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FAQs on Bulb, Bubble Tip/Rose Anemone Health 4

Related Articles: Bubble Tip, Rose Anemones, Entacmaea quadricolor, Use in Marine Systems by Bob Fenner, Bubble Tip Anemones by Jim Black,  Recent Experiences with BTA's by Marc Quattromani, Anemones, Cnidarians, Colored/Dyed Anemones

Related FAQs: BTA Disease 1, BTA Disease 2, BTA Disease 3, BTA Health 5, BTA Health 6 BTA Health 7, BTA Health 8, BTA Health 9, BTA Health 10,  BTA Health 11, BTA Health 12, BTA Health 13,
FAQs on BTA Disease by Category: Diagnosing, Environmental (Pollution/Poisoning, Lighting...), Nutritional, Social (e.g. Allelopathy), Trauma, Pathogenic (Infectious, Parasitic, Viral) Predatory/Pest, Treatments 
& E. quad. FAQ 1, E. quad FAQ 2, E. quad. FAQ 3, E. quad FAQ 4E. quad FAQ 5, BTA ID, BTA Compatibility, BTA Selection, BTA Behavior, BTA Systems, BTA Feeding, BTA Reproduction/Propagation,

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Anemone Success
Doing what it takes to keep Anemones healthy long-term

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Rose Anemone Color variation, Possible Shipping Stress -- 4/13/07 Hi Team <Hello Christyna, Brenda here> I thought I was buying a rose anemone but when I received it from Aquacon- (it was tank raised) it looked very irritated.   <Rose Bubble Tip Anemone?  I'm going to have to assume here that when you say 'received' you mean it was shipped.  This is not uncommon for any anemone to be stressed from shipment.> It has a burgundy colored stump (foot) but the tentacles are looking really green?  (It is still scrunched up)   Is this truly a rose anemone? I paid 140.00 for a small guy and want to make sure it is a true rose. <Rose Bubble Tip anemones come in many different color variations.  Some of those variations include some green.  On the other hand $140.00 for a 'small guy' seems expensive to me, however if shipping was included in that cost, that may be the correct ball park.> Also, understand that this was out of light for a full day- but last night it looked not so good- its mouth was open huge and lips were very loose on it- also, the tentacles are not extended- is there something I can do to help it out?   <Pictures would help me out a lot here.  A mouth wide open is never good, but 'if' the anemone was shipped, and placed in a healthy environment, I wouldn't worry yet.  Give it some time.  Your anemone may need a week or so to over come the shipping and its new environment.  Do check your water parameters.  Anemones need pristine water conditions.> Also, aqua con has said to NOT feed the anemone- that it only needs light and by feeding it will kill my tanks water- any thoughts to that?   <Ouch!!!!  Yes, some not so pleasant thoughts.  Your anemone needs to be fed meaty foods.  Silversides, krill, lance fish, are all good choices.  I'm not familiar with the company you are dealing with, but I can tell you they are giving you some very bad advice.  I can't tell you how many people have been told the exact same thing.  I usually hear about it when the anemone is starving.> BTW- your website is great, is there a membership? <Thank you!  No, there is no membership.  This is a free service provided by Bob Fenner and several volunteers that are dedicated to helping people like you and the livestock you keep.> Thanks so much! Christyna <You're welcome.  Christyna if you need more help with your anemone, please provide me with your lighting information, age of set up, water parameters, other equipment, tank mates and pictures if you can.  Good luck with your new anemone!  Brenda>

