Anemone follow up

Icewing726 · 05/07/2018, 05:37 PM

1st yes my tank is probably too young for this anemone.

That being said he seems to have settled under an overhang only hanging half of his tentacles in the light. Maybe the leds were too bright? I tried moving him out but he moved himself right back to the same spot.

His color looks good but he hasn't buried his foot in the sand and even moved back into the open space under the rock after I positioned him in a nook so he could grip. Do they need to bury their foot or can they lay on the sand?

Finally, he's been closed up all day today... His colors the same, is this normal?

Salty Waffles · 05/07/2018, 09:04 PM

The best thing to do is pay attention to the advice that has been offered here in the forums. There are some very experienced reef/nem keepers giving advice derived from personal experience.

Im no nem expert. Far from it. That said, Im in a somewhat similar situation as you. My tank is relatively young, but has ran stable and Ive had fairly good luck with any type of corals Ive tried, so I decided to try a BTA.

Luck would have it (or bad luck), the BTA I had reserved split the day I went to pick her up. Splitting and a move on the same day, double the stress for the nem. Anyways, she immediately got off the rock she had been attached to at the lfs and headed for shade in a cave. She stayed at the base of a rock in this cave, out of the light for about two weeks. She would open and close constantly throughout the day. About three weeks in, she started climbing the rock inside the cave, peeking out into the light more. Over the course of a few days she traveled vertically about 8" until she found a spot she liked, anchoring into a nook in the rockwork.

Two months later, she is thriving. She has grown nearly double her original size is open all day long, is very colorful, and eats whenever fed.

My long winded point is, from what you describe, and from what Ive seen with mine, what you are seeing is normal behaviour for an acclimating nem.

I would say leave it alone. Let it go where it wants, unless it in danger of finding a powerhead. At this point, you and the nem are like the turkey on Thanksgiving. You're committed. I think the best you can do at this point is keep your water in order and let the nem do what its gonna do. Good luck!

Icewing726 · 05/07/2018, 09:07 PM

I really appreciate your personal experiences. I figured out why the nem was retracted, I had the lights in my tank dimmed after it started hiding but the program ran today and it returned to an intense daylight. I dimmed it again and programmed it to go dim from now on.

Aquacrazed · 05/10/2018, 04:06 PM

I put a rose BTA in my tank one month after setting it up. Everyone said I'm stupid. It's been over a year now and I have 11 of them that have taken over an entire section of my tank. If there is one thing that's thriving in my tank, it's the anemone.

Here's the key - if you anemone is tank raised, they are super hardy. If not, you are asking for trouble.

davocean · 05/10/2018, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

I put a rose BTA in my tank one month after setting it up. Everyone said I'm stupid. It's been over a year now and I have 11 of them that have taken over an entire section of my tank. If there is one thing that's thriving in my tank, it's the anemone.

Here's the key - if you anemone is tank raised, they are super hardy. If not, you are asking for trouble.

More times than not, excessive splitting is usually caused by stress, which in such a fresh tank would be my guess.

There is good reason we advise waiting for tank to become mature and balanced, you just happen to choose BTA, which often fool people into thinking they bare having success thinking that splitting automatically means thriving.

Aquacrazed · 05/10/2018, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davocean

More times than not, excessive splitting is usually caused by stress, which in such a fresh tank would be my guess.

There is good reason we advise waiting for tank to become mature and balanced, you just happen to choose BTA, which often fool people into thinking they bare having success thinking that splitting automatically means thriving.

I disagree. What do you mean by excessive splitting? Splitting once a month? How do you know this is excessive? Also how do you explain the fact that none of them have died? Don't you think at least one or two would have died if they were under extreme stress?

My theory, and yes this is just my two cents, I have no solid evidence, is that they move around the tank because they are stressed. Mine haven't, they find a place and they have been there ever since (knock on wood).

davocean · 05/11/2018, 08:11 AM

I don't know you, or your tank, you could very well be the greatest anemone whisperer there ever was for all I know...

All I know is your post is by far not the most common outcome, and if your nems are indeed thriving and not just surviving, you would be an extreme exception.

I'm not here to point out the exceptions, but the most probable outcome that comes w/ placing anemone's in a one month old tank.

I'm here to advocate and inform towards responsible reef keeping and care of sensitive animals

j.falk · 05/11/2018, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

I put a rose BTA in my tank one month after setting it up. Everyone said I'm stupid. It's been over a year now and I have 11 of them that have taken over an entire section of my tank. If there is one thing that's thriving in my tank, it's the anemone.

Here's the key - if you anemone is tank raised, they are super hardy. If not, you are asking for trouble.

Did you acquire the 11 through the single splitting over a year's time?

Aquacrazed · 05/11/2018, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.falk

Did you acquire the 11 through the single splitting over a year's time?

They got to 11 by one anemone splitting into two. I never saw one split into more than that.

j.falk · 05/11/2018, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

They got to 11 by one anemone splitting into two. I never saw one split into more than that.

Thanks! That's what I meant...you started out with 1 single anemone...but now have 11 from all the splitting.

mnchartier · 05/11/2018, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

They got to 11 by one anemone splitting into two. I never saw one split into more than that.

