Re:  Bubble Anemone Lighting 11/20/06 so, an hour ago the anemone looked really good, now he is tiny and shriveled, attached to the same rock at the bottom he has been the entire time...is there anything I can/should do!!??? <Anemones will contract at times, but should fill back up within a 24-48 hour period.  Were any chemicals/medications added to the tank? Outside of this, there is not much you can do but keep a close eye on it.  Dead anemones can quickly pollute a tank and threaten the life of the other tank inhabitants. Keep in mind that anemones are not the easiest of inverts to keep for any length of time. James (Salty Dog)>

Ailing BTA? - 11/09/06 Hello WWM Crew, <<Howdy mate!>> Here is the scenario of a 75-gallon reef: -Nitrates <20ppm. -Nitrites and Ammonia 0. -Alkalinity 280 (KH) ppm. -Calcium (could not test out of reagent). -pH 8.1 daytime. -Salinity 1.023. -Lights Power compacts 3 fixtures 50/50 day/actinic.  5.0 watts per gallon based on volume displacement of 10 gallons, therefore 65 gallons of water. -Supplements, liquid calcium (Kent) and dosing iodine 2-times a week about 5-10 drops of iodine (Kent). -top off --- Distilled water tested: no nitrates no phosphates. -Activated carbon (Black Diamond). -Protein Skimmer producing coffee-colored skimmate...dark but not a lot. -A lot of water movement provided by 4 Aqua-Clear 70 powerheads with the attached rotating head sold by Drs. Foster and Smith and two over the back filters. -Aqua-Clear 500 to hold carbon and move water. Tank holds yellow polyps, green button polyps, star polyps, several mushroom anemone, brain coral, candy cane coral, hammer coral, slipper coral, and colt coral. Two inverts are green brittles...very large, so far not causing trouble, scarlet, zebra-legged, and blue hermit crabs and plenty of turbo snails. The question is; my BTA is not fully expanding and I am asking why?? <<Several possibilities just off-the-cuff here.  Water chemistry (high nitrates), Allelopathy from the mix of noxious corals in this system, or maybe the animal was damaged when it was removed at the LFS>> It was at least 2 to 3 times the size in my LFS.  It is stationary on/between two pieces of live rock and has been there over a month.  It does not move around.  It is fluorescent-green with pink tips which appears to me that the inside zooxanthellae (spelling?) is healthy.  The bubble-tip is still apparent and the BTA is fed small pieces of fish twice a week, which it takes immediately when fed. <<Mmm...maybe it is simply still acclimating itself to your system>> It just will not fully expand. <<Is it being blasted by a powerhead?  Strong but indirect flow is best>> Is this something to be alarmed about? <<Maybe not>> I know BTA could be slowly perishing.  What do you think based on the above? <<These amazing creatures are not best kept in mixed systems (species/specimen specific systems are best).  But if the anemone is truly feeding you may just need to leave it be for a while longer.  Do start reading here (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm) and continue among the links in blue at the top of the page.  EricR>>

Detached and Deflated Bubble-Tip Anemone - 11/01/06 Hi, <<Hello>> Thanks for the great web site!!! <<Happy you like it>> I bought a 3" BTA about 3 weeks ago and the anemone will not attach its foot to anything. <<Possibly damaged during collection/transport>> The BTA is the exact same size as when I introduced it in to the tank. <<It hasn't expanded in three weeks?  Not good...>> I have another BTA that attached within minutes of being put into the aquarium. <<I see>> Is there anything that I can do to keep him in one place??? <<You might try placing it in a shallow container (glass/plastic), or within a "ring" of rock rubble>> Thanks again. Jody <<If it's not something environmental (water chemistry/quality, lighting, flow, etc.) causing the anemone to stay detached/deflated, then likely it has suffered a physical injury and probably won't survive...I'm sorry to say.  Regards, Eric Russell>>  

Bubble Tip Bleaching...Not Enough Info...Not Enough Light   8/24/06 Hi, <Hello> I have had a BTA for 1 year now. When I purchased it it was a maroon color, I was told it was from the Red Sea region, and that the color would not change. After about 5 months it had significantly changed in color. It was a cream color, now it is completely white. I went back to my LFS and explained the problem. He promptly told me that that was no problem and all I had to do was add phytoplankton every other day. <<Dismal>> So I purchased some and have administered it properly and kept it refrigerated. The outer portion has regained some of its color but the part that fans out and has the bubbles is still white. The bubbles are so small they are almost non-existent. The BTA is housed in a 29 gal. with a PowerGlo light approximately 7 inches from the BTA. <You are very lucky to have kept the BTA that long under those conditions.  Your tank is too small to house anemones and the lighting you are using is no where near enough.  Water parameters can change too fast in a small tank, something anemones do not take well.  Lighting on your tank should have been somewhere near 4 to 5 watts per gallon.> I put an Iodine supplement in the water once per week. This has not seemed to help at all. I feed the BTA weekly with fresh shrimp.  Should I purchase a different light, different plankton supplement, different food or anything else? <Yes, larger tank (minimum of 55 gallon), better lighting, but unlikely your present anemone is going to reverse it's condition.  Read here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm> Thank you so much for your help. <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>

