Trouble with Anemones

[hrdneglcry]

In my brief experience with Bubble tip anemones they seems like a great deal of challenge. Almost each one I have setup has started nicely where I put it. But they do not do well with change. If I change the flow or moce a rock or move them then they retreat and that is usually it. I am not sure whats to be done. I have two nice rbtas one in each aquarium which have found spots and are doing well. But sometimes something has to be moved or something has to be adjusted. And sometimes they just take off anyway. I just changed lights on my 90. The T5s made too much heat and algae. And I upped the return pump speed. But I put it back because once these start hiding in rocks it is not fun. I only got them for my clowns and my clowns sometimes are relentless with them. I finally got some large ones which seem easier to manage. But I am still worried they are gonna go hide. I have two little ones that are hiding. I have to beware about the flow. Even though my fish prefer more flow I keep it low for these amemones.

 

[blaxsun]

Investing in an anemone (as annoying as they can be sometimes) is basically the only insurance policy you have against your clownfish literally harassing the living crap out of more expensive corals.

 

[Clown2020]

Ive found with my btas stability is key. Lighting Flow and Alk and antything more than a small change will offend your nem. Also usually Doing nothing is better than doing somthing (Providing parameters are good). They will choose where they want to go including hiding, after splitting one of the splits hid away in an area that would only been 30 par max and after a week moved out into the light.

mine seem to like moderate flow and chose their spot accordingly


Moving rocks doesn’t seem to bother mine I can even brush my hand up against them Doing maintenance and if they do shrink and hide they will be back out in a couple of hours.

 

[LiamPM]

In my brief experience with Bubble tip anemones they seems like a great deal of challenge. Almost each one I have setup has started nicely where I put it. But they do not do well with change. If I change the flow or moce a rock or move them then they retreat and that is usually it. I am not sure whats to be done. I have two nice rbtas one in each aquarium which have found spots and are doing well. But sometimes something has to be moved or something has to be adjusted. And sometimes they just take off anyway. I just changed lights on my 90. The T5s made too much heat and algae. And I upped the return pump speed. But I put it back because once these start hiding in rocks it is not fun. I only got them for my clowns and my clowns sometimes are relentless with them. I finally got some large ones which seem easier to manage. But I am still worried they are gonna go hide. I have two little ones that are hiding. I have to beware about the flow. Even though my fish prefer more flow I keep it low for these amemones.

Not going to sound too helpful here but i guess this just solidifies the line that "Anemones need stability and mature tanks" even more.

Any change you do seems to tick them off and make them retreat. Thats because they require stability to settle and changing lighting/flow means its not a stable environment and they are showing that. They move to find that place they like - You change the environment and they are no longer in that nice spot they found - They move.

Not helpful i know, but its why many of us advise waiting until the tanks been up and running for some time because that usually means no more tinkering, moving or changing things - As well as parameter wise.

Personally - Id get some form of acclimation box and put the anemones in for a little bit until you get the tinkering with the tank done. Get the flow and lights to where you want them long term, then re introduce them.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Mine don't mind being touched. I feed them also which I hope helps with whatever else is hard for them.


My tanks are stable. But I wanted to switch one from T5 to led. The fixture was making my place very warm and growing a lot algae. I shut off my Gyres in both tanks. I may stop using them. On a fish only or with less finicky corals they are awesome. But that sheet of water hits everything in the tank and my nems in particular are sensitive to them. Two of my hiding nems came out as soon as the Gyre was off for a day. I only shut off to acclimate new nems. I just hope these two large ones don't end up as hiders. I read the larger ones are easier to care for. Sometime smaller ones are immature and will stuggle.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Also if you guys might want to chime in. I was running 4 54 w t5 about 16" off of the tank. I switched to a maxspect L165 over the anemone. So it shrinks a little now which to me says too muck might so I dial it back but then I read the nems like and need a lit of light. Should I run it high or am I correst to dial it back?

