E. quadricolor, Bubble Tip Anemone Not Fully Inflated, Mixed Species Tank??? – 7/28/07
Hi there!
<Hello, Brenda here!>
Well I have a bubble anemone and would just like to have a concern addressed if possible?
<I’ll try!>
My water quality is perfect and lighting is good (in fact all other anemones and inverts are happy and are growing like mad).
<All other anemones? Unless the anemones are clones, it is likely the problem.>
My bubble anemone just doesn’t fully inflate. It rarely deflates. It's open all day long and very occasionally moves around, but not too often, changed positions once in the last 2-3 weeks).
<A moving anemone is a sign that it is unhappy. It may be getting stung by a nearby anemone or coral.>
My main concern is why does it never fully inflate? It is inflated but not to what I have seen it do before! I would say it is about 3 quarters fully inflated but that is as far as it goes! Any theories?
<I need more information. Are the anemones that you keep the same species and clones? If not, I would separate, that is likely the problem. If they are the same species and a clone: What are the other tank mates? I also need actual water parameters, tank size, equipment list, including lighting. How long have you had the anemone? Have you changed anything lately, bulbs perhaps? What do you feed, how often and what sized portions? How long has the tank been set up?>
Many thanks, Jamie
<You’re Welcome! Brenda>

Stressed Bubble Tip Anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor, Tank Overheated – 6/19/07
Hi Guys!
<Hello, Brenda here>
So this is the deal, I've had a bubble-tip anemone for about 10 months now and it has always seemed happy. It is brown colored with a very orange base. It attached itself to the lowest point in the fish tank against some live rock and stretched its body through the live rock so it could get light. It always took to food and always opened up when the lighting came on in the morning. A few weeks ago, the temperatures in the area went over 100 degrees and we didn't have our air conditioner on at the time.
<Ouch!>
I didn't anticipate the heat (darn that weather channel) so I didn't have any type of cooling for the tank when it happened. (I now have some emergency frozen 2 liter bottles of water to float for such days).
<Great! Using a fan to blow air across the surface of the water will also help.>
Now, the anemone will not come through the live rock to get light. I moved some rock around to see what it looked like, and the foot does not seem damaged at all. Its appearance around the mouth looks very leathery while the mouth itself used to be very tightly shut but now stays open to about the diameter of a pencil. The tentacles are no longer bubbly at the tips, they taper to a point. I moved the live rock around it so I could have access to it to feed it in the morning, but when I got up to look at my fish tank, the anemone was completely shut. Is my anemone out of whack, sick, sensitive to light now, trying to get better?
<Your anemone is likely still stressed from the heat. Leave it be, don’t try to move it. It will move when it is ready. Moving it will add more stress.>
I've had the water tested at the LFS and they said everything is fine.
<I don’t trust tests done by LFS. You really need to be able to test your own water parameters. Parameters can change over night. Pristine water conditions will be the key to its recovery.>
The only other issue I can see with the tank is that a bit of my purple coralline algae seemed to turn brown after the day of overheating.
<Your coralline algae will return.>
Thanks for your help!
<You’re welcome! Brenda>

Tiny creatures living on my bubble anemone! Misplaced  – 06/11/07
I have a 20 gallon tank, been up for 4 months and very stable, no deaths and box fish,
<... this is way too small a volume to keep an Ostraciid>
mandarin goby,
<Ditto>
2 clowns, a camel shrimp and a couple damsels
<Ditto>
are thriving and happy.
<Ah, no>
I just introduced a rose bubble anemone (I think, orangy white with a little green) to the tank 2 days ago.
<A very poor idea>
I might have to return it though, as it hasn't seemed to find a good spot and is contracting and expanding a bit.
<They do this last...>
Today to my great surprise, I observed tiny little mite looking creatures on it. There are probably 50 on this medium anemone.
They are flat, same orangy color of the anemone and they are oval and about 1 mm in diameter. They are "crawling" on it sporadically and pulsate/lift up slightly from the surface of the anemone. Are these symbiotic creatures or contributing to the anemone's discomfort?
<Mmm, don't know... there are acarinans in marine/reef settings... Many can become problematical in challenging/challenged situations. That is, these could be working this anemone woe...>
Is this a sign of another general state of the anemone? It's mouth is a bit 'loose'.
<... Likely trouble>
Also, I am observing at times, what looks like digestive strands being exuded from some of the tentacles. Is this possible and why?
<Stress... perhaps a damaged specimen>
Thanks so much. Your website is a great contribution to the fish loving community!
Julia
<Julia... please do read re anemone keeping on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm
And if it were my system, I WOULD return this animal/anemone post haste... There is too much probability that it will perish, take your other animals with it here... DO read re the Systems, Compatibility of the life you list... and going forward, what you intend to keep. You NEED a much larger system here. Bob Fenner>

