My anemone closes up at night

[oceanlover89]

does anybody know why my anemone decides to close up at night? It almost turns into a little ball and then at during the day it opens back up. If anybody knows please contact me thank you!

 

[wuuzzzuuppp]

That's pretty normal. They extend out to absorb the light and then at night the shrink back up. Is there anything else going on to make you worry?

 

[Trex]

That picture doesn't look like a normal anemone getting smaller at night. Really, they should only get slightly smaller at night, nothing too drastic.

It almost looks like it is upside-down, or that its "mouth" is wide open and the insides are showing, not a good thing at all.

Can you get a picture with the daylight lights on?

Is that anemone in a container?

 

[oceanlover89]

I will take another picture tomorrow. I have seen all tenticals disappear and it looks like only the foot is showing

 

[oceanlover89]

. Ok this is him in the daytime. What is going on with my nem??

 

[SudzFD]

My BTA shrinks every night. Sometimes about 50 or 60% and sometimes completely like you describe. I have had it 9 months and it has split and grows like a weed. It is very healthy. So it seems that this is normal for most anemones. Like another poster put, when the light is gone they don't need to stretch out to absorb it so they shrink for protection.

 

[DragKnee]

My BTA is very healthy and shrinks every night as well. It's normal. My clowns don't get too happy though when their home shrinks up.

 

[oceanlover89]

Okay thanks for the info everybody I'll make sure that I continue to monitor my BTA. by the sounds of it it's a normal thing and I shouldn't be too afraid.

 

[bjledbetter]

Why is it in the container? Is it attached? I agree with Trex it looks upside down in the first pic.

 

[oceanlover89]

I put it in the container to monitor it because I wasn't sure if the clown fish were stressing it out

 

[SudzFD]

That may have stressed it out more. Vthey can move around and I'd just suggest letting it find it's own happy place. As long as the clown is smaller than the nem it should be fine.

 

[oceanlover89]

He seems to be doing fine now although he still closes up

 

[Lerequin]

Thanks for asking the question, my nem is magnificent during daytime and shrinks at night. As it does it opens its mouth and sometimes "poops" as it deflates.
Daytime:

Deflation time:

Ready for night:

I thought there was a problem such as coral warfare but the duncans and the elegance corals close too.
Maybe it does not get enough light, or maybe because it is splitting?

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Normal! My rainbow closes up every night except for 2-3 tentacles it keeps poked out