JonnyTorch
Sober
I've had my tank running for 10 months. I got a Black Widow nem from a friend as a split, gifted. It hosts one of my clowns - I got this nem 2 months into the start of the tank. Cycled with live rock, live sand and Turbo Start.
I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it. Nems will be nems, but I'd like to do what I can for it.
When I got it, it was adjusting to the tank, kind of shy. After a month, it was beautiful and fully out and stretching the disc and tentacles. Now after 8 months it's stretching up a lot and the tentacles are short. It's never really bubbled for me (a rabbit hole debate) I digress, if it doesn't bubble I'd like to at least have decent length tentacles.
The only thing I changed was slightly changing the flow but it was AFTER I noticed it not being as "open" as before. It seems to be the best looking it was at the one month mark (my tanks third month), it isn't actually shrinking, but the disc is never open as large as it was and the tentacles are way shorter, and it's always reaching for light (even though the lighting has remained the same)
I've included pictures in order of getting the nem on day 1, then a month later (looking great), then now (kinda just.. there).
Day 1:
One month in tank:
Now (8 months in tank):
It's a real Black Widow but lost the webbing - my good friend showed me the receipt from Top Shelf Aquatics when he got it. I'd like to to actually grow longer tentacles, or bubble up (no one knows this so I've given up) - but having it stretch and have shorter tentacles looks weird. I've reduced the lighting at all, but I did try giving it more light and it didn't make a difference in stretching or tentacles so I brought it back down.
Light is a ReefLED50 on a 15" tall glass tank 24g, set at 60% blues and 7% whites.
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Mag 1442
Ca 460
Phos .1-.2
Alk 9.9
Ph 7.9
Nitrates 5-7
What could be going on? Thanks for reading, a side note, my salinity swang a log during the 4-5 month mark and my Rock Flowers shrank a TON, still working on getting them back to size even 4 months later. :(
I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it. Nems will be nems, but I'd like to do what I can for it.
When I got it, it was adjusting to the tank, kind of shy. After a month, it was beautiful and fully out and stretching the disc and tentacles. Now after 8 months it's stretching up a lot and the tentacles are short. It's never really bubbled for me (a rabbit hole debate) I digress, if it doesn't bubble I'd like to at least have decent length tentacles.
The only thing I changed was slightly changing the flow but it was AFTER I noticed it not being as "open" as before. It seems to be the best looking it was at the one month mark (my tanks third month), it isn't actually shrinking, but the disc is never open as large as it was and the tentacles are way shorter, and it's always reaching for light (even though the lighting has remained the same)
I've included pictures in order of getting the nem on day 1, then a month later (looking great), then now (kinda just.. there).
Day 1:
One month in tank:
Now (8 months in tank):
It's a real Black Widow but lost the webbing - my good friend showed me the receipt from Top Shelf Aquatics when he got it. I'd like to to actually grow longer tentacles, or bubble up (no one knows this so I've given up) - but having it stretch and have shorter tentacles looks weird. I've reduced the lighting at all, but I did try giving it more light and it didn't make a difference in stretching or tentacles so I brought it back down.
Light is a ReefLED50 on a 15" tall glass tank 24g, set at 60% blues and 7% whites.
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Mag 1442
Ca 460
Phos .1-.2
Alk 9.9
Ph 7.9
Nitrates 5-7
What could be going on? Thanks for reading, a side note, my salinity swang a log during the 4-5 month mark and my Rock Flowers shrank a TON, still working on getting them back to size even 4 months later. :(
Last edited:
