Trouble with a Green Bubble Tip

kmurray6155

kmurray6155

New Member
I purchased a medium green BTA from my LFS last week and it seems to be doing poorly. I have 2 ocelaris clowns that don't even know the BTA exists.
It's a 55ga with 60 - 70 lbs LR and 4 " of live sand. I placed the BTA on the sand and he seems to be having trouble getting anchored. Flow is not super strong, but it is a 1200 Maxi power head.
About 25% of the bubble tips are brown in color. Any ideas?
By the way, all water parameters are perfect and I have 200 watts of SunPaq lights on a timer.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
What is it doing? Is it moving around trying to find a spot? You should place it on a rock since this way it'll have an easier time anchoring but a healthy anemone should be able to travel to a spot it likes anyway. Were the bubble tips brown when you got it?
 
reefmate75

reefmate75

Member
a poor footing tends to mean a poor anemone, as in his health is poor,
BTAs like to be about mid way up your rock collum, i would place him somewhere in that range as if you put them on the sand there really isnt anything for them to stick to
bubble tips are one of the easier anemones i would give him some time and see how it turns out
you said 200 watts of sunpac, but what kind of bulbs are they? bubbles dont need as much light as other anemones but still need to have it avilabul if it wants it
 
kmurray6155

kmurray6155

New Member
Reefmate..........
The lights are a dual Daylight (6700/10000K) and a dual Actinic (420/460nm). I'm pretty sure that's more than enough quality light for a BTA. There was a small amont of brown tendils on it when I bought it. The LFS assured me that it was healthy and would bounce right back after a few days in my tank. The brown seems to have spread a bit more now.
One thing I noticed in the replys to my post and in other BTA posts is that it should be on LR and not in the sand. I placed my in the sand thinking it would be easier for it to take footing. I'll move it to a rock today and see what happens.
Thanks!!
 
J

jesses89

Guest
i dont agree with the "more than enough quality light for a BTA"
its enough if you place it at the very top... but i dont believe its more than enough.
How long has your tank been running? Keep a look out on it after you place it on the rocks.... if it dissapears behind the rocks... thats not good.
 
lexluethar

lexluethar

Active Member
I'm with Jess on the lights. You need either MH or T5 to keep an anemone - although they are less needy with lights, they are still extremely needy. You could have 300 watts of PC lights on your tank and it still wouldn't be sufficient.
I wouldn't worry about placing the anemone anywhere, if it is healthy it will move on its own. Also make sure you have 3 or 4 power heads creating 20 - 30 times flow rate in your tank.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by kmurray6155
http:///forum/post/2531577
Reefmate..........
The lights are a dual Daylight (6700/10000K) and a dual Actinic (420/460nm). I'm pretty sure that's more than enough quality light for a BTA. There was a small amont of brown tendils on it when I bought it. The LFS assured me that it was healthy and would bounce right back after a few days in my tank. The brown seems to have spread a bit more now.
One thing I noticed in the replys to my post and in other BTA posts is that it should be on LR and not in the sand. I placed my in the sand thinking it would be easier for it to take footing. I'll move it to a rock today and see what happens.
Thanks!!
Even at that you only posted the Kelvin rating for the bulbs along with the NM rating which is only the shade of blue spectrum lighting your actinics are. This is not giving us any info on the type and wattage of your lights. Are they PC, std Flourescent strip, HOT5? I agree also with the above in the assumption that you have std flourescents, even with 300 watts there isnt enough light to penetrate the tank depth to keep your anemone happy.
Also if it is a BTA as you already stated it prefers to be in your LR, not the sand bed. Good Luck and post pics if you can. Being only a week old in your tank is still in the adjusting phase IMO. However if certain perameters arent met then it may never really settle in properly.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
Placing has no importance with anemones. If they are healthy, they will go where they want. I just bought a RBTA and placed it on the bottom, front of a rock and it moved and now found a spot all the way at the top, next to my clam.
I just suggested to place it on a rock because it'll have better footing and be easier for it to move around.
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
i dont think its a lighting issue at this point. if it hasnt attached in weeks, the bta is not well.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
The lighting should be fine for a 55 gallon and 200 watts of sunpaq lighting. that is Compact Flo's right?
At this point I would be checking water quality and posting your results.
Thomas
 
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