Help My Bubble Tip Anemone is looking a little thin!!!

[berth50]

Today when I got home I noticed that my bubble tip anemone that is usually enormous and fat at the tips looked a little deflated. I was wondering what this meant. Could it be about to split or is it something worse? The tips which are usually out stretched and fat and full of life are now thin and stringy like spaghetti. Though the fire clown continually goes in and out of his tentacled friend. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
M. Scott Hofferberth

 

[farslayer]

They do stuff like that sometimes. How long have you had him, what is your lighting and what are your water parameters?

 

[granny]

Yep, they do. When they are searching for food, they stretch their tentacles out-possibly a sign that your lights need replacing or you dont have adequate lighting/aeration available, because when they are full and happy, they 'bubble up' and do not STAY extended which is the key.
Do you feed him?
When did you last replace your lights?
How long have you actually had it?

 

[dogstar]

Originally Posted by Granny
Yep, they do. When they are searching for food, they stretch their tentacles out-possibly a sign that your lights need replacing or you dont have adequate lighting/aeration available, because when they are full and happy, they 'bubble up' and do not STAY extended which is the key.
Do you feed him?
When did you last replace your lights?
How long have you actually had it?
Respectfully disagree. Ive had my BTA four 5 years and the only time it bubbles up is when its being disturb such as a coral stinging it or me bothering it. IMO when they are happy they streach out and loose most of the bubble shape in the tenticals. Some like a rose may hold the shape more than other types but will still loose most.

 

[granny]

Hm,
Mine sits very cozily with its tentacles gathered closely together-lovely little greenish bubble ends waving. It only stretches out when I wave brine around and it wants to catch it-then snuggles back up. The 'Reef Aquarium" secton on anemones states the same thing that tentacles extended and 'stringy' is a warning sign of demise. (for the bubble A)
I have had two in the past 15 years. The firrst divided regularly and NEVER looked stringy. the one I have now is smaller, but again, it stays 'bubbly' most of the time.
The reacton to stimuli is more of a withdrawel of the tentacles inside where the outside sort of reaches around and extends over it so only a small portion of the T's are showing.
But the normal appearance should be more compact than stringy-unlike the long tentacled A.

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Farslayer
They do stuff like that sometimes. How long have you had him, what is your lighting and what are your water parameters?
I've had him for about a month. I have 2 eight bulb T-5 Tek light hoods. Each bulb is 39w a piece. My water parameters are as follows.
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-.5ppm
Amonia-0
Temp-79.5
PH-8.3

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Granny
Yep, they do. When they are searching for food, they stretch their tentacles out-possibly a sign that your lights need replacing or you dont have adequate lighting/aeration available, because when they are full and happy, they 'bubble up' and do not STAY extended which is the key.
Do you feed him?
When did you last replace your lights?
How long have you actually had it?
I feed him about once a week. I've had these lights for 8 months. I've had the anemone for about a month.

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Dogstar
Respectfully disagree. Ive had my BTA four 5 years and the only time it bubbles up is when its being disturb such as a coral stinging it or me bothering it. IMO when they are happy they streach out and loose most of the bubble shape in the tenticals. Some like a rose may hold the shape more than other types but will still loose most.
Thanks dog star. My Anemone has been fine so far and only bubbled up when I messed with it too closely. My mind is a little more at ease.

 

[granny]

It sounds good. How does anyone keep their nitrates to 0??
BT do like warm water 78-80 and good aeration. They actually dont need the strongest lighting but do need full spectrum, which wanes as bulbs age.
Maybe your tank is TOO clean?? HA HA
Do you feed it? Does it have a clown?
These A actually do better with a clown fish and it keeps them from moving around so much.
Do you have live rock? It sounds like you must.
I would try feeding him (small pc fish or shrimp) and see how he responds.

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Granny
Hm,
Mine sits very cozily with its tentacles gathered closely together-lovely little greenish bubble ends waving. It only stretches out when I wave brine around and it wants to catch it-then snuggles back up. The 'Reef Aquarium" secton on anemones states the same thing that tentacles extended and 'stringy' is a warning sign of demise. (for the bubble A)
I have had two in the past 15 years. The firrst divided regularly and NEVER looked stringy. the one I have now is smaller, but again, it stays 'bubbly' most of the time.
The reacton to stimuli is more of a withdrawel of the tentacles inside where the outside sort of reaches around and extends over it so only a small portion of the T's are showing.
But the normal appearance should be more compact than stringy-unlike the long tentacled A.
Thanks Granny. I'll look into it a bit more closely. Any suggestions on how to keep the Fire Clown away when I'm feeding him. When I feed him sometimes , a little while later before the anemone can finish the Fire Clown goes in and gets out the shrimp.

 

[granny]

ANd they call this a beneficial relationship!!
Give the clown his and give a small-very small piece to the Bubble.
Take care

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Granny
It sounds good. How does anyone keep their nitrates to 0??
BT do like warm water 78-80 and good aeration. They actually dont need the strongest lighting but do need full spectrum, which wanes as bulbs age.
Maybe your tank is TOO clean?? HA HA
Do you feed it? Does it have a clown?
These A actually do better with a clown fish and it keeps them from moving around so much.
Do you have live rock? It sounds like you must.
I would try feeding him (small pc fish or shrimp) and see how he responds.
I don't know how I keep my Nitrates at 0 but I'm sure soon enough my luck will run out. I sure don't have to worry about my tank being too clean. It's far from that. I feed it once a week and it hosts a Fire Clown. I have 100 lbs of live rock. Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.
Scott

 

[berth50]

Originally Posted by Granny
ANd they call this a beneficial relationship!!
Give the clown his and give a small-very small piece to the Bubble.
Take care
I tried that and it seemed to work until the Fire Clown kept poking around the BT until he pissed him off and it went into hiding which it's done before. Only to come back out the next day. Thanks for all your help and info. I appreciate it.
Scott