Bubble tip anenome

[Austin R]

Hi everyone I would like to know anything and everything from care to habits to feeding and thing to look for when getting and caring for a bubble tip anenome. Everything will be greatly appreciated thanks!!

 

[NickNiz]

Here are a few things to consider:

Try to keep propeller-style power heads covered (maybe with foam or pantyhose) so that the anemone doesn't get shredded if it lets go.

I feed my anemone a chunk of krill once a week and it seems to be doing very well. Feeding too much or too large of pieces will cause the anemone to struggle in digesting.

Try to keep water parameters as stable as possible. For this, it's better to have a larger tank, but I've managed to keep mine in a 12 gallon for 3 months with a lot of success.

If you have a pair of clowns that will host it, the chances of survival will increase. Clowns feed the nem (by pooping), clean it, aerate it, and in some cases mine even drags the chunk of krill into it when I drop it into the tank. Hope this helps!

EDIT: Another thing to add... As far as appearance goes, stringy tentacles mean the anemone might be hungry. If the tips have bulbs, the anemone is typically content. If it is closed up, it may be pooping.

 

[Austin R]

Here are a few things to consider:

Try to keep propeller-style power heads covered (maybe with foam or pantyhose) so that the anemone doesn't get shredded if it lets go.

I feed my anemone a chunk of krill once a week and it seems to be doing very well. Feeding too much or too large of pieces will cause the anemone to struggle in digesting.

Try to keep water parameters as stable as possible. For this, it's better to have a larger tank, but I've managed to keep mine in a 12 gallon for 3 months with a lot of success.

If you have a pair of clowns that will host it, the chances of survival will increase. Clowns feed the nem (by pooping), clean it, aerate it, and in some cases mine even drags the chunk of krill into it when I drop it into the tank. Hope this helps!

EDIT: Another thing to add... As far as appearance goes, stringy tentacles mean the anemone might be hungry. If the tips have bulbs, the anemone is typically content. If it is closed up, it may be pooping.

Thanks so much! For clownfish to host do I just have to pray and hope he does?

 

[NickNiz]

Yeah. There's a chance that they'll never pair. I was really lucky though... I got my anemone a few months after I got the clowns, and they were hosting the anemone within a day of adding it.

EDIT: there are ways you can entice the clowns to host... some people put the clowns in a bucket with the BTA so that they notice it. I've also seen people put clowns in a pipe leading down to the BTA so that they have to fall into the anemone. You can find these methods on YouTube.

 

[PiscesPower]

Sadly, I got my clown before my anemones and he is being hosted by a St Thomas Rhodactis. I had 2 small bicolor BTAs and purchased a larger Rainbow. One of my little ones split so now I have 4 BTAs (3 are under 3" in diameter) and a Darwin Clown who sleeps on a mushroom. He had visited the anemones, but always goes back to his mushroom.Hard to control nature. My anemones now host 2 porcelain crabs and 2 sexy shrimp. They move around from neme to neme.

The anemones also like light. If you find them stretching or moving around they may not be happy with the lighting. Mine also like lots of flow.

 

[Austin R]

Ok thank you so much guys!!

 

[Lance M.]

EDIT: there are ways you can entice the clowns to host... some people put the clowns in a bucket with the BTA so that they notice it. I've also seen people put clowns in a pipe leading down to the BTA so that they have to fall into the anemone. You can find these methods on YouTube.

Just be careful as there have been instances of people killing their clownfish with this method (if there is not enough space).

And there is no known reason for tentacles bubbling or not bubbling.

BTA's are relative easy to take care of. Moderate Light, flow, stable conditions. Direct feeding is not required if those conditions are met, they can obviously be fed though. I would recommend searching for an aquacultured bta and/or starting out with a healthy specimen after you have done your research and your tank/husbandry skills are ready.

 

[Austin R]

Would a fish net work to cover my powerhead so anenome doesn't get caught in him?

 

[PiscesPower]

Would a fish net work to cover my powerhead so anenome doesn't get caught in him?

It needs to be a permanent solution. I have heard that Bubble Tips don't like to cross the sand, so if your rock doesn't touch the glass there is a lower chance of them getting into the powerheads. That being said, why take the chance. There are lots of DIY solutions, just research it a bit. I wouldn't leave a metal fish net in the tank for any length of time.

 

[Austin R]

It needs to be a permanent solution. I have heard that Bubble Tips don't like to cross the sand, so if your rock doesn't touch the glass there is a lower chance of them getting into the powerheads. That being said, why take the chance. There are lots of DIY solutions, just research it a bit. I wouldn't leave a metal fish net in the tank for any length of time.

I meant cutting the netting out and using zip ties to attach it

 

[PiscesPower]

I meant cutting the netting out and using zip ties to attach it

That would work.

 

[NickNiz]

That could work. Just don't use any metal components in this process... Even stainless steel, which supposedly doesn't rust, will rust very quickly in saltwater.

 

[Austin R]

I've been finding that bubble tips won't move across sand beds or are very unlikely to is this true? Because my rock does not touch any of my glass so he should go near my power head at all.

 

[NickNiz]

It's true that they don't like to cross sand (Thankfully, or else my Acans would be covered), but there's always a chance that it will let go or lose its grip, in which case it'll be flying around the tank and have a chance to run into the powerhead.

 

[Lance M.]

I meant cutting the netting out and using zip ties to attach it

The only problem is, at least what I have seen, the netting or foam or whatever you use will collect debris from the water column so you will want it to be removable in order to rinse it out/clean it. I use the foam guard with my mp40 and just slip it off every couple of days to rinse it out.

 

[Austin R]

The problem is I have a hydor nano and they don't have any kind of foam screen at least not that I know of that you could buy and put on

Would anyone wanna trade powerheads

 

[Lance M.]

The problem is I have a hydor nano and they don't have any kind of foam screen at least not that I know of that you could buy and put on

Would anyone wanna trade powerheads

Check the dimensions of the powerhead. You may just be able to use mp10 foam guards on it. The guards are 2.5" and the nano says 2". Maybe just use a rubber band to hold it on. Or stitch one side with fishing line to make the opening diameter closer to the size for the nano. Or if you can find a small filter bag for a small hob filter, cut off the bottom so that it is circular. Or a sheet of a mesh/ plastic lattice, roll it, then zip tie the sides together tight enough to hold but removable for cleaning.

 

[LDH]

For the best chances of getting clowns to pair with a nem should you add the nem first or the clowns first or does it matter?

Also I apologize for treading on your thread