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Sebae Anemone

15K views 31 replies 9 participants last post by  Sollaf 
#1 ·
Good morning TRT!!! Quick question about a sebae anemone. I purchased a sebae about 2-3 weeks ago and it attached itself to a piece of live rock. Well since then it has unattached itself and has found another spot just resting on the sand between another piece of live rock and the glass. It is bleached but it is slowly gaining its color. It does eat and it opens up nicely even better than when it was attached. My question is can it survive without being attached to something and is this behavior normal?
 
#3 ·
Yeah my carpet was the same way. Now he is anchored to the bottom glass. I'm not sure about the sebae though, because everything I've read it says that they like to attach to live rock at the base of the sandbed. He was for the first 5 days but now its resting on the sandbed
 
#32 ·
One thing to remember is that nems are animal's. The majority may do something that he doesn't, and that is just fine. That being said it is an appropriate gauge of behavior. However also long as he is happily eating I would not concern yourself to much with it.
 
#4 ·
IMHO its all about how they feel in the tank, anenomes in general are pretty finicky... id leave him and keep an eye on how he looks

How much waterflow is in the area where you wanted him?

Maybe to strong of current???
 
#5 ·
IMHO its all about how they feel in the tank, anenomes in general are pretty finicky... id leave him and keep an eye on how he looks

How much waterflow is in the area where you wanted him?

Maybe to strong of current???
Haven't messed with it other than to turn it right side up once. Other than that I just let it be. The area that it has been is a nice medium-low flow. Its not too strong at all. I know they are pretty picky, my only concern is if they can survive without being attached.
 
#6 ·
My question is can it survive without being attached to something and is this behavior normal?
The short answer is yes, it can survive and the behavior is normal. H. crispa like to have their foot in the sand. Mine is among the rocks, but when I view the tank from the side it's easy to see he actually has his foot all the way down into the sand. Probably attached to the bottom of the tank.
 
#13 ·
There is really no set time frame from my understanding. I have heard some people have an anemone for about 2-3 weeks before it has attached to anything. The best thing to do is to watch it closely and not bother it at all. I've also heard that you shouldn't feed it for the first 7 days because that can cause additional stress. keep your eye on it very closely
 
#14 ·
i would be careful sebae's are the hardest imo to keep i had one that never really attached to anything and all my tank conditons were perfect and even had new lights just for him and he didnt make it once they are bleached its very hard to bring them back they will just slowy die away so just keep a eye on him and as long as he's eating normall and not getting blown around the tank you should be ok
 
#16 ·
thanks guys, BTW i just got back from working and the anemones was so perfectly spotted on front of a rock, and my black clown fish is getting near her, and he is like smuthering his face with the anemone, he does it like many many times he gets near her, what is this? is it good or bad? tell me guys! ;)
 
#18 · (Edited)
New Sebae Anemone

:confused: Hello,

I just purchased my first anemone from my LFS. It is a Sebae Anemone that is about 5-6" big. I was just hoping to post a pick and get feedback on whether or not it looks okay. It has been 4 days since I brought it home. It immediately attached it self to the rock, but then yesterday it moved to half on the rock half on the sand and opened it's mouth to about nickel size. My clown fish haven't put too much interest in it yet.

Is the anemone stressed or is this normal behavior to have it's mouth open.

I do have a pistol shrimp who "fires" at the anemone multiple times a day.

I have attempted to feed is mysis shrimp, but haven't seen it eat. Just hold onto the food and then let it go. (or my emerald crab steals it)

Thank you for any feed back.

Reef Tank: 57 g with sump, octo skimmer
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate: 0
Temp: 78-81
kH: 10
 

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#19 ·
Anemone will open their mouth, but this is a bit different than a gaping mouth. An open mouth is okay, a gaping mouth is not. If it's just the size of a dime or a nickel and you can't see down into the Pharynx it's probably normal.

For food I recommend silver sides. Especially if you have an 6" anemone. You can cut them in half if they are too large or just pick out the smaller ones.

I recommend a temp of 80 degrees.

These two things were advice given to me and I noticed a difference in my anemone because of it.

The color of the anemone looks good, which is important. Clearly it has some brown, which means that it has Zooxanthellae. That's vital to long term health.
 
