of water running through my system but did not want to foul it up

The only other thing I could think of is I am missing a seahare. I found no body, and my params did not spike at all. I know it is gone though and have no clue where it went to. They are clumsy and I don't know if it might have fallen into the nem. If it did could it have done this to it? I am doubtful but am running out of options at this point.

If it's not to late. You might try keeping it in a seperate tank. It might be splitting.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-02-2009, 05:34 PM
You sure your puffers did not eat the seahare?

You are keeping a bunch of inverts with puffers and they usually will eat them eventually. Unless your watching the tank all day long, you may not know. They will leave them alone for months, or sometimes even years and then one day just decide to eat them. Especially the dogface.

Your nem may not have been killed by the puffers but I wouldn't put another one in your tank because its not likely that you will keep getting away with it. They will usually bite it a few times to see what it is and then leave it since they usually don't want to eat them. But often times a few bites is enough to kill the anemone.

I would just be careful about inverts with them because as they get older, they usually start to kill more of them.

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 07:14 PM
Sadly I lost my dogfaced puffer in a frak accident last week, and still don't want to talk about it. I won't be ever getting another but she was healthy and eating. It was just a sad thing.

I have done my best for Griff and I love that fish, but I don't think I can keep him anymore. I cannot argue with you that he did these things or not. You have far more experience for me to even question you about this. I do find it hard to believe that he did eat the nem since it was in a rock corral and impossible for him to get to the areas it was damaged. The clownfish laid a beating on him a couple of times for coming close and Griff backed off and pouted.

I think I will have to place Griff in a new home:neutral: I am very sad to do this, and heck knows how hard I tried to make him work. It was my fault for buying him and trusting what I was told in the end. He has eaten everything small enough to fit into his mouth. He was the first fih I put into this sytem and he is my pet, but this last rash of events makes me know I can't have him.

People come over and see him swim right into my hand for belly and head rubs, and enjoy him so much. I am so broken hearted that I will have to let him go. I am sure he will be here for a very long time since I cannot think of a single person with a big tank and would want a nightmare. He is not goign to an LFS but will be up for sale or free to a good home.

I was offered a Golden Puffer and I already declined since I now know better. I feel like such a failure and this is all my fault for all the grief due to my lack of experience.

Thanks for the adivse and help with him Justin and for holding your tongue when I did stupid things. I appreciate it more then you think.

You sure your puffers did not eat the seahare?

You are keeping a bunch of inverts with puffers and they usually will eat them eventually. Unless your watching the tank all day long, you may not know. They will leave them alone for months, or sometimes even years and then one day just decide to eat them. Especially the dogface.

Your nem may not have been killed by the puffers but I wouldn't put another one in your tank because its not likely that you will keep getting away with it. They will usually bite it a few times to see what it is and then leave it since they usually don't want to eat them. But often times a few bites is enough to kill the anemone.

I would just be careful about inverts with them because as they get older, they usually start to kill more of them.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-02-2009, 08:40 PM
Sadly I lost my dogfaced puffer in a frak accident last week, and still don't want to talk about it. I won't be ever getting another but she was healthy and eating. It was just a sad thing.

I have done my best for Griff and I love that fish, but I don't think I can keep him anymore. I cannot argue with you that he did these things or not. You have far more experience for me to even question you about this. I do find it hard to believe that he did eat the nem since it was in a rock corral and impossible for him to get to the areas it was damaged. The clownfish laid a beating on him a couple of times for coming close and Griff backed off and pouted.

I think I will have to place Griff in a new home:neutral: I am very sad to do this, and heck knows how hard I tried to make him work. It was my fault for buying him and trusting what I was told in the end. He has eaten everything small enough to fit into his mouth. He was the first fih I put into this sytem and he is my pet, but this last rash of events makes me know I can't have him.

People come over and see him swim right into my hand for belly and head rubs, and enjoy him so much. I am so broken hearted that I will have to let him go. I am sure he will be here for a very long time since I cannot think of a single person with a big tank and would want a nightmare. He is not goign to an LFS but will be up for sale or free to a good home.

I was offered a Golden Puffer and I already declined since I now know better. I feel like such a failure and this is all my fault for all the grief due to my lack of experience.

Thanks for the adivse and help with him Justin and for holding your tongue when I did stupid things. I appreciate it more then you think.

Very sorry to hear about the dogface :(

It doesn't sound like Griff ate the nem, your right. It was just the first thing I thought of.

