3-year-old BTA question

[mryoung7]

I've kept a healthy BTA in my 25g vertically-oriented tank for 3+ years now. Everything has remained the same -- two gsm clowns to host, an abundance of live rock, & water changes as necessary to maintain water params. Lighting is a 40 watt 50/50 10,000k/460nm Actinic & that has been consistent from the beginning (including regular bulb replacement).
My BTA had more than quadrupled in size, when fully open, since I got it and was probably around 10-12" in diameter. Every couple of months it would look sickly for a few days, expel waste, and then come back to life.
But about 8 weeks ago, it did the same and hasn't opened up since. It's not dead but it's been hiding in the shadows of my rock work balled up and that's about it. It's moved twice in the 8 weeks, both times to similarly lit areas. It worries me that it's been so long.
The only two variables I can think of are that I added the directed amount of Essential Elements a couple of days prior to it going into hibernation and I hadn't used that stuff for about a year prior. Secondly, I fiddled with the water temp for about a week and then returned it to its previous reading of 79.
As I said, everything has remained consistent and my water is good. Does anyone have any idea what is wrong or what else I can check?

 

[alexknight]

you said you have had it for 3+ years, it could be getting ready to split, have you checked the mouth? is it gaping? if it moves to a spot, and you then move it, you could stress it out even more. I have heard by changing the flow in the tank or the lighting can cause a bta to split. I have had mine go into hiding for a couple days but then it comes back out and its fine.
http://www.karensroseanemones.com/hideandseek.htm

 

[errattiq]

10-12" in a 25g vertically oriented? I am willing to bet your anemone has outgrown your tank and is beginning to stress out over it. I would move it into a larger system...

 

[mryoung7]

Originally Posted by Alexknight
http:///forum/post/2841833
you said you have had it for 3+ years, it could be getting ready to split, have you checked the mouth? is it gaping? if it moves to a spot, and you then move it, you could stress it out even more. I have heard by changing the flow in the tank or the lighting can cause a bta to split. I have had mine go into hiding for a couple days but then it comes back out and its fine.
http://www.karensroseanemones.com/hideandseek.htm
it's in a ball so the mouth hasn't been visible. this is a possibility i hadn't thought of and will watch for but i think it would have already begun splitting by now.

 

[mryoung7]

Originally Posted by errattiq
http:///forum/post/2841940
10-12" in a 25g vertically oriented? I am willing to bet your anemone has outgrown your tank and is beginning to stress out over it. I would move it into a larger system...
it still had a few inches to the glass on all sides when it was fully open but i'm sure you're right that it felt cramped. my understanding was that it would just stop growing when it maxed out its space. is that incorrect?
thanks for the replies so far. keep them coming please.

 

[cdangel0]

They do not stop goriwng when they run out of room. They generally will stress then split. have you checked under the rest of the rocks to see if it has already split? usually once they split both halves will hide and sometimes stay balled up until they heal - 2-3 weeks in general.

 

[mryoung7]

Originally Posted by Cdangel0
http:///forum/post/2842223
They do not stop goriwng when they run out of room. They generally will stress then split. have you checked under the rest of the rocks to see if it has already split? usually once they split both halves will hide and sometimes stay balled up until they heal - 2-3 weeks in general.
thanks for the info. i haven't seen a second half but that doesn't mean it's not in a crevice toward the back. i guess i'll just keep watching to see what happens unless someone else has any other advice.