Are all 11 of these in your 13.5 gallon tank? Any pics?

Aquacrazed · 05/11/2018, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davocean

I don't know you, or your tank, you could very well be the greatest anemone whisperer there ever was for all I know...

All I know is your post is by far not the most common outcome, and if your nems are indeed thriving and not just surviving, you would be an extreme exception.

I'm not here to point out the exceptions, but the most probable outcome that comes w/ placing anemone's in a one month old tank.

I'm here to advocate and inform towards responsible reef keeping and care of sensitive animals

Maybe it was all luck, who knows. This was the first time I kept an anemone and this is my first saltwater tank. Although I've been in freshwater for over 15 years, the last 5 breeding & raising Discus so I do have advanced knowledge of aquarium/fish keeping in general.

Aquacrazed · 05/11/2018, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnchartier

Are all 11 of these in your 13.5 gallon tank? Any pics?

Yes, all in my tiny 13.5g. I will take a pic when the lights come on and post it. I'm trying to sell most of them but I can't get them off the rocks.

Aquacrazed · 05/11/2018, 01:46 PM

Here's a shot of my tank:

Closeup of the anamones:

Aquacrazed · 05/11/2018, 01:47 PM

[QUOTE=Aquacrazed;25435110]Here's a shot of my tank:

https://flic.kr/p/26ZprAj

Closeup of the anamones:

https://flic.kr/p/24iySsj

Joe0813 · 05/11/2018, 04:36 PM

i think the waiting for your tank to mature is for people that just start up... i have been in this hobby since 2010 and ive kept multiple BTAs in tanks that ive just started up. just watch your levels and you will be fine.

davocean · 05/11/2018, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

Maybe it was all luck, who knows. This was the first time I kept an anemone and this is my first saltwater tank. Although I've been in freshwater for over 15 years, the last 5 breeding & raising Discus so I do have advanced knowledge of aquarium/fish keeping in general.

Yeah I'm just basing my advice on 33 years of actually keeping anemone's and clowns, and my past 13 years here reading and sharing experiences w/ others who's main focus has also been anemone's

But FW experience helps too I'm sure.

BeachVacationer · 05/12/2018, 08:20 PM

Those BTAs are so small. They shouldn't be splitting when they're still that small IMO.

davocean · 05/13/2018, 09:01 AM

^^ I would agree w/ him, and he has discus, so maybe his comment will have more weight w/ you...

I'm sorry but 10 splits in 11 months would be considered excessive.

BeachVacationer · 05/13/2018, 03:20 PM

Yes, I do keep discus but there's no correlation to being a good reef keeper just because of that. Apples and oranges. Yeah, I don't know why the OP mentioned it to back up his claim.

Aquacrazed · 05/16/2018, 07:00 PM

I deleted the two pictures because my personal info was getting exposed. Here is a video of the tank instead: https://youtu.be/20OMEhhIiwE

Again, why is 10 splits in 1 year excessive? I'm trying to understand why but you don't seem to have a good answer. Maybe I am putting them in the great mood to keep reproducing because they are happy, am I wrong?

Aquacrazed · 05/16/2018, 07:02 PM

Can't edit, can't post pictures. This is such a great forum, reminds be of the days when I had a dial-up modem.

Pslreefer · 05/16/2018, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquacrazed

I deleted the two pictures because my personal info was getting exposed. Here is a video of the tank instead: https://youtu.be/20OMEhhIiwE

Again, why is 10 splits in 1 year excessive? I'm trying to understand why but you don't seem to have a good answer. Maybe I am putting them in the great mood to keep reproducing because they are happy, am I wrong?

Yes you are wrong. If they are splitting that much it’s due to a stressor event.

There, I also edited my post and here’s a pic too!!

Aquacrazed · 05/16/2018, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pslreefer

Yes you are wrong. If they are splitting that much it’s due to a stressor event.

There, I also edited my post and here’s a pic too!!

The fact that none of them have died makes me think my theory is true. Anyways, I will just keep doing what I am doing, it seems to be working for me, and the anemones.

BeachVacationer · 05/17/2018, 04:52 PM

Well, BTA can grow to a foot across. I'm in the camp that believes a healthy BTA should grow to similar size when it's well cared for. I personally would like my BTA to grow to that size instead of splitting often and never getting close to it's potential. I suppose if you are into selling BTAs, then frequent splits are probably a plus.

I have a 5 gallon reef tank, got a BTA after 2 years. Soon after I brought it home, it split once but they have not split again. It's probably been about 8 months now since it split. The two are getting bigger, slowly since I don't feed them. I'd rather see mine get bigger than split all the time and have a bunch of small BTAs.

05/07/2018, 05:37 PM	#1
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	Anemone follow up 1st yes my tank is probably too young for this anemone. That being said he seems to have settled under an overhang only hanging half of his tentacles in the light. Maybe the leds were too bright? I tried moving him out but he moved himself right back to the same spot. His color looks good but he hasn't buried his foot in the sand and even moved back into the open space under the rock after I positioned him in a nook so he could grip. Do they need to bury their foot or can they lay on the sand? Finally, he's been closed up all day today... His colors the same, is this normal?