So why exactly is he going? Your going to have a very hard time finding a new home for him I think. Is he going because he ate other fish?

my2rotties
02-02-2009, 09:59 PM
You had me convinced he ate the nem since I have no idea of whom would have done this. The seahare thing blows my mind too since he has never had any interest in them. What other explanation could there be for the losses and deaths? Since you have experience I figured I should believe you since you are the puffer god. He has not had the appetite he usually has so perhaps you are right and I just don't want to believe it since he's my boy.

I don't think I could rehome him although it would make life so much easier in the long run. I would be such a jerk about what home he would go to as well, nobody would want to deal with me. All my fish are pets and I do care whom they go to and the life they get beyond me.

I wish I had another tank for him and just am on the fence about him. He has so much personality. Frank wants a nem and although he knew not to get one did anyways. Then I got the clown since they should be a pair... Frank built the system and my hands are tied with his impulse buys at times. I take losses in my tank seriously and this one has me baffled.

We both know Griff isn't going anywhere I love him too much. Plus who would want a fish that gets indigestion, eats snails and small fish and whatever else he could sample. All I know is something did this to the nem and I wish I could be sure of what happened here...

Very sorry to hear about the dogface :(

It doesn't sound like Griff ate the nem, your right. It was just the first thing I thought of.

So why exactly is he going? Your going to have a very hard time finding a new home for him I think. Is he going because he ate other fish?

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-02-2009, 11:54 PM
I don't know...I just don't think its fair to give up a fish like this just because you have decided you would rather have anemones and inverts. People do it all the time though--which is why I wish people would really think about what they are stocking their tanks with and how its going to work long term.

Not singling you out by any means and I have done this too of course but its not fair to the animals. We KNOW puffers do not belong in a reef. They eat inverts, they eventually cause nitrates to rise over time, ect. ect. They are destructive PREDATORS.

I have kept many puffers in reefs in the past but I go into it knowing that the puffers come first and then the reef. When I stock the tank, I add corals and inverts that I hope will make it but in the end if they get eaten, I don't really mind because the tank is all about the puffers.

If you can't have this kind of an attitude about keeping puffers in a reef then they are best kept in a FO or FOWLR tank.

I think you just have to make a decision here...do you guys want a full blown reef or a large puffer? If you continue to try to do both, you are also going to have to get used to loses. Its just part of keeping a predator with its prey in a small box.

What do you think would happen if you kept a wolf in say a 5 acre pen with a couple deer? Even with heavy daily feedings, the wolf is very likely to kill the deer one day...


You had me convinced he ate the nem since I have no idea of whom would have done this. The seahare thing blows my mind too since he has never had any interest in them. What other explanation could there be for the losses and deaths? Since you have experience I figured I should believe you since you are the puffer god. He has not had the appetite he usually has so perhaps you are right and I just don't want to believe it since he's my boy.

I don't think I could rehome him although it would make life so much easier in the long run. I would be such a jerk about what home he would go to as well, nobody would want to deal with me. All my fish are pets and I do care whom they go to and the life they get beyond me.

I wish I had another tank for him and just am on the fence about him. He has so much personality. Frank wants a nem and although he knew not to get one did anyways. Then I got the clown since they should be a pair... Frank built the system and my hands are tied with his impulse buys at times. I take losses in my tank seriously and this one has me baffled.

We both know Griff isn't going anywhere I love him too much. Plus who would want a fish that gets indigestion, eats snails and small fish and whatever else he could sample. All I know is something did this to the nem and I wish I could be sure of what happened here...

fishytime
02-03-2009, 01:43 AM
Far to soon for a nem imho.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 02:14 AM
I fully agree but my husband buys what he wants and I am left to care for things we are not ready to have.My params are excellent as always and I am a stickler for testing and water changes. It may be too soon, but water quality is not an issue and therefore did not kill the nem. SOMETHING did some serious damage to it not water quality.

Aside of you saying it is far too soon for a nem, do you have any insight with your experience to help pinning down what happened to it? Say this happened two years down the road... what would your suggestion or insight happen to be? Saying it is too soon for a nem does not help since I essentially know that already.

I'm pretty certain many many people had no clue puffers might eat a nem. I still would have to see it wiht my own two eyes, and wonder if I have a hitch hiker in my tank that did this. Is there an other probability of what or who could have done this aside of the obvious. Instead of saying it's too soon or the puffer, how about we try to look at other options since I feel neither of the aforementioned is the culprit.


