Need Help, Anemone and power head

[InfernoST]

Hi guys
We got a bubble tip anemone a couple of days ago and all was going well until 5am this morning when I found him in my Koralia 3 powerhead, needless to say it wasn't pretty. My 1st question is what are the ramifications to the tank? 2nd How do I prevent this from happening again, is there something I can wrap the power head in?

 

[greggnyce]

You really cant wrap the powr head because it will cut the intake and the pump will not operate. Anemones are so squishy they will go through it anyway. If the anemone is shredded pull it out of there you do not want it rotting in yourtank. If it is still alive unplug the power head and try and remove it. But you have to watch it becuae it can walk into the power head again, you kind of have to hope it settles somewhere and stays there. IMO

 

[mr_X]

once it's happy it won't move any more. if it continues to bounce around the tank, it's not happy, and i'd address that instead of the powerhead.
it's not going to hurt anything in the tank unless it rots away, but if you just turn off the powerhead for a few hours, it will remove itself.
i doubt very highly that it was severly damaged.

 

[KathyC]

You don't say if it was killed, if so, you want to remove all parts of it from the tank (rotting parts will foul the tank badly), do a water change and run some carbon. Keep an eye on your ammonia level and continue to do water changes if it increases.

You can wrap the powerheads in thin foam (the kind of foam you find in FW filters. Look at your LFS as some mfr's sell filter foam that is very thin and you can tailor it to your p/h) but thinner, but as mentioned it will cut your flow down, so you may need to add another powerhead to make up for the loss of circulation.

 

[InfernoST]

You don't say if it was killed, if so, you want to remove all parts of it from the tank (rotting parts will foul the tank badly), do a water change and run some carbon. Keep an eye on your ammonia level and continue to do water changes if it increases.

You can wrap the powerheads in thin foam (the kind of foam you find in FW filters. Look at your LFS as some mfr's sell filter foam that is very thin and you can tailor it to your p/h) but thinner, but as mentioned it will cut your flow down, so you may need to add another powerhead to make up for the loss of circulation.

Sorry about that, He didn't make it, was chopped up pretty good.

 

[InfernoST]

once it's happy it won't move any more. if it continues to bounce around the tank, it's not happy, and i'd address that instead of the powerhead.
it's not going to hurt anything in the tank unless it rots away, but if you just turn off the powerhead for a few hours, it will remove itself.
i doubt very highly that it was severly damaged.

I only had him for one day so I guess he was still feeling his way around the tank. He was on a rock in one spot all day and started his journey when all of the lights shut off.

 

[InfernoST]

You really cant wrap the powr head because it will cut the intake and the pump will not operate. Anemones are so squishy they will go through it anyway. If the anemone is shredded pull it out of there you do not want it rotting in yourtank. If it is still alive unplug the power head and try and remove it. But you have to watch it becuae it can walk into the power head again, you kind of have to hope it settles somewhere and stays there. IMO

Would it be OK to shut off the power heads at night until he finds a comfortable spot? He's gone but i would like to get another one. How would the plastic screen material work to wrap around the power head?

 

[KathyC]

Plastic screening would work as long as it doesn't contain anything toxic.

You should be able to find the foam about 1/4" thick (or less)

...and no, you don't want to shut off your flow - ever (unless you are doing a water change). Overnight would NOT be a good idea.

Sorry for your loss

 

[InfernoST]

Plastic screening would work as long as it doesn't contain anything toxic.

You should be able to find the foam about 1/4" thick (or less)

...and no, you don't want to shut off your flow - ever (unless you are doing a water change). Overnight would NOT be a good idea.

Sorry for your loss

Thanks Kathy, I have some of the blue filter pad material i'll wrap the power heads in and try again. My 5 yr old daughter was devastated even though we only had him for one day, I'm going to wrap them and go get another one before she gets out of school. Thanks again everyone.

 

[DCG1286]

I would personally wait and have your tank mature a bit before adding another anemone (but that is of course at your discretion) ... The tank is just over 3 months according to one of your threads, and from the pictures it looks like it is still in the cycling phase ... seeing the fairly large diatom bloom in the pics. Just trying to help.

