Bubble Tip Anemone Problems

[digitaloz]

I added a BTA to my tank last weekend. I bought this from my LFS. The BTA looked healthy in the store, it has a nice neon kind of green color, but it is a light green instead of a deep green color. I did not check "stickiness" when I bought it because I didn't know to check for this. My tank is a stock Biocube 29g which, according to the LFS, has adequate lighting for the BTA. The water has no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, has a good calcium level and ph and the temperature stays consistently at 78F. I have 3 fish, a Maroon Clownfish, a Sixline Wrasse, and a Yellow Tail Blue Damselfish. All of these fish are healthy. The tank has live rock which has lots of good coraline algae and macro algae. I have some soft corals which are doing fine. I have a banded coral shrimp which is also healthy. Plus a typical CUC.

 

Since I put the anemone in there, it frequently goes through prolonged periods of deflation, usually once per day. The deflation can last hours. Some days it appears the mouth is inside out. Nothing appears to come out of the mouth. I also have tried to feed the anemone and the food does not stick well to the tips. I am using frozen Formula One cubes that are broken up and am squirting the particles at it with a baster. The food falls out of the anemone onto the floor which it is snatched up by the shrimp or fish. So I don't know whether it is getting other nutrients from the tank. Maybe I'm not feeding it right?

 

I don't know whether the BTA is dying or if this is normal. I found an Anemone FAQ which indicated that the infaltion/deflation is only normal if it happens relatively infrequently. One other thing that I have noticed is that twice in the last week, my filter has gunked up enough to cause the water level to lower in the sump, resulting in the power head blowing lots of air bubbles into the tank. While I am addressing the causes of that problem, the thing I have noticed is that in both cases, the anemone was deflated and looking sickly before this happened, and then after it blew lots of air into the water, it perked right up and inflated. It makes me wonder whether I have an oxygen problem. Is this a likely cause or coincidental? Should I consider an airstone or look elsewhere?

 

Any help is appreciated.

[DCG1286]

Stock BioCube??? 2 36W Compact Flourescents????

Yeah not enough light for BT anemone...preferred MH.

 

-David

[Scottdl99]

Stock BioCube??? 2 36W Compact Flourescents????

Yeah not enough light for BT anemone...preferred MH.

-David

I disagree...I have seen and kept many BTA's kept under PC's, t-5's and MH's. Yes they may like MH's better, but you can keep them under pc's. Now if you have a 30" deep tank....then I agree with you. There isn't enough light penetration. But were talking about a biocube....

 

I think your BTA is getting used to it's new tank. Keep an eye on it though. I have many RTBA's and they deflate as well. Only try to feed it when it is perky and inflated. It should pull thru. Also make sure you have water movement at the surface of the tank this will help keep your oxygen levels up.

[markpospisil]

I just purchased my BTA on Monday...seems to be doing just fine. Nice color, tight mouth, etc etc.

Local reef guy sold it to me said that they are 80% photo synthetic and that they keep theirs under T5 lighting...infact its just about all they run in their shop.

 

Anyway, I got up this morning and noticed a thin white thing stock out of the BTA's mouth. At first I thought it ate one of my 2 Blood Shrimp, after a quick look around and a closer look at the BTA i realized its is the molt from one of the shrimp. Its about 3/4 of the way in the BTA's mouth.

 

My question is: Should I let it do whatever it wants of remove the molt?

 

Thanks...

[xenon]

I just purchased my BTA on Monday...seems to be doing just fine. Nice color, tight mouth, etc etc.

Local reef guy sold it to me said that they are 80% photo synthetic and that they keep theirs under T5 lighting...infact its just about all they run in their shop.

 

Anyway, I got up this morning and noticed a thin white thing stock out of the BTA's mouth. At first I thought it ate one of my 2 Blood Shrimp, after a quick look around and a closer look at the BTA i realized its is the molt from one of the shrimp. Its about 3/4 of the way in the BTA's mouth.

 

My question is: Should I let it do whatever it wants of remove the molt?

 

Thanks...

 

The molt wont hurt it one bit. I feed my LTA krill and the shells are comparable.

[markpospisil]

The molt wont hurt it one bit. I feed my LTA krill and the shells are comparable.

 

Thanks.

[beeker]

i don't feed my BTA but it does go through the same periods of looking sick and looking great

 

but don't try to feed it too often, i feed mine mysis and brine maybe once every 2 weeks or so, mainly it just gets what the fish are being fed, i normally don't spot feed mine

 

the molt shouldn't bother it at all

[cmador]

best site for info on keeping bubble tips - http://www.karensroseanemones.com/

[revaltion131]

I disagree...I have seen and kept many BTA's kept under PC's, t-5's and MH's. Yes they may like MH's better, but you can keep them under pc's. Now if you have a 30" deep tank....then I agree with you. There isn't enough light penetration. But were talking about a biocube....