Far to soon for a nem imho.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 02:36 AM
If a wolf is well fed with meat thrown to it, it would rather not expend any energy in killing prey if it is not hungry. Griff eats like a piglet and I could possibly see him nipping at something if I did not feed him for days. I still seriously do not think it was him and feel there is something else that did this.

Because I made a mistake in trusting an LFS for saying he is safe in my tank, I have had to set aside most everything I wanted to do with this tank. Although a nem is an invert, it never occurred to me he would even touch one. I can honestly say he has no interest in it and still feel he did not do it.

What other possibilities could there be aside of Griff doing it?

Yes I said I wanted to rehome him but never would. I have heard so many people tell me to get rid of the puffer, repeatedly... not going to happen. I had a super bad week with one disaster after the next with my system which had nothing to do with water quality or Griff eating anything. Just a myrad of freak accidents and disasters one after the next...

I was venting and you never saw Griff in the sales section of canreef... he is a keeper.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-03-2009, 02:46 AM
If a wolf is well fed with meat thrown to it, it would rather not expend any energy in killing prey if it is not hungry. Griff eats like a piglet and I could possibly see him nipping at something if I did not feed him for days. I still seriously do not think it was him and feel there is something else that did this.

Because I made a mistake in trusting an LFS for saying he is safe in my tank, I have had to set aside most everything I wanted to do with this tank. Although a nem is an invert, it never occurred to me he would even touch one. I can honestly say he has no interest in it and still feel he did not do it.

What other possibilities could there be aside of Griff doing it?

Yes I said I wanted to rehome him but never would. I have heard so many people tell me to get rid of the puffer, repeatedly... not going to happen. I had a super bad week with one disaster after the next with my system which had nothing to do with water quality or Griff eating anything. Just a myrad of freak accidents and disasters one after the next...

I was venting and you never saw Griff in the sales section of canreef... he is a keeper.

I will agree to disagree about the wolf ;)

A family friend used to be the head vet at the big zoo out here and had a "pet" cougar on his farm in a very, very large pen. He also had deer (part of his home business). As a kid, I used to play with the cougar until it got big and too dangerous to play with. It was still very, very tame and of course well fed. Actually kind of fat :) One day it escaped from its pen and guess what...killed several deer. Just ran around killing them. Didn't eat a single one. They do become "tame" but always have instincts.

I have had puffers that let shrimp live with them for up to a year and then suddenly kill them one day. Nothing to do with missing a feeding...just suddenly hunt them down.

There really is no point in arguing this as you know your fish better than I do but I am just saying its going to happen as the years go on with him.

I still don't think he killed this nem based on what you say but I just hope you are not expecting to add a bunch of them in the future.

I sense some disappointment when you talk about having to keep Griff which is really too bad since just a month ago you were very thrilled with him. You have a perfect sized tank for him to have a great life but just need to create a tank suitable to him.

Good luck.

Borderjumper
02-03-2009, 03:06 AM
A wolf will kill for the sport.
I used to live on a farm out in the country. We had a Great Dane that we had raised from a tiny puppy. He was a gentle giant.. lol in fact his name was Wimpy. One day I came home from work and a goat was dead out in the field. Figured it was a coyote but thought it a bit odd that the dog hadnt chased it off. A week later I came home and the dog had a 6 month old calf by the neck trying to take it down. The dog didnt do it because he was hungry and I dont even think he did it from instinct. I think he was bored and it was something to "play" with. The calf was fine, the dog didnt fare so well.

Im wondering if your puffer didnt get bored and started poking or bumping the nem? And as it goo'd the more fun it became?

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-03-2009, 03:10 AM
A wolf will kill for the sport.
I used to live on a farm out in the country. We had a Great Dane that we had raised from a tiny puppy. He was a gentle giant.. lol in fact his name was Wimpy. One day I came home from work and a goat was dead out in the field. Figured it was a coyote but thought it a bit odd that the dog hadnt chased it off. A week later I came home and the dog had a 6 month old calf by the neck trying to take it down. The dog didnt do it because he was hungry and I dont even think he did it from instinct. I think he was bored and it was something to "play" with. The calf was fine, the dog didnt fare so well.

Im wondering if your puffer didnt get bored and started poking or bumping the nem? And as it goo'd the more fun it became?

