Rose bubble Tip Anemone. Not a happy camper!

FrootStick · Oct 3, 2016

Hi guys
So I've had my RBTA for 6 months now.
It's never seemed to be happy, and looks the same as it did 6 months ago.
It's never grown. It keeps moving under and inbetween rocks in dark shady places.
Is there anything I can do to make the things happy? Such a nice anemone if it wants to come out. When I first bought it, it was good. But after a few days it's always looked like this.

I have a Red Sea reefer 350 with 2 x mp40's only running at about 40% max and 2 radions xr30 w pro gen 3's
Cheers

Morphine · Oct 3, 2016

Did you try to feed it?

cromag27 · Oct 3, 2016

That has a super nice red column. looks like it's starving. you can tell by the tentacles. I would try to feed it any meaty food except silversides.

Christopher Davis · Oct 3, 2016

Are you feeding to much? I had the same problem, I never target feed her and let her catch her own food out of the water column and she has tripled in size. I am running her under T5HO's with LED supplements.

Morphine · Oct 3, 2016

I'd personally go with some chopped clams or shrimp. It'll cost you like 5$ at the supermarket

Christopher Davis · Oct 3, 2016

Stable Parameters are key! make sure your salinity isn't swinging to much with top off water! if parameters are good.

FrootStick · Oct 3, 2016

I've tried feeding it. Shrimp and sometimes mysis.
Always takes a reallly long time to eat also. If it does at all.
Parameters are very stable.
That's why I'm stumped!

Christopher Davis · Oct 4, 2016

what size shrimp are you feeding from experience they need to be very small. If the anemone is on the move constantly it also might not accept food. However one possibility is its to much light for it and its trying to get away from the intensity, try dimming the lights a bit and run a more blue spectrum if possible. These are finicky creatures either happy or suicidal.

FrootStick · Oct 4, 2016

cromag08 said:
That has a super nice red column. looks like it's starving. you can tell by the tentacles. I would try to feed it any meaty food except silversides.

Hey mate. So the red column is good? Starving? How can you tell?

cromag27 · Oct 4, 2016

Red column just looks cool. the tentacles look stubby. that's usually an indication that it's "starving".

FrootStick said:
Hey mate. So the red column is good? Starving? How can you tell?

FrootStick · Oct 4, 2016

Christopher Davis said:
what size shrimp are you feeding from experience they need to be very small. If the anemone is on the move constantly it also might not accept food. However one possibility is its to much light for it and its trying to get away from the intensity, try dimming the lights a bit and run a more blue spectrum if possible. These are finicky creatures either happy or suicidal.

I just get fresh shrimp from the shop and chop a little bit off the end. About the size of you small finger nail, maybe smaller.

FrootStick · Oct 4, 2016

cromag08 said:
Red column just looks cool. the tentacles look stubby. that's usually an indication that it's "starving".

Yeah mate really stumpy. That's the best it has looked to be honest. I've had it 6 months I think.
How often should I attempt to feed it?

cromag27 · Oct 4, 2016

Once a day.

FrootStick said:
Yeah mate really stumpy. That's the best it has looked to be honest. I've had it 6 months I think.
How often should I attempt to feed it?

dragon99 · Oct 4, 2016

What else do you have in the tank? Other corals?
Is anything else showing signs of stress?

ClownnGoby · Oct 4, 2016

Do u have any other type of nem in the same tank ?
If you do possible they are at war with each other causing the bubble tip to move around

FrootStick · Oct 4, 2016

dragon99 said:
What else do you have in the tank? Other corals?
Is anything else showing signs of stress?

Only got some LPS. Acans, hammers and so on. Everything else is great!

ClownnGoby said:
Do u have any other type of nem in the same tank ?
If you do possible they are at war with each other causing the bubble tip to move around

No other nems in the tank

madweazl · Oct 4, 2016

At that size, mysis is a good size to offer (bigger is likely to be rejected). Every day is excessive in my opinion; I'd start with three times a week at most. If it spits it out, wait a couple days and try again.

Edit: I see no signs of quarrels with other inhabitants.

cromag27 · Oct 4, 2016

Not excessive at all, to try everyday. odds are it won't eat everyday for the time being.

madweazl said:
At that size, mysis is a good size to offer (bigger is likely to be rejected). Every day is excessive in my opinion; I'd start with three times a week at most. If it spits it out, wait a couple days and try again.

Edit: I see no signs of quarrels with other inhabitants.

FrootStick · Oct 4, 2016

Well it's gone right underneath the rocks now. Pretty difficult to get to it.
I have my radion pros only running on 30%

jeffrey holloway · Oct 4, 2016

I have one that hides also, moved the rock its one every so often to check on it. Last time I checked it split into three pieces. So now I have 2 small ones the size of a quarter and a big one, go figure.