Anemones/Health...BTA Dying?? - 8/10/2006 I'm going out-of-town this Saturday and am concerned about my BTA.   Approximately two weeks ago I transferred my marine life, rocks, etc. to a new tank.. 12 gallon to a 24 gallon Nano Cube. Anyway, my anemone seemed to be fine at first and over the past few days he was blown up to an enormous size and just deflated to almost nothing. He has also decided to move from the place he's been from practically day one, and has not been eating (I feed him frozen Mysis shrimp). I've had him for about 9 months and don't remember this ever happening. FYI - I just did a water change yesterday too! <I'm surprised it lasted that long in a 12 gallon tank.  Anemones require very stable water parameters, something a small tank cannot provide.> I'm not sure what to do because I am leaving for 8 days and don't want to come home to a tank full of dead fish. Is there something I should do in the meantime? <Find a home or a toilet for it, not worth risking the lives of the fish.  If it dies while you are away, you will come home to one nasty smelling home.> Is my anemone dying? HELP... HELP... HELP!!! <Not much you can do.  Long lived anemones are found in large tanks, and even at that, rarely live much more than a year in home aquariums.  Most reputable dealers will only order these on request, and rarely stock them. James (Salty Dog)>

RBTA Needs Help... Powerhead incident, Zo's, Lighting changes...    7/20/06 Hi Folks, <Robyn> I haven't written in a long time, but I am out of ideas on how to assist my RBTA back to health.  Here's the skinny:  My 75g tank 100g system with sump has been set up for over 5 years now.  When I moved 1.5 years ago, I added a DSB, and didn't add any occupants for almost a year. <Wow! Disciplined> As I started adding critters, I wanted more stability, and light.  I could not do MH lights due to heat issues, and an acrylic tank, 6" canopy, and acrylic sump.  I had 440W VHO's.  My tank had 1 open brain, 2 Percula Clowns, 4 - 2" Flashing Fairy Wrasses, 1 sm Tomini Tang @2.5", 2 brown Brittle Stars, 10 Red Legged Hermit Crabs, 6 Turbo Snails, 3 Bumble Bee Snails, 2 (I can't remember their name, but they sift in the sand??) Snails, 1 sm Banggai Cardinal, along with a lot of Pulsing Xenia.  I had a few small colonies of yellow polyps, 10-15 polyps, total.  I have an overflow, with a Mag9, which turns the tank 9 times or so an hour, with a AquaC Urchin Pro skimmer in the sump.  I HAD 3 Maxijet 1200's for extra tank circulation, with sponge covers on the intakes.  What I really wanted was a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone.  I waited, until I found a healthy animal, my tank was stable, and bought him.  He was very happy, he is at least 5 years old, and WAS very large.  He WAS bigger than a dinner plate, maybe 12-15 or so inches. <This IS large> He had never divided, per the past owner.  He did great for 6-8 months, I fed him 2-3 times a week, several small pieces of fresh shrimp, silversides, Mysis, Cyclopes, and he liked thawed pieces of bay scallops from the grocery store, best.  He found a place he liked, and stayed on his rock, never wandered.  The True Percs hosted him, he was so big, they would get lost.  We were all happy.   Then disaster struck.  I decided to get rid of some (most) of my Pulsing Xenia (It was taking over my entire tank!  It was everywhere!), <Happens> and upgrade my tank and lights. (Ugh)  I removed most of the Xenia from the tank, attached to the rock, and traded it to the LFS for new cured live rock, and a few small corals.  While doing this, I accidentally moved my RBTA's favorite rock.  I didn't tear his foot, he just liked to sit and "sun" himself on this special rock. <Are creatures of habit... sometimes extreme> The problems began the next day, he started walking in my tank.  I had 3 MaxiJet power heads for extra circulation, but they had sponges on the intakes, so he couldn't get hurt, right? <One would/could hope> He hid in the back of the tank for about 4 days, then found a Maxijet, and the sponge must have slipped.  He got quite a few of his tentacles caught in the power head.  He had to be ripped free.  I placed him up on a rock, and he stayed for about 5 days, and I fed him every other day.  I thought he would recover, rather quickly.  He then went to the back of the tank, and stayed in the rocks for 14 days.  It was time to change my VHO bulbs, so I decided to go with T-5's, and hope that more light would help my friend. I used my Icecap 660 Ballast, and installed 54w T-5's 2 GE 65k, 2 Geissmann Actinic Plus on IC single reflectors, along with a 54w Geissmann Pure Actinic, on a TEK ballast.  I also installed a Neptune Jr controller, to go dawn to dusk, and a chiller to stabilize my temp.  After the lights were installed, I had heat issues when overdriving the bulbs, and I added 2 - 3.5" var. speed fans.  I couldn't acclimate all my stuff with screens, due to the heat issues.  I didn't want the screens to melt, or catch fire.  I had problems with the IC plastic clips, which has now been resolved with IC, but a fire was a possibility.  I made these changes, and also added more live rock to my sump, along with a refugium, with macro algae (Chaeto) and Live Tiger Pods. My RBTA kept to the back of the tank, refused to take food, and hid in the rock.  After 12 days, I took 30% of my LR out, and put it into my sump, to find the anemone.  He was anchored to just one rock, so I tried to put him more toward the light, and in an area I could feed him.  He detached, and went back into hiding on his own.  I was given a few very small frags, at a swap, a total of 5" of Zoo's, <Toxic... "winners" over anemones> 1 small 3" Gorgonian, and a 1" Digi, as well as a 3" RBTA.  People knew I was very sad and depressed, and tried to make me smile with corals.  They are nowhere near my sick anemone. As my tank stands now, I have much of my LR still in my refugium, on a reverse light cycle.  I can see the sick RBTA, and he has darkened in color.  He use to be a light, bright pink.  He is now dark maroon.  He is one quarter his original size.  His tentacles have shrunk, along with his body.  I try to feed him every other day, but he seems to release the food.  I have tried using thawed Cyclops and "Blowing" the food at him with a syringe, but it didn't seem to stick.  I see the white of his mouth kind of bubble up to open then, almost invert, when I have tried to feed him a few times. I continue to do regular water changes, but no improvement.  My tank is/was dedicated to this (was) beautiful creature.  Is there something else I can try to bring him back to health?  My tank looks like crap all torn apart, so I can keep an eye on this anemone, I have taken ALL Maxijets OUT of the tank.  It has been like this for more than a month now.  I think he is starving to death, but I don't know what to do. <I do. Move this animal to another system... ASAP. The present one is unsuitable for a few reasons. Move it> I have asked for suggestions on other forums, but I am told there is nothing left to do.  Is there a food left to try, like zooplankton, DT's phyto, Pacific Plankton?  If I shocked him with the lights a month ago, can it be corrected now?  Should I be concerned about my iodine, calcium or magnesium that I don't check?  How about PO4?  I didn't think it was a concern unless it was really high, but wouldn't other tank critters show signs of stress also?   <Not necessarily, no> Tank Chemistry as follows:  Ph 8.0 at 5 AM, 8.25-8.3 at 7PM    Temp 78-79 degrees, with a chiller and controller.   Sg 1.025   dKH 11.5 or 4.11 meq/l  Calcium 300  (Bringing it back up, but does it matter to an anemone? I didn't think it did?)   Nitrite 0    Nitrate < 5 or near 0, Ammonia 0.  I haven't been testing for or adding iodine, magnesium, and the PO4 test kit I had always gave (Salifert) strange readings.  Hi, then low, with the same test batch of water?  My PO4 may be higher side.  I use RO from well water that is aged, heated, aerated, buffered, then salted with Reef Crystals.  Ditto with top off water.  I add Kalk every other day is small doses, into the sump.  All other fish and corals are happy and healthy.    Sorry for the length of this letter, but I felt if you were to help me help my anemone, you needed all the facts, not just the Readers Digest version.  Thank you in advance for any and all help you are able to provide.   Sincerely, RDJ <The incident with the powerhead, consequent chemical reactions, presence of the Zoanthids, much more spell too much stress for this Anemone. Place it elsewhere... not in the sump, in another system... this is the best chance for recovery. Bob Fenner>
Re: RBTA Needs Help   7/22/06 Hi Folks, <Robyn> Just a few quick questions, regarding your advice.  If I remove the corals, and run activated carbon, with water changes, might the anemone recover in my tank? <Might, but would be better to move, have rest up elsewhere>   In the response above, it is said that my system is unsuitable for an anemone.  Other than the small amount of corals, what is unsuitable?  How can I correct these issues?   What type of tank/new home for this anemone do you recommend?  One with MH, T-5, or VHO lights?  I had thought about a new home for the anemone, but I didn't know if moving him now would only cause further stress. Thanks again, RDJ <Umm, all posted... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm Scroll down to the tray on "Anemones"... Read on! Bob Fenner>

