Inflating/Deflating anemone?

[todmr]

Hello all,
New to forum, and new to anemones. Have finally gotten around to getting everything ok (long story) for the maroon clown that has been in the tank for 10+ years to have its own anemone. Went to local LFS and got one. I've had it for a couple of weeks now, and it isn't always doing so good. Here are a few pictures.
The first taken is what it looks like earlier in the day.
The second is later in the afternoon.
Since they need light, and it does this when the lights are on and then reinflates at night and in the morning, this doesn't seem normal to me. Can anyone tell me how what to do for it?

 

[thomas712]

Inflating and deflating could be very normal for new anemones.
What is your current lighting specs?
Sounds like its simply trying to light acclimate itself. The fact that is sounds like its in reverse of what we would think of as normal, might be that its simply not used to so much light...that is maybe...depending on what lights you have.
Do you know what type of lights if came from at your LFS? vs. The type of lighting you have?
If your system has the better lighting then what you are seeing could be normal. just simply cut your photo period for a while.

 

[todmr]

Not sure what kind of lighting LFS has, they are just small tanks so nothing too big or bright. I have a 125 tank with 2 x 96w PC actinic (10 hours) and 2 x 96w PC 10k (4 hours (I've got this cut back to keep red slime algea at bay)). This may not be enough light for him which is why this behavior doesn't make sense to me.

Just did a water test today
temp = 78
spec. gravity = 1.018 (this is on my tester, when brought to LFS theirs reads 1.023?)
pH = 8.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 40ppm (I know I need to get this down, going to do water change today)
(but is a level this high deadly to an anemone?)

 

[stuckinfla]

Those lights, trate level and low salinity can all be deadly to anenome. To my knowlede and limited experience, they do need MH lighting. The high trates need to come down to a number under 10. Most ppl in the hobby recommend a salinity level of at least 33ppt. which I think would be 1.026.
Slowly do the water changes to decrease your nitrates, at the same time increasing your salinity. Do you plan on upgrading the lighting anytime soon?

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by todmr
I have a 125 tank with 2 x 96w PC actinic (10 hours) and 2 x 96w PC 10k (4 hours (I've got this cut back to keep red slime algea at bay)).
temp = 78
spec. gravity = 1.018 (this is on my tester, when brought to LFS theirs reads 1.023?)
pH = 8.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 40ppm (I know I need to get this down, going to do water change today)
(but is a level this high deadly to an anemone?)
OK I'd personally like to see the temp up a couple of degrees.
pH looks good
0 ammonia and 0 nitrites are perfect
40 Nitrates, well that is a little high and it is here that things could be the most affected with regards to it acclimating. If the LFS water was good with little nitrates and then it goes to your tank with a 40ppm of nitrates that could be at least 1 problem.
Now for the main concern...The lighting. If I read this right you have 192 watts of PC lighting on a 125 gallon tank right?
Not enough, this only gives you a 1.536 watts per gallon. Now the watts per gallon rule isn't the most accurate way to measure, however you should be in the 4-5 watts per gallon rule of thumb when discussing even the least light loving (hosting) anemone.
Your anemone is also at the bottom of a 125 gallon tank with only PC lighting. Both PC and VHO begin to lose there effective lighting for corals in the 12-16 inch depth mark and simply goes downhill from there. Given the normal depth of a 125 gallon tank you should be using MH lighting or even a combo of MH/VHO or MH/PC lighting. Metal halide has the best punch in its lighting or PAR value to reach the bottom of the tank.
All this means that your lighting just will not suffice to keep an anemone alive in your tank, least not from my experience. No way to get around it either as anemones are a photosynthetic animal.
Personally I have a VHO/MH combo 440 watts of VHO and 500 watts of MH lighting over a 90 gallon tank, thats 940 watts. I've been raising BTA's for 5 years.
Thomas

 

[todmr]

Thanks to both for your replies. I've had fish for awhile, but as you well know, they require much less attention to what you give them to survive.
Trates - will be doing water changes to lower, I know they are high
Specific gravity - went to store today and bought a new gauge. Check out the below photos, same water, same time, different meters. :scared: (I guess they get "uncalibrated" after awhile?) Anyway, 1.026 is better for anemone as I understand, but any drawbacks for anything else in the tank raising above 1.023? - 2 yellow tangs, orange shrimp goby, 2 cleaner shrimp, cleaner wrasse, maroon clown, 2 peppermint shrimp, flame scallop, various hermit crabs and turbo snails
Lighting - I have a total of 4 x 96w PC = 2 (actinic) side by side across the front and 2 (10k) side by side across the back. Do I not count actinic or did you miss them? And lastly, sorry if off topic for this list, but are MH "directional" (for lack of better term) or will a few say split in thirds cover a 72" long tank?

 

[popnfrresh]

i have kept an anenome in my tank with 2 clarkis for the past year...
i ahev a 28g with 2 clarkis and either a condy or a leathery... im haviung trouble telling the diff... person i got it from saidf it was leathery.
anyway you def need to lower your nitrates and i think the temp of 78 should be ok. Def they need to have strong lightuing.... mine wandered around the tank until it found the right spot and hasnt moved. mine deflates at night... round 3-5 hours after lights go out and comes back later when the lights are back on.
keep salinity around 1.024-1.025 they dont do well in lower salinity... or higher.
hope this helps a bit. ALso is it feeding or refusing food?