Anemone won't open up
- Thread starter aviator
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by aviator
http:///forum/post/3121752
It's been several days since I've moved my bubbletip anemone to my large tank. It's still attached and will open and close, but it never "blows up" and extends it's tentacles (i think thats what they're called) do I need to be worried about this little fella?
Not yet..just leave it alone for now..if it isn't detached, it isn't all that unhappy.
http:///forum/post/3121752
It's been several days since I've moved my bubbletip anemone to my large tank. It's still attached and will open and close, but it never "blows up" and extends it's tentacles (i think thats what they're called) do I need to be worried about this little fella?
Not yet..just leave it alone for now..if it isn't detached, it isn't all that unhappy.
blackjacktang
Active Member
what is you ligthing wattage? T5 or metal halide.
blackjacktang
Active Member
you are pushing the limits on the amout of lighting you have. you have about 7 watts per gallon. Just FYI. what are your paremeters?
oceansidefish
Active Member
Thats probably a tad overkill for a 55....i had two 175's over my 60. And now I have two 250's over a 120. it may be too bright in there
aviator
Member
Unfortunatley, the decision to go with a 400Watt light was driven by price. I have less than $60 invested in my metal halide setup, no temp problems (It's 13 inches off the surface of the water) and I'm calculating 7.5 watts per gallon, which using the "watt per gallon" method should be just about right for a reef tank.
Do I need to ditch the Metal halide and go back with a Compact Flourescent only setup? I absolutley LOVE the way the tank looks under this light and would hate to do it, but if thats causing problems, there's no need to have it.
Do I need to ditch the Metal halide and go back with a Compact Flourescent only setup? I absolutley LOVE the way the tank looks under this light and would hate to do it, but if thats causing problems, there's no need to have it.
aviator
Member
It's been about three weeks now since the new MH was put in. The Anemone wandered around on the rock I placed him on, then stopped and set up shop in full view. I was quite pleased! Last night he extended his tentacles a TINY bit and began blowing them up, but nothing near full extension and nothing near what he looked like in the lfs.
He is continuing to contract and expand his foot, at times he's totally closed up, and others he's open, but has a "flat top" where his tentacles would normally be protruding. He's still very much stuck in place, and I see "poo streams" occasionally from his middle.
Other critters in the tank seem quite happy, with the exception of the Drwarf flame angle, which is at the lfd in critical condition for some unknown reason. The shrimp, crabs and clows all see fine. I have good algea growth as well. Purples are really starting to pop, I have some yellow polyps that hithiked in on a piece of live rock that seem to be really doing well, and a couple of Glass anemonies that the peppermint shrimp keeps in check (again, hitchhikers).
In the last two days I've added phosguard to the XP3 filter to bring phosphates down since they seemed to have spiked and did a 10% water change last night as per routine.
Water params this morning are as follows:
Nitrite: 0
Ntrate: .5 - .0 (can't really tell from the test, it's in between)
Phos: .25
Amonia: 0
Ph 8.1
Temp 77
Sal 1.025
MH light on an 8 hour cycle, CF's on a 10 hour cycle
He is continuing to contract and expand his foot, at times he's totally closed up, and others he's open, but has a "flat top" where his tentacles would normally be protruding. He's still very much stuck in place, and I see "poo streams" occasionally from his middle.
Other critters in the tank seem quite happy, with the exception of the Drwarf flame angle, which is at the lfd in critical condition for some unknown reason. The shrimp, crabs and clows all see fine. I have good algea growth as well. Purples are really starting to pop, I have some yellow polyps that hithiked in on a piece of live rock that seem to be really doing well, and a couple of Glass anemonies that the peppermint shrimp keeps in check (again, hitchhikers).
In the last two days I've added phosguard to the XP3 filter to bring phosphates down since they seemed to have spiked and did a 10% water change last night as per routine.
Water params this morning are as follows:
Nitrite: 0
Ntrate: .5 - .0 (can't really tell from the test, it's in between)
Phos: .25
Amonia: 0
Ph 8.1
Temp 77
Sal 1.025
MH light on an 8 hour cycle, CF's on a 10 hour cycle
aviator
Member
Here is a photo of the anemone this morning:
And here is it's location in the tank - It's circled in red. Right now there is only ONE fish in the tank, a skunk clown. There are two shrimp, and a couple of hermits. The tank has been cycled for several months and I am starting off very slow. This anemone was originally in a smaller 29 Gallon aquapod, but the water parameters change too quickly in that tank - so it found it's way to the big tank.
And here is it's location in the tank - It's circled in red. Right now there is only ONE fish in the tank, a skunk clown. There are two shrimp, and a couple of hermits. The tank has been cycled for several months and I am starting off very slow. This anemone was originally in a smaller 29 Gallon aquapod, but the water parameters change too quickly in that tank - so it found it's way to the big tank.
flower
Well-Known Member
Try warming your tank up to about 82. You just moved it to the 55, it looks like a new tank..very clean no algae.
Anemones like older more established tanks as a rule, however, it is planted, so it has for now, found a happy place..just feed it a small chunk of shrimp so it knows food is available. It should stay put in a place where it can eat.