Re: tiny creatures living on my bubble anemone! – 06/11/07
Thanks Bob for your advice. I will return the anemone.
<Ah, good>
How do I go about catching the mandarin goby to return it also? Is there anyway to get around taking everything out???
<This may be necessary>
I wish the store had told me the goby would not be healthy in my system before I bought it!!! Thus the importance of your site. Wish I'd found it before my purchase...
Julia
<I as well. Life to you my friend. Bob Fenner>

New Bubble Tip Anemone Stressed!  Is it Dying?  5/18/07
I've had my Bubble Tip Anemone 5 Days now. It has spent most of the time since then shriveled up and hidden away in a hole it moved to on the third day.
<It may still be acclimating to its new home and/or your lighting?  Do you know what kind of lighting it was under before you got it?  What lighting do you have?  How old are your bulbs?>
It was acclimated over several hours.
<Good>
I bought the rock it was attached to.  It is small maybe 6 cm. Now it has shriveled up to nothing, it has turned white and now has started to turn brown. Should I get it out?
<White is not good.  It has expelled its Zooxanthellae.  It can recover from this with proper care.  Can you see the mouth?  Is it open?  Can you send me a picture?>
I have an established tank. Water checked every 2 days (every day during this crisis) ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5-10. pH 8.2.
<What is the salinity, alkalinity and temperature?>
I noticed my cleaner shrimp having a go at it as well (he is a little monster, he's learned to knock my snails over and eat them, getting expensive to feed him this way).
<The shrimp may be adding to the stress, but I doubt it is entirely responsible.  The knocking over and eating snails sounds more like a crab to me.  Do you have any in your tank?>
This is my first attempt at an Anemone and I feel really bad as I've not lost anything for ages.
<I understand completely.  If at anytime the anemone looks to be melting or decaying, it is dead. Be prepared to do large water changes.  If it dies the ammonia is going to sky rocket.>
<Brenda>

BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor not looking well, Clownfish moved out, 4/19/07
Hi Guys,
<Hi Nancy, Brenda here>
For the past year I have had a 180 gal homemade reef tank up and running with minimal problems.  I have an Eco System filter, 2- 60" VHO lights and 3- 175watt MH.  Numerous soft and stony corals, a few fish and 'house keeper' inverts.  Also a green and a rose BTA, a Sebae Anemone and one tomato clown who had chosen to live in the Green BTA.  All anemones have a clay pot for a home.
<Why the clay pot?>
A few weeks ago the green BTA started to look flaccid and the clown moved out.  I have read that when they are going to divide they will look poorly so I let it be.
<Not necessarily.>
It has at least a 4" base on it, has thrived up to this point and has been in my possession for a couple years. Concerned that as it had shrunk to the bottom of its pot and was not getting sufficient water flow I tipped the pot on its side and the anemone moved out.  It is now hanging off the side of the live rock where there is maximum current but still looking less than healthy.  Now and then the clown will come over to visit but does not stay.  What do you think?  Getting ready to divide or getting ready to cash out?
<I doubt it is getting ready to split if it has been like this for a few weeks.  You should not mix species of anemones in one tank.  All those corals you have in there are not doing it any favors either.  I imagine there is a lot of chemical warfare going on in there.>
As it is so large I hate to leave it in there to slowly die and contaminate the rest of the tank but we have been together for some time now and I feel like I need to give it a chance.  I owe it to the critter.
<Yes, we are ultimately responsible for the animals we keep.>
I did change the VHO bulbs and put in two blue instead of one blue and one 50/50.  Is that enough to make a difference?
<Not likely enough.  What are your water parameters?  I suggest doing a water change and running some carbon immediately.  If that don’t help in a day or two, I suggest removing one of the anemone species and some corals.  What have you been feeding your anemones?>
Thanks, Nancy
<You’re welcome!  Brenda>

