Bubble Tip not so bubbly

[wareagle]

I have had a bubble tip anenome for about 3 weeks now. I feed it 2 times a week with silversides. I have 130 W PC in my 30 gallon. When i originally bought him he was alot more bubble-like than he is now. I lost my original pic but here is a pic of it today Is it normal or no. Any ideas?

 

[thomas712]

The bubbles come and go. I have several BTA's some with the bubble tips and some without. No one really knows why this happens. Water quality, lighting, water movment, hungry...now really knows.
So looks normal to me.
Thomas

 

[pitbull01]

I would have to disagree with you Thomas. Based on my readings, that anemone looks VERY HUNGRY. There have been several experiments done to prove this, and that is what everyone's results have been...what size tank is it again? It could be not getting enough light-anemones almost always need MH. However, some can be kept under PC's.

 

[pitbull01]

Your tank is a 30 gallon-nevermind. I think it is hungry...you only have 4 watts per gallon and that is PC lighting...I don't think it is getting enough light...

 

[thomas712]

The apperance of an anemone is going to depend on many things:
water quality
temperature
salinity
time of day or photo period
amount of zooxanthellae
lighting
amount of oxygen in the water
pH, calcium, alkalinity
if it is moving or not
if it is fully acclimated with regards to water, light and temp
perpahs even if it is hungry or not.
With proper lighting the anemone will get norishment from the zooxanthellae that lives within it, although some amount of feeding does help. The lighting is the biggest issue.
Much of how it will look is based IMO, IME on the type and health of the xooxanthellae.
Thomas

 

[wareagle]

This BTA looks like this all the time. I have 130 watts PC. LFS said that would be sufficient, is it going to die on me or am i OK?

 

[thomas712]

That is pretty low wattage for any hosting anemone. At the least I like to see people over 220 watts for any size tank as a minimum and go up from there. If your only at 130 watts plan on upgrading, in the meantime try feeding this anemone 2 or 3 times per week. Meaty foods, just no brine shrimp.
Thomas

 

[wareagle]

I do that, i feed it about 2 times a week, i feed it a silverside chopped in 3 or 4 pieces. Would this be sufficient? I wil i got better lights. Mine are only 3 weeks old. I wonder if i can return them under warrenty still

 

[viper_930]

Originally Posted by pitbull01
Based on my readings, that anemone looks VERY HUNGRY. There have been several experiments done to prove this, and that is what everyone's results have been.
Do you mean hungry for protien, or hungry for sugars from the zooxanthellae?
My RBTAs seem to always have bubble tips. Sometimes the tips aren't as big as other times, but the bubbles are always there. Not sure why.

 

[thomas712]

Well I know that 130 watts puts you in the 4.33 watts per gallon area, and on larger tanks I'd say fine for anemones like the BTA or Condy. If nothing else just keep the water paramiters as good and stable as possible, feed it 2 or 3 times per week and contimplate a better lighting system. I nearly killed an anemone with only 80 watts of light and thats just 50 watts less than you have. I upgraded and saved it and the anemone has thanked me by splitting many, many times.
Thomas

 

[dogstar]

IMO bta will puff up their tips when they are stressed or feel threatened. The dence tenticals make it harder for a predetor to penatrate to their inner mouth area. In a LFS they probly feel like that all the time but once comfortable in a healthy tank they relax them to have a better chance at catching food. Just thinking.

 

[cowfishrule]

my bta has only shown bubbles when it closes at night.
i keep mine under 130wt pc