Bubble tip anemone and ammonia

Dog Whiskey · Aug 15, 2023

I recently added a rose bubble tip anemone to my tank. The tank has been established for 21 months and stable. It is very light on coral (2 photo-synthetic gorgonians, a toadstool leather, and a finger leather) and has a ton of macroalgae and fish (started as FOWLR). I've seen the anemone catch stuff from broadcast feedings, so I know it seems happy. I'm not planning on adding any more corals to the tank but do have a fish currently in observation. Trying to do all captive bred.

I added the anemone and the 2nd gorgonian a week ago. All was fine. Then on Sunday I noticed the anemone was retracted. Checked parameters and ammonia was high (.25ppm). Did a 10% water change and things were back to normal yesterday. Then tonight before the evening feeding I noticed the anemone was again retracted. The tentacles are still moving, but it's not puffy like normal and the color is darker. Checked parameters and again the ammonia is a tad high (.20 ppm). All other parameters are normal.

I'm doing another 10% water change tonight, but my question is, is it normal to need to monitor ammonia levels closely after introducing an anemone? I'm fine increasing water changes/monitor parameters more closely until things stabilize, but what's surprised me is that only the anemone is showing any signs of distress. I also didn't think the anemone alone would have enough of a bioload to tip things, so I didn't do more frequent testings.

Tank details:
55 gallon
PH 8.2
Ammonia .2-.25 (pre-latest additions 0)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm
Temp 78

Inhabitants:
2 clownfish
Blackcap basslet
Pavo damsel
Mandarin
Starry goby
Coral beauty angel
Rainwater killifsh
Tuxedo urchin
2 emerald crabs
giraffe starfish
misc hermit crabs
various snails (astrea, cerith, nassarius)
2 feather duster worms

The photo gives you an idea of what I'm seeing and I know deflation is normal. It typically is about 3-4" across and right now it's tucked a crevice and is about 1/2 normal size. And thanks in advance for any help.

Rtaylor · Aug 16, 2023

No, an anemone should not cause any ammonia increases. Even if it did, anemones (and coral) aren’t very sensitive to ammonia and it shouldn’t distress them. Bta’s regularly shrink and deflate to some degree. Particularly if there are aggressive clowns moving in or other fish/shrimp etc. that might pick at them.

The pic doesn’t look concerning to me at all.

brandon429 · Aug 16, 2023

That’s what the test reads on normal tanks. This isn’t an ammonia spike

search on Google: api .25 ammonia reading

see how many hundreds of thousands of readings it has, in tanks that have no ammonia issue?

you don’t need to run an ammonia test on this display ever again. It can’t drift out of control

.25 is nh4 form ammonia, that’s not for reefing. Nh3 is for reefing

when you convert .25 into nh3 the leftover trace amounts are what stocked reefs run at / your issue is solved. Take no further measure nor action for ammonia in this tank.

only run ammonia testing during the cycle of a display. After cycling dont run the test again or confusion will set in

Dog Whiskey · Aug 16, 2023

Rtaylor said:
No, an anemone should not cause any ammonia increases. Even if it did, anemones (and coral) aren’t very sensitive to ammonia and it shouldn’t distress them. Bta’s regularly shrink and deflate to some degree. Particularly if there are aggressive clowns moving in or other fish/shrimp etc. that might pick at them.

The pic doesn’t look concerning to me at all.

Thank you! I've never had a BTA before and I just want to make sure that everything is ok and I'm making sure I'm not doing anything to unintentionally hurt it. It is opening up this morning nicely. I'll just assume it's getting itself settled and comfortable in the tank.

Jekyl · Aug 16, 2023

I'm a bit concerned that after almost 2 years there's minimal coraline algae.

What lighting do you have? Using rodi? What's your alkalinity?

Also time to upgrade tests from API. This is what caused your original concern as I believe it was faulty testing and not a real result.

Dog Whiskey · Aug 16, 2023

Jekyl said:
I'm a bit concerned that after almost 2 years there's minimal coraline algae.

What lighting do you have? Using rodi? What's your alkalinity?

Also time to upgrade tests from API. This is what caused your original concern as I believe it was faulty testing and not a real result.

Thanks for the advice.