Shrinking BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor -- 4/10/07 <Hi Brad, Brenda here> Hello, I am fairly new to aquariums. I have a 55 gallon salt water tank with a satellite lighting system with dual actinic and dual daylight compact fluorescent bulbs. I have a Bak pak protein skimmer, a cascade 300 filter, a power head, 40 lbs live rock and 30 lbs live sand. I have had it for eight months. I just started playing with coral about 2 months ago. I have 1 tang, 1 maroon clown, I have one small mushroom coral, 2 large feather dusters, 1 sponge coral, 1 polyp, I just purchased a BTA (4 to 6 inch) 5 days ago it has been doing fine. It was doing great this morning when I went to work.  I came home at 6 it had shriveled up drastically its bubble tips are about the size of long grain rice. <A picture would help.  If the tentacles are short and stubby, it is likely hungry.  It needs to eat meaty foods like krill, silversides, lance fish or mysis shrimp.> Tested water, all levels are at zero the temperature was low at 72. <The temperature is much too low for an anemone.  Gradually bring it up to around 79 -- 80 degrees.  What is the salinity, pH and alkalinity?> I do not know if this is the problem or not please help. Has it died or what has gone wrong. <It could be the problem, or it could be a combination of things.  It could be expelling waste, what have you been feeding it?  It may still be acclimating to its new environment.  Anemones will shrivel up from time to time to expel waste.  I doubt that it is dead.  If it starts to look like it is melting or decaying get it out fast and do a large water change.  A dead anemone can really spike the ammonia.>    Thanks, Brad <You're welcome!  Brenda>

Reef tank with BTA and Sea Star without Live Rock -- 4/7/07 Hi, <Hello, Brenda here>   I tried to find my answer on your FAQs and such, but could not find what I was looking for.  I started a 55 Gallon reef tank with live sand (no live rock). <No live rock?  This doesn't sound like a reef tank.> My water tests have all come out as 0's. I have two tank-raised ocellaris clowns, two small damsel fish, a small orange Linckia, and have added two small bubble tip anemones. This is my first effort with anemones so I don't know what exactly they do when first introduced to the tank. Neither is attaching to anything. They are both sitting on the bottom of the tank. <Please research before you buy an animal.> One seems to be repeatedly puffing up, and then gets smaller. The other has gotten very small and looks to be spewing some slime out of its mouth. Is this what they are supposed to do or are they dying? <Could be expelling waste, but my guess is it is dying.  You have not provided an adequate environment for them.> If they are OK, will they attach to something in the tank on their own or do they need a little guidance? <Your tank needs live rock, for many reasons.  I'm not sure what you are expecting it to attach to.> I have a question about my little sea star as well. It seems to ball up on itself quite a bit. It almost looks like it is inside out. Is this supposed to happen? <Again, it sounds like you have not provided it with an adequate environment.>   I'm new to all this. Please help. <This sounds like a new tank also.  These animals need an established environment, which includes live rock.  It sounds like you are rushing into things.  Please search WWM for the benefits of live rock, and the care requirements for your anemone and sea star.  I suggest you return your anemones and sea star to the LFS until you can provide an established environment for these animals.> Thanks, Mistie <You're welcome!  Brenda>

BTA, Possible Splitting, Entacmaea quadricolor -- 3/15/07 Hi, <Hello, Brenda here>   I have checked out your site for more information on my current problem. My Green BTA has developed a small tear in its column and this morning when I checked on it its guts were starting to hang out. <Is it splitting?  Or was it injured somehow?> I know this probably means it is not going to survive too long but I was wondering what I could do to try and help it recover. <Keep pristine water conditions.> It appears to have torn itself coming out from behind a rock but was fine and all puffed up an hour or so before I checked it according to my husband so I was hoping it wasn't too late. <A picture would be helpful, but it sounds to me like it is splitting, and you will end up with two very soon.> I have a 500 gallon reef tank and the BTA has been in there over a week now feeding and looking fairly happy other than hiding occasionally. Thanks for your help. Francesca Wise
<You're welcome.  Brenda>
Re:  BTA, Possible Splitting, Entacmaea quadricolor - 3/15/07 Hi Thanks for your reply, Things seem to have gotten a lot worse since this morning and I think it's probably now too late. I have attached a picture. Is there anything we can try? <The only thing you can do for it now is keep your water parameters stable.  Is it possible that the anemone was injured by a power head?  They have been known to recover from this.  I do agree it doesn't look good.  Keep a close eye one it.  If there are any signs of life, the anemone has a chance.  Here is a website with pictures of others that have been injured.  http://www.karensroseanemones.net/coverpowerheads.htm > Thanks, Francesca
<You're welcome.  Brenda>

