Anemone scared of food

[nkdnko]

Hey everyone, I’ve got an odd one. My BTA is completely healthy (from what I can tell). Strong foot, nice bubbled tentacles and well puffed up.

there’s one main issue that when I try to feed it, it pulls its tentacles away from the food instead of grabbing on to it. It seems to grab on to mysis when I feed the tank but if I try to feed it anything bigger like a small piece of scallop or prawn, it gets scared of it!

Sommmmetimes it might grab it but will then just let it go a minute later.

Any ideas?

 

[laverda]

It's not hungry most likely. They do not eat very much at all. Is the food frozen? They should never be fed frozen food, until complety thawed.

 

[homer1475]

Never needed to feed a nem. Feed that tank(not just the fish, but the entire tank), and never spot feed anything.

Even better if you have clowns hosting in the nem, they will feed it for you.

As to the original question, if it's not latching on to the food your trying to feed, it either doesn't recognize it as food, or it's simply not hungry. They don't need to be fed every day, but more like once a week if you want to physically feed it.

 

[nkdnko]

It's not hungry most likely. They do not eat very much at all. Is the food frozen? They should never be fed frozen food, until complety thawed.

Food is definitely thawed out and cut quite small to fit their mouths. I guess it’s just not hungry?

 

[nkdnko]

Never needed to feed a nem. Feed that tank(not just the fish, but the entire tank), and never spot feed anything.

Even better if you have clowns hosting in the nem, they will feed it for you.

As to the original question, if it's not latching on to the food your trying to feed, it either doesn't recognize it as food, or it's simply not hungry. They don't need to be fed every day, but more like once a week if you want to physically feed it.

I do have clowns hosting it so maybe that enough. I think you’re right that it doesn’t recognise it as food as it retracts its tentacles the same way it does if I were to touch it with my finger.

 

[homer1475]

You might want to start with something stinky(like the water from the scallops) to get it recognize the substance as food. Just squirt the juice right at the nem. But it very well could be it's simply not hungry as the clowns if they are truly hosting in the nem, are feeding it like they normally do.

 

[laverda]

I have approximately 36 BTAs in my 300 gallon from 3-14" and never feed them directly.