 

[Jekyl]

Also if you guys might want to chime in. I was running 4 54 w t5 about 16" off of the tank. I switched to a maxspect L165 over the anemone. So it shrinks a little now which to me says too muck might so I dial it back but then I read the nems like and need a lit of light. Should I run it high or am I correst to dial it back?

First things first here. How old is the tank? What are your current nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity? Bonus points give a short video of the nems. I also used to have a hard time with them, now they're enormous and 2 have turned into 7 or more.

 

[Jekyl]

Short video of mine. Sitting right under a kessil 360 at 95% and right next to the WaveMaker.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Tank is going on a year. Live rock was purchased live so tank was running at a decent capacity from the start. I run a fuge with chaeto. I only test for ammonia. And I do water changes. Its either flow or light. I have these Gyres and supposedly they are needed. But with corals the cause me trouble. I run a powet filter in the tank and the return pump also
provides flow. I run the gyre on low because I think ot helps but it is at odds with my power filters in my 120. Its at ods the filter flow and intake.

 

[Jekyl]

Tank is going on a year. Live rock was purchased live so tank was running at a decent capacity from the start. I run a fuge with chaeto. I only test for ammonia. And I do water changes. Its either flow or light. I have these Gyres and supposedly they are needed. But with corals the cause me trouble. I run a powet filter in the tank and the return pump also
provides flow. I run the gyre on low because I think ot helps but it is at odds with my power filters in my 120. Its at ods the filter flow and intake.

Saying that you only test for ammonia is your problem. I haven't tested for ammonia since week 1 and it's been 4 years since then. You need to be testing nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity at minimum for anemone. I recommend salifert tests. Other brands out there work also just don't get API.

Edit: the numbers from these test results far outweigh your current lighting or flow concerns. At minimum have your LFS test your water for you.

 

[Clown2020]

Testing is Important and results will confirm but I strongly suspect After a year if not dosing alk will either be steadily declining or swinging between water changes. Which will likely cause the hiding.


in my somewhat limited experience. Small changes to lighting and flow will upset the nem but Will only cause it to walk to find it’s sweet spot again, rather than hide away

 

[Jekyl]

Testing is Important and results will confirm but I strongly suspect After a year if not dosing alk will either be steadily declining or swinging between water changes. Which will likely cause the hiding.


in my somewhat limited experience. Small changes to lighting and flow will upset the nem but Will only cause it to walk to find it’s sweet spot again, rather than hide away

Agreed. I'm thinking low alk as main culprit with the other 2 causing an irritation also.

 

[laverda]

As others have said you need to test your Alkalinity i suspect thet is your issue. It is the most critical single thing in your aquarium and a big contributer to the tanks PH level. Anemonies ar very sensitive to low allkalinity. Nitrates and phosphates are not generally a problem for BTAs unless they are zero. Nitrates are a food source for BTAs and the will do great in very high nitrates. Phosphates are required for them to live. I also agree about using Salifert test kits.
There should be no reason to test for ammonia once your tank has cycled. I have not tested for ammonia in probably 25 years.
BTAs require a lot of light. Mine are in medium to high flow and doing great.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

First, I agree with the above posts that advise you to routinely do more comprehensive testing on your water. For the most part, ammonia should not be present in a year old tank unless something has died or there has been an addition of chloraminated water. Testing for ammonia is fine if it eases your mind, but is not going to give you any other info that is needed.

Is this a fish/invert only tank? For a tank with no coral, at the very least, you should be keeping an eye on nitrates and pH. Assuming no coral, you may not have realized that testing for alkalinity was needed, since most think of alk/calcium/magnesium as only important when keeping coral. As was mentioned above, alkalinity and pH test results will be related, and when one changes, it affects the other. PH changes can also alert you to other problems such as reduced oxygen, etc.

IF it's a tank with no coral, AND your pH is stable and in range, testing for alkalinity MAY not be necessary.

Regarding nitrates, coral is affected more rapidly by elevated nitrates, but super high nitrates are an indication of overall poor water quality and can affect everything negatively...

