Help Anemone Issue

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!
jisha729

jisha729

AC Members
Jan 7, 2007
27
0
0
40
Sugar Land & San Antonio
www.myspace.com
I need help. I got a biocube about two months ago. I had previously went to a LFS and saw an anemone and told my boyfriend I wanted it but I wasn't really serious-- well I was serious, but I wasn't planning on getting him this just yet. Well, anyway my boyfriend surprised me with a bubble tip anemone last Saturday.

When I put him into the tank & he immediately found a spot and has stayed there since.

I did research and found out I should wait 12 months before getting an anemone so I am a lot worried. I also read that an open mouth is a bad sign...his mouth is open but not wide open...it looks as open as the slot you put a quarter in an arcade game. Is this normal? He is fully inflated, but has deflated about 3 times since I have had him. He currently has my clown fish hosting him. I notice a little brown stuff coming out of him.

Well, I am not really sure what normal anemone behavior is. My main concern is the brown stuff that I saw-- I read that he could be expelling zooxanthellae but then I also read it could be waste. I hope that someone with a BTA could give me some insight and tips on keeping him happy and healthy!!

I hope people don't attack me for getting him because it is too late -- my focus is keeping him healthy and alive! Thanks!
 
Last edited:
L

lanimret

AC Members
Apr 1, 2008
291
0
0
12 months? I had not heard that before. I just lost one of mine, but I dont think it was due to water conditions or the like, he just never latched onto anything from the day I got him and generally found him sitting face down in the sand, even when healthy. I'd give him some time to correct himself before i'd move him, but generally he never did.

Anyway, my bubble tip is super healthy, happy, stationary, and hosting a porcelain crab atm. That said, I have a 75g with sump and refugium so that gives me an advantage obviously.

The brown stuff is his discharge, he has no anus, the clown should clean that up for him, or it will just drift away eventually

The closing up is either when he's eating usually, night time, or discharging. Totally normal. Mine usually has his mouth a tiny bit open, i don't think they can really shut it tight, so I would think yours is fine.
 
mcsassy

mcsassy

professional fool
Jan 28, 2008
972
0
0
That's a super long time...as long as its open and stays in a spot then it's probably happy.
 
J

journey0820

AC Members
Jan 31, 2008
831
0
0
Sounds like all healthy behaviors to me too.
 
salty420

salty420

this fish was coming on to me
Mar 8, 2007
1,931
0
0
45
Sugar Grove, IL
12 months is typically recommended as ppl tend to rush in to getting nems before their tank is mature enough and they have knowledge enough to support them. i personally say a tank should be at least 6 months before getting a nem. that being said it sounds like the what you are seeing in your nem is perfectly normal. often times my rbta's mouth is a tad open as well, they should just never be gaping. nems can look very different day to day, sometimes looking very deflated with brownish goo being expelled (waste indeed). as long as your nem has found a nice place to plant it's foot and is getting sufficient light (what kind of light is on your biocube - not just the cf i hope?) it should be fine. you may want to feed it pieces of silverside via tongs once a week or so to keep it happy. what size cube is it? honestly most nems really need at least 40g IMO as they do tend to get quite large... i recently upgraded from a 37g to a 75g and much of the reason for the upgrade was because my rbta was getting just too big for the tank...
 
jisha729

jisha729

AC Members
Jan 7, 2007
27
0
0
40
Sugar Land & San Antonio
www.myspace.com
salty420 said:
12 months is typically recommended as ppl tend to rush in to getting nems before their tank is mature enough and they have knowledge enough to support them. i personally say a tank should be at least 6 months before getting a nem. that being said it sounds like the what you are seeing in your nem is perfectly normal. often times my rbta's mouth is a tad open as well, they should just never be gaping. nems can look very different day to day, sometimes looking very deflated with brownish goo being expelled (waste indeed). as long as your nem has found a nice place to plant it's foot and is getting sufficient light (what kind of light is on your biocube - not just the cf i hope?) it should be fine. you may want to feed it pieces of silverside via tongs once a week or so to keep it happy. what size cube is it? honestly most nems really need at least 40g IMO as they do tend to get quite large... i recently upgraded from a 37g to a 75g and much of the reason for the upgrade was because my rbta was getting just too big for the tank...
Click to expand...
My biocube is a 14 gallon. I have the standard lights that came with the biocube -- which is also another question I was wondering about.....please let me know what to do about my lighting so that my anemone will be happy -- I hope that me getting an anemone this soon won't be detrimental...how long did you wait before you got yours?? Thanks for your help!
 
AnnetteG

AnnetteG

getting back to basics
Sep 24, 2007
937
0
0
jisha729 said:
Also, my tentacles look more bubbly than most pictures I see of other people's BTAs...is there a reason for this??
Click to expand...
it's really happy? I've read that it varies from animal to animal and the size of the bubble doesn't matter. ;) Post some pics for us!
 
mandy21

mandy21

THE REEFER GODDESS
May 16, 2006
983
0
0
41
Ohio
jisha729 said:
My biocube is a 14 gallon. I have the standard lights that came with the biocube -- which is also another question I was wondering about.....please let me know what to do about my lighting so that my anemone will be happy -- I hope that me getting an anemone this soon won't be detrimental...how long did you wait before you got yours?? Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
It's definitely going to outgrow the 14g. I'd plan on upgrading the tank at some point.

In terms of lights, definitely going to need to upgrade if the "standard" is the cf. I thought there might be a version with metal halide, but I can't remember for sure.
 
severum mama

severum mama

is a big bowl of wrong.
Dec 30, 2006
2,177
0
0
44
North GA
To my knowledge, all the BioCubes have PC lighting. The only way to go halide is with one of those mod kits. I've heard good things about www.nanotuners.com , or you could run the tank open top and get a Sunpod or something... but honestly, I'd just upgrade the tank rather than throw down all that cash for a halide kit when the nem will outgrow the tank anyway, plus cooling the tank will be a big issue. Either that or see if you can return it. The power compacts won't keep it happy long term, I don't think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store
Top Bottom