From Wet Web Media

Systems:

Anemones do not "like" new, changeable environments. It is strongly advised to wait a good half year or more for your system to "age" before introduction. What the "do" like are stable, optimized conditions... Most often granted only with systems of size... Large volumes change less quickly should the power go, a pump stop, a heater break... or an organism dies unseen... or the tank gets overfed. The smallest volume I'd place a large anemone species in is a hundred gallons (this animal easily grows, expands to a foot across when healthy)... Twice this if you intend to also keep other Cnidarians present. These are decidedly NOT "mini-reef" organisms. Anemones need constant "reef" quality environments.

In the wild Entacmaea is most often encountered in rocky crevices... wedged twixt... and if disturbed, pulled back out and away from touch. Positioning your specimen in such an area (it will move itself... please allow it to do so) will aid its settling in. Having lots of good quality live rock, live sand (either purchased or made from inoculated LR) with its complementary assortment of infauna is requisite. I've already mentioned the value of bommies... free-standing piles of rock to isolate your anemone from eels, and other stinging-celled life... These are really neat means of isolating (using the sand/gravel as a functional "moat" your anemone/s.

Changes to their environment, with new water (pre-mixed and stored ahead of use), lighting, circulation... new live rock et al. should be done gradually. LR should be cured elsewhere before introduction, lighting should be on timers, and new lamps switched out, (and screened/controlled over time...) not all at once.

On the subject of light/lighting, this species is a moderate one in terms of intensity... 4-5 watts per gallon or so (more is fine) of high CRI, 6,500 K plus temperature is about right. MH and HQI are preferable, particularly for deeper water (more than 18" let's say), but boosted fluorescents of enough wattage will work.

Likely the most ridiculous source of loss of these animals is their getting sucked up against pump, powerhead, overflow intakes... DO bear in mind that most BTAs stay put, ONCE established... and being well-fed. However, there is a surprisingly large percentage of animals lost due to a lack of or improper plumbing screening... SCREEN yours.


Here is the full article
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm

 

[InfernoST]

I would personally wait and have your tank mature a bit before adding another anemone (but that is of course at your discretion) ... The tank is just over 3 months according to one of your threads, and from the pictures it looks like it is still in the cycling phase ... seeing the fairly large diatom bloom in the pics. Just trying to help.

From Wet Web Media

Systems:

Anemones do not "like" new, changeable environments. It is strongly advised to wait a good half year or more for your system to "age" before introduction. What the "do" like are stable, optimized conditions... Most often granted only with systems of size... Large volumes change less quickly should the power go, a pump stop, a heater break... or an organism dies unseen... or the tank gets overfed. The smallest volume I'd place a large anemone species in is a hundred gallons (this animal easily grows, expands to a foot across when healthy)... Twice this if you intend to also keep other Cnidarians present. These are decidedly NOT "mini-reef" organisms. Anemones need constant "reef" quality environments.

In the wild Entacmaea is most often encountered in rocky crevices... wedged twixt... and if disturbed, pulled back out and away from touch. Positioning your specimen in such an area (it will move itself... please allow it to do so) will aid its settling in. Having lots of good quality live rock, live sand (either purchased or made from inoculated LR) with its complementary assortment of infauna is requisite. I've already mentioned the value of bommies... free-standing piles of rock to isolate your anemone from eels, and other stinging-celled life... These are really neat means of isolating (using the sand/gravel as a functional "moat" your anemone/s.

Changes to their environment, with new water (pre-mixed and stored ahead of use), lighting, circulation... new live rock et al. should be done gradually. LR should be cured elsewhere before introduction, lighting should be on timers, and new lamps switched out, (and screened/controlled over time...) not all at once.

On the subject of light/lighting, this species is a moderate one in terms of intensity... 4-5 watts per gallon or so (more is fine) of high CRI, 6,500 K plus temperature is about right. MH and HQI are preferable, particularly for deeper water (more than 18" let's say), but boosted fluorescents of enough wattage will work.

Likely the most ridiculous source of loss of these animals is their getting sucked up against pump, powerhead, overflow intakes... DO bear in mind that most BTAs stay put, ONCE established... and being well-fed. However, there is a surprisingly large percentage of animals lost due to a lack of or improper plumbing screening... SCREEN yours.


Here is the full article
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm

Thanks for the link and response. The picture you saw was when I had the diatom bloom but had passed when I posted it, it's no longer here. Are the following readings acceptable for a BTA?

The reading are:
PH = 8.3
KH = 9
SG = 1.025
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
silicate = 0
phosphate = 0
Calcium = 400 to 420
Temp = 80