bubble tip anemone
- Thread starter Lee Ann Gunnell
- Start date
Welcome to RDO Lee Ann!!
I'm going to rattle off a whole bunch of questions that can hopefully help us sort out what's going on with your anemone...
-How long has the tank been up and running?
-What kind of lighting do you have?
-What were the results of your last water tests (nitrate, nitrate, and ammonia especially)?
-What type of filtration do you have?
-Does the anemone ever inflate fully?
-How long was the anemone in your system before it started to shrink up?
If it's a compact little ball now, odds are it's just digesting the food you've given it. If it's completely shriveled up or the oral opening is gaping open and the anemone looks like it's inverting itself, then you've got some problems.
I'm going to rattle off a whole bunch of questions that can hopefully help us sort out what's going on with your anemone...
-How long has the tank been up and running?
-What kind of lighting do you have?
-What were the results of your last water tests (nitrate, nitrate, and ammonia especially)?
-What type of filtration do you have?
-Does the anemone ever inflate fully?
-How long was the anemone in your system before it started to shrink up?
If it's a compact little ball now, odds are it's just digesting the food you've given it. If it's completely shriveled up or the oral opening is gaping open and the anemone looks like it's inverting itself, then you've got some problems.
We have had our tank up and running for about 3 months now and just in the past few weeks have we added the anemone. He was doing fine until last week after we fed him and we noticed the next day he didn't fully inflate and turned his stomach inside out (which I know is normal) but he hasn't put it back in yet and yesterday we noticed that his stomach looks weird and fuzzy, and this has never happened before. He has been moving up our live rock over the past few days and has not inflated since last week. We are running a wet-dry filter with and installed protein skimmer, an aqua-clear bio wheel, a seperate protein skimmer and a u-v sterilizer. All of out water tests have come out with nothing but small amounts of nitrate (like 20, which is considered safe, Right?). The bulbs that we are using are the 10,000K and blue actentic?. Hope this can help you to help me. I was wondering if it could be that we have been feeding him wrong. We feed him a small peice of frozen shrimp (that we bought at the grocery store in a bag) once or twice a week. Thanks for your help.
Ooooo Lee Ann. I've got good news and bad news for you. The good news is that you've found us here at RDO to help you. 
The bad news is that your tank setup is just about as anti-anemone as you can get. Anemones require absolutely pristine water conditions, even the 'easier' species of anemones like bubble tips (BTAs).
1. Your tank has only been up 3 months. One of the mysteries of saltwater aquaria in the home is that anemones of nearly any type do much better in systems that have been running for a year or more. There's just something in a more aged system that gives them a higher survivability rate.
2. Your wet-dry filter and the bio-wheel are going to lead to higher nitrate levels, which spell disaster for anemones. Anything registerable, even trace amounts (like 20ppm) is far too high for a host anemone.
3. You've got the right type of lighting, but I'm not sure about the intensity. Anemones require extremely high amounts of light. Most people wouldn't recommend keeping any anemone under less than VHO or metal halide lighting.
Sorry to be the bearer of so much bad news, but you're well on the way on the learning curve, so don't give up hope!
It does, though, sound like your anemone is on its way out. If the anemone has inverted itself and starts to look mushy, it's a goner. Make sure you remove it from the system or it will add some nasty pollutants as it decays.
(PS: your feeding regimen was fine)
The bad news is that your tank setup is just about as anti-anemone as you can get. Anemones require absolutely pristine water conditions, even the 'easier' species of anemones like bubble tips (BTAs).
1. Your tank has only been up 3 months. One of the mysteries of saltwater aquaria in the home is that anemones of nearly any type do much better in systems that have been running for a year or more. There's just something in a more aged system that gives them a higher survivability rate.
2. Your wet-dry filter and the bio-wheel are going to lead to higher nitrate levels, which spell disaster for anemones. Anything registerable, even trace amounts (like 20ppm) is far too high for a host anemone.
3. You've got the right type of lighting, but I'm not sure about the intensity. Anemones require extremely high amounts of light. Most people wouldn't recommend keeping any anemone under less than VHO or metal halide lighting.
Sorry to be the bearer of so much bad news, but you're well on the way on the learning curve, so don't give up hope!
It does, though, sound like your anemone is on its way out. If the anemone has inverted itself and starts to look mushy, it's a goner. Make sure you remove it from the system or it will add some nasty pollutants as it decays.
(PS: your feeding regimen was fine)
I guess ignorance is bliss... My tank has been up for 3.5 months, and my anemone (RBTA)is doing great. He was added to the tank a little over a month ago. I feed him frozen squid or mysis shrimp every other day. As for lighting, I have compact fl. with about seven watts\gal all 50\50. Have I just been lucky?....
I have 1 haitian purple tip anemone in my 110 gallon 1 year old system,he was 1 of the first creatures from the beginning and he has eaten and grown over a year he was always fine,I guess Im lucky?
I also have a 10gallon thats 5 weeks old and the long tentacle I bought 3 weeks ago is eating and well footed and is doing fine,I do not agree that your system must be "aged" to raise anemone succesfully.My systems host them quite well IME so much for theory's......... :lol:
I also have a 10gallon thats 5 weeks old and the long tentacle I bought 3 weeks ago is eating and well footed and is doing fine,I do not agree that your system must be "aged" to raise anemone succesfully.My systems host them quite well IME so much for theory's......... :lol:
Some are luckier than the others. But consider their life span is near infinity, a couple of months of survival is not that big of a deal.
For those that are able to get it to establish in their system, congratulation, and keep up the good work, whatever it is.
Lee Ann, do you have a nitrate test kit what is the nitrate reading now?
For those that are able to get it to establish in their system, congratulation, and keep up the good work, whatever it is.
Lee Ann, do you have a nitrate test kit what is the nitrate reading now?
What prompt you into thinking it is going to split? There are numerous reason that an anemone split. overfeeding (a form of stress), asexual reproduction, injuries, or environmental stress.
Some also mistaken a puking anemone as beginning stage of splitting. Some anemone has injuries that make it look like bulged up on one side and it may look like splitting. However, if you see 2 mouth openings, then it is very likely in the process of splitting. Some anemone is notorious for splitting, while some has yet to split in captivity.
Everytank has its up and downs. Just cross your fingers and wish disaster won't strike on your little piece of ocean. It only takes a couple days of bad maintenance to kill an anemone either as degradation of water quality or ammonia poisoning.
Hold your breath, and continue to do what you think is right for your tank.
Some also mistaken a puking anemone as beginning stage of splitting. Some anemone has injuries that make it look like bulged up on one side and it may look like splitting. However, if you see 2 mouth openings, then it is very likely in the process of splitting. Some anemone is notorious for splitting, while some has yet to split in captivity.
Everytank has its up and downs. Just cross your fingers and wish disaster won't strike on your little piece of ocean. It only takes a couple days of bad maintenance to kill an anemone either as degradation of water quality or ammonia poisoning.
Hold your breath, and continue to do what you think is right for your tank.
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