Bubble Tip Anemone/Photoshock...Terrible English/Grammar    7/20/06 I bought a  Bubble Tip Anemone about a week ago it settled in straight away. My set up is a 25g bow front. <Too small a tank for this animal.> It is 6 months mature and has 2 Fluval 205s, one chemical and one biological. I has 5 tubes of t5 lighting, 55watts actinic, and 80 watts white. The Bubble Tip Anemone goes in when I turn the lights on in the morning and only comes out when I turn most of them off do you know why this is? <More than likely, photoshock.  Read here.   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm In future queries, please do a spelling/grammar check before sending.  Do not have the time to correct errors. Thank you.  James (Salty Dog)>

Rose Bubble Tip Anemone... mixed with a H. crispa...  7/19/06 I have had a rose bubble tip for about 2 months now, Today I noticed that it doesn't extend out, it is in a little ball and the clown who is actually too big for it has pretty much moved out and into another, a sebae anemone, <... not in the same system?> along with my other clown. The bubble tip will it krill and clams, but is staying pretty much closed. Is there anything that I should be doing or looking for?? Salinity 1.024 ; nitrate 20 <A bit high> ;Ammonia 0 Lighting 2-65watt power compacts 10K ;2-65watt Actinic <Insufficient for this size/depth tank, these anemone species> 75 gallon Tank Is the clown buffing it to death?? <Might be... but doubtful. You have a case of allelopathy... mis-mixed actinarians> Thanks for your time Bob <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemcompfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

E. quadricolor (anemone) meltdown!...  7/19/06 I have had a small (initially 1.5" diameter oral disk) E. quadricolor for the last 5 months. It has doubled in size since I acquired it and has been very enjoyable. It has not changed locations in the last 4 months. Three days ago it started to "wilt" as my wife called it. However, the next day it seemed to be recovering and it was doing much better until this afternoon when I got home from work and it looks like so much melting spaghetti ice-cream. <Bad sign> I have kept it in a 55gal w/ 250w 10000K MH and 130w CFL actinics. Salinity has been maintained at 1.025 and temps at 76-78 F. Feeding has been weekly/every other week w/ shrimp in vitamin supplement ('Vitamix Plus'). No powerheads in tank and flow is 400+gph from sump via Surge 3500 through SQUID and 300+gph return from sump via Cap 220 (3.5 ft. head, 1.25" PVC and only 1 90deg and 2 45deg/return line (X3). Conspecifics include Stolonifera, var. mushrooms, 1 sm. Ricordea, 1 sm. strawberry anemone, <Do you know the species name of this actinarian?> xenia, anthelia, zoanthids 'yellow polyps' (sorry about the vagueness), 1 adult ocellaris clown, 1 coral beauty angel, 1 med. skunk cleaner, 3 peppermint shrimp, 1 med. coral banded shrimp, 1 sm sea hare, and several small hermits and snails. I also have a small problem w/ hair algae because of the phosphates in our source water. I haven't checked any other parameters yet, but everyone else appears to be doing well. I run carbon occasionally and use Prime to dechlorinate my water. The only other filtration is 70 lbs LR, 4" DSB on a plenum, and a small (3"X20") generic counter current venturi PS. I dose 1 capful Kent Iodine, 1 capful Kent Essential Elements and 1 tsp Kent Superbuffer weekly. Here are changes that occurred in the last few days:   T-4 days: removed 8 lbs LR in morning and replaced w/ 8 lbs LR w/ yellow polyps, xenia, and GSP in the afternoon (GSP and yellow polyps are located 6" away and also moved 'hairy mushroom' to w/in 4" to stop allelopathy w/ other mushroom on other side of tank)... <This is likely a/the problem here... don't have to be close... chemical> dripped the new rock/corals w/ 1 gal of tank water and replaced w/ fresh. Added iodine, essential elements, and SuperBuffer. <All should be introduced, pre-mixed with new seawater, not directly added to the system> Salinity dropped to 1.024. Mixed 1 gal salt (IO) per instructions and allowed to sit. PUR (tm) filter failed in last 1/2 gal. and used treated tap water for the remainder.   T-3 days: added saltwater top off in AM. E. quadricolor looked poorly in AM and showed marked improvement in PM. salinity - 1.025   T-2 days: normal top off regimen except with treated tapwater and not prefiltered. E. q. continues to improve. salinity - 1.025   T-1 days: same as above. salinity - 1.026   today: E. q. fine in AM and now...yuck!... salinity - 1.026, temp - 77.6 F.      Questions:   1. Can you tell what's the problem? <Likely is allelopathy in general, some ancillary related influences>   2. What do I do to fix it? <More systems to separate livestock, no new livestock, pre-mix water...>   3. Is there any hope for the anemone?    <Yes, move it to other quarters, pronto>   Branon <Bob Fenner>

