Need help with anemone...is this normal?

[dixiechicken82]

We were told by the pet shop guy (Carlos) that this anemone would be good for us since we are salt beginners. It was labeled "Sebae Anemone" but he said it wasn't really, it just looked like one and was an African something rather. We've had damsels & hermits in the tank for about 7weeks and have added a banded coral shrimp, snail, hifin cardinal and a few live rock. Carlos told us that this particular anemone would do fine without bright lights (our lights came with the tank when it was set up for freshwater) and it is fairly hardy and would take care of itself for the most part. But I was told by someone that the brine shrimp & flakes we feed the fish isnt enough for the anemone, and to feed it bits of regular size shrimp. So how do we feed it??? Where do we put the food? And is regular shrimp okay? It keeps flipping over (tentacles down).....is this normal? Do we need to keep flipping it back over?

 

[Navarre]

Im sorry to say that the only anemone that doesnt need light tends to be the kinds you dont want in your tank (i.e. Aiptasia).

All normal "reef" anenomes need large amounts of light and absolute prestine water conditions. If the anenome doesnt have either of these then they simply "walk" or detach from rocks and go off in search of better conditions. As this is imposible in most home tanks this means the anenome is simply not going to settle down.

IMO No tank u nder 12 months of age should even contemplate trying an anemone as the tank will not be mature enough to sustain one.
Whilst Sabaes are easier anemones to keep this doesnt mean its easy... just less difficult than others.

Im afraid to say that the survial rates for anemone are devastatingly poor. For every 100 caught in the wild only 1 will make it to the wholesalers in any form of saleble condition.. for every 100 of these anemone that are supplied to the lfs only 1 will live longer than 6=12 months in home tanks. Shops sell them to the unwarey because people want them and thus they can be made money on. I have kept anemone and although they initially look relatively easy to care for, once you look into it deeper and realise that all sorts of considerations nd precautions have to be adhered to then you soon realise they are not anywhere near as easy as you first thought.

If the anemone is not attaching itself to the rocks or subrtate then this is a bad sign, turn off the powerheads for a few hours and see if this helps, failing this i would return the anemone quickly before it dies and polutes the tank.

As for feeding an anemone.. I dont.. if you feed them then they grow ... fast! i purtchased an atlantic anemone that was about 3inches acros. I fed this anemone every week with frozen cockly and within 6 months of owning it this anemone was over 1ft across!

Anemones will survive happily on the light (which is why the lights on the tank are so very i mportant) and what tiny floating bits of food it can collect in the water.

Sorry to be the vearer of bad news but I feel the shop has given very poor advise.

 

[dixiechicken82]

Thanks for the info Navarre. I will definitely urge Jon to take it back (his tank, I just do the research!)

Do you know if the anemone could be the reason the hifin cardinal up and died during the night? We just got two new fish yesterday, a naso tang and a 1" brackish water puffer....I'm guessing a green spotted puffer. We were told both were peaceful and that the brackish puffer wouldnt kill any tankmates, unlike the saltwater puffers. The Cardinal wasnt missing fins and didnt appear to be nipped at or bit. It always hung out near the anemone so I wondered if maybe it got too close?