Large Bubble Tip Anemones Unhappy

[Mppp]

Hello,
I have 4 bubble tip anemones 2 smaller and 2 quite large 10 inch +. The 2 smaller ones I'd say are doing quite (very bright open), but my 2 larger ones are shriveled up/small as the little ones now and constantly moving around the tank. One photo you can see bright small one on top with one of my unhappy large ones below it not doing so well (other large one I couldn't get a good picture of). You can see how large they are when doing well and massive they both are when I first got them (video attached). My Nitrates when I first got them were around 5.0 PPM and phosphates .08ppm. I initially thought well maybe I need more nitrates for larger ones so now I'm at 10.5ppm and phosphates are still .06-.08ppm. I'm stumped as you can see from photos montipora, trumpets, zoas and well GSP you can't kill those which is on an island in the middle of the tank (wife likes them). Thoughts?

 

[TX_REEF]

What has changed recently? Any sudden changes can cause nems to get cranky. Think chemistry, salinity, temp, lighting, flow, feeding...

 

[sfin52]

What has changed recently? Any sudden changes can cause nems to get cranky. Think chemistry, salinity, temp, lighting, flow, feeding...

TX asked all the right questions. I bet your answer lies in the answers

 

[Mppp]

The only thing that has changed on list you mentioned possibly is feeding as I don't go out of my way to feed each nem every few days perhaps like I should as the clowns take turns hosting all 4. Something else I didn't mention is I've always used Nopox to keep nitrates/phosphates down and have read all sorts of contradictory info how Nems react to Nopox. Lighting has been the same, salinity 1.025, flow consistent schedule/pattern. Would you suggest I start spot feeding them? Any thoughts on Nitrate levels I mentioned or 5-10 ok?

 

[garygb]

Rather than nitrate reduction using Nopox, have you considered using chaetomorpha or another fast-growing macro? Since the one parameter you've seen increase is nitrates, I'd consider that a likely suspect as far as the anemones no longer looking healthy.

 

[Mppp]

Rather than nitrate reduction using Nopox, have you considered using chaetomorpha or another fast-growing macro? Since the one parameter you've seen increase is nitrates, I'd consider that a likely suspect as far as the anemones no longer looking healthy.

My sump unfortunately doesn't really have the room to tumble chaeto or I would definitely give it a shot as I'm leaning towards the Nopox albeit being at low dosages not being taken well by the older anemones.

 

[TanknTang]

My sump unfortunately doesn't really have the room to tumble chaeto or I would definitely give it a shot as I'm leaning towards the Nopox albeit being at low dosages not being taken well by the older anemones.

Food for thought not sure where your tank is located but a gravity fed refugium is something I am building. I see people have it return to the sump instead of DT sometimes.

 

[The new fish on the block]

My sump unfortunately doesn't really have the room to tumble chaeto or I would definitely give it a shot as I'm leaning towards the Nopox albeit being at low dosages not being taken well by the older anemones.

Have you thought about a chaeto reactor? Also FWIW I don't have mine tumbling and it grows great, I have that along with some Red Gracilaria macro algae. Both of them just sit in a section of the sump.