Anemone with open cut on foot

[Boomer]

I just noticed tonight that my rock anemone has an open cut on its foot and seems to be oozing some material (looks like its "guts") from it.  It's still colored up, open, and eating.  Anybody know what this could be and what if anything I should do about it?  Thanks!

[surf&turf]

Can you post a pic, anything close that could be stinging it?

[Boomer]

The way it is situated, it would be really tough if not impossible to get a pic, but I'll see what I can do tomorrow.  Can't think of anything that would sting it.  No other corals by it.  Could a tuxedo urchin have done it?

[Boomer]

The only other thing I can think of is that I do have an anemone crab that the anemone was hosting that now has started chilling on the other side of the tank.  Maybe it could have intentionally or accidentally sliced the anemone's foot open....

Edited September 3, 2013 by Boomer

[smallreef]

could have..though thats not as likely as the urchin accidentaly grazing it...

either way depending on the cut he could make it...ive torn my rbtas fairly bad when trying to remove them and theyve come back from it...

[hypertech]

Could the cut be the mouth and it is expelling waste?

 

If not and its otherwise in good shape, I'd leave it alone. I've had some with pretty nasty tears in the foot heal up just fine. Some people propagate them by intentionally cutting them up.

[Coral Hind]

I wouldn't much about it since they are very tough. I have cut them completely in half and they survived. I guess the urchin could have accidentally poked and tore it as it moved around. The tear could be casued by several things other than a predator, like it is starting to asexually divide. Is it on one single rock or could the rocks have shifted and torn the foot. Just keep an eye on it for now.

 

Also the "guts" you are seeing are called the Mesenterial Filaments

[Boomer]

Thanks for all the info!  Sounds like the best approach is to let it be for the time being so that's what I'll do.

 

And to some of the earlier questions, it is on single rock and the tear is definitely not the mouth.

[Boomer]

Update: anemone is doing great! I began to think (hope?) that it was going to split, but the cut seems to have healed up and it is doing well. Thanks again for the advice!

[Coral Hind]

That's good news, glad it made it!