My Carpet looks like crap help!!!!

I recently obtained a 12” giant carpet (about 4 days ago). I slowly acclimated him because the LFS I got him from runs their salinity at .023 and I am running .026. It seamed to adjust well and was at full mast with in 15 min. and well footed. Looked great for two days, and then started to go down hill rapidly. For the past two days it has spent most of its time deflated (opened almost fully 3 times) with its stomach going in and out. I dose not appear to be moving locations. I know they require strong lighting; I am running (4) 56watt. T-6s and (2) 65watt. 50/50 PCs with 14” from light to bottom on my 55 long. I tried feeding him and he didn’t want any part of it. Is this common, or bad news? I really love Carpets and want my first try to be successful. As well my Clown loves him. Any tips or info would be great.

 

What are your water parameters like and how old is your tank?

 

My tank is just over a year old.
Parameters sal. .026 kh 6 cal. 430 ph. 8-4 temp. 80 deg. Ammonia. 0 Nitrates 20 Nitrites 0
I have a 2” sand bed and about 150lbs LR

 

might wanna lower your nitrates and temp.

 

Most likely it is still adjusting to your tank and the reason why it was deflating was probably because it was expelling its "old" water in order to take in the "new" water in your tank. Like Aquaboy suggests, you might want to lower your nitrates. I wouldn't worry too much about that temperature too much but summertime is approaching and if 80 degrees is your highest temperature during the cooler months, you're going to have heat issues. Also, don't bother trying to feed the anemone until it has adjusted to your tank. It needs all of its energy to adjust to its new surroundings so feeding it now will only cause it to expend that energy on digestion. Also, your clown might be irritating it too much while it's adjusting to your tank. You might consider trying to keep the clown away from it for a little while.

I'm not sure if your lighting is sufficient but it seems that it should be. I'll let the people that have more experience with T-6 lighting chime in on that

 

Thank you for the advice. I am planning a 5 gal. Water change this weekend so hopefully this will help drop the nitrates. I figured a 5 gal. water change should be sufficient to drop the nitrates to a safe level without causing any more stress to the carpet then needed. As well I am slowly trying to get my kh to 10. Hopefully it will adjust with the clown because he defends his turf at all cost, and removing he means pulling rock, to smart for a trap. I feel alot better now.

 

I know that carpets(Stichodactyla) are one of the more delicate of anemones, therefore more attention needs to be dedicated to them. By this I mean, lighting, water parameters and these being stable as well as water flow. Your tank is too small as well to house one of these large anemones!
CarpetAnemones
Should offer you some good advice on these giants!

 

I agree with you on the size to tank ratio. I could not pass it up, if I did it would be dead already. I was at PETCO picking up some supplies and there stock had just arrived, and in that order was this beautiful specimen (my carpet) and at PETCO most of their fish don’t get the care they need let alone inverts. Call me a foolish bleeding heart, but I am a dedicated aquarist and I don’t like seeing things die for lack of effort. Hopefully my LFS can find a better home. Thanks for the honesty.

 

Like I said earlier “I could not help it”. It’s a lot better off in my (small tank) then at Petco smaller tank (they had it in a 10gal.). I am with you. the strike is on missionsix66.