 

I think your BTA is getting used to it's new tank. Keep an eye on it though. I have many RTBA's and they deflate as well. Only try to feed it when it is perky and inflated. It should pull thru. Also make sure you have water movement at the surface of the tank this will help keep your oxygen levels up.

 

Just for comparison on the lighting: I have an RBTA that has been in my tank for quite some time now. I have a 250W MH and the 'nem is in the bottom back corner of the tank, where there is low light. It moved there and has stayed there, so it seems content.

[DashingAquatics]

I have a BTA, right now it is anchored behind the rock work and is paired with a maroon clown. I have 2x50-50 24 watt pc lighting, a K1for circulation the tank and the cap is 14 G.

 

My problem is the BTA is hideing out of sight in a low light area and one of my two lights is down at the momment? I tried to move the BTA but its stuck pretty good.

 

Any suggestions on what to do to move it or will it move on its own?

[smarcus3]

I have a BTA, right now it is anchored behind the rock work and is paired with a maroon clown. I have 2x50-50 24 watt pc lighting, a K1for circulation the tank and the cap is 14 G.

 

My problem is the BTA is hideing out of sight in a low light area and one of my two lights is down at the momment? I tried to move the BTA but its stuck pretty good.

 

Any suggestions on what to do to move it or will it move on its own?

It will move to where it wants to go. Don't try to move it as if you damage its foot it will surely die.

 

I added a BTA to my tank last weekend. I bought this from my LFS. The BTA looked healthy in the store, it has a nice neon kind of green color, but it is a light green instead of a deep green color. I did not check "stickiness" when I bought it because I didn't know to check for this. My tank is a stock Biocube 29g which, according to the LFS, has adequate lighting for the BTA. The water has no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, has a good calcium level and ph and the temperature stays consistently at 78F. I have 3 fish, a Maroon Clownfish, a Sixline Wrasse, and a Yellow Tail Blue Damselfish. All of these fish are healthy. The tank has live rock which has lots of good coraline algae and macro algae. I have some soft corals which are doing fine. I have a banded coral shrimp which is also healthy. Plus a typical CUC.

 

Since I put the anemone in there, it frequently goes through prolonged periods of deflation, usually once per day. The deflation can last hours. Some days it appears the mouth is inside out. Nothing appears to come out of the mouth. I also have tried to feed the anemone and the food does not stick well to the tips. I am using frozen Formula One cubes that are broken up and am squirting the particles at it with a baster. The food falls out of the anemone onto the floor which it is snatched up by the shrimp or fish. So I don't know whether it is getting other nutrients from the tank. Maybe I'm not feeding it right?

 

I don't know whether the BTA is dying or if this is normal. I found an Anemone FAQ which indicated that the infaltion/deflation is only normal if it happens relatively infrequently. One other thing that I have noticed is that twice in the last week, my filter has gunked up enough to cause the water level to lower in the sump, resulting in the power head blowing lots of air bubbles into the tank. While I am addressing the causes of that problem, the thing I have noticed is that in both cases, the anemone was deflated and looking sickly before this happened, and then after it blew lots of air into the water, it perked right up and inflated. It makes me wonder whether I have an oxygen problem. Is this a likely cause or coincidental? Should I consider an airstone or look elsewhere?

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

my BTA did the same thing when I first got him. I paniced and was all stressed out, but now he has been in the tank for 2+ weeks and seems great. Just make the the water parameters are in top shape all the time. Also my BTA lost its bubbles when I added it to my tank, a 12G aquapod with stock lighting. PC lighting seems to be enough to keep them alive, but no happy. Therefore I am buying a MH light, I think a sunpod, to keep him happy.

[hazmat]

best site for info on keeping bubble tips - http://www.karensroseanemones.com/

 

That was really interesting reading! Even for someone like me who is not interested in an anemone! (At least at this point!!)

[navyman_3703]

Do BTA's like direct current or do they like it a calmer?

[jestep]

That website changed to: http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

[yuhikaru]

I just got a RBTA and when I first put it in the tank, it seems quite happy and good. In fact, it anchored itself to the underneath of the rock and has been there since. However, 2 days into the tank, it starts to deflate/shrivel up for long periods of time before inflating again. My tank is pretty small at 1.5 ft and the light should be powerful enough to reach the bottom of the tank. I attached a photo of it here. Hope to get some advice.

[nor_cal_nano]

That fish looks HUNGRY!

[Amphiprion1]

That fish looks HUNGRY!

 

I don't like bumping necro-posts, but I have to agree. PLEASE FEED THAT FISH... It has already begun dorsal tissue depletion, showing that it is running very, very low on any reserves it once had and is on the brink.