Exactly what I was getting at. I came home one day years ago to my dogface ripping EVERY soft coral in my tank apart just for the heck of it! Not eating them, just destroying the reef. And he had lived a long, long time with all the corals and never so much as nipped them until then...LOL...puffers are sooooo weird.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 03:31 AM
Haha I love Griff. I have had a couple of canreefers to my home, and they can tell you how much I love the guy. He is the first fish I show to people. He swims into my hand and I can close my hand around him with no stress. You tell me how many fish you can do this with?

What I am disappointed about is the fact that the only answers I can get are "it's way to soon for a nem", and "your puffer had a good chance of doing it" I just wish there were other options to look at for the future. Whatever happened it looked like it bored a hole from the inside out...

I will agree to disagree about the wolf ;)

A family friend used to be the head vet at the big zoo out here and had a "pet" cougar on his farm in a very, very large pen. He also had deer (part of his home business). As a kid, I used to play with the cougar until it got big and too dangerous to play with. It was still very, very tame and of course well fed. Actually kind of fat :) One day it escaped from its pen and guess what...killed several deer. Just ran around killing them. Didn't eat a single one. They do become "tame" but always have instincts.

I have had puffers that let shrimp live with them for up to a year and then suddenly kill them one day. Nothing to do with missing a feeding...just suddenly hunt them down.

There really is no point in arguing this as you know your fish better than I do but I am just saying its going to happen as the years go on with him.

I still don't think he killed this nem based on what you say but I just hope you are not expecting to add a bunch of them in the future.

I sense some disappointment when you talk about having to keep Griff which is really too bad since just a month ago you were very thrilled with him. You have a perfect sized tank for him to have a great life but just need to create a tank suitable to him.

Good luck.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 04:03 AM
The nem was on a ledge with rocks around it to keep it from moving. If Griff had done it, he would have had to have knocked all the rocks out of the way to fit his fat head into the space. Both the rocks or the nem would have fallen down to the sand bed, since it was about half way up.

The mystery continues...

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-03-2009, 04:09 AM
Haha I love Griff. I have had a couple of canreefers to my home, and they can tell you how much I love the guy. He is the first fish I show to people. He swims into my hand and I can close my hand around him with no stress. You tell me how many fish you can do this with?

What I am disappointed about is the fact that the only answers I can get are "it's way to soon for a nem", and "your puffer had a good chance of doing it" I just wish there were other options to look at for the future. Whatever happened it looked like it bored a hole from the inside out...

I am afraid its hard to get answers from people who were not there to see the nem and how it looked exactly or know your system like you do. I think we are just mentioning the obvious possibilities but as you have said, they don't seem to be the reason it died.

Its really hard to say and you will most likely never know.

fishytime
02-03-2009, 04:16 AM
I fully agree but my husband buys what he wants and I am left to care for things we are not ready to have.My params are excellent as always and I am a stickler for testing and water changes. It may be too soon, but water quality is not an issue and therefore did not kill the nem. SOMETHING did some serious damage to it not water quality.

Aside of you saying it is far too soon for a nem, do you have any insight with your experience to help pinning down what happened to it? Say this happened two years down the road... what would your suggestion or insight happen to be? Saying it is too soon for a nem does not help since I essentially know that already.

I'm pretty certain many many people had no clue puffers might eat a nem. I still would have to see it wiht my own two eyes, and wonder if I have a hitch hiker in my tank that did this. Is there an other probability of what or who could have done this aside of the obvious. Instead of saying it's too soon or the puffer, how about we try to look at other options since I feel neither of the aforementioned is the culprit.

Your husband needs to shop somewhere where they wont sell you something your tank isnt ready for.:mrgreen: And for what its worth...chances are it was a bristle worm that found a dead spot from where the nem was removed and started in on the nem.

BlueAbyss
02-03-2009, 05:19 AM
Your husband needs to shop somewhere where they wont sell you something your tank isnt ready for.:mrgreen: And for what its worth...chances are it was a bristle worm that found a dead spot from where the nem was removed and started in on the nem.

+1 on the bristleworm or some other worm...

