Help with Bubble Tip Anemone

[WesMurray]

Hi

I am new to the saltwater aquarium hobby and would like advice regarding my anemone. I started in the hobby 6 months ago.

Tank:

480mm x 480mm x 450mm.
(I bought it as just a cube and built in a 3 chamber AIO rear sump: 480mm x 100mm)

Hardware:
- Hygger Saltwater Light HG107-50
- Bubble Magus QQ2 Skimmer
- Jebao MOW-3
- STC 1000 Temperature controller (25.0 / 0.5)
- H2Ocean ATO
- 2x Hygger Cooling Fans

Filtration:
- Mechanical: Sponges, Filter Floss
- Biological: AquaForest Life Bio Fil
- Skimmer: Bubble Magus QQ2 Skimmer (Running on a reverse light cycle)

Flow:
- Sebo WP-200
- Jebao MOW-3 (40%)

Fish:
- 2x Clownfish

Inverts:
- 2x Nassarius Snails
- 3x Blue Legged Hermits
- 1x Turbo Snail

Corals:
- Frogspawn
- Goniopora
- Montipora
- Paly Zoa
- Zoas
- Hammer
- Gsp
- Mushroom

Dosing: (Manual)
- OceanSix Reef Complete (5ml)
- Aquavitro Fuel (Occasionally once a week: 5ml)

Feeding:
- Ocean Nutrition Flakes (Morning)
- Frozen Artemia (Afternoon)

Parameters: (as of this morning)
- Salt: 1025
- Phosphates: 0.03
- Nitrates: 10
- Alk: 8.3
- Cal: 450
- Mag: 1350

I purchased a bubble tip anemone about a month ago and it has shrunk to almost nothing, around 16:00/17:00 in the afternoon, I see some bubbles appear and then it shrinks again back to nothing. I have attempted to feed it shredded shrimp and mysis but no luck.

If anyone can help, i'd appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I am going to guess it is not getting nearly enough light. 50W over an 450mm / 17.7" deep tank isnt a good combo for BTA

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I would either get a new light or try to increase the light's intensity slowly, as it looks like it isn't getting enough light. I would also hold off on direct feeding your anemone while it is stressed. This can actually do more harm than good

 

[WesMurray]

This light has 5 manual intensity levels (10%, 32%, 55%, 77%, 100%) and 3 color modes (uv-blue, full spectrum and white). Since the tank has been setup, I have been keeping it on intensity 3 (55%) on uv-blue.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Up the intensity. To the next higher and see if there is any changes

 

[WesMurray]

Thanks, I'll give that a try and see what happens. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[TBSB2019]

They like par levels 200+. The light might not be able to sustain it. Like the others said, I would up the levels. I could not reliably keep them until my tank was over a year old. It needs to be pretty stable. Coraline growth is a good indicator. Now I have to sell a few here and there a couple of times a year. We have 6 in our 180 at the moment.

 

[WesMurray]

Thanks @TBSB2019 I have increased the intensity. To be honest, I followed the Jake Adams Nano Series from Reef Builders for my setup and the idea was always brought across "keep the lights bluer and dimmer". Although he didn't have an anemone in the tank, I didn't take the lights into consideration.

 

[TBSB2019]

Thanks @TBSB2019 I have increased the intensity. To be honest, I followed the Jake Adams Nano Series from Reef Builders for my setup and the idea was always brought across "keep the lights bluer and dimmer". Although he didn't have an anemone in the tank, I didn't take the lights into consideration.

With every new or different critter we want, I do some checking first (I learned the hard way). Make sure your setup is able to keep up for them. Different critters need different things. You can get away with different settings (lower or higher), but they will choose. I have some at the very top of the tank, and one that likes right at the sand bed. Par down there is around 100 where the par at the top is about 250. It's a never ending science project that sometimes it just doesn't make sense.
Slowly increase the light intensity and see what happens.

 

[WesMurray]

@TBSB2019 I have a follow-up question related to lighting. I don't ever use the full spectrum mode. Is that something I should be doing? I have heard/seen many suggestions about a full spectrum photoperiod for 4 hours and then uv-blue the rest of the day. I cannot control the uv, blue and white separately on this light. If this is the case then I have a budget available for something like the RedSea Reef LED 90

 

[PPBlimpy]

@TBSB2019 I have a follow-up question related to lighting. I don't ever use the full spectrum mode. Is that something I should be doing? I have heard/seen many suggestions about a full spectrum photoperiod for 4 hours and then uv-blue the rest of the day. I cannot control the uv, blue and white separately on this light. If this is the case then I have a budget available for something like the RedSea Reef LED 90

I personally would look at the popbloom rl90 over the redsea. They are very similar but the popbloom is more budget friendly. about half the price. and i believe they are 4 or 5 channel. fully programable blah blah blah

I run noopsyche k7s on my tank, love them. i actually replaced radion g4 xr30 pros with the noops and do not regret it

 

[TBSB2019]

@TBSB2019 I have a follow-up question related to lighting. I don't ever use the full spectrum mode. Is that something I should be doing? I have heard/seen many suggestions about a full spectrum photoperiod for 4 hours and then uv-blue the rest of the day. I cannot control the uv, blue and white separately on this light. If this is the case then I have a budget available for something like the RedSea Reef LED 90

If you have the ability, I would. But rent/buy a par meter and learn about it first. The eyeball test isn't a very good option.

