I Believe I've Solved The Bubble Tip Mystery

[Vibrant Orange Zoanthids]

Now whilst I was researching my anemone before I bought it, nearly every video on BTAs said it was unknown why they gained or lost their bubbles. About a month ago I bought a RBTA which was heavily discounted. I'd say approximately 5' in size and the tentacles were so small you could easily see the mouth or base at any given time. When I added it my Tomato clown immediately paired and they both did fine. Since I also added a lot of inverts in my tank I felt like they weren't going to get enough to eat. I began adding algae pellets to quench their hunger but on day 4 the Tomato clown grabbed one of the pellets (pretty large) and brought it to the anemone. To my dismay it also grabbed the next 2. Next morning when the light came on the anemone had big beautiful bubbles on its tentacles which definitely hadn't been there before. Suspecting it was a result of the algae I began to feed it pellets periodically and ever since the bubbles have grown larger. Maybe this is common knowledge since the videos were from 2016, but I thought it was a pretty cool discovery none the less.

 

[James M]

So your saying more zooxanthellae = more bubble tips ?

 

[cracker]

Thant is is very cool indeed. Did You actually see the clown feed the pellet to the nem? Even if it's been known,still a thrill to see it happen in your own tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

I may toss a few algae pellets at my nem and see what happens!

 

[Vibrant Orange Zoanthids]

Thant is is very coll indeed. Did You actually see the clown feed the pellet to the nem? Even if it's been known,still a thrill to see it happen in your own tank.

Yes. It would be floating to the bottom and the clownfish would dart out, grab it, and swim back in.

 

[Vibrant Orange Zoanthids]

So your saying more zooxanthellae = more bubble tips ?

I doubt the pellets contained zooxanthellae. It looked to me like a more basic green compressed algae. I believe the only factor effecting zooxanthellae is the amount of light, but I'm not certain.

 

[Vibrant Orange Zoanthids]

I may toss a few algae pellets at my nem and see what happens!

Do tell me the results

 

[mta_morrow]

Do tell me the results

I will post the results right here!

 

[Softhammer]

I think you simply had a starving anemone. I can feed mine huge chunks of shrimp or whatever. They have incredible appetites.

 

[Scurvy]

Interesting... I’ll give it a shot. I’ve had my own light bulb moments where I believed I had figured out this great mystery as well only to be proven wrong a week later by a fickle anemone. Hope it works!

 

[dylana407]

Interesting. I would like to see more people try it.

 

[P-Dub]

I'd like to see you post a video of that. That would be very cool to witness.

 

[Jason mack]

Following along ... !
Edited ....I will also try ..mines never bubbled up once yet ...just fed mine a couple of algea pellets...I'd be surprised if it worked to be honest ...but who knows...at least with a few people trying it we will get some good data from....

 

[madweazl]

If only it were that easy.

 

[Victoria M]

That fact that you saw your fish feeding the anemone is awesome! What an incredible experience. I saw my percula clowns sucking the tips into their mouths when I first introduced them. Mine bubbled up after it got ripped in half.

 

[James M]

I doubt the pellets contained zooxanthellae. It looked to me like a more basic green compressed algae. I believe the only factor effecting zooxanthellae is the amount of light, but I'm not certain.

What I meant is feeding it algea rather than meaty foods might give them bubble tips

 

[robjrussell]

I’m gonna order some pellets and report back!

 

[mta_morrow]

Following along ... !
Edited ....I will also try ..mines never bubbled up once yet ...just fed mine a couple of algea pellets...I'd be surprised if it worked to be honest ...but who knows...at least with a few people trying it we will get some good data from....

Exactly!

 

[Jason mack]

I will post the results right here!

That is truly a beautiful nem ....I'm very jealous.....stunning !!!!

 

[mta_morrow]

That is truly a beautiful nem ....I'm very jealous.....stunning !!!!

Thanks!

It was a gift from a friend.

Got it the size of a quarter this April.

With some bubbles, but haven’t seen them in a while.