BTA Color Change

[mugs]

I purchased my first anemone about 7 weeks ago. The LFS that I had been dealing with (and who wouldn't sell me other things that they thought wouldn't do well in my setup) sold me the BTA and said it should do fine. When I bought it, it was a light color almost white, but lately it has been turning a light yellowish brown and rose colored at the tips. Does this mean that it is getting better?

 

[hiddenicon]

yes white=BAD

 

[hiddenicon]

whats your lighting?

 

[thomas712]

Mugs
Is there much difference between your lighting and what you find at the LFS where the BTA came from?
Also is the BTA getting more food? Perhaps it got none at the lfs which would be fine if the lighting was good. Just sometimes food helps if lighting is insufficiant.
Those above, water conditions, happy clowns with the anemone, and other factors to consider.
Sounds like it may be changing for the better, better in your system maybe than the LFS, but I can't tell unless you can post a pic of it. Some water specs, Some lighting specs and all that, but on the whole it sounds like it is regaining its color.
Mine are not always the same color, sometimes dark green/brown sometimes light brown, sometimes they are swelled up to the max sometimes not.
Thomas

 

[mugs]

If you agree that white is bad and the trend "seems" to be that it getting some color back would be a good thing, then why the standard "what's your lighting" question? If you have no experience with this question, you shouldn't be answering. Now, can I get flamed please?

 

[giraffemaster]

I would say you're doing well. In July of last year I left my tank alone for ONE day and of course I forgot to leave the window open in this death trap I call an apartment(we don't have central air). I'm sure you'll be suprised to know that the tank got over 90 degrees and I wanted to cry.
Many of my corals died and my anemone "bleached" meaning it releasing all of it's zooanthelae. It turned bright white from the normal brown/green color it normally is. I was certain that it was going to die for sure. Well, it wouldn't eat for about a week but I kept trying to feed it. After a while it started eating and after about 6 months it was back to normal and even split soon after.
Moral of the story is.....don't live in a crappy apartment with no A/C. No really it's that with the right care, even a sick anemone can be nursed back to help.

 

[mugs]

Thomas
Thank you for responding. The anemone was under MH, but was well hidden in the LFS tank which was probably around 300 gals. Anyway, my tank params are Ammonia & Nitrites 0, with Nitrates somewhere between 0-5. SG is 1.025 Temp 80 and Calcium 450, PH is 8.3. I'm using Coralife PC's 4X96W with 50/50 (White & Actinic) lighting with moonlights. Tank is a 125 Long so only about 19" from light to top of sand bed. Anemone has settled in under ledge and stretches out to about 9" from lights. Probably, definitely well below required lighting for most anemones, but this one appears to be coming around with regular feeding of shrimp. Will heed advice and vary diet in future with silversides etc.

 

[thomas712]

I believe you are in a sucessful range though for something good with regards to having a BTA
1. you have 4x96 watt PC with an anemone that is only 9" under the lights. Great he is in a good spot then.
2. 394 watts is within the upper range of moderate lighting and is where I have had sucess with my BTA's.
3. Water paramiters are very close to mine, so looks good
4. Diet, couldn't be better, shrimp is good, and silversides are very healthy.
You may wish (like I do) that your lights were better, but it sounds like you are providing a very good home for the BTA. I believe the color change you are seeing is a healthy thing. Thanks for the rundown.
Thomas

 

[mugs]

Thomas;
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm kind of wondering if a lot of problems people have with anemones and other livestock for that matter, might start with getting less than healthy ones from the LFS to start with. I tried to do my homework up front, but it's sometimes hard to tell, at least in my case it was. My LFS has been pretty good with not selling me stuff that wouldn't do well in my tank, so I trusted them on this one. Am afraid to buy from dealers on internet, even SWF who has a good rep.

 

[mugs]

Well, all is well with the BTA. It's keeping it's color now since I've been feeding it. Also, my maroon clown has started hosting in it. Apparently a not entirely happy/healthy anemone isn't as attractive to host. They have been together in the tank for close to 7 weeks. The bad part is that the clown length is about the same as the diameter of the anemone. As Thomas said in another post, I hope he doesn't love the anemone to death! He sure wants to bury himself in there and is pretty rough. Hope it's ok.:notsure: