Anemone moving at night

[britnicole1724]

So my bta anemone has been in my tank for about 2 months. Tank has been up for around 4. We won the anemone and I was told by my LFS as long as we are consistent with water changes and checking parameters, it’ll be fine in our tank.

so far, it seems to be doing really well. It moved around the tank for the first few days and has since been consistently on one rock near the top of our tank, it hasn’t moved off of this rock since it’s found this spot. However, every single night it moves to the back of this rock. Then in the morning when the lights come on, it moves back to its daytime spot. Still bubbles up, takes food, and seems to be happy.

planning on testing my water later today. Would parameters affect movement like this? Or is it normal for a bta to move to a spot it feels is more safe at night with lights out??

my water has been ***mostly stable
Alkalinity has been on the low side but I’ve slowly been bringing it up with sodium bicarbonate and plan on stabilizing with kalkwasser. I can’t figure out why my alkalinity drops so low after water changes.

 

[A Young Reefer]

I don't really see it as an issue, its odd to me that's for sure. also are you sure that it moves or does it just stretch out in the morning if so its what my anemone used to do.
for reference:

photo credit goes to nicksmixedreef

 

[britnicole1724]

I don't really see it as an issue, its odd to me that's for sure. also are you sure that it moves or does it just stretch out in the morning if so its what my anemone used to do.
for reference:

photo credit goes to nicksmixedreef

it definitely moves, I’ve sat and watched it move from back to front in the morning. It doesn’t move off of the rock and keeps its foot planted in the same spot, almost like it’s pivoting around the rock if that makes sense? If it’s normal I won’t worry too much. It’s my first anemone so I figured it’s better to be safe and check than let it keep going if there’s something I could do different. I do weekly water changes and test my parameters at least once a week and then I randomly check some weeks halfway through just to make sure things are stable.

 

[A Young Reefer]

its normal don't worry about it. you have cleared my confusion when you mentioned that its foot stays planted in the same spot.

 

[Uncle99]

Light too low, that’s why he seeks higher ground so to speak.
Once happy, rarely move unless light or flow changes.

 

[britnicole1724]

Light too low, that’s why he seeks higher ground so to speak.
Once happy, rarely move unless light or flow changes.

I got a par meter for Christmas so I’ll be testing lighting today. I have radions and my lighting is set to about 30%, I originally had it around 50% and was told that’s too much, it’ll bleach corals that even require a high intensity so I turned it down.

 

[dvgyfresh]

My lights do not dim at all , it’s on and off lol they will find a spot they like and it sounds yours has its routine haha I’ve had a GBTA split and one of the splits decided that the absolute top of the tank is where it wants to be meanwhile the other is near bottom

 

[dvgyfresh]

So my bta anemone has been in my tank for about 2 months. Tank has been up for around 4. We won the anemone and I was told by my LFS as long as we are consistent with water changes and checking parameters, it’ll be fine in our tank.

so far, it seems to be doing really well. It moved around the tank for the first few days and has since been consistently on one rock near the top of our tank, it hasn’t moved off of this rock since it’s found this spot. However, every single night it moves to the back of this rock. Then in the morning when the lights come on, it moves back to its daytime spot. Still bubbles up, takes food, and seems to be happy.

planning on testing my water later today. Would parameters affect movement like this? Or is it normal for a bta to move to a spot it feels is more safe at night with lights out??

my water has been ***mostly stable
Alkalinity has been on the low side but I’ve slowly been bringing it up with sodium bicarbonate and plan on stabilizing with kalkwasser. I can’t figure out why my alkalinity drops so low after water changes.

Alk is lower after water changes ? What salt do you use? It may have a lower alkalinity than you would like

 

[britnicole1724]

Alk is lower after water changes ? What salt do you use? It may have a lower alkalinity than you would like

I have been using reef crystals.

 

[Uncle99]

I got a par meter for Christmas so I’ll be testing lighting today. I have radions and my lighting is set to about 30%, I originally had it around 50% and was told that’s too much, it’ll bleach corals that even require a high intensity so I turned it down.

