# purple tip Condylactis Anemone



## bshobes

my anemone is on its side with its tentacles shriveled up and getting plump and shriveled. it has been in my 29g biocube for about 4 days or so. the parameters were very good when i put it in my tank.. acclimated for 2 hours with drip... somebody please help*c/p*


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## coralbandit

How long has your tank been established?And what are you using for lighting(and if you know what light it was under bfore you)?
Anemones need very stable water often not available in systems run less than 6 months.Many say your tank should be running for a year even.I waited a year before getting my mini carpet.I have heard of people who had no issues with nems in younger tanks but they never stuck around long enough to say how long their luck lasted!


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## bshobes

coralbandit said:


> How long has your tank been established?And what are you using for lighting(and if you know what light it was under bfore you)?
> Anemones need very stable water often not available in systems run less than 6 months.Many say your tank should be running for a year even.I waited a year before getting my mini carpet.I have heard of people who had no issues with nems in younger tanks but they never stuck around long enough to say how long their luck lasted!


it has been established for about 3 years...the anemone has perked back up ... online it said it was pooping....thanks though.


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## Reefing Madness

Not for 4 days its not pooping.
You need to know, it needs high lighting, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, under 5 Nitrates, and .05 Phosphates. Strong lighting would be T-5 HO, LED or Metal Halides, nothing less.


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## bshobes

Reefing Madness said:


> Not for 4 days its not pooping.
> You need to know, it needs high lighting, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, under 5 Nitrates, and .05 Phosphates. Strong lighting would be T-5 HO, LED or Metal Halides, nothing less.


everything was good.. nitrates was well under 5.. i have the lights that is for the biocube...they are the 36W 10K Daylight (16") and 36W Actinic 03 Blue (16") is that enough for the anemone?


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## bshobes

bump


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## Reefing Madness

Compact flourescent lights are not what I would recommend for a Anemone.


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## Goby

bshobes said:


> everything was good.. nitrates was well under 5.. i have the lights that is for the biocube...they are the 36W 10K Daylight (16") and 36W Actinic 03 Blue (16") is that enough for the anemone?


Your anemone may survive for a few weeks/months with the Biocube's factory lighting. How long will depend on the depth of your particular nems native water...that, and how responsibly it's been handled since capture/import, and also how stable you keep the water. Obviously the ammonia and nitrites need to remain null at all times, but anemones appreciate low AND stable nitrates. Meaning an anemone would prefer constant nitrates of 15 over nitrates that fluctuate between 5 and 15. I've found that to be true with my own anemones. Regarding the science that goes along with that concept...I don't know it, I just accept it. You're going to have to hand feed your Condy to keep it in good shape and there is an extremely fine line between overfeeding and underfeeding an anemone. To simplify things, I've gradually weaned my anemones off frequent meat and onto dosed zooplankton. So far I haven't seen a decline in their health whatsoever, in fact they may look better. I contribute that to improved water stability due to less raw meat in the water column. You're also going to want to keep a close eye on your trace minerals. Basically, the more sealike your water is, the better your anemone will do. Keep the water temperature stable as well.

In regards to your current lighting...long-term success isn't impossible, but it's unlikely. If you decide to upgrade the lights, I'd personally keep it simple and go with a metal halide lamp that clamps on the rim of the tank. You won't be able to use the hood though, so if you have jumping fish that will be an issue. You could keep the hood and do an after-factory lighting modification with T5's or VHO bulbs. I don't know anything about that though. I know how to buy things, not make things.

I've only kept 2 Condy Anemones and I purchased both of them directly from the diver who took them from the Florida Keys. They both did fine for several months under florescent compact bulbs but my wattage was much much higher than yours so not worth a comparison. They didn't wander around the tank but they did lean and reach out to sting things. My fish completely avoided that area of the tank. I saw no point in keeping them. They were basically an experiment and the experiment was over so I got rid of them and moved on to other more user-friendly nems. But if I ever had a coral-only tank, I'd definitely consider getting another. 

FYI...

Be sure to keep those LEDS on at night, so nothing accidentally swims into him. I'd also lean towards fish species that are familiar with the Condy and most of those will come from the Caribbean. Yellowhead Jawfish, Royal Grammas, and those little fat Citrus Gobies (? can't think of name) are 3 examples of fish that might work in a nano with a Condy. Keep in mind though, that even those fish will not appreciate being forced to live a few inches from a Condy anemone. Fish don't like them. All the other species of anemone I've kept, haven't seemed to intimidate my fish. Other than a Large Carpet, I've kept most of the commonly traded nems. I've not kept a Tube anemone either I guess. I don't consider them compatible in an aquarium with fish.


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