Goner

Bubble Tip Anemone and Prime -- 3/11/07 Bob, <Hi Cindy, Brenda here> I have a question about a Bubble tip.  My husband got this guy on Thursday.  He put Prime in the tank today. <Why?  Prime is used to remove chlorine and ammonia.  It is also used during cycling to reduce ammonia, nitrate and nitrite toxicity.  You should be using RO or RO/DI water.  An anemone should not be added to a tank until it is well established.  It is recommended to wait six months to one year before adding an anemone.> Now the Anemone is sucked back until it is very small and looks a little jelly like. <It is not unusual for an anemone to deflate from time to time.  It needs to expel waste.  If it looks like it is melting or decaying, it is dead.  Need to remove it, do a large water change and monitor your water parameters closely.> What could be wrong with this guy and is there anything we can do to help him? <Without more information on your tank such as equipment, age, water parameters, and as to why Prime was added, I can't offer much help.> He did try to feed him today but he wouldn't eat. <That is not unusual for a newly introduced anemone.> Cindy <Sorry, need more information.  Brenda>

Bubble Tip Anenome... Dippppp!  3/1/07 Hi Crew, <Patrick... email attachments of no more than a few hundred Kbytes... what does this mean to you?> Your site has helped a ton with me setting up my first reef tank. Thank you. <For?> About my system: 75gal Oceanic with Oceanic stand, 20gal sump with AquaMedic Protein Skimmer. 80lbs of live sand, 70 lbs of Totoka live rock. Tank lighting comes from a 48 inch Coralife Aqualight with 2 150 watt metal halides, and 2 96 watt fluorescents. The tank has fully cycled from what I can tell, all water parameters look fine. (Tested last night.) Fish: 1 Purple Tang, 1 Tomini Tang, 5 Chromises, 2 Signal Gobies, 2 Purple Firefish, 1 Gold Striped Maroon Clownfish. Inverts: 2 Cleaner Shrimp, 1 (new) bubble tip anemone. SO... here is my question, (also, any other suggestions won't hurt, I need all the help I can get:)  Last night I got a new BTA that looked great. I bought the piece of live rock that it was on at the LFS so we wouldn't have to force it to move it's foot. <Good> So I come home, acclimate it using the drip method for about 2 hours, then I submerse the bag it was in and take him out of the bag underwater. All is going good. I put it towards the top of the tank under one of the metal halides. <Mistake numero uno...> I was hoping my clown fish would go into the BTA and sure enough he went right for him. It this point I turned on the metal halide because I wanted to see if he would react to the light. Sure enough, his tentacles bulbed up nicely. Now, the clown fish started to swim very aggressively in the BTA, and it looked like it didn't like it. It began to move its foot and slowly creep down the rock pile towards the bottom. All the while the clown fish is aggressively swimming in it and keeping it from closing itself. So, now the BTA is anchored towards the bottom of the tank, where it doesn't get enough light. I am not going to try to move it and whenever I try to move the rock it is on it just goes to the bottom of the tank. Also, its tentacles are not bulb shaped anymore, I think because it isn't getting sufficient light. Attached is a picture. Thanks in advance for any advise on what I should do, Patrick <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm and the linked files in blue. BobF>

