Bubble Tip Anemone Health

[joshbpaul]

Hi everybody,

I've had a bubble tip in my 14-gallon tank for several months. It was doing great (picture 1) and then started moving around and hasn't reopened in a few weeks. It's pale, and the tentacles are retracted and nubby (picture 2). It still puffs up a little and moves, and the clown fish are still hosting, but it is clearly displeased with something, and I can't figure out what. The water parameters are all normal:

Ammonia: 0
Alkalinity: 9.5 dkH
pH: 8.0
Nitrate: 5.3 ppm
Phosphate: 0.06 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
Temperature: 78.4 F

I do weekly water changes of about 20% and the only additive I've used recently is Brightwell Microbacter Clean. Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much!
Josh

 

[landlubber]

one significant piece of info i see missing is how are you lighting this system? i don't want to assume but a lot of small systems are spec'd with lighting that is the bare minimum for easy to grow soft corals. ime anemones prefer fairly strong lighting.
also, several months is still less than a year which is usually the recommended time a person should wait before introducing one.

 

[joshbpaul]

Right...lighting.

I'm using the Kessil A160WE Blue Tuna LED.

The tank itself is 18 months old. I've had the anemone for about 4 months.

Thanks in advance!

 

[landlubber]

Right...lighting.

I'm using the Kessil A160WE Blue Tuna LED.

The tank itself is 18 months old. I've had the anemone for about 4 months.

Thanks in advance!

well that should be plenty and a tank running for over a year should be perfectly suitable. The Microbacter seems to be the only variable that is out of your normal routine. Personally, i'd probably stop using that and maybe see if i could get the anemone to take some pellets as its looking almost translucent

 

[Billdogg]

It looks very bleached out in the photo. I would guess that the A160 isn't enough.

 

[Jekyl]

Was the light new when you started using it? What light settings and schedule are you using?

 

[bigboiireef]

I would look into feeding. I have an anemone only waterbox 20 tank. I have one who looks like this that may not make up. The other 30 or so are doing fine. I wouldn't be quick to attribute it to lighting. I would be inclined to think it has to do with something else.

 

[landlubber]

I would look into feeding. I have an anemone only waterbox 20 tank. I have one who looks like this that may not make up. The other 30 or so are doing fine. I wouldn't be quick to attribute it to lighting. I would be inclined to think it has to do with something else.

that's kinda where i'm at too. a few pellets twice a week can really get things back on track for a weak nem.