Last Friday I received two more anemones for the main display tank– a long tip and a bulb. That would make three, as I already have a pink anemone.
The bulb quickly found its home on the right side of the tank, and the long tip took up shop in a large crevice near the top of the tank. They both acclimated very quickly. The Clarkii clown took to both of them within hours, and all seemed well.
Saturday morning I noticed that the long tip started to descend down the rocks. As I walked into my office to check my email, I saw that it was perched pretty good– just enjoying the water flow. But, when I came out of my office about 5 minutes later, it was down on the sand rolling around.
I let it be for a few hours to see if it’ll get situated. It did. It was happily hanging out in the sand in the front of the tank. It ate. It bloomed.
Later that night I noticed the long tip start to move to the (opposite of the bulb) corner of the tank. I was a bit concerned because my older pink anemone took a liking to the same corner, so I kept an eye on things.
Both were keeping their distance. I was tired. I went to bed.
Sunday morning the pink was on top of the rocks and the long tip was enjoying his new spot. It appears that the pink was subletting its place out to the long tip. I went on with my day.
Monday morning all three were in the same spot, but Monday night the pink started coming down the rocks in the center. In an hour or so it made it to the bottom. Then it started moving towards its old home. Late in the evening, it seemed to finally stop moving about 6 inches from the long tip. I was tired, I figured they worked it out once, they’ll do it again. I went to bed.
Boy was I wrong.
I awoke to a dead long tip anemone, apparently poisoned by the pink. But worse than that, all my fish were either floating on top of the water or laying in the sand– gasping for oxygen.
The long tip not only died, but ended up being sucked up my filter intake. This caused little to no water flow in the tank. And almost killed all my fish.
I quickly pulled the intake piping off so the flow would start back up and start oxygenating the tank. I also cranked up the air pump and skimmer.
My Kole Tang and Clarkii Clowfish looked really, really bad. Fortunately, I had just finished setting up my 54g corner with 80lbs of cured liverock. I scooped up both and transferred to the 54g. Both were breathing and swimming within 10 minutes. They also started eating right away. Now my black eye soldierfish had some roomies. I hope they get along.
The rest of the fish in the main tank started looking better within the hour, and after moving some liverock around, all were accounted for and alive– except for my Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp.
Rest in peace guys… Rest in peace.