Re:  BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor not looking well, Clownfish moved out,  4/21/07
Thanks for the timely reply Brenda,
<You’re welcome>
Water parameters :    temp 74.5, SpG .023, Ph 8.2, Ca+ 400, Alk 300, everything else 0.
<Your temperature and salinity are low.  Gradually bring temperature up to 79 – 80, and Salinity up to 1.026.  I would bring Salinity up by topping off with saltwater over the next few days.  Alkalinity at 300?  I’m not sure what test kits gives Alkalinity in that type of measurement.  It is not one I am familiar with.  Alkalinity is typically expressed as meq/L or dKH (when expressed as carbonate hardness), with 2.8 meq/L or 8 dKH as a target for anemones.>
I do have carbon in the sump that I change when they get covered with algae and did so around a month ago.
<How are you running the carbon, through a reactor or in a mesh bag?   A reactor is best as it will force the water through.  It is my understanding that carbon is only good for 3 weeks at best.>
I feed the anemones silversides, shrimp (that I would like for myself) and then whatever type of frozen food that I am giving the fish I will squirt a bit on them.
<Raw shrimp I hope.>
The interesting thing is that they were together in a 75 gal tank along with soft corals and mushrooms and did fine.  The BTA and the Sebae have been in the 180 for three months or more and the rose was put in two months ago.
<Yes, interesting.>
It is still on the side of the live rock right in the inlet water flow this morning and is looking better than it has for some time.  I will try a H2O exchange and give it a few more days.
The flower pot is to give is a comfort and secure spot to live so it won't wander all over and get itself into trouble.  That was suggested to me by a dealer and has worked well.  No one messing with water intakes or heaters or other critters.
<I’m surprised you can get it to stay in there.  I would still protect your intakes with some needle point canvas.>
Nancy
<Keep me posted with any improvements or decline.  Send us a picture with your updates if you can.  Good luck!  Brenda>

Update:  BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor not looking well, Clownfish moved out, 4/26/07
Brenda,
I wish I had good news to share with you regarding my BTA but unfortunately that is not the case.  
<Sorry to hear that.>
The temp is partially determined by the ambient house temp with supplement from a heater in the sump.  When the temp cooled off outside after a short warm spell I relit the fire and the temp came back up to 76-77.  I guess that I need to adjust the heater a bit.   
<Yes, needs to be warmer, 79 – 80 degrees.>
I did raise the salinity up to .026 over the course of a few days.  When the BTA initially vacated its flowerpot and hung on the side of the rocks in the current I thought that it was improving as it was well stuck and the base was inflated
although the tentacles remained short.  
<Short tentacles are a sign of hunger.>
I was out of town for two days and when I got home it had moved/dropped to the bottom of the tank, lost all tentacles on one side and looked mushy.  I hated to do it but as I feared for the health of all the rest of the critters I took it out and sent it to anemone heaven.
<Sounds like it may have been time to remove it.>
Since that time the red Brain Coral has been inflating better than previously.  Could be circumstantial or could be it's happier without some irritant.
<Likely the later.>
Life in my mini ocean sure is interesting.  Thanks for all your help.
<You’re welcome.>
I do think that I will forgo adding any more anemones.  The Sebae and the Rose are both looking chipper and the clown is sharing his time between the two. I'm going to leave well enough alone.
<As previously suggested, only one species of anemone per tank.>
Nancy
<Brenda>