Why are my anemone's hiding?

[calf85]

So I have an LTA and a very small BTA in a 50 gallon tank (details). Over the past few days they've both started wandering more than normal, such that today the LTA has his head buried in a cave (see pic below), and the BTA is nowhere to be found. I've scoured the tank and can't find him. Any reason why they're hiding? Is this normal? My BTA has been spending a lot of time shrunken in almost like he's avoiding the light, but I thought they like bright lighting? I have 2x 175W 12K metal halides. Thanks for any input.

 

[mayday610]

How long have you had the anemones? Since your tank is still fairly new and not really established i'd say that its just not ready for them yet. They are going to wander until they find a place that makes them happy. Your water parameters are more important is their actions than your lighting. If it was "too intense" they would find a place anchored under a rock shelf or something that they like. My experiences anyway. What are your water parameters?

 

[bairdimusprime]

Lta's need a deep soft sand bed as well that looks way to coarse good luck

 

[calf85]

They've been in the tank a couple of weeks. All my water parameters are good, except my nitrates have ticked up this week (still wirking on appropriate food levels for my fish , the *******s are always greedy for more and ive been overfeeding). I'm doing partial water changes to lower it.

Thanks, I'll move the rubble so he has better access to the sand bed.

 

[Juice04]

Are you sure that is anenome? It seriously looks like something else. :smile:

 

[calf85]

I'm pretty sure, but I've been known to make mistakes in the past .

 

[mayday610]

Lta's need a deep soft sand bed as well that looks way to coarse good luck

A deep sand bed would be 4+ inches of sand. They bury their foot down into the sand and when they feel its needed, they can retract down into the hole.

 

[NJHC]

Bro they hate bright light like "gizmo" u need a shaded area and let the get situated or they will kill themselves. Also if or pH or salinity levels are inconsistent they will freak and try to get away. Get or tank water perfect or they will be goners

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Reef2Reef Aquarium Forum mobile app

 

[NJHC]

PS: u need sand those hard shells are gonna cut there foot and kill them. Bring them back to the store and get your tank in order

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Reef2Reef Aquarium Forum mobile app

 

[calf85]

Ok, I'll see if I can beef up the sand bed in his part of the tank tomorrow. I guess if he wants to be in the shade thought it sounds like I should just let him?

 

[mayday610]

Just try to set up a place it might like. After you have some sand for it to anchor in, try playing some rockwork in such a way that its shaded yet you can still see it. If it likes its area, it can extend out to grab the amount of light it wants. Just be patient and play a little bit to see if you can make it happy. Keep us posted! I'm interested to see how things work out! Also about your BTA, In my opinion they are a tough anemone to keep without much experience. They seem to wander more than most. Just give it time. Chances are it will find a place it likes that you don't! I'm sure its upside down under a rock somewhere at the moment weighing its options, lol. Keep an eye out though,, if it dies you want to get it out of there ASAP! They will turn to muck and can nuke your system!

 

[Trex]

M. doreensis, do not hate bright light --- first time I have ever heard that one --- and I wouldn't consider 2*175 over a 50 overkill of light. They for sure will not kill themselves, that just isn't possible.
However, it is important to acclimate any anemone to different (( increased )) lights -- do you know what lights it was under?
What are your actual water parameters? (( "Good" tells me nothing )), include your salinity/SG and how you measure it.
Your sandbed isn't the best, but I don't believe that is the main issue; IMO, the fact that your tank is only a month old is the main issue. I highly doubt that the cycle is truly finished.

If it was up to me, I would have you take the anemone back, and let your tank (( and yourself, in this hobby )) mature before attempting another anemone. Been keeping them for over 15 years, and I see only one outcome if you keep the anemone.

 

[calf85]

Thanks for the input Trex, I appreciate your upfront honesty. Unfortunately the BTA is from LiveAquaria, so no returns there (even if I could find him, which I can't at the moment; he's only 1 1/2" across, super tiny). Not sure about the LFS I got the LTA from, but I'd rather not give up so easily. I shall consider myself warned however, and you are welcome to say I told you so if it doesn't work out . What is it about a 1 year old tank that's different from a 2 month old tank (mine is 2 months, not 1, though I doubt that matters a whole lot in your assessment)? Since the LTA is not a coraline algae grazer I figured the only difference must be in tank parameter stability, which can be fixed with careful monitoring and frequent water changes, no?

Anyway, to answer your questions, I am not sure what light the LTA was under when I bought him (2 weeks ago), it was fairly bright, but he was hiding in a flower pot when I bought him so maybe this particular specimen just likes caves?

Water parameters, as measured with a CoraLife Hydrometer and API ReefMaster Test Kit:
T: 75 deg F
Sg: 1.0235
Calcium: 420 ppm
dkH: 11
pH: 8.2
Nitrates: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 0

I know nitrates are supposed to be as low as possible for anemones and I'm going to do a few partial water changes tomorrow to lower it. I am willing to invest in some absorbing filters or a macroalgae refugium if needed to keep them low. For now I think my earlier overfeeding may be to blame and I want to see how my levels do after scaling way back on the fish food .

This morning I removed all the rubble and shells in the vicinity of the LTA, so we'll see if he likes it more now. FYI the sand goes below the level of visibility in the tank and I estimate it to be about 2" deep. I can pick up some more sand from the LFS today if you think it still needs to be deeper.

 

[NJHC]

Ya listen to trex put him up top and let that nice halide 2x 175 shine on it all day "it'll be fine" sure they love being blasted with bright light... when your done cooking him get a pair of chop sticks and and rice.... bam!! Sushi

 

[calf85]

Not looking to start an argument here, but everything I've read agrees with Trex, they need moderate to high lighting. My plan is to plant him in the sand in front of the cave, and if he really doesn't like that much light he is welcome to crawl in the shade.

 

[Trex]

Ya listen to trex put him up top and let that nice halide 2x 175 shine on it all day "it'll be fine" sure they love being blasted with bright light... when your done cooking him get a pair of chop sticks and and rice.... bam!! Sushi

Easy there killer. First off, M. doreensis are sandbed dwelling (( but you knew that, correct? )), so putting it up top would not exactly work.

Did you read the part were I stated that one needs to acclimate to the current lights? Or did you just skip over that in your attempt to make some point?



Calf85 ---- raise your SG up to 1.026.
They don't like caves/shade. For the time being I would put a couple of layers of window screening b/t the lights and your tank (( can be supported by egg crate )) and remove a layer every 5-7 days. As for the rest, will try to comment later on, running out the door.

 

[mike007]

Anemones will move around to find a comfortable spot to their liking. My rose bubble has moved to the back of tank and he is floursing.you cannot control where they will go. You just have to leave them along and keep your water parameters and lighting in check.

 

[calf85]

Mixed in some more sand to make his area of the tank more appealing and the bed is a lot deeper now. Coupled this with a few partial water changes and my salinity is now 1.025. He hasn't moved from the area but he also hasn't buried in the sand yet. We'll see what he does now I guess.

 

[Trex]

The sandbed looks better. You can dig a hole in the sand and place it in there.
What do you have for flow? They aren't huge fans of lots of direct flow.

 

[calf85]

I have 2x 550's, one on each side of the tank. You can see the one above in the top part of the photo. It's not pointed directly at him, but he gets a little bit of flow. I tried to put him in the sand a little bit, but I was trying to be gentle and couldn't really get him buried in it.