Anemone not eating not sticky!?

[Nem1clownfish2]

hello everybody! I am new to the saltwater hobby and I have a 5 gallon tank that has a pair of snowflake clownfish they are thriving. The tank has been set up for almost 4 months now and I have been waiting to get a BTA for my clownfish because that was the reason I got in this hobby. Well 2 days ago I went to my local and favorite fish store LAX aquarium and picked up a green BTA and introduced it to my tank I acclimated it for a hour then I put it in it almost immediately attached its foot to the rock and opened up it was doing very well for the first 2 days so I decided to feed it some pellets it didn't even react to them! I don't understand! Well I went to do some research and found out that if an anemone us not sticky then it is not healthy and won't eat! And the BTA is not sticky! I am so worried what am I going to do!! I am so worried for the BTA! Please help!

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Oh, and I forgot to mention but when I got the BTA at the local fish store it seemed very healthy its mouth was closed it had vibrant coloration and its foot was securely attached to the rock it looked very healthy and it was hosting a pair of Clark's clownfish. But for some season when it got to my tank one part of the BTA is almost always shriveled up! And I am getting pretty worried!

 

[GoReefin]

They usually won't eat right away. Give him a couple weeks to acclimate to your tank

BTAs are very hardy anemones hopefully will be just fine.

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Thanks goreefin

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I would also try something meaty. Piece of scallop or squid. Not pellets

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

But what about it being not sticky that not normal!

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Ok dyerrm I will try mysis shrimp

 

[GoReefin]

But what about it being not sticky that not normal!

It is due to stress from the move. It takes a couple weeks to get sticky again. A lot of LFS stores run lower salinity.

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Ok goreefin

 

[WirelessMike]

Welcome to the reef. Agreed with meaty, but also letting it acclimate. As long as your lights are adequate it should be fine for a bit getting settled. They are finicky creatures.

 

[Hincapiej4]

4 months...

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

And what about a part of it almost always having shriveled tentacles?

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Well not always but close enough

 

[Birdbrains?]

Newly moved nems may collapse several times in order to fully unfold again (so that all of its tissue aligns optimally, with the new flow). Perhaps it is too busy with arranging its tissue to be interested in catching anything.

 

[Birdbrains?]

It the ocean, a wrong move might cause the newly moved anemone to be washed away with a strong current. A newly moved nem can behave very patiently, while "feeling" on the flow of the current. Think of the way you would lean up against a strong wind to keep your balance. If you have not found your balance, catching a big goose in your one hand might sound tempting but it could make you lose your balance.

The nem will be making sure that it is leaning in "all the right directions" against the water. So until it has collapsed and unfolded its tissue enough times to feel certain that no sudden strong flow from "a surprise angle" can destabilise it, it cannot risk catching foodstuffs.

 

[mike550]

BTAs are very quirky — especially at the beginning. A few things I’ve learned along the way. The nem will pick the spot in your tank that it’s most comfortable (light and flow are big drivers) so don’t try to force it to stay in a specific spot. The nem will vary between looking full and shriveled. That’s okay. I feed mine frozen food. Im not sure pellets will work.

Relax and give the nem time to adjust.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Could the anemone have been damaged during the removal from the rock ? Usually it is very hard to remove from rock and foot gets damaged and that’s why it looked good at lfs and then not good in your tank. Anyways just a possibility

 

[Birdbrains?]

Im not sure pellets will work.

I sometimes get (really big batches of) fresh caught coldwater shrimp but the macrodactyla I keep definitely identifies pellets as food.

I am very happy that it appreciate pellets because otherwise I would end up eating huge batches of fresh shrimp constantly.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I sometimes get (really big batches of) fresh caught coldwater shrimp but the macrodactyla I keep definitely identifies pellets as food.

I am very happy that it appreciate pellets because otherwise I would end up eating huge batches of fresh shrimp constantly.

Shrimp and nems are two different things

 

[John08007]

You mentioned attaching the foot, what did you do?