#20 ·
tcamos,

Thank you for advice.

My Sebae is upside down now :-/ we will see. I tried turning him right side up, and my LFS recommended I dig a hole btw two rocks and set him in it. I did but he just turned right back upside down. All water parameters are the same. I think it is actually my pistol shrimp that is bugging him. I keep hearing the pistol shrimp "fire" at the anemone. I don't know how to keep him away so the anemone can get settled.

I'll give the silver sides a try if he flips back over. I did notice that his mouth is closed again.

Hopefully he is okay. Thanks again.
 
#21 ·
Upside down is bad. What I found with my sebae is that he liked to have a little bit of rock around him. Mine has his column stretched down a little into the sand, but there is rock around him.

I made a little volcano shape out of rock with the bottom of it being the sand. Nothing major in height though. Then I placed my sebae in this and he's been there ever since.
 
#22 ·
Upside down is bad. What I found with my sebae is that he liked to have a little bit of rock around him. Mine has his column stretched down a little into the sand, but there is rock around him.

I made a little volcano shape out of rock with the bottom of it being the sand. Nothing major in height though. Then I placed my sebae in this and he's been there ever since.
Same thinking here...I have a H. crispa which has been in the same basic spot for years...I placed it against a large rock and then corralled it in with some smaller rocks...I've used this technique with LTA's and other sand dwelling nems with good success.
 
#23 ·
TRT,

And this morning he flipped right side up again, and has stayed in the space I cleared for him in the sand bed. It is like a ... lagoon shape, I did try to use another rock to create a semi circle in sand bed and then dug out sand. So far he seems to like that, but we will see if he stays right side up.

He is all inflated, but mouth appears to be open dime size again. I think I will give it another couple days before trying the silver sides.

Thank you again for your advice.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Patience ...

My Sebae has now moved a couple more times. His mouth is still mostly closed, and he has eaten the silversides I gave him. He will stay in one spot for a couple of days but then move.
Currently he has decided to face plant again :cool: (x 2 days) I have flipped him over a couple of times, and he looks healthy (all inflated, mouth closed), but he immediately turns him self sideways or upside down.

All my water parameters have been consistently the same.
I am adding a new Vortech pump next week, so I am assuming he will probably change positions again after I alter the flow in my tank.

Is he just being goofy? Or is this a symptom of him being sick?
Is there any other water parameters I should be checking? Phosphates?
I have only been feeding him the silver sides once a week.

Just reminder
57 gallon edgeless with sump and octo skimmer

kH 10-12
Temp: 78-81 (now trying to keep closer to 80)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: ~480

Thank you for help!

*current picture of him ... sideways.
 

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#27 ·
Patience ...

My Sebae has now moved a couple more times. His mouth is still mostly closed, and he has eaten the silversides I gave him. He will stay in one spot for a couple of days but then move.
Currently he has decided to face plant again :cool: (x 2 days) I have flipped him over a couple of times, and he looks healthy (all inflated, mouth closed), but he immediately turns him self sideways or upside down.

All my water parameters have been consistently the same.
I am adding a new Vortech pump next week, so I am assuming he will probably change positions again after I alter the flow in my tank.

Is he just being goofy? Or is this a symptom of him being sick?i
Is there any other water parameters I should be checking? Phosphates?
I have only been feeding him the silver sides once a week.

Just reminder
57 gallon edgeless with sump and octo skimmer

kH 10-12
Temp: 78-81 (now trying to keep closer to 80)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: ~480

Thank you for help!

*current picture of him ... sideways.
IMO your Sebae looks good. it seems to have good color and if its eating thats another good sign. :thumbup:
 
#30 ·
Hey TRT!

Just to let you know, I returned my Sebae. He was still healthy, just seemed unhappy in my tank. :c) Kept going to the back and under the rocks. I was afraid he would get sick and die, so I wanted to return him to my LFS so they could find him a new home, maybe a little older tank and more advanced enthusiast. Luckily my LFS is awesome and even after a month they took him back and are finding him a new home. Plus they exchanged me a nice BTA that is already acclimating nicely to my tank.

Thank you all for your advice! Look forward to more discussions on TRT.
 
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