BTA Question

[sw-newbe]

I got a BTA, a little bigger than a baseball, about a week ago. Everything was great until a few hours ago. It found a spot it liked and was open and happy with lots of bubble tips. I've been feeding it Mysis and Silversides alternating every other day.A few hours ago my son comes in all panicky. The thing has closed up on itself. All I see is it's foot pulled up tight to it's mouth with these little, thin bright green tentacle tips sticking out. Then very slowly over the next, I don't know, 2 hours it opens all the way back open again. The tentacles still look a little funky but there are a couple of bubble tips and it seems to be coming back to it's old self. Does anyone have any idea what may be going on? Here are the tank specs:
55 gal
90# LR
50# LS
Salinity 35
SG 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
PH 8.2
Temp 78-80

 

[speg]

Thats something pretty common that anemones will do.
It may be simply pooping... afterall you're feeding it every other day that stuff cant just disappear.

 

[thomas712]

Something at all like this?

 

[sw-newbe]

Sort of, except the foot was flat to the rock and there were NO bubble tips exposed at all. He's actually fine today. Looks good and even ate this morning.

 

[speg]

It happens a lot. I know what you're saying.
They suck in all their tentacles and then squish themselves up close to the rock and in the middle all you can see is the mouth surrounded by little deflated tentacles.

 

[booduh]

Like Speg said, it is simply expelling waste. Anenomes also need to refill themselves up with new water to replace nutrients to the algae inside it. I would not worry to much unless the anenome seems to be closing itself for over 12 hours at a time if it does its thing every couple of days for an hour or two, that is normal.

 

[jacknjill]

you only need to feed it once or twice a week at the most

 

[speg]

While I think every other day is overkill.. once every three days is good practice.
Is this what you're talking about?

 

[sw-newbe]

You got it exactly right Speg. Okay, I'll back off his feedings to once or twice a week.

 

[snipe]

Its a common thing. Its either pooping or taking in food. Also anemones will shrivel there tenticles or there whole bodie to expell all water and draw in new water.