Saddle Carpet Anemone

[jemichaeliv]

My friend moved out of town about 2 weeks ago and asked if I wanted his Saddle Anemone Carpet. He had had it for 5 months.

I have had it for about 2 weeks and it looked like it was doing fine. I looked up some information on the carpet and it said that it was one of the easiest carpets to keep and should be feed once-twice a month. It ate a week into having but sometimes it shrinks up so small it looks like he is decaying and then he gets large (8 inch diameter). I am worried if I need to be doing something else for him.

Tank info:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 7ppm
PH: 8.4
Temp: 82.1
Salt: 1.025
Topoff RO/DI
Salt: Instant Ocean

I dose tank with

DT's Plankton
Kent Marine Lugols Iodine
Kent Marine Stronium/Moly

Any information? When I get home from work I will take picture of carpet and post it here for you can see.

Thanks, John

[ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: jemichaeliv ]

 

[jemichaeliv]

^^^

 

[DJ88]

I don't know what to say about the size changes to explain it but, Mine did that a bit but I increased the feeding to once a week with a cube of squid or any treats I buy at the grocery store. It is now almost 16" across and I have had it less than a year. I do know mine loves light. How much do you have over your tank?

[ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

 

[Len]

John,

I recommend feeding it more often the once or twice a month. Small portions once or twice a week is more appropriate. This may effectively reduce the frequency of shrinkage.

I wouldn't worry about the cyclical shrinking/enlarging of the anemone; anemones are 95+% water weight when fully expanded, and because of their unique vasicular system, need to expel their water from their body cavity occassionally (paramount to purging and refreshing itself). As long as its healthy when expanded, you should have nothing to be concerned about. BTW, I am assuming the anemone has suitable substrate to burrow its foot into. S.haddoni is a substrate dweller, and will not fare well without at least a couple of inches (preferably 4+") of sand around its base.

Another suggestion is getting it a clownfish if one doesn't already occupy it. I generally find that anemones not only appear more healthy and grow faster when associated with clownfish, but also exhibit less erratic behavior and likelihood of eating other fishes (S.haddoni will eat fishes).

[ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: Leonard ]

 

[Anonymous]

Like Leonard said,an anemone must purge that bad water and replace it with new water. If your anemone is returning back to it's original size you have nothing to worry about. That would tell you that it is the anemone's normal routine of water replacement.

Leonard is also correct in his statement that anemones,particularly carpet anemones,love light. If this shrinkage occurs often and remains in it's shrunken state,you anemone may be telling you she needs more light. When I say often,I mean that it is occurring more than three times a day. Most anemones only do this once to twice a day,if at all within that day.

Feeding twice a month is okay,but,once a week would be better IMO.

GL

Dan

 

[jemichaeliv]

Thanks for all the great input. Unfortunitly when the tank got setup 2 years ago I wasnt told to do a sandbed and I used crushed coral and it is about a inch to inch-half high. Its foot is burried all the way to the bottom and is locked.

I fed her today a freeze dried jumbo shrimp and she ate the whole thing and opened up. It is the only thing I had. I was unsure if I could give her a frozen cube of brine or squid (i do have it) as it was ice cold.

DJ88 I have a 4x96watt PC CSL Retro. Also are you taking a cube of squid frozen and just giving it to her? Are you placing it by her mouth or letting her grab it?

ANEMONEBUFF she is shrinking very small more than 3 times a day. I currently have a 4x96watt PC CSL Retro over my tank. Should I try to move her? Would she rest on a rock or attach to a rock or does it have to be in a substrate?

Leonard should I move some of the crushed coral from the other side of the tank and put it around her, kinda like a mound of crushed coral and I can pack it around her? I already have a clownfish in there a Perc. and she is already hosting with a Hawian Carpet which has moved and settled in on a rock.

She was huge this evening when I fed her. It is about 4 hours later and she is all swelled up and tiny.

Also, how do I post images on this board?

Thanks for all the help..

 

[Anonymous]

Your lighting seems fine. I would do like you said. Make a mound of CC or sand around her so her foot can be adequately buried. Being you already keep anemones,I would think you know when your specimen is happy. Does this new anemone appear distressed? (In your opinion). Could it be that the new environment you are providing just needs to be adapted to? Maybe. This could be so due to the fact that your anemone is eating and retaining the food(not regurgitating). The best thing IMO would be to get some more substrate near the anemone and leave her be(unless she seems real distressed). A little Selcon or zoe could help too.

Do not feed frozen cubes. Get some silversides or prawns from the freezer at the LFS. Make sure to soak in vitamins and fully defrost them. A frozen piece of food could damage the internal digestive system of the anemone.

Finally,DO NOT MOVE AN ANEMONE. They have the ability to move where they like. Amove would only stress her more.

GL

Dan

 

[jemichaeliv]

So if she was really unhappy and wanted to find more light or more water current she would attempt to move since she isnt tring she must be somewhat happy right?

I will try the CC around the foot nextime she opens fully. I also have silversides that I feed my lions in my other tank so I will feed that to her. Should I just give her 1 silverside per week? Or maybe 2 since there small?

You also said:
>>> This could be so due to the fact that your anemone is eating and retaining the food(not regurgitating) <<<

What exactly do you mean by that?

I don't know if she is stressed as she has not moved or tried to move from the spot I originally set her at.

Also do you know how to post a image I would like to post a image of her on here.

 

[jemichaeliv]

^^^^^^^^^

 

[jemichaeliv]

Here are 2 pictures of my Saddle Carpet.

This is when he is half open and looking alright. I will take some more when he fully deflates.

Is this even a Saddle Carpet? Just curious..

 

[desktopsilver]

my carpet got realy huge,and my fish would drift into it when sleeping or somthing i lost 3 or 4 fish,those off you not typing a full message are you court stenagrafers or somthing,some people have to type with there teeth we should apriciate the fact we can comunicate and not show our laziness

 

[jemichaeliv]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[DJ88]

jemichaeliv,

I feed mine by letting the cube thaw in a bit of selcon or just thaw, then add a bit of tank water slurp it up in a turkey baster then squirt that all over it.

I will admit that I have given it a frozen cube. Mostly tho I thaw them or get fresh clams from the store.

And you have lots o loight as far as I am concerned.

The pics look good too. Mine has a bit more brown in it but is very similar.

And watch them as they get larger. Mine has eaten the following;

Regal Tang, umpteen firefish, cowfish, and a few others. thos are the ones that stick out in my mind. Oh Shrimp galore.. It LOVES cleaner shrimp.