I was thinking about what you said my2rotties, about it looking like a bullet exit wound... I remember reading somewhere about a large worm that would come out at night, tear a chunk out of an anemone with some sort of hook appendages, and go back into hiding (it`s feeding time apparently over for the night) only to return the next night to feast again, until such time as the `nem was dead, then would move on to another `nem. Unfortunately, I only skimmed the article and it was a long time ago, so I can`t even begin to tell you where I read this or even what website it was on. Sorry I can`t be of more help :redface:

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 06:01 AM
Haha, that's a whole different can of worms... My husband was told to bring the nem back if it was not doing well, but who has the time when things go badly. It was fine; actually awesome at bedtime, and the morning it was not so awesome anymore.

After it was home, I got mad at hubby and went and gave the guy at the LFS crap for selling it to him, since he knew we were not ready for it. The LFS KNEW we weren't ready for one, but hubby wants what he wants.

However if my hubby came in the store and insisted he buy it, what would you say? I just told him we weren't ready for one, and he came back with, "Well I was ready for one". Would you refuse to sell a client if they insist on the item? You know the client will just go else where and buy it.

The bristle worm makes sense and that gives insight to things. I just wonder how long that was going on for since I never touched the nem. It was doing exceptionally well until it wasn't.:sad:

Your husband needs to shop somewhere where they wont sell you something your tank isnt ready for.:mrgreen: And for what its worth...chances are it was a bristle worm that found a dead spot from where the nem was removed and started in on the nem.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 06:11 AM
OMG!!! How do I managed to find and catch something like this thing. I won't be sleeping very easy now thinking its in there with my fish. I am relieved that I have not gone crazy, thinking something ate my nem. I should have taken pictures but it was pretty gross.

This is very useful inof and it is much appreciated. I'm really grossed out right now. I wonder what else it will now start eating...:neutral:

+1 on the bristleworm or some other worm...

I was thinking about what you said my2rotties, about it looking like a bullet exit wound... I remember reading somewhere about a large worm that would come out at night, tear a chunk out of an anemone with some sort of hook appendages, and go back into hiding (it`s feeding time apparently over for the night) only to return the next night to feast again, until such time as the `nem was dead, then would move on to another `nem. Unfortunately, I only skimmed the article and it was a long time ago, so I can`t even begin to tell you where I read this or even what website it was on. Sorry I can`t be of more help :redface:

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 06:28 PM
Well I was checking my overflows and what do I behold in there...

There is a little baby LTA sitting in there at the bottom with hardly any light. I don't know if chunks of nems can turn into new ones or not. I know my nem was not splitting and had a bullet hole in it so I have no idea of what transpired. When I pulled the nem out the other day, I saw a chunk fall of it and go into the overflow. It was a chunk of tissue that fell off of the hole... but maybe I should not have taken it out. I was terrified it would tank my whole system and did not want to chance it.

I always thought they just split so my research is not showing anything about this incident. If they are mortally injured can any pieces turn into a new nem? I have no idea of how to get it out of my overflow since I cannot get to it at all. It is clear instead of pink right now and seems to be fine though. I guess it will move up if it needs to do so and it does get food at the bottom of the overflow. I'm just going to leave it alone.

Any insight with this?

Carmen
02-03-2009, 06:40 PM
Just a thought, but may have just been splitting?? Or starting to split and ....something went wrong? Here's a pic of mine starting to split and it split from center out looking like a hole was "blown" through it and you could see all the insides exposed. As far as the piece is concerned can you try to get it with a small net? Small pieces can survive but I would think it would need light and feeding.
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r474/ctash_album/HammerCoral007.jpg
Hope you can salvage the light guy. Sorry to hear.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 07:13 PM
The thought of a split crossed my mind, but it guts were hanging out of it's mouth and the split was in the foot and not the mouth at all. When I finally picked it up, there was a huge hole in it with its guts hanging out there as well, and another hole closer to the tentacles. There was tissue falling off of it and I panicked. You know what I told you about hubby bringing it home, I was ****ed. I don't need that type of stress so early in the game.

I looked at post for pictures and it did not look the same. The little baby is suctioned to the very bottom of the overflows and even with my height and reach I can't get to it. When fish go down there I can't even fit a net to get it. I have a window beside the overflows and a small amount of light goes in there but not nearly enough. I also don't want to stress it out by trying to take it out so young. Maybe little tiny nems like to hide in low areas with small amount of light. I hope it moves up higher so I could snag it... I just don't want it to be eaten either.

Did yours' ever finish the split?