I tried the PAR meter thing.
It told me I was way over lit (peak 600) at 80%, so I reduced to 30% which gave 300 top, 150 mid and 80 bottom.

After a month, coral growth seemed slower and Alk doser reduced by half. Didn’t seem as vibrant, or as full.

So I put them right back to 80% and I have not touched them n years.

I can only assume my corals have adapted to the higher lighting over the years.

I did walk them up from 30% over 6 months, just because I didn’t know better.

 

[britnicole1724]

I tried the PAR meter thing.
It told me I was way over lit (peak 600) at 80%, so I reduced to 30% which gave 300 top, 150 mid and 80 bottom.

After a month, coral growth seemed slower and Alk doser reduced by half. Didn’t seem as vibrant, or as full.

So I put them right back to 80% and I have not touched them n years.

I can only assume my corals have adapted to the higher lighting over the years.

I did walk them up from 30% over 6 months, just because I didn’t know better.

Seems every tank kind of varies in what it needs. As a beginner this is what makes it hard haha I don’t want to experiment and lose corals but I also want to do it the right way.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Seems every tank kind of varies in what it needs. As a beginner this is what makes it hard haha I don’t want to experiment and lose corals but I also want to do it the right way.

You got it! This what I’ve learned your tank / corals will tell you what they prefer

 

[Uncle99]

Seems every tank kind of varies in what it needs. As a beginner this is what makes it hard haha I don’t want to experiment and lose corals but I also want to do it the right way.

It would be difficult to “under light” a tank in the short term, I just start low, pop up 5% every two weeks, and see what the corals look like. If you do that real slow, corals are experts at adapting to light intensity

The PAR meter is a great thing, it provides a basis for moving forward with light changes.

 

[britnicole1724]

It would be difficult to “under light” a tank in the short term, I just start low, pop up 5% every two weeks, and see what the corals look like. If you do that real slow, corals are experts at adapting to light intensity

The PAR meter is a great thing, it provides a basis for moving forward with light changes.

The problem is my tank is still new and I’m still adding corals so I don’t want to have to bump the light up to keep bumping it down and back up. I think consistency is better than stressing them out

 

[A Young Reefer]

The problem is my tank is still new and I’m still adding corals so I don’t want to have to bump the light up to keep bumping it down and back up. I think consistency is better than stressing them out

there is no need to do anything, your anemone is not moving because there isn't enough light its just a routine thing, my anemone stretches out of a little crack in the rocks at the morning and then hides back in that crack. also your anemone isn't "walking" as you mentioned. if you change your lights it will only stress out your coral and anemone.

 

[britnicole1724]

there is no need to do anything, your anemone is not moving because there isn't enough light its just a routine thing, my anemone stretches out of a little crack in the rocks at the morning and then hides back in that crack. also your anemone isn't "walking" as you mentioned. if you change your lights it will only stress out your coral and anemone.

It is definitely “walking” I have physically sat down and seen it move. I’ve seen it stretch as well and there is a difference. It’s foot stays planted in the crack in the rock and it sort of moves in a circle around the rock.
basically the setup is

Rock
Anemone foot
Rock
There are two separate rocks sitting on top of each other and it moves in a circle from the front to the back. It’s not just closing up or stretching out if that makes sense

 

[A Young Reefer]

It is definitely “walking” I have physically sat down and seen it move. I’ve seen it stretch as well and there is a difference. It’s foot stays planted in the crack in the rock and it sort of moves in a circle around the rock.
basically the setup is

Rock
Anemone foot
Rock
There are two separate rocks sitting on top of each other and it moves in a circle from the front to the back. It’s not just closing up or stretching out if that makes sense

I apologize for the confusion. but as I said earlier it is still unnecessary to change the lightning, since as mentioned; it only moves to the back of the rock at night and when the lights come on it moves back to its daytime spot. I don't believe that its doing this because its not receiving enough light (there isn't light in the first place at night) and its not parameters that is causing this routine movement. Even if it started one day moving around the tank it will eventually find its spot and settle there. I would start being concerned when it doesn't seem as happy; closed up during the day, not taking food, starting to bleach and loss in color etc...
Good luck!