As long as it will eat and is planted it should be fine.
aviator
Member
Yes, it is a fairly new tank, There is some algea growth, green mainly. The large lateral rock on the left has some coraline algea and is starting to flourish, but it's got quite a ways to go. I will see if I can get it to eat tonight,
Can you suggest a procedure to get it to eat? I will pull the fan from the MH and let it slowly warm the tank.
Can you suggest a procedure to get it to eat? I will pull the fan from the MH and let it slowly warm the tank.
spanko
Active Member
I would not worry about the temp too much. If you want to add a degree or two do it with the heater so that it gets to a stable temp. If you turn the fans off on the MH when you turn them back on the temp may go back down.
On feeding, nothing bigger than its mouth. Small pcs. are the best. Set a pc. on the tentacles and it should move it to it's mouth.
On feeding, nothing bigger than its mouth. Small pcs. are the best. Set a pc. on the tentacles and it should move it to it's mouth.
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3122479
I would not worry about the temp too much. If you want to add a degree or two do it with the heater so that it gets to a stable temp. If you turn the fans off on the MH when you turn them back on the temp may go back down.
On feeding, nothing bigger than its mouth. Small pcs. are the best. Set a pc. on the tentacles and it should move it to it's mouth.
Just want to clarify...I mentioned raising the temp to help "age" the tank. Low temps slow things down. Raising the temp helps establish and mature it. So I don't recommend to cook it, I do recommend raising it to a regular temp instead of the one designed for keeping things slowed down.
I think the tank is just new, I read.. Anemones like a tank around 6 months of maturity. It must be happy for now, it is rooted and your method of feeding is a +1.
http:///forum/post/3122479
I would not worry about the temp too much. If you want to add a degree or two do it with the heater so that it gets to a stable temp. If you turn the fans off on the MH when you turn them back on the temp may go back down.
On feeding, nothing bigger than its mouth. Small pcs. are the best. Set a pc. on the tentacles and it should move it to it's mouth.
Just want to clarify...I mentioned raising the temp to help "age" the tank. Low temps slow things down. Raising the temp helps establish and mature it. So I don't recommend to cook it, I do recommend raising it to a regular temp instead of the one designed for keeping things slowed down.
I think the tank is just new, I read.. Anemones like a tank around 6 months of maturity. It must be happy for now, it is rooted and your method of feeding is a +1.
aviator
Member
okay, I got him fed... at least I think. I have a piece of mysis shrimp sitting in the "cup" where the tentacles are, of course, that caused him to shrink his opening to the size of a dime, LOL, but eventually it will realize there is food in there. I bet it's gone in the morning.
oceansidefish
Active Member
Originally Posted by aviator
http:///forum/post/3122447
Unfortunatley, the decision to go with a 400Watt light was driven by price. I have less than $60 invested in my metal halide setup, no temp problems (It's 13 inches off the surface of the water) and I'm calculating 7.5 watts per gallon, which using the "watt per gallon" method should be just about right for a reef tank.
Do I need to ditch the Metal halide and go back with a Compact Flourescent only setup? I absolutley LOVE the way the tank looks under this light and would hate to do it, but if thats causing problems, there's no need to have it.
Personally. IMO the watts per gallon rule should be thrown in the dumpster....It was originally developed before we had so many choices in lighting like we do today as reefkeepers. The more import thing to look at it your par rating...
If it were me I would raise the light about 4-6 more inches...Since the nem came from a 29g cube I am guessing the far more intense lighting was a bit of a shock. I would have probably started it down low and in a shaded area. Although it is hanging on at this point so you may want to just leave it be.
http:///forum/post/3122447
Unfortunatley, the decision to go with a 400Watt light was driven by price. I have less than $60 invested in my metal halide setup, no temp problems (It's 13 inches off the surface of the water) and I'm calculating 7.5 watts per gallon, which using the "watt per gallon" method should be just about right for a reef tank.
Do I need to ditch the Metal halide and go back with a Compact Flourescent only setup? I absolutley LOVE the way the tank looks under this light and would hate to do it, but if thats causing problems, there's no need to have it.
Personally. IMO the watts per gallon rule should be thrown in the dumpster....It was originally developed before we had so many choices in lighting like we do today as reefkeepers. The more import thing to look at it your par rating...
If it were me I would raise the light about 4-6 more inches...Since the nem came from a 29g cube I am guessing the far more intense lighting was a bit of a shock. I would have probably started it down low and in a shaded area. Although it is hanging on at this point so you may want to just leave it be.
aviator
Member
Thats what I was thinking too. I would have though that if he didn't like the the light, he would have crawled into the shade and attached his foot. I was surprised he didn't.
I awoke this morning to his base fully extended out (like you would expect) but still no tentacles, Looked like he might have been reaching for the actinics that I left on last night, no sure though.
Either way, he's still alive, the shrimp is gone, and he's responding to stimuli, I guess with time he will decide to open up. I may try moving THE ROCK to a shadier spot in a week or so, but I don't want to unseat hime again.
I awoke this morning to his base fully extended out (like you would expect) but still no tentacles, Looked like he might have been reaching for the actinics that I left on last night, no sure though.
Either way, he's still alive, the shrimp is gone, and he's responding to stimuli, I guess with time he will decide to open up. I may try moving THE ROCK to a shadier spot in a week or so, but I don't want to unseat hime again.