Nems love nutrients, ive blasted mine with over 2k par before, no problem, subtle changes will help - 75% water change is not the move for an established nem.
Why are my anemones so small?
- Thread starter Midasblen
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outhouse
Valuable Member
I did some research on your lights they are strong, even if your tank is deep like mine, your probably cooking them. Too much light is a no no, and in your shoes a few years back I tried upping the intensity. Didnt work and they shrink and try and stay hidden under rocks as your basically giving them a sunburn. I have 210 30" deep and even my chinese lights 65% was way way too bright sitting 12 inches above the water . I am literally running mine at 1% blue and 1% white using 8 hours of blue and 6 hour of white and everything is perking back up and growing again. Too much light a bad thing, not enough and they still thrive. I started with one 25 years ago and Ive sold and given away countless rbta's and I think I have over 130 currently. I have let my water get bad and did 100% water changes and had them start splitting like mad with perfect water. They survive by light, not dirty water. And too much light will shrink them and make them hide, or let go from the top of the tank so they can find a new spot they like better
I've kept thousands of BTA's under more intense lighting than most would ever consider using. They absolutely love light if adjusted. That nem has been with him/her for months, I'd agree with you if it was new, but it is not. Light is not the issue.
They also love dirty water - thats one of the ways I have them breed sexually.
Splitting (or asexual breeding) can be a form of happiness, or one of extreme stress. Huge water changes often cause them extreme stress, that is not what the OP should do in this case imo.
Running lights at 1% blue and 1% white in a 30" deep tank for an animal that "survives by light" is probably also not the best move.
I understand things have worked for you & I am glad, but that is not the advice the OP needs, I've worked closely with thousands of these animals for over 15 years.
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outhouse
Valuable Member
not always, they do great in all conditions, provided its a well established tank.
No it does not, and his are already stressed. And over the last 25 years ive done many 100% water changes without issue. I currently do 100G water changes on my 210 every two to 4 weeks. Nitrates and phos undetectable, and to date, I have never lost a single rbta. Matter of fact one that got caught in a powerhead and produced 30-40 babies from that incident. You should have used his pictures as a clue, he had green on his rocks, thats a pretty sharp clue his water has plenty of nutrients.
This doesn't help the OP, neither will "100% water changes" or running blues and whites at 1%..
I do experiments on these animals and have for some time, Im glad you have gotten some splits, I have also achieved over 70 splits in a tank run with ammonia and 2+ po4 over the last one year.
You said in your last post they survive off light, then you say you run your lights at 1% blue and 1% white, not many Chinese lights I know of allow you to dial to one percent.
I don't want to argue with you over something that does not matter, but this person is trying to save their nem, a 100% water change is an insane move, as well as some of the other things suggested.
I will say to your 25 years with them, the creatures are outstandingly adaptable, and it is hard to notice the differences until exposing them to different environments.
I do know this, If the light has remained the same over the last 7 months, that is not the issue, also nems lacking light don't show those symptoms, and thats not enough for too much, or even close, especially after 7 months.
outhouse
Valuable Member
The difference between us is I know I cant tell his exact problem. Its one of two things however. too much light or bad water. I have never had a nem shrink into a ball from good water ever!. And I never said for him to run his lights at 1% its just working fine for me, Its not hard to cook a tank with too much light and LEDs are so new there has not been a ton of info on these lights in daily practice, and if you read the threads of no growth and say Kessils or other bright lights, its often the fact their intensity is SET too bright. Its a common mistake and it bit me, and I do this professionally and sell my excess corals for a decade before switching to LEDS. It was a slow decline without bleaching. The signs are not always what they seem. Anyway my point is, if it could bite me, it can bite others as well. But as far as large water changes, nothing corrects bad water like getting rid of it.
outhouse
Valuable Member
the fact his large one is hiding in a cave in the dark, leaves the possibility open. The other one back down on the bottom is also telling. Never ever have I seen a nem shrivel up like his from good water quality either. And how good can his water be with all the green on the rocks? Also never seen one do that with high intensity, less the 75 I have on rocks which all stayed in the shade under the rocks when both lights were on. Now they are all out and growing again. But they never got as bad as his. Possible he has a combination of problems. All of which are solved by turning down intensity and flushing out bad water, if bad water is the problem. Also not arguing, offering multiple diagnosis and by discussing this we may trip on finer details he can use to correct his issue you are certain of, and I am far from it. But not to far. it can only be 2 things period
outhouse
Valuable Member
I enjoy your professional opinion as well. And in that time while not killing a single one, I have had a great range of tanks and water conditions over the years. From SPS to keeping LPS alive for decades is not always easy around life changes. I did manage to kill a tang from old age, and still have a pair of clowns 20 years old. One thing I can count on has been my branching hammers started with 5 and at one point had thousands, and rbta's and a lobo, and a scolli. lost lots of other corals but always managed to have minimal loss during tank crashes. I generally take in sick corals or fish and bring them back. I hope OP is as lucky. Im just now recovering from 3 years of too bright of light, and I dont want to see others make my mistake.
OP
OP
Midasblen
Active Member
My tank is 16 inches deep and the light is 13 inches off the water. I am pretty sure that it is not over lighting because they are in the part of my tank that gets less light because of the way my light is positioned. They used to be directly under the light all day for months. I have not dosed, added anything chemical, or changed my light from when they were bigger and out more.
OP
OP
Midasblen
Active Member
Thank you guys for the input. I am not sure if my light is too intense or not but here is what my light is at peak intensity. I have my light running for 10 hrs. Probably going to order some carbs today from reef cleaners.
Not too much light, that looks really good, especially 13" off the water, I'd even venture to say you could increase lighting, though I wouldn't reccomend making any large changes to your lighting schedule at this time as that may stress the animal more.
Nothing wrong with a 10 percent imo, can still work on getting nitrates up while doing a 10 %. Increase feeding once snails and crabs arrive.
I would never do a 75% water change on mine. Since I rarely do water changes, that could cause a big jump in some parameters. If they were close, not a big of a deal, but that's never the case for me.
I did do 100% water changes on my 3 gallon pico tank. But I didn't have things like anemones in it.
If I want to make big changes like that, I would instead do like 25% water change 2 or 3 times. Or maybe up close to 50%. Spread them out a day or 2 apart.
Also, even if you get everything right it may not respond right away. It may take time for it to recover.
I did do 100% water changes on my 3 gallon pico tank. But I didn't have things like anemones in it.
If I want to make big changes like that, I would instead do like 25% water change 2 or 3 times. Or maybe up close to 50%. Spread them out a day or 2 apart.
Also, even if you get everything right it may not respond right away. It may take time for it to recover.
OP
OP
Midasblen
Active Member
Big Update: I have the smaller anemone to a close family member. Ever since I got them. They grew way larger in my tank than the fish store, also less for me to worry about right now. We live close enough that I could see it anytime.
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