BTA Troubles, Entacmaea quadricolor, Overstocking -- 3/1/07    /Bren Hi Crew, <Hi Patrick, Brenda here tonight> Your site has helped a ton with me setting up my first reef tank. Thank you. <Happy to hear you find it helpful.> About my system: 75gal Oceanic with Oceanic stand, 20gal sump with AquaMedic Protein Skimmer. 80lbs of live sand, 70 lbs of Totoka live rock. Tank lighting comes from a 48 inch Coralife Aqua light with 2 150 watt metal halides, and 2 96 watt fluorescents. The tank has fully cycled from what I can tell, all water parameters look fine. (Tested last night.) Fish: 1 Purple Tang, 1 Tomini Tang, 5 Chromis, 2 Signal Gobies, 2 Purple Firefish, 1 Gold Striped Maroon Clownfish. Inverts: 2 Cleaner Shrimp, 1 (new) bubble tip anemone. <Twelve fish and an anemone in a newly cycled tank is too many.  You are way over stocked, especially with a new setup.  These fish need to be added slowly, after each one has been quarantined for 30 days.  Please research the tank size requirements for you tangs, your system is not large enough.> SO... here is my question, also, any other suggestions won't hurt I need all the help I can get.  Last night I got a new BTA that looked great. I bought the piece of live rock that it was on at the LFS so we wouldn't have to force it to move its foot. So I come home, acclimated it using the drip method for about 2 hours, then I submersed the bag it was in and took him out of the bag underwater. All is going good. I put it towards the top of the tank under one of the metal halides. I was hoping my clown fish would go into the BTA and sure enough he went right for him. At this point I turned on the metal halide because I wanted to see if he would react to the light. Sure enough, his tentacles bulbed up nicely. Now, the clown fish started to swim very aggressively in the BTA, and it looked like it didn't like it. <Maroon clownfish are known to be aggressive.  Looking at the pictures, the anemones size is border line compared to the size of that Maroon.  It is recommended that the anemone be a minimum of three times larger than the Maroon.  You system is not ready for an anemone.  You need to have a well established home.  It is recommended to wait a minimum of six months before introducing an anemone.> It began to move its foot and slowly creep down the rock pile towards the bottom. All the while the clown fish is aggressively swimming in it and keeping it from closing itself. So, now the BTA is anchored towards the bottom of the tank, where it doesn't get enough light. I am not going to try to move it and whenever I try to move the rock it is on it just goes to the bottom of the tank. <It is still acclimating itself to its new environment.  Your lighting may be more intense that what it was used to.> Also, its tentacles are not bulb shaped anymore, I think because it isn't getting sufficient light. <It is not yet completely understood why these anemones lose their bulbs or bubbles.  The anemone will roam until it finds a suitable place.> Attached is a picture. <Looking at the pictures it appears that this anemone is slightly bleached, or loss of zooxanthellae.  The anemone needs small portions of food fed every 1 - 2 days with meaty foods soaked in Selcon.  Given the fact that your tank is not established and is over stocked, you can not provide an adequate environment for it.  I suggest looking for a local hobbyist to look after the anemone, or returning to your LFS until you can provide a better environment.  Continue to search WetWebMedia so you are able to gain more knowledge on anemones, cycling, stocking, and quarantine.> Thanks in advance for any advise on what I should do, Patrick <You are welcome Patrick!  Good luck with your setup.  Brenda>