Anemone... health, beh.  06/14/2006 Hello Sir/Ma'am Once again I am calling upon your wisdom to help me along. The problem is with my anemone. I moved him from an established 40 gallon running 2x175 MH about a week ago. His new tank is a 200 gallon reef tank. The parameters for this tank are as follows: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5 (all with Salifert), Calcium 400, DKH 10.6, PH 8.1 all day and night (running a RDP fuge with Chaeto and DSB) and specific gravity of 1.024. The lights on the tank are 3x250 MH. The anemone was doing fine for 2 days. I proceeded to feed him a chunk of Silverside and he regurgitated it a day after. Since then he has been small (not closed) with a bright green color and stringy tentacles. He grows to his normal size closer to the end of the photo period and returns small once the lights go on. Please help with some idea. I have ruled out water quality and chemical warfare because of running the Chemi-Pure. I can only deduce that maybe he suffering from some light shock and may need to adjust to the increased lighting??? Thanks so much, Matthew McGhee <<Matthew:  Do you know what type of anemone it is?  How long have you kept it?  Assuming you have kept it for awhile (at least several months) and know how to take care of it, then it is probably just going through a transition from one tank to the other.  I would suggest to keep trying to feed it small pieces.  Hopefully, in a few days, it will be happy again.  Best of luck, Roy>
Re: Anemone... health  06/14/2006 Roy, It is a rose tip bulb anemone. He has been kept for about 6 months in a 40 gallon tank. He has been in the new tank for a total of 5 days. The first two he was out fully. I think that maybe he is getting used to the new light cycle. I forgot to mention that in the last tank the lights were on between 2pm and 10pm and in the new tank they are on at 8am to 5pm. Do you think that is the issue? Thanks so much, Matthew McGhee <<Matthew:  RBTA anemones are pretty hardy and can go through some dramatic looking changes from time to time.  Since you have been successful at keeping it for awhile, I think it is just getting used to the new tank and you don't have anything to worry about.  As far as the lighting change, it will adapt.  Best of luck, Roy>>

Bubble Tip Anemone got ripped in half - 6/5/2006 Please Help, <<I'll try!>> While moving my tank my bubble tip anemone ripped. <<Ouch.>> He was attached to two rocks and the person moving him was careless.  He is ripped into two pieces. One side doesn't look all that bad.  Any tips to help me possibly save him? I have had it for almost a 6 months and he was very healthy before hand. Perhaps a dip in a solution such as 'Reef Dip' and pristine water conditions now.  Be sure to feed both halves. Lisa.>> Kurtis Schubeck

Bubble Tip Anemone/Health  6/5/06 Hi, <Hello> I would go on the forums but I think there is a problem with the site because I keep getting a host error message <No problems I am aware of.> so I decided to use the email. I have two BTA and one has been in there for 4 months and it started acting strange here recently. During the day it shrinks up and goes into the rock work and then during the night it comes fully out, I have attached two pics of what it looks like during the day and then at night. My water parameters are as follow: ammonia 0ppm, NO2 0ppm, NO3 20ppm, s.g .25, ca 420ppm, alk normal, and great water movement. It also eats really good one week and then the next week doesn't eat but once or twice. The 2nd BTA (new), which has been in there for a few days, is doin just fine. Also, I have 260w pc lighting, which the first BTA was doin great under until a month ago. Have any suggestions on why the first BTA is acting like this? <Couldn't find no pics but will steer you where you need to go.  Do read this article and related links above. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm  James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Bubble Tip Anemone and Ocellaris (False) Percula Clownfish  - 05/22/2006 Bob, I am happy to report that the anemone is now doing fine.  It has moved around a bit and it seems quite happy in its new home. Thanks for the great advice! Elaine <Ah, good. Persistence AND patience often pay/s. Bob Fenner>

