Bubbletip dying??Help

[Batmanjay28]

I have had my bubbletip anemone for about 6 months. For the last 3 weeks or so it's been shrinking down very small and has it's mouth is gaping open. It looks dead, but then it comes back looking normal. I noiced that my nitrites have gone up a little too.

I need to know if this is a sign that it's dying because I don't want to have my tank wiped out if it dies. Also, I have had a maroon clown hosting it for 3 months, will me taking the bubbletip out effect the clown? Thanks

[scootrnerd]

i had a small bubble tip that exhibited similar behavior and it was due to not enough light.

[salty420]

the gaping mouth is not a good sign, as well as the rise in nitrites. could you tell us a little more about the tank, specifically - parameters and what lighting the nem is under? as far as the clown, i'd guess that it would be upset if the nem were to go, but better than dying due to a tank crash...

[Batmanjay28]

I have 220watts of T5 running on my tank. I just need to figure this out.

Here is a pic

[Batmanjay28]

Does anyone ever take everything out of the tank to do a water change?

[salty420]

why would you take everything out? the nem looks pretty sad in that pic but mine looks pretty pathetic too when it's pooping... BUT, it's mouth is NEVER gaping and it only looks deflated for a few hours...

[scootrnerd]

you say you have 220 watts but how big is your tank how close is the nem to the light and y would you take stuff out to do a wc?

[Batmanjay28]

I don't take stuff out, just wondering. It's a 55G tank and the nem is about half way up the tank. I tested the water and found that my nitrates are really high for some reason. Everything else is normal but my nitrates are really high. What could be causing this? I probably need to do a water change.

[Batmanjay28]

Here's a pic that I just took of the nem. It looks a little differnet now thn it did an hour ago.

[mcsassy]

It looks pretty colorful...usually when they are dying they start turning all brown. Ya hight nitrates could be making it unhappy...another thing to fight nitrates you could do is get a nitrate sponge...i find them to be surprisingly effective. Basically its zeolite rocks...I put them in a panty hose and stick it under the water flow under the filter pad in the sump. Hope everything works out fine.

[kcress]

When was your last water change and how much was it?

[Batmanjay28]

2 weeks ago

[Batmanjay28]

Here is an updated pic of my nems. Took it this morning. What do you guys think?

[salty420]

look fine to me! try to get those 'trates down tho... do a big WC to see if that will help. can you get a hold of some macro? do you have a sump you could through some in?

[Grins]

I agree, they look fine now, just work on those nitrates. Water changes are in order.