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Small anemone found half-dead on live rock, any way to help it recover?


Adrian_

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A frind of mine, who is starting a new tank, purchased a large quantity of live rock, and on it there was this small anemone, less then 2 inches wide when fully opened. Unfortunatelly we noticed it about 3 days after the live rock went into a barell for curing.

 

I took it to my aquarium to try and save it, but it's condition is poor: it attached to a rock and is capable of moving it's top toward a light source, but some internal organs are hanging outside it's oral orifice.

 

The little thing is very cute and I'd like to give it a chance, but I'm clueless about how can I help it, except for providing it with a stable environment. Any ideas from those who managed to save an anemone in the past?

 

thank you.

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Here is the little anemone. It just keeps expulsing it's internal organs.

 

6pao47.jpg

 

Anyone has some bit of advice? It's still sticky to touch and it turns itself towards the light when I turn it on. It also tries to re-position itself on the rock.

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jedimasterben
not sure about anemones but if they are spilling out their organs = dying = remove from tank asap

I've also heard that when babies cry, they are dying, so you should just throw them in a dumpster. :wacko:

 

Just let it be for a bit. I've had nems do the same thing (they are expelling waste and/or zooxanthellae, not their internal organs), and are still living several months later with their color coming back.

 

When it retracts and looks normal again, give it plenty of light and attempt to feed it tiny pieces of silverside or something like mysis shrimp (target fed, of course). If it is not sticky and doesn't grasp the food, then hopefully plenty of light will give it a fighting chance.

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Thanks a lot for the advice, this is pretty much what I was thinking . :)

 

However what makes me cautious is the fact that it keeps expelling that grape-looking ... thing, do you think that's just zooxanthellae and waste?

 

Should I perhaps cut the thing hanging out of it's mouth, to help it resume normal position faster (and avoid having the damn thing go all over the tank)?

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jedimasterben
There's no way it will feed with all that stuff hanging out it's mouth...

It will pull it back in, it may take some time for it to do so. When it does, wait a day or two and try to feed it something that is half the size of its mouth.

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Actually yes :)

 

It got most of it's zooxanthellae back in after about 3 days (some pieces were dragged by the current but I managed to pick them up). Then I placed it on a small piece of rock really close to the lights, it stayed there a few days looking better and better, then slowly moved to a more discrete spot between two rocks, where it can retract itself at night.

 

Yesterday I finally got it to eat a small chunk of shrimp. :) I'll post some photos tomorrow.

 

Thanks again for the really good advice you gave me :)

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