Why is my anemone doing this?

[D. Torres]

I have two red BTAs. I've had them both for about 6 months. They both used to open up "normally" I guess you could say, but one has been doing this for about a month(see first picture

). Notice one looks like it opens "normal" and the other looks bloated? I don't know how else to describe it. Is this normal? Thanks for any advice.

 

[davocean]

Not certain but nem seems kinda on small side for both those clowns, is the unhappy one where they hang out most in?

 

[D. Torres]

Not certain but nem seems kinda on small side for both those clowns, is the unhappy one where they hang out most in?

They go back and forth and sometimes they split up and hang out on different ones. Here's a picture I just took.

 

[davocean]

It's hard to say w/ BTA's for me, they are so different from other nems I've kept long term.
I've had clones from same origin not only go to different areas, but even look different, so, hard to say for sure, maybe that one just feels more bugged, maybe it's on a pokier rock, it's a guess for me.

You could cover it w/ a strawberry basket to block clowns for a spell and see what that does, or screen light over that one and see reaction

 

[D. Torres]

It's hard to say w/ BTA's for me, they are so different from other nems I've kept long term.
I've had clones from same origin not only go to different areas, but even look different, so, hard to say for sure, maybe that one just feels more bugged, maybe it's on a pokier rock, it's a guess for me.

You could cover it w/ a strawberry basket to block clowns for a spell and see what that does, or screen light over that one and see reaction

Thanks for the advice. Also forgot to mention that the "bloated" anemone when it used to fully open is actually larger than the other one. Maybe 25% bigger.

 

[davocean]

What do you feed if any?

Also, another very random guess, bothered one is down by sand, I did once have a nem bothered by larger bristles that were going under it, they were pretty big ones though, but it did stop after I trapped the bristles.
maybe just check what you see under that rock, just to see, and it's just a thought.

 

[D. Torres]

@davocean

I don't target feed. It just picks up from whatever I feed my tank. I feed Rod's or a mix of other frozen food (misis, brine, cyclops, alge, etc.) I will check under the rock, I placed it on that rock when I got it and it stayed there didn't wander around like my other one did.

 

[D. Torres]

I have two red BTAs. I've had them both for about 6 months. They both used to open up "normally" I guess you could say, but one has been doing this for about a month(see first pictureView attachment 855934 View attachment 855942 ). Notice one looks like it opens "normal" and the other looks bloated? I don't know how else to describe it. Is this normal? Thanks for any advice.

@Amoo could I have some of your expert advice on this please

 

[D. Torres]

@Amoo sorry to bother you again but I've tried suggestions from fellow reefers but my nem is still not being "normal" or is what I posted normal. Thanks for your time.

 

[Amoo]

@D. Torres Sorry brother, was out of town this past weekend and making preps for hurricane atm.

Can you take a FTS? I'm curious to see where they are in relation to each other.

 

[D. Torres]

@D. Torres Sorry brother, was out of town this past weekend and making preps for hurricane atm.

Can you take a FTS? I'm curious to see where they are in relation to each other.

It's a standard 75 gallon

 

[Amoo]

I'm likely to be without power for the next few days. Follow my build thread to know when I'm back online with power. In the meantime I have 2 suggestions.

1. I dunno if you have like a chop stick or something of the sort. Basically take something and sweep around the base of the anemone on the rock just to be sure there is nothing hiding/growing there aggravating it.

2. Try directly feeding it tomorrow when you feed the tank. Blow some purposely towards it and make sure it catches some and eats it. See how it responds to this.

Poke me in my build thread after this hurricane passes and I've got power again and we'll pick it up from there. I'll probably have a million alerts when we get power back and always miss stuff like I did this.

 

[D. Torres]

I'm likely to be without power for the next few days. Follow my build thread to know when I'm back online with power. In the meantime I have 2 suggestions.

1. I dunno if you have like a chop stick or something of the sort. Basically take something and sweep around the base of the anemone on the rock just to be sure there is nothing hiding/growing there aggravating it.

2. Try directly feeding it tomorrow when you feed the tank. Blow some purposely towards it and make sure it catches some and eats it. See how it responds to this.

Poke me in my build thread after this hurricane passes and I've got power again and we'll pick it up from there. I'll probably have a million alerts when we get power back and always miss stuff like I did this.

Than you for the response. Will do what you suggested and hope you and your family are safe. Take care.

 

[Amoo]

Update?

 

[D. Torres]

Update?

Thanks for following up. I directly fed the nem and moved it around with an acrylic stick I had to check under it and I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. But I did find some asterina starfish in other parts in my tank. I'm picking up a harlequin shrimp today to get rid of them. Could that be irritating the nem?

 

[Amoo]

unsure honestly. The typical response to any type of irritant as you're aware is more of a ball up then a sulk.

Obviously this thing is being a little more difficult then that.

What is your lighting solution and do you know your Nitrate and Phosphate levels?

 

[D. Torres]

unsure honestly. The typical response to any type of irritant as you're aware is more of a ball up then a sulk.

Obviously this thing is being a little more difficult then that.

What is your lighting solution and do you know your Nitrate and Phosphate levels?

I test my water weekly. I'm testing tomorrow but my last weeks parameters were:
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Phospate .1

All my paramaters have been steady at those numbers for several months.

 

[Amoo]

I test my water weekly. I'm testing tomorrow but my last weeks parameters were:
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Phospate .1

All my paramaters have been steady at those numbers for several months.

What kind of lighting are you using and what's your schedule? Your params look fine to me.

 

[D. Torres]

What kind of lighting are you using and what's your schedule? Your params look fine to me.

I have two 48 inch Orbit IC Pro led strips and a 48 inch TrueLumen Pro Deepwater Blue actinic LED. All 3 are made by Current USA.

My schedule is: lights turn on at and ramp up for 1.5 hours to full brightness and run 8.5 hours then ramp down for 1.5 hours and run moonlight for 4 hours.

Hope it makes sense.

 

[Amoo]

oh man, those lights make me want to punch kittens. So many people have them and so many people have trouble with BTAs under them.

Your little guy who isn't doing well, is that rock he is on movable? If so any chance you can move him a little towards the center of the tank more?