[darkwhitemagic]

the foot of the anemone looks like its dissolving... thats a sign they can already be dead... And when was the last tiime you fed your fish. what lighting do you have, how old is your tank, what are your water parameters, and based on the fish, you havent been the best caretaker of this tank...

[uglyfish]

the foot of the anemone looks like its dissolving... thats a sign they can already be dead... And when was the last tiime you fed your fish. what lighting do you have, how old is your tank, what are your water parameters, and based on the fish, you havent been the best caretaker of this tank...

 

It's not dead. Don't give up on it - feed it daily and watch it get better.

[reefone]

It's not dead. Don't give up on it - feed it daily and watch it get better.

if he cant feed the fish how in the hell is he going to feed this bta?

 

we would need to know the alk, cal and mag as these are important numbers to keep track of when keeping nems and other corals.

[yuhikaru]

I just got a RBTA and when I first put it in the tank, it seems quite happy and good. In fact, it anchored itself to the underneath of the rock and has been there since. However, 2 days into the tank, it starts to deflate/shrivel up for long periods of time before inflating again. My tank is pretty small at 1.5 ft and the light should be powerful enough to reach the bottom of the tank. I attached a photo of it here. Hope to get some advice.

 

 

Thanks for the all the advice. I have been trying to save my clownfish and RBTA. After my last posting, the RBTA moved to a new location and started to become more alive. I am still not sure if it is fully healthy but I took the advice to feed the RBTA and I did it with the help of a syringe so that the food is more directed towards it. It seems better for now.

 

My water specific gravity is between 1.021 to 1.023.

 

My tank is actually only 2 months old, so I am very new to nano reef. But I researched quite a bit and took it step by step.

 

Here's a picture of how the RBTA looks like now.

[uglyfish]

Here's a picture of how the RBTA looks like now.

It's not fully healthy yet, you need to keep feeding it regularly. The zooxanthellae will grow back slowly, it could take 6-8 months.

 

Check salinity - should be closer to 1.025.

[awpong]

Thanks for the all the advice. I have been trying to save my clownfish and RBTA. After my last posting, the RBTA moved to a new location and started to become more alive. I am still not sure if it is fully healthy but I took the advice to feed the RBTA and I did it with the help of a syringe so that the food is more directed towards it. It seems better for now.

 

My water specific gravity is between 1.021 to 1.023.

 

My tank is actually only 2 months old, so I am very new to nano reef. But I researched quite a bit and took it step by step.

 

Here's a picture of how the RBTA looks like now.

 

First: You've got two different species of clowns in that tank. They're going to kill eachother, so you need to choose which one you like and return the other.

 

Second: That maroon needs some serious TLC. If you can't care for it properly, I suggest you return it to the store or trade it to a local who can give it the proper attention it deserves.

 

Third: A two month old tank is not really ideal for an anemone, seeing as how your tank isn't mature yet. With proper husbandry, you should be able to revive the nem, but the odds aren't exactly in your favor.

 

Fourth: What lights are you using? You mentioned that the lights were strong enough to reach the bottom, but that doesn't mean anything. If you want the BTA to survive thrive in the long term, you're going to need sufficient lighting as well as supplemental feedings.

[yuhikaru]

First: You've got two different species of clowns in that tank. They're going to kill eachother, so you need to choose which one you like and return the other.

 

Second: That maroon needs some serious TLC. If you can't care for it properly, I suggest you return it to the store or trade it to a local who can give it the proper attention it deserves.

 

Third: A two month old tank is not really ideal for an anemone, seeing as how your tank isn't mature yet. With proper husbandry, you should be able to revive the nem, but the odds aren't exactly in your favor.

 

Fourth: What lights are you using? You mentioned that the lights were strong enough to reach the bottom, but that doesn't mean anything. If you want the BTA to survive thrive in the long term, you're going to need sufficient lighting as well as supplemental feedings.

 

Thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it! I already separated the 2 clownfish using a container that I installed in the tank. It was indeed my foolish mistake to put 2 clownfish together in one tank. I have spoken to the lfs and they are willing to take in my orange clownfish. Can you advise me what is best way to provide serious TLC to my maroon clownfish. Apart from feeding it, I do not know what else I could do. It seems to host the anemone well and appears happy. I am using lighting that consisted of a blue and a white light. I put them on a timer and they are on for 8-10 hours a day.

[Singlefin]

Thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it! I already separated the 2 clownfish using a container that I installed in the tank. It was indeed my foolish mistake to put 2 clownfish together in one tank. I have spoken to the lfs and they are willing to take in my orange clownfish. Can you advise me what is best way to provide serious TLC to my maroon clownfish. Apart from feeding it, I do not know what else I could do. It seems to host the anemone well and appears happy. I am using lighting that consisted of a blue and a white light. I put them on a timer and they are on for 8-10 hours a day.

 

What tank do you have?