Update:  My new BTA is Shrinking, Entacmaea quadricolor -- 3/2/07 <Hi Josh, Brenda following up> Thanks again for all you help here. <You're welcome.> To answer your questions from your response:  The anemones mouth is gaping wide open as long as it is deflated like that (as pictured).   <Yes, I see that.  That is not a good sign.  However, there is still hope.> Then his mouth closes up nice and tight when he re-inflates (as pictured). <It looks much better, but not as tightly closed as I'd like to see.  It has also expelled some (not all) of its zooxanthellae (bleached).> The lighting at the fish store it was kept in was a couple small PC's which seem like plenty for the size tank it was in.   <Would need to know wattage and tank size to be sure.  Unfortunately we don't know what misery this little guy went through to get to the LFS.  Shipping can be harsh on them.> I actually get all my stuff from one of your sponsors - That Fish Place - fantastic place I must say.   <Yes, I have a wish list of things to purchase there.> I am not overfeeding the anemone as most of the time when I am home he is too deflated to eat anyhow.  I have managed to get him a small piece of shrimp 2 different days in the week that I've had him.  Although, I have seen him catch some of the fish food and eat that as well. <Being able to catch food is an excellent sign!!!!!> The lighting, filtration, tank mates and equipment I have are as follows:   - 75G tank - established 4 months <An aquarium established 6 months or more is recommended for an anemone.> - Coralife Lunar Aqualite PC setup (260W) - (2) - Aquaclear 50 power heads - Red Sea Prism protein skimmer <This skimmer has not had the best reviews.  I strongly suggest considering upgrading.> - 50lbs live rock - adding more later <Good, I recommend a minimum of 1 ½ lbs per gallon> - (5) - large turbo snails - (9) - small snails - (10) - tiny blue leg hermits - (10) - red leg hermits <Yikes, that's a lot of hermit crabs.  Crabs have been known to pester and sometimes kill small fish, anemones, and polyps.  The rule of thumb for crabs is one or less per 10 gallons.> - (2) - yellow tail damsels - (1) - red firefish - (2) - cinnamon clowns - (1) - green serpent Star - (2) - very small false percula clowns - they are temporarily partitioned off in this tank till my wife's tank matures here shortly and are placing those in her tank.  Those clowns, one damsel, the fire fish and the anemone are on the partitioned side.    <Make sure the anemone is getting enough flow.> The tanks parameters are very stable and seem not to budge much at all which is a little frustrating since a couple of the numbers aren't where I would like them to be.  I keep the temperature between 76-78.  The salinity is at 1.024, PH - 8.3, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate -- 20 (can't get that to move, even after a water change).  I do 10% water changes weekly. <Your temperature and salinity are a little low.  Try a target temperature of 79-80, and target a salinity of 1.026.  Start topping off with premixed saltwater to bring the salinity up.  You need to work on those nitrates some more.  Anemones need pristine water conditions.  A better skimmer would help with that.  Do you have, or have you considered a refugium?  That will also help with the nitrates.  More information here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm > Anyhow, the two pictures attached are new.  The deflated picture is from last night at 11:00 and the inflated picture is this morning at 6:30.   It is doing this religiously once a day but it is never the same time.  He is expelling waste every time.    <If he starts loosing more color, he is expelling zooxanthellae, not waste.  It is still a possibility that he is still acclimating too your light.> I have been feeding it raw shrimp, what else should I feed it or is that sufficient?   <The little guy needs some Selcon!   http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/product/productInfo.web?infoParam.mode=1&infoParam.itemKey=207914  You will need to soak small portions of food in Selcon every 1 -- 2 days.  His color should start to improve.  Start with about 1/8' portions.  His tentacles are a little shorter than they should be, a sign he is hungry.  The foods I recommend are silversides, Mysis shrimp, krill, lance fish, along with the raw shrimp you are using.  All of these can be soaked in Selcon before feeding.> Also, as there are none right now, can I put ANY other inverts in with the anemone in the future? <Most snails will be fine.  Shrimp are usually fine.  Sometimes they will bother an anemone, especially if there is not food readily available to them.  Make sure they are reef safe and that you have researched them before you do.  Crabs are unpredictable and can be predators, but are still listed as reef safe most of the time.> Thanks again, Josh
<You're welcome!   Brenda>
Re:  BTA Troubles, Entacmaea quadricolor, Overstocking -- 3/2/07 Hello Bob and Brenda, <Hi Patrick, Brenda following up.> Thank you both for your quick replies. <You're welcome!> Mr. Fenner, I don't know what you mean by "Bubble Tip Anemone... Dippppp!" <Not quite sure myself.> <<It's derogatory... STOP sending too-large files/attachments... Brenda... reject these... please. RMF>> I'm sorry about the size of the attachments. I thought a picture may help you to understand what I was talking about. In the future I won't attach a picture. <Please do send pictures.  Without them my chances of helping you with your anemone decrease.  The problem was the size of the pictures.  They were placed in my in-box while I was out.  It was several hours before I read my mail.  They were causing problems with the server and Bob desperately need to move them.> Also, when I said your site has helped me with my new tank I meant that by reading your advice to other people with similar issues as me I was able to find solutions. Brenda, thank you for your in-depth advice. <You're welcome> The person at my LFS said it would be okay to put the anemone in the tank, but after reading your email I have brought it back to the store. <Good choice.  Once your tank is suitable you can try an anemone again if you desire.  I also recommend you research everything before your purchase. The LFS is there to make money.> In terms of the tank being overstocked, I have had the tank going since the middle of December and have just now finished adding the fish for the tank. Also, I took out 3 Chromis and the Tomini tang. Hopefully this reduces the bioload. So far though, everything is going very well. Thank you again for your advice and Bob I apologize again for the size of the message. <Bob will see your message.> Patrick
<Good luck with your hobby.  Brenda><<Real good. B>>