There's actually a ton of coraline algae in the tank. The picture was quickly taken with my phone in pretty bad room lighting and doesn't really indicate how purple it is where the anemone has set up camp. Aside from when the tuxedo mows through, the rocks are encrusted with coraline, and it's an ongoing battle to keep it off the glass.

The tank has been rock solid for awhile now. The biggest issue I've had with the terrorist hitchhiker killifish who I cannot catch and will not die. But no losses, snails breeding like crazy, fish/coral growing, everyone eating. The anemone is just something new for me, and I want to make sure I'm not seeing anything unexpected or experiencing weird behavior. New parent syndrome, right?

I know a lot of people have problems with API and ammonia, but I've found them really reliable (when I've double checked with other tests, the results indicate my API readings are all on target). I think the yellow/green that they use for the ammonia reading is a problem because it's a color range that many people have some degree of color blindness to, especially in the lower ends of the range.

I also may have been seeing an artificial higher level because I tested late in the day rather than in the am (my normal practice), so the biofilter didn't have a chance to clean things up after earlier feedings. This morning it was at 0, so I think all is good . Unless the anemone stops inflating altogether I'll just chill.

Jekyl · Aug 16, 2023

Dog Whiskey said:
Thanks for the advice.

There's actually a ton of coraline algae in the tank. The picture was quickly taken with my phone in pretty bad room lighting and doesn't really indicate how purple it is where the anemone has set up camp. Aside from when the tuxedo mows through, the rocks are encrusted with coraline, and it's an ongoing battle to keep it off the glass.

The tank has been rock solid for awhile now. The biggest issue I've had with the terrorist hitchhiker killifish who I cannot catch and will not die. But no losses, snails breeding like crazy, fish/coral growing, everyone eating. The anemone is just something new for me, and I want to make sure I'm not seeing anything unexpected or experiencing weird behavior. New parent syndrome, right?

I know a lot of people have problems with API and ammonia, but I've found them really reliable (when I've double checked with other tests, the results indicate my API readings are all on target). I think the yellow/green that they use for the ammonia reading is a problem because it's a color range that many people have some degree of color blindness to, especially in the lower ends of the range.

I also may have been seeing an artificial higher level because I tested late in the day rather than in the am (my normal practice), so the biofilter didn't have a chance to clean things up after earlier feedings. This morning it was at 0, so I think all is good . Unless the anemone stops inflating altogether I'll just chill.

With how long the tank has been established you can just stop testing for ammonia and nitrite. Nitrite doesn't matter and for there to be an ammonia emergency you'd need fish to die and be left in the tank.

Jekyl · Aug 16, 2023

Are you using RoDi or tap water? Sometimes a concern with fowlr tanks.

vetteguy53081 · Aug 16, 2023

Dog Whiskey said:
Thanks for the advice.

There's actually a ton of coraline algae in the tank. The picture was quickly taken with my phone in pretty bad room lighting and doesn't really indicate how purple it is where the anemone has set up camp. Aside from when the tuxedo mows through, the rocks are encrusted with coraline, and it's an ongoing battle to keep it off the glass.

The tank has been rock solid for awhile now. The biggest issue I've had with the terrorist hitchhiker killifish who I cannot catch and will not die. But no losses, snails breeding like crazy, fish/coral growing, everyone eating. The anemone is just something new for me, and I want to make sure I'm not seeing anything unexpected or experiencing weird behavior. New parent syndrome, right?

I know a lot of people have problems with API and ammonia, but I've found them really reliable (when I've double checked with other tests, the results indicate my API readings are all on target). I think the yellow/green that they use for the ammonia reading is a problem because it's a color range that many people have some degree of color blindness to, especially in the lower ends of the range.

I also may have been seeing an artificial higher level because I tested late in the day rather than in the am (my normal practice), so the biofilter didn't have a chance to clean things up after earlier feedings. This morning it was at 0, so I think all is good . Unless the anemone stops inflating altogether I'll just chill.

I dont doubt you and hopefully this is the case. Does not hurt to once in a while take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at.
Im seeing more testing as of late that suggests Api readings are better than is foreseen in terms of accuracy.

Dog Whiskey · Aug 16, 2023

Thanks all! I will do a double check again just to be sure. And yes, the only time I've had a legit spike is when a fish died overnight (about a year ago).

Anemone a few minutes ago.