Anemone tragedy - how to recover?

[sigshane]

So I was farting around with something, and happened to glance over at my tank - to see the anemone caught in my wavemaker, being violently shredded!! I ran over, grabbed what was left of it and tossed it into the sink, then went with a net to gather as much of the loose filament as I could.

Thing is, now most of my fish are acting weird - like allowing me to gather them into my HAND weird, swimming slowly, leaning, laying on the sand for periods, etc. Not all, but some, most particularly my sailfin, one-spot, and arc-eye hawkfish.

I assume I am going to lose several fish now, but I would like some guidance on how to recover my tank from this tragedy.

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

 

[bkostuch]

First and foremost, sorry for the Anemone loss. Only thing that I have heard is that you should throw them in QT and start aggressive water changes on the tank. I am worried about this same problem in my tank

Also I think you can wrap your powerheads with filter material to prevent this.

Something like this - Its womens nylon.

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[sigshane]

Thanks for the tip on the power head...

Right now I am taking my live rock out and into newly mixed water, and watching fish succumb one by one :-(

Will the inverts be affected? I don't have but two corals, and they are easily transported, a cleaner shrimp, some turbo's, cc star, and various cleaners.

This sucks.

 

[bkostuch]

I think the inverts might be okay, not 100% sure though, safe to pull as much out as possible to minimize the damage

Keep your head up, if you have clowns they shouldn't be affected.

 

[KrisDeitz]

Why are you moving everything?? Just simply change the water and keep a eye on everything. Moving rock out will make the water more toxic and shock for the animals

 

[sigshane]

Just my luck. That hateful clownfish tormented the other guys forever...now it's likely to be the lone survivor of this.

 

[bkostuch]

PFCDeitz;1044200 wrote: Why are you moving everything?? Just simply change the water and keep a eye on everything. Moving rock out will make the water more toxic and shock for the animals

Agree here, only move livestock to QT.

 

[KrisDeitz]

I wouldn't move anything. Just change the water. Moving fish causes stress.

 

[bcavalli]

Sorry, that's a tough loss. If your not running carbon, I would get some going asap. I would also do a series of larger than normal water changes over several days to get the toxins out of the system. You could also add prime to your tank if ammonia is showing up in your testing. I hope your able to get it under control.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Should've done nothing but daily water changes and carbon filtration with heavy skimming. Plenty of folks have lost anenomes but not lost fish....me included.

 

[sigshane]

porpoiseaquatics;1044223 wrote: Should've done nothing but daily water changes and carbon filtration with heavy skimming. Plenty of folks have lost anenomes but not lost fish....me included.

That may be so...but believe me - you would not then have believed how dang fast that fish started frantically turning backflips and crashing into the glass, seemingly trying to bury themselves in the sand...it was like a frickin' horror show.

And let alone the fact that I was actually attached to these guys, I watched over $200 bucks cease to LIVE in about fifteen minutes.

I doubt very seriously I could have 'done nothing but daily water changes and carbon filtration with heavy skimming' in enough time to make a difference.

Also, this wasn't simply an anemone swallowing itself, or turning into jelly on the tank bottom, but being shredded and rapidly disbursed throughout the tank.

 

[enderg60]

water change, run carbon and put the nem in a basket till/if it heals.

It happens.

 

[catgirl29]

Sorry for your losses. I know everyone was just trying to be helpful - woulda, shoulda, coulda, right? I don't know that I could have sat by watching and not doing what you did.

I learned a little from your situation though. I have a migratory little Nem in my tank right now and will cover the powerheads as suggested - at least until it decides where it wants to be.

sigshane;1044230 wrote: That may be so...but believe me - you would not then have believed how dang fast that fish started frantically turning backflips and crashing into the glass, seemingly trying to bury themselves in the sand...it was like a frickin' horror show.

And let alone the fact that I was actually attached to these guys, I watched over $200 bucks cease to LIVE in about fifteen minutes.

I doubt very seriously I could have 'done nothing but daily water changes and carbon filtration with heavy skimming' in enough time to make a difference.

Also, this wasn't simply an anemone swallowing itself, or turning into jelly on the tank bottom, but being shredded and rapidly disbursed throughout the tank.

 

[sigshane]

Worse thing, and the primary reason I had to move rock around, is that at least two fish actually burrowed themselves into the sand in the back before they died. I had to move stuff around just so I could pull the bodies out :sick: :yuk:

Also, most of the rocks were covered in the sticky filaments of the anemone, which was most certainly gone by the time I yanked it out, by the way.

I do certainly appreciate everyone on this site; if I came across as defensive, or as a jerk, I am sorry. I was in the heat of that moment, and really came quite close to tears over my fish.

Thanks for all suggestions and guidance today.

 

[bkostuch]

Understandable Shane, we grow very attached to our pets, whether its fish, cats, dogs, whatever. Its never easy to go through something like this, head up and forge ahead.

 

[qasimja]

wow sorry to hear this happened

 

[sigshane]

Update. All inverts seem to be okay. All fish left this mortal coil within the half hour after 'AnemonADO'. I have been doing 12-gallon (3 x 4-gallon shots) water changes since Friday evening, prolly total about 4 lower vertebrae and several beers worth of water LOL.

Water is finally clearing up, and parameters are settling in. Later this evening I will probably put a 'canary' in and monitor closely.

Again, thanks to all of y'all!


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[kylebolch]

Dido! Big water change and carbon