05/11/2018, 08:11 AM	#7
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	I don't know you, or your tank, you could very well be the greatest anemone whisperer there ever was for all I know... All I know is your post is by far not the most common outcome, and if your nems are indeed thriving and not just surviving, you would be an extreme exception. I'm not here to point out the exceptions, but the most probable outcome that comes w/ placing anemone's in a one month old tank. I'm here to advocate and inform towards responsible reef keeping and care of sensitive animals __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

05/11/2018, 04:36 PM	#16
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	i think the waiting for your tank to mature is for people that just start up... i have been in this hobby since 2010 and ive kept multiple BTAs in tanks that ive just started up. just watch your levels and you will be fine. __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

05/13/2018, 09:01 AM	#19
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	^^ I would agree w/ him, and he has discus, so maybe his comment will have more weight w/ you... I'm sorry but 10 splits in 11 months would be considered excessive. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

05/07/2018, 09:04 PM	#2
Salty Waffles Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 92	The best thing to do is pay attention to the advice that has been offered here in the forums. There are some very experienced reef/nem keepers giving advice derived from personal experience. Im no nem expert. Far from it. That said, Im in a somewhat similar situation as you. My tank is relatively young, but has ran stable and Ive had fairly good luck with any type of corals Ive tried, so I decided to try a BTA. Luck would have it (or bad luck), the BTA I had reserved split the day I went to pick her up. Splitting and a move on the same day, double the stress for the nem. Anyways, she immediately got off the rock she had been attached to at the lfs and headed for shade in a cave. She stayed at the base of a rock in this cave, out of the light for about two weeks. She would open and close constantly throughout the day. About three weeks in, she started climbing the rock inside the cave, peeking out into the light more. Over the course of a few days she traveled vertically about 8" until she found a spot she liked, anchoring into a nook in the rockwork. Two months later, she is thriving. She has grown nearly double her original size is open all day long, is very colorful, and eats whenever fed. My long winded point is, from what you describe, and from what Ive seen with mine, what you are seeing is normal behaviour for an acclimating nem. I would say leave it alone. Let it go where it wants, unless it in danger of finding a powerhead. At this point, you and the nem are like the turkey on Thanksgiving. You're committed. I think the best you can do at this point is keep your water in order and let the nem do what its gonna do. Good luck!

05/07/2018, 09:07 PM	#3
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	I really appreciate your personal experiences. I figured out why the nem was retracted, I had the lights in my tank dimmed after it started hiding but the program ran today and it returned to an intense daylight. I dimmed it again and programmed it to go dim from now on.

05/10/2018, 04:06 PM	#4
Aquacrazed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Vancouver BC, Canada Posts: 27	I put a rose BTA in my tank one month after setting it up. Everyone said I'm stupid. It's been over a year now and I have 11 of them that have taken over an entire section of my tank. If there is one thing that's thriving in my tank, it's the anemone. Here's the key - if you anemone is tank raised, they are super hardy. If not, you are asking for trouble.

05/11/2018, 01:46 PM	#14
Aquacrazed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Vancouver BC, Canada Posts: 27	Here's a shot of my tank: Closeup of the anamones:

05/11/2018, 01:47 PM	#15
Aquacrazed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Vancouver BC, Canada Posts: 27	[QUOTE=Aquacrazed;25435110]Here's a shot of my tank: https://flic.kr/p/26ZprAj Closeup of the anamones: https://flic.kr/p/24iySsj

05/12/2018, 08:20 PM	#18
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	Those BTAs are so small. They shouldn't be splitting when they're still that small IMO.

05/13/2018, 03:20 PM	#20
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	Yes, I do keep discus but there's no correlation to being a good reef keeper just because of that. Apples and oranges. Yeah, I don't know why the OP mentioned it to back up his claim.

05/16/2018, 07:00 PM	#21
Aquacrazed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Vancouver BC, Canada Posts: 27	I deleted the two pictures because my personal info was getting exposed. Here is a video of the tank instead: https://youtu.be/20OMEhhIiwE Again, why is 10 splits in 1 year excessive? I'm trying to understand why but you don't seem to have a good answer. Maybe I am putting them in the great mood to keep reproducing because they are happy, am I wrong?

05/16/2018, 07:02 PM	#22
Aquacrazed Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Vancouver BC, Canada Posts: 27	Can't edit, can't post pictures. This is such a great forum, reminds be of the days when I had a dial-up modem.

05/17/2018, 04:52 PM	#25
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	Well, BTA can grow to a foot across. I'm in the camp that believes a healthy BTA should grow to similar size when it's well cared for. I personally would like my BTA to grow to that size instead of splitting often and never getting close to it's potential. I suppose if you are into selling BTAs, then frequent splits are probably a plus. I have a 5 gallon reef tank, got a BTA after 2 years. Soon after I brought it home, it split once but they have not split again. It's probably been about 8 months now since it split. The two are getting bigger, slowly since I don't feed them. I'd rather see mine get bigger than split all the time and have a bunch of small BTAs.