how to remove anemone?

pastina · 12-13-2007, 02:21 PM

i have a bubble tip anemone that has been half dead and bleached out since i got it about 6 weeks ago. it came in the mail bleached and has never recovered.
im tired of looking at it and its taking up space where i can buy and place other corals in its spot.
its totally white, stringy tips, but yet this dang thing wont die. it shows reaction if touched, quickly retreating. i fed it a few times and it ate but it spit it back out a half hour later so i stopped feeding it.
its base is still tightly clinging to the rock, problem is its base is under huge rocks underneath about 200 lbs of rock. i cant move the rocks to get it out without destroying my tank.
so i thought about poking it to death with tongs..or just covering it with a new coral rock, maybe a zoa, and hope to smother it?
the anemone is small about 2"
what harm can it do to my tank when it finally dies...if it will ever die??
the tank is 220 gallons

can i suck it out with a turkey baster? how strong are they when clinging to a rock?

Fly Guy · 12-13-2007, 02:33 PM

dont smash it/kill it. if it hanging on that long then it must be somewhat strong, even if unhealthy and/or unhappy.

I would first try to take an icecuvbe and rub its foot repeatedly and see if it will detach....or get a small obnoxious poerhead and put it directly on him and see if he will detach.......

frankandmaura · 12-13-2007, 03:50 PM

Pastina...Is it possible that the anemone is not getting enough light on the bottom of your tank? Maybe you need to get some light directly to it?? I am not sure...

If you can get it off I am sure you could trade it or something. Please don't just kill it because you are sick of looking at it. Like Fly said, it must be fairly strong if it has hung on this long...do what you can to save it or get it out and trade it in.

Fly Guy · 12-13-2007, 03:58 PM

ill also offer that I once brutally killed a desirable animal that wasnt really hurting anything in order to get it out of my tank becasue I was too lazy to either take some rock out, or take the effort to figure out how to do it otherwise.....

I wont share the details but I still regret it and wish I would have handled it differently. It was a much higher life form than an anemone....but just the same

Kimberfish · 12-13-2007, 04:28 PM

most of us are trying to keep things alive - I hope you change your mind

- its irresponsible to kill something that you purchased and assumed responsibility for - give it a chance or breakdown the rock and try to sell trade it if he doesn't become healthier in a few weeks

harman · 12-13-2007, 05:13 PM

You can use a small air pump with airline attached to it. Just point the bubbles at one corner of its foot and in a few minutes it will start to release its foot, just keep working the bubbles under the foot until it gives up. I have removed many anemones that way and it does not hurt them at all.

Loverotties · 12-13-2007, 07:24 PM

If the foot is burried in the rock try pointting a powerhead at it and then maybe he'll get out and move.

pastina · 12-13-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harman

You can use a small air pump with airline attached to it. Just point the bubbles at one corner of its foot and in a few minutes it will start to release its foot, just keep working the bubbles under the foot until it gives up. I have removed many anemones that way and it does not hurt them at all.

i'll try this
i dont feel as if im totally murdering it, its slowly dying for a long time now. and the problem is i want to get corals for this area and i cant because its either going to block the anemone or the anemone might have enough life in it to attack what ever is close by.
it moved up on top of the rock a month ago, thats when i fed it because i figured yay its coming back to life, it was right under the light. then it went back down inbetween the rocks and its been there ever since.
should i just ignore it and get corals andway for that area?
its an all softee tank

bogey · 12-13-2007, 08:23 PM

Isn't there someone in your area that would be interested in trying to save it. If anemones are sick, they generally don't hang around long - death is not a slow process for them unless their needs are not being met. There must be something in its environment that is not making it happy. Please do not kill it. Try to find it another home. If you can't get it off the rock without hurting it, then leave it and trade the rock in. It is also possible to break off the piece of rock where the anemone is attached. I will take it if you can't find anyone else.

Elegance Coral · 12-13-2007, 08:28 PM

There was most likely something wrong with the food you tried to feed it. Where did you get the food, how old was it, and what was it? You have only had the anemone for 6 weeks. This is not enough time to expect an anemone to recover from bleaching. The anemone has shown that it will eat, and it still has the strength to keep its foot planted. This anemone should be given the time and food it needs to heal. If this anemone was truly half dead, I would agree with taking it out of the tank before it polluted the water, but it's not half dead. This anemone can and should be given the chance to survive. Many of us, myself included, have done things in this hobby that we regret. I hope this doesn't turn out to be something you regret later.

bogey · 12-13-2007, 08:39 PM

Try feeding it Krill. Check your local LFS to see if they carry it. Thaw a piece and when it is close to the temperature of the water, give it to the anemone (they do not like cold food). Make sure the food is appropriatly sized for the anemone. I have never had an anemone refuse it unless it was not hungrey or was getting ready to divide. They even like a little garlic flavoring.

pastina · 12-13-2007, 09:18 PM

i fed it marine cuisine frozen food (thawed) the food is fine.

i have freeze dried krill, not sure if that would work?

as for frozen foods i have mysis, brine, emerald antree and marine cuisine

ok so i will leave it alone
but...id really like to get corals on this side of the tank. it looks odd having one side empty and not even having the anenome visible at times.
im going to take a picture
let me know what soft corals i can put around it so at least i can have something in that area instead of a bald spot in the forest

Kimberfish · 12-13-2007, 10:53 PM

mine eats thawed lancefish or shrimp from the grocery store - good luck. Any pics?

pastina · 12-14-2007, 01:20 PM

im trying for pics, i took some last night and they came out crappy so im gonna try again later lol

pastina · 12-15-2007, 02:05 PM

UPDATE

ok so last night while laying in bed i was destined to remove the anemone in fear that it will die and poison my tank.
its foot used to be maroon now its a pale peach color, its on its way out for sure.
i get up this morning armed with tweezers, a siphon and a bucket only to turn the light on and see one of my four clowns hosting in it

i cant remove it now, it has a daddy
so i went to my frozen foods to find something more chunky, all i had was frozen squid. i chopped up a mouth sized piece, let it get to temperature and tried to feed him. my first three attempts failed, i just couldnt get to him the way he was situated in a hole on a rock. finally fourth time i got him! he closed up on it and after a few minutes i couldnt see the squid anymore, i hope he ate it. he looks a bit more puffy that he did before, is this a good sign?
if only he would come out into the light i feel he would have a better chance, why the heck is he staying in a hole? he is receiving some light but not as good as if he were laying ontop of the rock.

is it a good sign that the clown is hosting him? is squid bad to feed? i have silversides but they get so mushy and fall apart, the squid stayed nice and whole.

i will post a pic for sure in a little bit.
oh one more thing, can this thing see? i know he doesnt have eyes but i swear every time i look at him he rolls himself into a ball