BTA Losing Tentacles  - 5/18/2006 Hello WWM Crew, I've had a BTA for about 3 months now, during the day he is wide open and looks good, in the evening he usually shrivels up a bit. He is, and has always been, a very nice medium brown color with a light glaze of florescent green around the tentacles. Suddenly over the course of a day or two the tentacles near the inner part of his disk are seeming to "twist" off at the base. Kind of like making a balloon animal of his tentacles, then falling off. The outer tentacles are fine and fully inflated, and he appears healthy apart from the tentacles falling off... He has a healthy appetite and feeds regularly twice a week on pieces of shrimp (which he greedily eats). <Not too large bits I trust> My domino damsel has also hosted him, and my ocellaris completely ignore him. Which from what I've read is normal since ocellaris and BTA's aren't the best mix. As far as water chemistry Salinity is 1.025, KH is 11, Ph is 8.3, Temp is 80', Nitrite is 0, Ammonia is 0, Nitrate is 0, Phosphate is 0. I have about 200W of VHO lighting A penguin hang on with BioWheel, SeaClone Protein skimmer, and 2 wavemaker power heads creating in my opinion sufficient flow through the aquarium. The tank has been setup for about 7 months in our new location, and is a 29 gallon. Any thoughts would be much appreciated! Thanks, Adam <Mmm, well... something is not to this animal's liking... water quality likely... but what of this? Water changes might help... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm and the "Systems", "Feeding" and "Disease" linked files above. It's hard to keep such life in small systems... Bob Fenner>

Bubble Tip Issues...BTA With A Bad Cold   5/17/06 Hello WWM Crew! <Hi Tony> It has been quite a while since I last wrote to you guys.  I want to thank you for the invaluable resource your web site is to those of us neophyte reef keeping wannabees.   OK, how about I start with a little about myself and my tank.  I have been keeping salt water critters off an on for about 15 years.  I didn't have very much success at first, but with persistence and a little research I was able to keep a FOWLR tank set up for about 8 years while I lived in Seattle.  2 years ago we moved and I took down my tank for a little hiatus.  So I recently set up a 40 gallon tank with the following details: 40 Gallon Tank with 5 Gallon Sump AquaC Urchin Skimmer in Sump  MagDrive 3 Pump in Sump  Seio 620 Powerhead Mounted on Back wall of tank  2 Rio 800 Powerheads Mounted on Back wall of tank  40 Pounds Oolite Live Sand Substrate  30 Pounds Live Rock (so far)  Coralife Aqualight Pro light fixture (One 150 watt 10,000K double-ended HQI metal halide lamp & Two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue square-pin compact fluorescent lamps) Livestock consists of 2 Ocelaris Clowns, a Royal Gramma, 5 Red Legged Hermits, 5 Blue Legged Hermits, 5 Astrea Snails, a patch of Green Star Polyp, and a Bubble Tip Anemone. All tank parameters are very stable.  SG 1.024, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 0-20 Nitrates, pH about 8.0, dKH 3.5, Calcium about 280.   Now to my issue: 1.  The Bubble Tip...wow what a Saga.  I got the 2 Ocelaris about 2 weeks ago from a LFS.  I put them in the tank and everything looked great.  My wife wanted a home for them and I read up that Ocelaris will quite frequently accept a Bubble Tip as a host.  Not to mention that Bubble Tips appear to be one of the easier of the clown hosting anemones to keep.  Anyway, what I didn't read was all of the information on Bubble Tips vs. Powerheads.  Do you see it coming?  I picked up the BTA about a week and a half ago.  First night I get the Bubble Tip in the tank (after a long acclimation process) and I stick is on top of my live rock.  It opens right up and looks just beautiful.  About the time I go to bed I notice that the Bubble Tip has released itself and is wandering around the tank at the will of the flow from the powerheads.  Well, I don't think much of it; I had read that they will find the spot that pleases them.  The next morning I awake to find the BTA attached to the intake of one of my RIO 800s and there are tentacles all over the bottom of the tank (no longer attached).  Well, I shut down the powerhead and had to go to work.  During the day I did a little more research and found info on the web about powerheads and anemones.  So I pick up some big sponges to put over the intakes.  When I get home I expect to find the BTA still stuck to the powerhead, dead, but instead I find it attached to the glass fully open.  It had lost about 1/2 of it's tentacles, but all in all didn't look to bad.  So I pulled the powerhead, cleaned it up and added the sponge.  I moved both of my Rio powerheads to the back wall of the tank in an attempt to get them more hidden and still create good turbulent flow.  The Seio Powerhead is also mounted on the back wall of the tank and I don't have a sponge on it, but the way it's intakes are set up it would be very difficult for the Anemone to get caught in there.  Well, when I turned the pumps and powerheads back on, the BTA clearly no longer liked it's position on the glass and released itself immediately.  It floated around the tank for probably a couple of hours finally attaching itself to the underside of a piece of liverock (a sort of a ledge) at the absolute bottom of the tank.  From it's position the base is stretched around the edge of the liverock allowing some of the tentacles to get light.  I suppose it is also benefiting from upwelling light since I have white Oolite sand as a substrate.  I doubt very seriously that there is sufficient light to keep it nourished.  Over the past week and a half it has ranged from full open (about the size of a softball) to completely closed up (about the size of a golf ball).  It hasn't really moved since, but the female Ocelaris has at times been seen in the Anemone rubbing around.  My approach has been to let it do it's thing and see what happens as long as the water parameters don't decline.  I even intended to feed it a piece of shrimp as it seemed like it might be ready for that.  However, over the past 2 days the BTA has begun to discharge (at least I think it's coming from the BTA) a brown/grey stringy material.  Frankly it looks like snot (like it has a runny nose :-)).  All of the water parameters are still fine, I have done a 10% water change just to assure trace elements are good and I have put in a little Kent Marine Iodine supplement.  The only issue that I have seen is an increase in Phosphate, but that is probably attributable to my feeding of the fish (I have to get better about not overfeeding).  Otherwise I am just leaving the BTA alone.  Any ideas on what is going on with that thing?  On the one hand I don't want to lose it, but on the other hand I don't want it to take my tank down with it.  Yesterday it was completely closed up with only pieces of it's tentacles exposed, but then last night it was wide open again.  Like I said, I had intended to at least try to feed it a piece of shrimp, but since it was closed up and apparently discharging this gunk I didn't want to further aggravate the situation.  Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for bearing with my BTA saga and I look forward to hearing from you. <Tony, I'm believing some serious damage was done to the BTA during its visit with the powerhead.  Most do not survive these run-ins.  Leave well enough alone and let the anemone choose its place.  Do keep a close eye on its health.  If it does die, it can quickly pollute the entire tank which is something we do not want.  <James (Salty Dog)> Tony Jopling