My new BTA is Shrinking, Entacmaea quadricolor --  2/28/07  <Hi Josh, Brenda here> I just got a bubble tip anemone 4 days ago on a Friday evening.  Sunday morning 10:30 it looked great, then I left and came home around 2:00 and it was shriveled up to about 1/4 of the size and excreting a white/clear slime. <It is expelling waste.> Also, the mouth was enlarged and looked inverted with some curly stringy stuff coming out. <Yikes!  Is the anemones mouth tightly closed the rest of the time?> For all practical purposes it looked about 10 minutes away from death. <I have seen that often.  I remember being in a panic the first few times. My anemones have me trained now.> I checked all my water parameters and everything was great, I did a 10% water change anyway.  We then left again around 4:00 and came home around 8:30 and he looked great, completely re-inflated and actually the overall body looked bigger than the day before.   <Great!> He did well all day Monday until about an hour after I got home and he started shriveling up again and this time was excreting a brown substance which I am assuming was waste. <Yes, anemone waste is not always the same color.> He then continued to shrivel up as bad, or worse, than Sunday morning.  I though he was a goner this time for sure.  Nothing I could do at this point but to just wait it out.  He was still that way when I went to bed around 11:00.  I got up the next morning and checked him before I went to work around 6:30 and he was completely re-inflated again and yet still looked even bigger and perfectly healthy.   What is he doing? <Possibly acclimating to your lighting.  Do you know what kind of lighting it was kept under previously?> From what I understand, anemones don't typically shrivel up that bad right? <Wrong, they can shrivel up to almost nothing.> I know it is hard diagnosing without a picture. <Yes, but we still try.> I don't know if it is just still acclimating to my tank or what.   <Yes, it is likely still acclimating to its new home, but will still expel waste from time to time.> Does the anemone coming back what seems bigger each time have any significance? <Not necessarily, would need to see a picture.  My guess is that it is still part of the acclimation process.> I have yet not even seen a picture on the web with one shriveled up as bad as mine was. <I can fix that.   http://www.karensroseanemones.net/deflating.htm  Great website!  Be sure to read through all of it.> Any ideas?   <Most of what I'm reading seems normal.  The curly white appendages you are seeing, is not typically seen externally on an anemone.  Are you over feeding?  I suggest meaty foods, no bigger than the anemones mouth 2 -- 3 times a week.  Make sure you have adequate lighting, filtration, and water parameters.  Also make sure your anemones color is up to par, meaning no loss of zooxanthellae.  If you have any more problems or questions, please give us your exact water parameters, including salinity and temperature along with your equipment list, age of your setup, other tank mates, and a picture if possible.> Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks very much - your website is extremely helpful for so many other things I want to learn about. Josh <You're welcome!  Good luck with your new anemone!  Brenda>

