Anemone Behavior

[Mcdy]

In the last few days my BTA has been acting different. She moved from a location that she had been I for weeks and now is under a ledge receiving 90% light where before she was in full 100% light and flow.

She has a great color to her

Blown up all day--nice and full and foot has a wide foot print

Tank parameters are exceptional and within mixed reef specs.

Tonight she has closed up not letting the 2 clowns in. Still has great color and a little inflated on the 20 - 30 tentacles showing.

In the last week I have done the following:
--18 gallon water change of 75 gallons.
--Added 3 tangs--yellow blue and grey
--Added copepods, copepod food, increased the plankton feed for the basket starfish and corals. I am growing.
--Added a PH buffer just to push from 8 to 8.1 seeing if I could get it to 8.3ish. Not trying to force the issue though. Fish are happy, coral frags are happy at the 8.0ph.
--another 5 gallon water change.

Just not sure if it is me or the anemone that has an issue.

 

[Mcdy]

This is where she normally hangs out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pull back. Let the nem takes it course. Normal behavior and clowns are jerks as they pound these things to heck. They respond also to light and water flow. No need to darken tank, but if bright, reduce whites a little.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It’s possible it could just be a nem being a nem, but you say reef spec parameters can you list out your results? 3 tangs in a week can spike nutrient levels a bit and that could have aggravated it. You also state 23 gallons of water changed in a week. That could be over 30% in a week depending on how much rock is in the tank, how big your sump is, etc. Why so much of a water change? Or is this your normal water change amount. Also, what was the alk of the new water versus tho old water? Tons of things going on with the tank, so just looking to eliminate possible causes, as this could still just be a nem being a nem lol.

 

[Mcdy]

30 minutes ago, I shut off the wav pumps and just letting the return pump flow. Put the lights on acclimation (a360x) and she is a little more open but not like normal.

Here is a video.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It’s possible it could just be a nem being a nem, but you say reef spec parameters can you list out your results? 3 tangs in a week can spike nutrient levels a bit and that could have aggravated it. You also state 23 gallons of water changed in a week. That could be over 30% in a week depending on how much rock is in the tank, how big your sump is, etc. Why so much of a water change? Or is this your normal water change amount. Also, what was the alk of the new water versus tho old water? Tons of things going on with the tank, so just looking to eliminate possible causes, as this could still just be a nem being a nem lol.

Also, how old is the tank?

 

[Mcdy]

Nitrate 2
Nitrite maybe .03
Calc 440
Alk 10.78
PH 8.0
Salinity 34-35

75 gallon tank
20 gallon Sump
2 Neptune WAV pumps no higher than 10% flow
Pro Skimmer
ATK
Apex w/ ph, temp, orp and conductivity probe
A360x Tuna Blue x 2 ea

 

[Mcdy]

6 month old tank. Very, very slight light green algae in spots. All live rock.

 

[Cell]

Seems like quite a bit of change in a short amount of time. 30% H20 change, chemical to adjust pH, a lot more nutrients...I'd just let things settle and monitor for a bit.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Showing a reading of nitrite is a little worry some, unless it is an API test kit. Then it is probably 0. 6 months old should be enough time for a bubble. Others will argue with that. I guess the question that’s left is why such a large water change? Did the nem move after it?

As I mentioned before, a lot went on in a week. The nem may just be irritated. As long as it does not deflate and stay deflated, the mouth does not gape, etc. it is probably just adjusting. Nems, even the easiest of them love stability. They can adapt to high nutrients and low nutrients, but not quickly.

If it moved after all the changes, I would leave the tank alone, put flow and lighting back to where they were and let the nem adjust. Pretty much just put as it was and monitor the nem.

 

[Mcdy]

The only thing that comes to mind is lighting. I am not very confident with the lighting schedule as I pulled it off this website. The anemone has been in the light for a few weeks now so,....maybe the light is effecting her. Not really concerned as she looks good, and is steady with her behavior,...just in a new "odd" spot, that I would not expect her to be in based off information I have read prior to getting her.

$150 dollar investment,....not trying to kill her. Lol

 

[Mcdy]

I did 18 gallons because I put the new fish in about a week ago and wanted to eliminate as much as waste as possible. Overkill,...???? Normally do 5-10 gallons but with the bigger fish and bigger bio load thought it would help. All movement happenned after the water change. Probably just irritated,.....

Thanks though,......amazing group of people on this site and I am soon to be a supporter of the site.

 

[Mcdy]

I have also done a retest on Nitrates using a Red Sea test kit-- "0"