We run Kessils over all our tanks (Have 3). Love the shimmer. The Red Seas are good lights. We had them and didn't like the "looks" of the actual lighting. You do not have to go with the high dollar lights. Do some research (a lot of good info on here) and get what fits your needs and budget. This hobby is one that if you even think you want to go farther than you are now (think SPS that needs high par levels) spend the money once and get the best you can afford. Lights are a personal choice.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi

I am new to the saltwater aquarium hobby and would like advice regarding my anemone. I started in the hobby 6 months ago.

Tank:

480mm x 480mm x 450mm.
(I bought it as just a cube and built in a 3 chamber AIO rear sump: 480mm x 100mm)

Hardware:
- Hygger Saltwater Light HG107-50
- Bubble Magus QQ2 Skimmer
- Jebao MOW-3
- STC 1000 Temperature controller (25.0 / 0.5)
- H2Ocean ATO
- 2x Hygger Cooling Fans

Filtration:
- Mechanical: Sponges, Filter Floss
- Biological: AquaForest Life Bio Fil
- Skimmer: Bubble Magus QQ2 Skimmer (Running on a reverse light cycle)

Flow:
- Sebo WP-200
- Jebao MOW-3 (40%)

Fish:
- 2x Clownfish

Inverts:
- 2x Nassarius Snails
- 3x Blue Legged Hermits
- 1x Turbo Snail

Corals:
- Frogspawn
- Goniopora
- Montipora
- Paly Zoa
- Zoas
- Hammer
- Gsp
- Mushroom

Dosing: (Manual)
- OceanSix Reef Complete (5ml)
- Aquavitro Fuel (Occasionally once a week: 5ml)

Feeding:
- Ocean Nutrition Flakes (Morning)
- Frozen Artemia (Afternoon)

Parameters: (as of this morning)
- Salt: 1025
- Phosphates: 0.03
- Nitrates: 10
- Alk: 8.3
- Cal: 450
- Mag: 1350

I purchased a bubble tip anemone about a month ago and it has shrunk to almost nothing, around 16:00/17:00 in the afternoon, I see some bubbles appear and then it shrinks again back to nothing. I have attempted to feed it shredded shrimp and mysis but no luck.

If anyone can help, i'd appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

If this is a newer tank, recommended is a tank that has been fully cycled and overcome chemistry changes of at least 4-6 months of age. In addition, how was it acclimated?
Likely the lighting is your issue and in the future - Any images best under white lighting for proper assessment. I cant tell what type anemone based on darkness of pics but some pointers on anemones- If this is a newer tank, anemones dont do well in tanks under 4 months even up to six months because they are generally sensative to water changes and require pristine conditions to stay in good shape which often requires water changes. Anything less Can result in early death and even damage to the tank parameters.
Take some time to get parameters just right and let the system cycle for a few months. This assures that conditions are stable and safe for the anemone.
Anemones prefer warmer temp and the water should be slightly on the alkali side. Monitor water regularly to assure there are no major changes. Ammonia and nitrate levels should be safe verified by using a good quality test kit and Not API either.
Here are some water parameters to follow.

• Water temp: 77°F - 80°F (stay close to the middle of this range)
• pH level: 8.1 to 8.3
• Alk: 8 to 11 dKH
• Salinity: 1.024 to 1.025
• Nitrate < 5 -10
• Phosphate < .04 - .08

Acclimation is very important for them as well as introduction. Most anemones will move around the tank until they find a suitable spot in the tank to call home. If anemone starts to move , simply direct your water flow towards the coral. Anemone lighting is an important part of their care as they need good light to thrive because they’re photosynthetic which means that they absorb light to produce their energy source for food and growth. Anemones have zooxanthellae in their body which they feed on. Without adequate lighting, the anemone will expel the zooxanthellae which many think is poop and turn white which is bleaching and often leads to their death.

 

[wranodj]

Corals and anemones do not do well together,

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

I have 13 nems with softies in tank. Not really any issues with warfare. But every tank is different. Lol
I feed chopped up clams once a week to them and they are under 2 A.I. Primes. I would agree with others above that the depth and your current light might be the issue. Good luck. Don't give up. You will get there

 

[PPBlimpy]

No issue with mixing corals and nems in my tank either

 

[WesMurray]

An update on the nem. Since this post, I started dosing AquaForest Life Source after each water change. The one day I noticed the nem stood up a little, the second day I saw it's oral disc and bubbles had inflated. Each Monday since then I have been feeding it finely crushed flake food and frozen mysis.

Here is the nem today:

 

[jlhoppr1]

Any update on your anemone? Mine almost died because it didn’t like weekly large meals but once I started feeding it daily with mysis shrimp, it took off!