The BUBBLES in the Bubble Tip Anemone: Do you care?

[ClownWrangler]

I have had 30 or 40 bubble tip anemones over the past 10 years or so and not one of them have ever had bubbles. What am I doing wrong they are huge and healthy but just know bubbles

I have found that they stretch their tentacles for three reasons:
They are stretching for food,
They are stretching for light,
They are adapting to high flow.

Try feeding them frozen brine shrimp for a couple of weeks (2 - 3 times/week). If that doesn't work, reduce flow if it is high. Then try giving them more light, but gradually.

But there may be some "morphs" that simply don't get bubbles.

 

[MiniMeUS]

One topic we've seen consistent over the years is about the "bubbles" of the bubble tip anemone and how to keep them bubbly! But how much do you really care about them being bubbly? Let's talk about it!

1. Do you care or not if your bubble tip anemones tips are bubbly?

2. Are the tips of your BTA's mostly bubbled or not?

image via @isaacalves

Mine stayed bubbly only the first week I got it. Since then, I have not been able to get any “bubbles” but it is 3 to 4 times as big now.
First picture July 2020, second one Feb 2021

 

[Radreefer]

I want one but im scared it will eat my fish

I’ve never had an issue like that with a BTA so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Of course it could happen so take that with a grain of salt. My 2 Anthias sometimes brush it when they are going too fast and the BTA doesn’t even flinch.

 

[reefruss]

No bubbles for me. It's interesting to see where they move to. It started on the bottom of the tank and has now moved about 2/3 the way up in lots of flow. No bubbles but very happy. I wouldn't worry about the fish, they know better and would probably only get caught if they are infirmed and weak.

 

[Dburr1014]

After I got my dinos in check they have started to get bubbles again. I also added 2 wav pumps (more flow) about the same time.

 

[Scott B.]

I have 5 RBTA in my tank. Definately wouldn't mind getting ride of 3-4 of them lol I like them, but when they are happy they are full and large, approx 4 inches. and they get very close to other corals and sting them Plus none of my clowns have hosted them, so no need for 5 of them in my mixed reef tank.

 

[walloutlet]

I had great bubbles on my RBTA when I first got it, then it started moving around. Finally the turd parked itself right in front of my powerhead and flops around like one of those things I'm front of a gas station!!! Its split 3 times since I got it almost a year ago and all 3 hang out in front of the heavy flow. Sucks because it was a beautiful nem when I did its job in the beginning.

Haha! Mine did the exact same thing. Put it in a spot, he stay there for months and then decided to move in front of one of my MP40’s and insists on being there, flopping around with the strong current. For the life I me I just don’t understand why.

 

[patask08]

Mine have never bubbled but I do have high flow. They are plenty happy because they are always open and split about once every 6 weeks. Started with 1 4" specimen now this is about 5-6 total but I have taken out at least 12 and sold them. The clowns feed them, I do not target feed them at all.

Awesome

 

[Pred24]

I'd love to say, but I've had mine for 6 days hes gone in a cave and I've not seen him other than shining a light in there :mad:

 

[BubbleFullOfStars]

One topic we've seen consistent over the years is about the "bubbles" of the bubble tip anemone and how to keep them bubbly! But how much do you really care about them being bubbly? Let's talk about it!

1. Do you care or not if your bubble tip anemones tips are bubbly?

2. Are the tips of your BTA's mostly bubbled or not?

image via @isaacalves

I care! Wow... Yours are just awesome!

I have all with bubble LOL

These are mine. They are in a 10 gallon.

I have a new 20 built w/scape and all equipment, etc.... completely outfitted so I have an accurate starting total water volume. It's had water for 3 weeks, going slow, doing fishless cycle, etc. (let me know if you want to see it).

Please let me know what you think of my Nems. I have both my return pump, and wavemaker at their lowest settings. The lowest flow that I can do seems to be part of it, keeping them bubbly. I want them bubbly, I try for the best water conditions.

It's split a few times in the last 6 months.

 

[Why-Me]

I voted Not much at all.
Mine has bubbled up once or twice in the 18 months it's been in the system.
No I don't care.

Here's a closeup shot.

 

[Quietman]

I messed up and inadvertently left the flow cranked up from my MP10 overnight (was doing some sand bed cleaning).

The anemone had never moved from original location over the last six months, was growing very nicely but only occasionally had bubbles on maybe 1/4 of the tips. I was very happy as I didn't really want it to split (smaller tank).

As you can guess, the flow over night from the MP10 caused the nem to split. Interestingly, the "new" portion had every tip bubbly for a month and still has 50% bubbly most of the time. The "older" bubbled up a tad more (but that's probably because I moved that MP10 a bit and dialed it back to original speed).

 

[James210ReefLife]

They're pretty much like this all the time... (There's 2 there)

 

[SeaDeezCorals]

 

[Silent]

No bubbles

 

[MichaelReefer]

Mine are finicky. I noticed my Long Tentacles dont really get bubbles anymore, but my small rainbows do.

 

[tamanning]

My vote was always. I should have said when I can see it . It disappears in my tank for weeks at a time , but when it comes out it has bubbles.

 

[MABELED]

I currently have 3 Rainbow and 1 Green. From a Rainbow I had, it has been divided into 2 others and they all always have bubbles at the tips as long as the light is on. The green one has already been with me for 2 years and the Rainbow one.

 

[atlantean]

I wrote up a long post about my theory behind the bubbles, focusing on the interactions between flow, light, and frequency of prey capture. I still think it comes down to whether it is attempting to prioritize prey capture over photosynthesis. Water chemistry plays a role but it’s harder to describe 4-way interactions. However, since raising my nitrates and phosphates from near zero levels to 5 ppm and .04 through dosing, it has been remaining bubbled through more of the day.

 

[FangsAndGames]

ECC Nexus Burst

Cool bicolor