Problems with Bubble Tip Anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor -- 2/22/07 Hi, <Hi Brian, Brenda here.  I received your second e-mail before I had a chance to respond to the first, so I will take care of them both now.> I love the site -- thanks! <Thank you!> I have a new rose tipped anemone in my 75 gallon tank.  There is a satellite light fixture with 4 65 watt bulbs (two are 10000k, and two are actinic).  It seemed great yesterday, but this morning it looks bad (see attached photo -- sorry for the bad resolution, I only have my phone with me at work).  I gave it a piece of defrosted krill yesterday afternoon.  Is it a goner?  The water is seemingly great -- nitrates at 0, specific gravity at 1.0225. <Too low, gradually bring it up to 1.026.> I've got about 100 pounds of Florida and Fiji live rock.  There is also a 30 gallon refugium with miracle mud below the tank. Thanks! Brian
Resurrection!
Hi, Looks like all is well.  The anemone spit out some brown goo, and it's back to normal. <Glad to hear it is looking better.  It was probably expelling waste.  Let us know if it starts to bleach (loss of zooxanthellae) or if you have any other problems.  Work on bringing the salinity up gradually.  Also search WetWebMedia FAQs for more information on these anemones.> Thanks,
Brian
<Your welcome.  Brenda>

Joes Juice for Aiptasia Control Versus BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor - 2/4/07 Hello, <Hi Sharon, Brenda here> I have 3 BTAs and an Aiptasia problem. Before using Joe's Juice, I would like to know if this will harm the BTAs. <There is mixed results with Joe's Juice for Aiptasia control.  To answer your question, too much at once may harm your BTA.  If you choose this route, I would not use it near your BTA.  Start out slow and watch your livestock closely.> My first thought was to move the infested rock to a bucket filled with saltwater and zap them there, but all of my rock can be removed. Help! <An alternative that I have used is Peppermint Shrimp, Lysmata Wurdemanni. Unfortunately others have had mixed results with Peppermint Shrimp.  There is more information on both here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm > Sharon <Hope this helps.  Brenda>

Bubble Tip Anemone Trouble  1/5/07 Hello, First of all, I love your site.  Your site has helped me many times and I think I may need your help again. I have had a bubble tip anemone for about 3 months now and it has begun to look very ill. First of all, when it arrived it looked very healthy and was  greenish/ blue in color. <Unusual... perhaps artificially dyed...>   It moved around for a week or two and never found a spot it really could stay in until about 2 months ago. <Also a bad sign...>   Anyways, it has recently become almost pure white in color. <Bleached> This could mean that he was bleached right? <Yes...>   My friend also ordered an anemone from the same site and his BTA  seems to be losing its color too. <Can be "just" shipping stress...> Also, my anemone chose to settle upside down (hanging upside down), <... bad> rooted to the bottom of an overhang of my live rock.  In this spot it receives virtually no light at all but hasn't moved for over a month now.  At first it came out daily and slowly began to open less and less until recently when it does not open at all.  I try to feed it 2-3 times a week. <Good> Here is my problem now.  I woke up this morning to find that my coral banded shrimp was eating part of the anemone (yuck...). <Mmm, yes... Stenopids are quite opportunistic...> I thought the anemone was definitely dead but it still moves a little and opens partially before closing back up.  Anyways, I got the shrimp away from it but that is not all that is wrong with it.  My BTA now refuses food by holding it and then dropping it.  Also, its mouth is now sticking out and there seem to be frilly things hanging out of the place where the shrimp took a bite.  I am currently trying feeding it with foods that are vitamin enriched but as far as I can tell it is a lost cause.  It did not seem to be in bad shape until the shrimp attacked it. I have owned a few anemones successfully but this is the first one that seems to really be in trouble (if it was bleached would that be the cause of this decline in health?). <Oh yes> I have tried everything I can but nothing seems to be working.  As soon as he decided to settle under that rock and especially after he was attacked by the coral banded shrimp (I have removed the shrimp from the tank) the BTA's condition has worsened and I cannot remove him from the rock without tearing him or chiseling off part of the rock. <Best to move the anemone with the rock... attached... to another setting... one with a higher nutrient availability... really, a "dirty" tank with high/er nitrate, phosphate... mulm on the bottom, subdued lighting...> My main question is whether or not I should let him be and see if he can recover <Very unlikely in the present setting> or try and take him out and let him live out what seems to be the final moments of his life in my quarantine tank.  Also, if he passes away how would I remove him without contaminating the tank.  I heard that siphoning out a dead anemone may be a good idea, is that true? <Mmm, yes... if decomposed to that point> Thanks for any help you can give me, Michael. <I would move the rock/anemone... to the QTank if this is the best... change water out with the gunk you siphon out from the substrate... Your and your friends anemones were likely "doomed" through improper "handling" through the "chain of custody", twixt collection, holding, shipping through parties... a lack of lighting, feeding... other sources of stress... I would contact your supplier re... the more such data points they have, use, the more likely something/s will be done to limit such losses. Bob Fenner>