Sick BTA  5/14/06 I have a rose BTA that's doing pretty sadly right now. It's in a 30 gallon tank with a clarkii clown and some hermits, Astrea snails, and a sand sifting star. <<Tank too small for keeping anemones.  Water parameters can shift too quickly.>>  No ammonia, no nitrite, less than 5 ppm Nitrate ion, 8.3 pH, 1.025-1.026 SG.  When we bought it, the clown paired up with it and it was turgid and healthy looking. I started at first feeding him some chopped scallop, but moved to halved, then quartered silversides (We also changed the light in this time from a 95-watt 50-50 to a 65 watt True 03 Actinic and a 65 watt 10000K lamp).  After it ate the silversides, it would periodically deflate and expel brown and white stringy material. I didn't panic at first, but the deflations got closer and closer together, even without further feedings. While doing a water change during this period, I think I may have moved a rock above him, squeezing his pedal disc. He moved to the back of the tank soon after, but was still looking pretty nice. We did a water changed yesterday.  But, today, he's in the corner, shriveled up to half his size and his edges turning brown.   He's still attached, though. I figure if he's not looking better in   the morning, I'll siphon him out...What sort of thing could have   caused this? Would it be a better idea to siphon him  out today? <<I'd keep a very close eye on him.  If left to die, they can quickly pollute the water poisoning the rest of the inhabitants.  Do read here for a better understanding on keeping anemones. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm>> Thanks for your help. <<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>>
Re: Sick BTA   5/15/06 Well, he's mostly back to normal today, if not quite smaller. His edges are once again back to their original color. I think the fact he's off in a corner of the tank I can't see him in makes the whole situation much harder...I can only see his pedal disc and a small   fraction of his tentacles. Is the hiding indicative of anything? <Anemones generally move to an area where lighting and current is ideal for them.  Ten percent weekly water changes (especially in your 30) and use of a wavemaker system will help much toward keeping your BTA healthy.  Hopefully you have read the article I linked for you. James (Salty Dog)>
Re: Sick BTA - 05/16/2006 Yeah, I do 10-25% water changes every week. A wave maker's not an option, considering the all-in-one nature of my tank-it's a   Uniquarium. He's still alive, not looking worse, but he's still his sort of bleached color and I don't want to be on the business end of   a dead anemone. I assume moving him would be traumatic for him, and he'd just go back to his old spot probably.  What would be the best way to get him un-stuck and back to the LFS? <Read FAQ's here, see what others tried/suggested. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemplfaq2.htm James (Salty Dog)>
Re: Sick BTA - 05/16/2006 Well, I went to fed it today and it had no feeding response even to a finger moved around a bit. I guess that's bad news. So, I guess I'm   going to have to remove him before things get worse. Sorry to reiterate from my last email-what's the least-stressful way to remove him from his rock? <Sent info to you in previous query.  James (Salty Dog)>
Re: Sick BTA  - 05/16/2006 I tried feeding him again today, and after some prodding, he closed up, if only for a little bit. The problem with this whole situation   is I can't see him. The only part I do see in his foot and a little bit of his tentacles, which are always shriveled up. I can vaguely   see some healthy-looking tentacles, however. If I could get a better look at him, I could better ascertain the problem...would moving him   do all that much bad? Or do you think he'd end up right back where he is? I really don't want to jump the gun on this whole situation and   destroy an anemone that could've gotten better. <Anemones in small systems such as yours will rarely get better.  They are difficult to keep for any length of time to begin with.  Best thing is to leave him where he is.  No other undue stress is needed.  Do keep a close eye on him.  Once they die, they can rapidly foul a tank. James (Salty Dog)>
Re: Sick BTA And New Thread...Stocking  - 5/18/2006 Ah, well...This whole situation has led me to re-plan this tank. Now that I don't have any sessile inverts, I can start a different   stocking plan. I've always aspired to have dwarf angels, and with the anemone, I couldn't. So I guess I can try out that coral beauty I've   had my eye on (with proper quarantine procedures, of course.) I also wanted to put a cleaner shrimp, a royal Gramma, a pearly Jawfish and   a 2-sopt hog in there...however, I fear this whole plan is a bit much for my 30-gallon. I know compatibility wouldn't be too much of a   problem (on WWM you note the hog's reef-safety)-my only worry is the hog and the Jawfish. I could live without the shrimp, so do you think... 1 Clark's Clown 1 2-spot Hog 1 pearly Jawfish 1 Coral beauty (On WWM you guys say these guys are a little delicate.   All the ones at my LFS seem healthy, but you also say you'd need a 75 gallon tank to keep one of these...So maybe I should hold off on this guy?) 1 Royal Gramma Would be smart to do? <Sam, you need to do more research on fish you intend to buy.  Plenty of info on this sight to help you in that regard.  The hogfish is a definite no as they can grow to 8", much too large for your tank.  A hogfish and a Jawfish won't work either.  Although the hogfish aren't aggressive toward smaller fish, they can be very intimidating at feeding time.  As far as clownfish, your system would better support percula clowns.  Do read more on Jawfish and their requirements and other fish you have in mind as well. We do not like to get into the habit of continually spoon-feeding information to queriers.  Do search our site, if an answer isn't found, we are more than glad to reply.  James (Salty Dog)>

