Anemone not cooperating, why?

[michelle13]

I have a BTA that I've had for about 3 months. It shrinks up during the day and opens only at night. Anyone know why? I have a 29 gal tank with 175 w MH and 36 w NO. It is located about 3/4 up the tank. When I first put it in the tank it stayed open all the time, but now only at night. I thought maybe it was the light?? Then I thought if it was the light it would move down? All my parameters are good and I try to feed it 3 times a week, but with it shrunk up it's hard to get it to eat. It still has its bubble tips and good color when it's open. Any ideas?? Thanks

 

[buzz]

In my experience, anemone's get kind of "regular" with their releasing of waste. My last one expelled waste like clockwork each and every day at almost the same time.
Perhaps yours simply has gotten into a routine of doing this during the day. It takes them a while from the time they shrivel to the time they inflate.
Also, over a 29g, how much heat is that 175w Halide producing? Pretty slim possibility, but have you checked your tank temp during the day?

 

[michelle13]

Tank temp in the morning is 78 and then raises to about 80-81 during the day. We have fans over the tank are looking at a chiller for this summer.

 

[buzz]

Yeah, that temp is fine. I actually keep mine hotter, about 82-84 degrees.
Other than the other possibility I gave, I don't know why else it would do that.

 

[dockery07]

I got a great chiller for my 20 gallon it keeps the temp pretty much the same all day.

 

[jferrier]

Michelle:
I've got a bta that I have had for almost 2 years now, and I have lost 2 that I got after the one I still have. My healthy bta ONLY shrinks up the day after it is fed and never folds its tentacles totally in. It has survived through less than perfect conditions when other corals were suffering. It almost never rejects solid food. It even lost dozens of tentacles in a scuffle w/ a rival anemone w/ a stronger sting and had only 6 short tentacles left , but has grown back and made a full recovery. I'm no expert but I can tell you what I have observed personally w/ different bta's. The two I lost had short round tentacles and a blue green tint. They would expand at night just like yours do. They would not close up on solid food, and could be seen expelling brown gunk.
My first one however was yellow fleshy colored and had longer thinner tentacles. I have never witnessed it expelling any waste although I guess it does. My roomate had one w/ the same problems as yours as well and started feeding it small shrimp w/ a turkey baster every day wether it took the food or not. After about a month it lost the blue green tint and is always extended. It now has a yellowish tint with soft red ends and just looks great. I firmly believe that healthy btas rely more on solid food than symbiotic zooxanthellae (I doubt I spelled that right) . but thats just my opinion.

 

[michelle13]

Thanks for the info. What type of shrimp did he use? Was it brine or the regular grocery store raw shrimp?? I usually try to feed a small piece of raw shrimp, but I know my clown tries to feed it brine sometimes. I'll give it a try!