Carmen
02-03-2009, 07:22 PM
Ya actually that doesn't sound too good with pieces falling off? Really sounds traumatic!
No still not fully split but ate again yesterday as it is, so for now I have a nem with 2 feet! And am not worried about it as long as it can eat. I guess it will finish the split when it's ready?!
Well hopefully the little nem does move up eventually. Perhaps add some light to the upper area of the overflow and it will encourage it to move to the top??
Good luck.

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 07:52 PM
I tried to scoop it but it is so delicate and far down I can't get it. It is clear, so weird but I think I will let it decide if it wants to survive or not. Watch it be a really nice aiptasia, I can mange to grow the most magnificent aiptasia let me tell you. My copperband would rather eat mysis and super shrimp:wink:

Still wondering what killed my nem... an ugly worm worries me. Why can't Griff eat that? Silly puffer.

Ya actually that doesn't sound too good with pieces falling off? Really sounds traumatic!
No still not fully split but ate again yesterday as it is, so for now I have a nem with 2 feet! And am not worried about it as long as it can eat. I guess it will finish the split when it's ready?!
Well hopefully the little nem does move up eventually. Perhaps add some light to the upper area of the overflow and it will encourage it to move to the top??
Good luck.

BlueAbyss
02-03-2009, 09:13 PM
Hey, whoa, don't be too worried about a worm or something, I just mentioned it because I've come across an account of something like that happening. There's a good chance it was something else, I just thought it might be of some insight. I know most bristleworms wouldn't do something like this unless there was dead tissue on the 'nem, and even then I would think it would stop when it came to healthy tissue... but I could be wrong.

:lol: Just noticed your post about it being a bad type of 'nem, wouldn't that just be insult to injury :redface:

my2rotties
02-03-2009, 10:43 PM
The worms makes total sense to be honest. The damage to the nem seems consistent to what you had mentioned. It could be a probability since my live rock is very well established and is teeming with life of all sorts.

It would suck if the little guy in my overflow is aiptasia but it really looks like a clear BTA. It has a wide base and nice fat little tentacles. I guess I will know if it survives and comes up towards the light. I'm thinking of putting a little piece of rock down there beside it (if I could reach) and see if it moves onto it. It would be really cool if it was a BTA and then not all would be lost. You never know with this hobby

I guess I need to put out a trap and see what I can catch in it. If it was a big worm, I don't know if I could even come near it to take it out. I have seen pictures of some of them and wish I could leave it alone... I wonder what else they eat if nems are not available.

Thanks for the insight though, since it does make sense compared to other things I have thrown around in my head.


Hey, whoa, don't be too worried about a worm or something, I just mentioned it because I've come across an account of something like that happening. There's a good chance it was something else, I just thought it might be of some insight. I know most bristleworms wouldn't do something like this unless there was dead tissue on the 'nem, and even then I would think it would stop when it came to healthy tissue... but I could be wrong.

:lol: Just noticed your post about it being a bad type of 'nem, wouldn't that just be insult to injury :redface:

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-04-2009, 01:05 AM
Most worms will only eat an anemone if the anemone is already hurt. Bristleworms are very good for the tank and shouldn't cause problems. They eat detritus mostly. IMO something else killed your nem or at least started the process.

rstar
02-04-2009, 04:01 AM
When my father-in-law first got into the hobby he put an anemone in his tank. That evening he watched some sort of anenome eating worm make a b-line for the anemone and start boring into it, it was like 2 feet long. It ended up injuring it quite badly and nuked his tank, He said the worm moved really quite fast, and broke apart when he tried catching it. I believe it was a type of polychaete, a fire worm. By the sound of how your anemone looked, it sounds like how fireworms consume its prey

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=292

my2rotties
02-04-2009, 04:10 AM
Well that gave me the shivers... I never want to put my hand into my tank ever again:biggrin:

Thanks so much for this info and I will be doing some research now that I have something to go by. I really appreciate your help.

THANK YOU!!!

When my father-in-law first got into the hobby he put an anemone in his tank. That evening he watched some sort of anenome eating worm make a b-line for the anemone and start boring into it, it was like 2 feet long. It ended up injuring it quite badly and nuked his tank, He said the worm moved really quite fast, and broke apart when he tried catching it. I believe it was a type of polychaete, a fire worm. By the sound of how your anemone looked, it sounds like how fireworms consume its prey

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=292

rstar
02-04-2009, 04:13 AM
You are welcome, at least its somewhere to start!!

Thanks so much for this info and I will be doing some research now that I have something to go by. I really appreciate your help.

THANK YOU!!!