Almost each one I have setup has started nicely where I put it. But they do not do well with change. If I change the flow or move a rock or move them then they retreat ... once these start hiding in rocks it is not fun. I only got them for my clowns and my clowns sometimes are relentless with them.

If I understand you correctly, your primary concern is that the nems sometimes move out of your view/hide in the rocks? If so, please remember that we buy living creatures, put them in our box of water and hope we provide the right environment for them to be healthy. If something isn't behaving the way you want it to (I'm taking fish and inverts) but does not appear injured or ill, then just let it be.

I have several bubble tips and my clowns love them. At times, the nems retract into the rocks or move to an area not accessible to the clowns. I take this to mean they needed the change in environment and don't worry about it. The clowns are fine, and once the nem feels like it, it will move again and the clowns will find it.

You note that your clowns "are relentless"... this could be one reason the nems move! Other reasons like changes in flow and light can also make nems unhappy and cause them to move. The important part is not to make frequent UNNEEDED changes (we all need to change lighting, flow, etc from time to time and that's fine, which is what I believe you have done), and allow the nems to acclimate at their own pace and find their happy spot in the tank.

If they aren't melting or dying, just let them be.

I have these Gyres and supposedly they are needed

Needed? Says who? Use what works for YOUR tank and inhabitants.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Why would my reading be different in both aquariums? I use the same water. Same salt. The alkaline in the 90 was 5.75 and in my 120 it was 7.0. My calcium is 500 ppm both aquariums. I have added to compensate for the alkaline which I read needs to be like at 8.0-12.0 and my calcium is a little high as I read they like it at 450 ppm. I have a doser but I don't know how to use it. Mostly soft corals in these tanks. Tanks are established and corals are not struggling. Even Trumpet coral is ok. The 120 is older and has a lot of coralline growth. As stated earlier both tanks were started with live rock not dry. The nems are struggling where the alkaline was lower. And doing better in the 7.0 tank.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Why would my reading be different in both aquariums? I use the same water. Same salt. The alkaline in the 90 was 5.75 and in my 120 it was 7.0. My calcium is 500 ppm both aquariums. I have added to compensate for the alkaline which I read needs to be like at 8.0-12.0 and my calcium is a little high as I read they like it at 450 ppm. I have a doser but I don't know how to use it. Mostly soft corals in these tanks. Tanks are established and corals are not struggling. Even Trumpet coral is ok. The 120 is older and has a lot of coralline growth. As stated earlier both tanks were started with live rock not dry. The nems are struggling where the alkaline was lower. And doing better in the 7.0 tank.

I'm not sure who this post was in reply to... but if you need to raise the alk in the 90, then do so slowly.

How often do you perform water changes, and what percentage to you usually replace? Every tank is different, but in mine, I find that when I do weekly or twice monthly 15- 20% changes, my parameters are within "normal" range and remain pretty stable.
*I don't think alk NEEDS to be at 8-12, but that seems to be where most tanks do well. But many have alk at 7 and their inhabitants are thriving. Stability is more important than a specific number once the tank seems to be happy.

 

[LiamPM]

Did i read that you dont use RO/DI water? What water do you use for a water change, tap?

If you dont start with a clean, known water source its going to be very difficult to diagnose any problems in tank to begin with.

I still think too many environmental changes are your issue here as the environment is not stable but not knowing whats in your water will contribute too.

 

[laverda]

5.75 Alkalinity deffinatly explains why your anemone is not happy
7 is really the minimum level you want. The problem with keeping your tank at 7 is it can easily and quickly get too low. I suggest you aim for 8.5 alkalinity. That way if uour high or low a little you will still be in an acceptable range.
Alkalinity and calcium are used at different rates by different things in our tanks. No 2 tanks are the same! Your calcium at 500 should not be a problem and should naturaly droop over time unless your using a salt with high Ca. Also the tap water your using contains both Ca and Alk at who knows what levels which can change due to varied and changing water sources used locally.