Bleaching Crisis, Need Rehab Advice! - 04/25/06 Hi <<Hello!>> Have just returned from a 3-month long outbreak investigation in Africa (wish I was kidding) and I was pleased to see that my tank survived my mother's care, but it is certainly in trouble and I would like some advice about its rehabilitation. <<Mmm okay, let's see what we can do>> I walked in the door last night and was shocked to see that my 3 bubble tip anemones have turned completely white and are somewhat shrunken, my pulsing xenia have white patches, and my green star polyps are several shades lighter than when I left though they have spread madly over a large area. <<Does not bode well for the anemones>> A hammer coral, several mushrooms, and some yellow polyps have retained their normal color. <<Hmm, I'm starting to think "lighting">> My mother says the anemones changed color so slowly that she didn't even notice it (!!!) but she noticed that the xenia just started turning white last week.  The tank is a 6 year old, 150 gal stable reef. <<Ok>> The only "recent" change was in September 05 I upgraded the lights from VHO to MH (2x 150w 10K HQI-MH + 2x 130w dual actinic). <<A nice rig for this tank I would think.  The upgrade would have been well appreciated by the anemones>> After this upgrade I had the lights on a relatively short photoperiod of 8 hours. <<Mmm, indeed...I have known folks who used about this same photoperiod, however I don't agree with it, I would gradually increase this to 12-14 hrs a day>> The tank looked fantastic when I left the country in January, so if this lighting was inadequate it sure took a long time to show it and I never increased it.   <<The lighting is probably "just not quite enough" for long-term health, thus taking a while for symptoms to manifest>> The timers have not malfunctioned - she would have noticed that because the tank normally comes on at 3pm and stays on till 11 so the lights on during the day would have been very noticeable. <<Ah good...guess that answers my question about the "regularity" of the lighting>> I did a few tests this morning and my chemistry is not optimal: NO3 12.5, KH 6, pH 8.3. <<Lack of frequent (enough) water changes maybe?>> She has been doing water changes every 3 weeks and I usually do every 2 weeks so I guess that's showing. <<Maybe just need to do "larger" water changes (30% or more)>> Also, it sounds like she hasn't been feeding the anemones much, but then I never fed them all that much either and it/they've been fine for 3 years (I used to feed about once a month - split twice last year). <<Feeding these animals is very important...especially if photosynthesis is at a reduced level...and even more so now that they are bleached>> The temp hasn't been out of line (range 77.3-78.5, the thermometer records that for me).  The anemones have not changed positions (1 at 18" deep, 2 in the top 6") since I left.  The usual routine for the tank includes adding calcium, reef buffer, reef builder, iodine, strontium, iron (for refugium), PhytoPlex (for large colony of feather duster worms that are also now looking a little ragged) 2x/week according to the directions on the bottles, and I haven't changed anything in a long, long time.  My mom claims to have adhered to the schedule pretty well, and I do think she has but something has clearly gone awry anyway.   <<Agreed>> I am sure of 3 steps I need to take - bunch of small frequent water changes, get the KH up (? Was thinking of getting Kalkwasser but that would be a change from my routine), feed Mysis soaked in Zoecon (twice a week? Every day?). <<The water changes will take care of the KH, and twice weekly for the anemones is a good start feedings (and Selcon is a better choice than Zoecon, IMO)...up feedings to three times a week if they will consume it all>> What I am not sure of is what I should do with the light - increase photoperiod?  Decrease?  Leave it? <<Increase (gradually) to at least 12 hours per day>> Any other immediate steps you would take?   <<I think you have things well in hand/know what's required as of this moment.  Unless there is something you didn't think to mention, the water changes should be able to handle your water quality issues.  Do start increasing the photo period of the tank, and please read this article (and peruse the blue links at the top of the page) on captive care of these anemones:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm >> Thanks for any advice Tracy Creek <<You're quite welcome.  Regards, Eric Russell>>

BTA Anemone dis.    4/20/06 Hi, I Recently purchased a BTA anemone, but it is white and I was wondering if that means it bleached. <Yes... there are no white Entacmaea in the wild> It Still moves around and its sticking to a rock. I have a cleaner shrimp that messes with it and it retracts it tentacles and when it leaves it opens up back to normal. I Have a 45 gallon Bow Front Tank 1-65 watt 10000k bulb and 1 65 watt antic Blue bulb. The anemone at the time is about 12 inches away from the light. Thanks, Steve <... do keep it well fed (to make up for the lack of photosynthetic input) and in good circumstances... Do read on WWM re this species captive care. http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