Success! BTA... health, clown symb.     12/17/06 Hello To All.       I just wanted to take a moment to thank all you. Your informative sight has given me the ability to  successfully mate a pair of wonderful animals that belong together. Took me a couple tries. I had a percula clown who was not interested in my BTA. So, the poor guy went from a 150 gal tank to a 10 gal hospital tank. He's fine, but the tomato would of beat him up. <Oh yes> That and my son wanted him. :-)  I have browsed your sight left and right and continue to do so. All the articles i read and some personal attention through emails are all greatly appreciated. Please see enclosed pic of my tomato clown fish 2 days old and a 3 week old BTA. <This last badly bleached...> Not even 24 hours in the tank, well as you can see he's having a blast. Although, i feel the clown is a bit large for the size on the anemone but he doesn't seem to mind. <Do keep a close eye here... Clowns can be too exuberant... for their hosts> Right  now i am running 2 150w MH bulbs. Is that enough light or do you think i should upgrade to 2 x 250w MH  bulbs? <Mmm, not necessarily, no> Just wondering. All I can do to make him grow is make sure my water is in check, and feed him.  In time, he'll grow. It seems like the BTA accepted him. My clown has been cleaning him. All good stuff.   Thanks again. I really love your web site. <Ah, good... Your Anemone needs to re-incorporate useful endosymbiotic algae... Do a bit of searching re this issue please... and thank you for sharing your success, enthusiasm. Bob Fenner>

Re: Success!   12/17/06 Thank - you so much bob! <Welcome> I am not really sure what you meant by your comment here: <This last badly bleached...> <Please see, read on WWM re... the indices, search tool...> In regards to this comment: <Do keep a close eye here... Clowns can be too exuberant... for their hosts> What do I do in this case? <Again... reading> I am a bit worried about that. He seems to be a but rough with him. Before I had this clown, my BTA would be fully open! Not he has parts of him open and certain parts covered. I just thought it may take some time for the BTA to get used to its host. Last night the clown was doing allot of moving around here. 3 weeks later the BTA has not moved. Only once the first day after that he seemed to be happy. in regards to this comment: <useful endosymbiotic algae> I most definitely will and thanks again for the advice. <Ah, good. BobF>
Re: Success! Bleached BTA   12/18/06 In regards to: <This last badly bleached...> <Please see, read on WWM re... the indices, search tool...> Just to clarify, you want me to do some more reading on an article title " This last badly bleached"? or did you want me to search for an article titled the indices <The article, FAQs on BTAs...: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm and the linked files above...> Also what article should I search for in regards to the exuberant clown? <Please... learn to/use the indices, search tool on WWM> Should I type that or is there a title or link you can recommend? I have read almost every FAQ on Anemones and clown fish. Most clown and anemone behaviors. Sorry, hope I am not a bother. <Please make known what process you've employed to find this information... specifically. Am desirous of amending what we have in the way of "instructions", examples of how to find what folks are looking for. BobF>

Re: bleached?   12/18/06 Hi Bob,    You saying that my BTA looks bleached. Now I understand. Please note that when that photo you saw was taken, it was taken at night, w/ no light on or anything. What ever color you see in the pic came from the camera's flash. Can that be the reason? <Mmm, no> I never really thought it was a problem because he does have some color. His tip when they are bubbled up during the day are white, but he was always a cream color. <Read my friend... Don't write, read. RMF>

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