BTA problems and ICH    3/17/06 OK, I've got three problems/questions. 1) I recently added a seemingly well adjusted BTA to my tank and it hasn't opened up in the 6 days since bringing it home...it looks like an orangish Vienna sausage with a hole at the end. <<This is unusual, but not too much of a concern unless it goes on for much longer.>> 2) though I've been very careful about QT, etc... I just noticed that my Coral Beauty Angel and Fire goby both have white nodules reminiscent of ich...will my cleaner shrimp (actively servicing the angel) keep them clean enough to not worry, or do I need to worry? <<Cleaner shrimp are not very effective against Ick.  I would observe the fish carefully, and if they get any worse I would move them to a hospital tank for treatment.>> 3) I have what seems to be a "strawberry anemone" C. californicus (sp?) that came as a hitch-hiker and I'm wondering if I need to be concerned that my temps aren't low enough for him? <<There are many similar looking anemones from temperate and tropical waters and since almost no rock or livestock comes into the trade from temperate locations, I think this critter will be fine.>>   System: 55gal w/ 10 gal sump   20"x3" venturi PS   750gph return from sump via SQUID   250w 10000K MH--5hrs.--bulb is old   (2) 65w dual actinic CFLs--12hrs.--bulbs are 4-5 mon. old   70+lbs. liverock   4" DSB on 1" plenum   2 cups GAC in sump   temps from 78-81F   Ca--340ppm, alk--17dKH, NO2= 0, <<Wow!!  17dKH??  This may be part of why the anemone is acting strangely.  I would double check this result with another test kit.  If it really is that high, I would suggest figuring out why (too much buffer, very hard source water) and fixing it.  If you can rule out your source water, then water changes are in order.>> Feeding: 1/day Omega One Veggie flake, 1/day Tetra Marine flake, 1/DAY Tetra Marine pellets, Occ. Brine shrimp hatchlings, Occ. OSI sinking shrimp pellet. Supplements: Iodine-8 drops/day or every other day, Essential Vitamins-2 caps/ every 2 wks. Fish:  2 Ocelaris clowns (mated pair), 1 3" Coral beauty angel, 2 2" fire goby Corals:  Var. mushrooms, Kenya tree frag, md. Stolonifera, 7 stalks of silver Xeniid, "strawberry anemone", 3" BTA Inverts:  3 peppermint, 1 skunk, and 1 md. coral banded shrimp, 20+ var. sm. snails, 15+ var. small hermits, 2 md. serpent stars, 1 sm. sea hare, 4 lg. feather dusters. Possible clues: after the 2 hr. drip for the BTA I noticed a nasty looking film/thread coming from the Xeniids. My salinity prior to doing a 14 gal WC was 1.022 and is now 1.024-5. Just changed to IO salt and ph jumped from 8.0 to 8.6, though this was during the BTA acclimation. Just after the WC I noticed NH4 as .25 and NO3 as .12+...though readings were zeros before WC--haven't had a chance to check since...I used some Prime to try and compensate. We're in a rural area but not on well water...tap water is 7.4pH and 13dKH. Until adding the BTA and changing over to IO salt, my NH4, NO2, and NO3 were always 0's. BTA came from a well established tank and was very healthy clone until transferred to my system:-( All other corals are doing fine, though the "strawberry anemone" has been closing up during the warm parts of the day <<Is a coldwater animal... RMF>>  and is open and gorgeous in the evenings. My brain is too tired to think of anything else. Please help <<Hmmm... your source water has a lot of alkalinity.  I would consider an RO unit since there may also be other undesirable contaminants.  Also, you should mix up saltwater and allow it to mix with a powerhead or airstone at least overnight before using it.  This will help normalize the pH and aerate the water prior to use.  Also, some salt mixes produce a tiny small amount of ammonia when freshly mixed.  Aging for a day or so lets this dissipate.>> OK, I just did my tests and NH4 checks out at 0. NO2 is 0. NO3 is somewhere between .12 - .25. Ca is 420. Alk is 17dKH. I believe that the NO3 is the culprit for the BTA closure, though my other corals are all doing well and we just did a 14gal WC, before which we didn't have any NO3 problems. I have a little bit of red slime algae and a bit of green hair algae, but not too heavy and the sea hare and CB Angel seam to appreciate it. Do you have any other thoughts? Branon. <<That is not nearly enough nitrate to cause the anemone to be closed.  I really do believe that it has to do with your alkalinity, and your test of your tapwater seems to confirm it as the source.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>>
BTA Problems and Ick part 2 3/24/06 Adam C. and Crew, Thank you for the help you gave me re: my newly acquired BTA. (I've included the text of our last exchange JIK.) He started opening up the day I received your response and has been doing better. I noticed some streaking on his oral disk and that the majority of his tentacles are not expanded, but look quite shriveled. He also seems lighter colored than he was upon introduction. Any thoughts? <<All of this could be the result of normal handling stress.  Do be sure that salinity is no lower than 1.024 and alkalinity is in the normal range.>> I also have a concern about my Ocelaris Clown pair. I noticed quite a bit of what appeared to be courting behavior (sidling up to each other, rapid shimmying of fins and body, etc...) about 4 days ago. The next morning, I only found one of my clownfish and he/she was behaving normally, if on his/her own. I don't have any large predators in my tank and the BTA isn't large enough to take a shrimp yet, let alone an adult clown. The pair had been together for 2 yrs. and I'm kind of stumped, as we've not been able to find a carcass either. Did they lay eggs and only one is guarding/tending them...in an extremely hidden cave or something? Do I have a case of old age? (not likely, but who knows) or...? Here's a pic of my system and of the BTA, in case it helps. Branon. <Pic not reproduced here. RMF> <<Usually, if they do spawn, the male will tend the eggs, and they are often somewhat hidden.  However, it is odd that you would not be able to find him at all.  Such mystery disappearances do happen, and it is common not to be able to find a corpse since a well established reef tank has plenty of mouths to consume a small fish.  These fish have been known to live well over 10 years in captivity, so old age is indeed very unlikely.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>>

Bubble Tip Anemone  - 02/27/06 Dear Guys, <and gals> I have a red footed Green BTA. It has been in my tank for about two months. I put it in and let it do its stuff. It finally settled halfway up the tank in medium light under 4 T5's and a blue, in moderate flow. The only poor level is phosphate in this tank, and I regularly get algal bloom. That was my fault. It is starting to become controlled. After two weeks of happy anemone, its tips deflated and it detached itself. Finally it reattached itself in almost total darkness under the Fiji rock. It's tentacles deflated permanently. It refuses to eat. Also, since day one, the percula clowns have shown little or no interest in this anemone. <Perculas are probably tank raised and won't show any interest in the BTA, haven't seen one before.> My question is what am I doing wrong? <Here is some suggested reading for you on this subject.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm Thanks in advance. Ben <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> <<This animal may have been dyed... RMF>>