Nem is in hiding all the time.

[NanoReefUK]

Hello, first post!

I recently got a green tip bubble tip anemone one of the largest I’ve ever seen! I’m still fairly new to the hobby, so each addition is a new experience.

The anemone has settled into a rock crevice, which is fine since they move where they want so it must be happy there. However, I’ve noticed that it’s not taking food (Vitalis Nem Pellets), and I can see its mouth. Despite this, my tank parameters remain stable with weekly testing and coral health, and all my other corals are thriving. The tank has been going for a year now.

There’s been no change in the anemone’s behavior so far just sits in its rock. I did recently lose a long tentacle anemone (reason unknown ), which had an ammonia smell when I removed it. I immediately tested for ammonia (0 ppm) and did a water change to be safe.


Tank Details:

• Equipment: Blue Marine setup 120 (nothing fancy but works well for me just starting out).
• Lighting: Blue Marine LED 15000 K | 42 W
• Dosing: Seachem Reef once per week + Zooplankton.
• Feeding: Live / frozen brine shrimp, also Vitalis Marine Pellets / Nem Pellets
• Water Changes: 10% weekly.
• Flow: TMC Reef 2000 (my frogspawn coral loves it).

Here are some photos of the anemone for reference. Do you think my BTA is okay, or is there anything I can do to help it?
My first Nem sitting next to it for reference.

 

[TX_REEF]

First, stop trying to feed it. Trying to feed an unhappy nem will generally only hurt matters.

Is that another nem to the left? I have heard of some instances of different color BTAs waging some chemical warfare on each other.

Generally speaking, if a nem isn’t dead, and it isn’t wandering, you should leave it alone.

 

[Tahoe61]

Hi and Welcome to R2R.

Honestly in all my years of keeping BTA I have never heard of Anemone Pellets. I doubt they really need them.
The Anemone is probably acclimating, but I am suspect of your lighting fixture. BTA don't require intense reef lighting but it does sound like a fixture that will not support Anemones long term.

 

[BryanM]

Nems are weird, and often do their own thing.

Not sure how old your tank is but they are generally not good in newer tanks. I bought a RBTA too early, and it still wonders to this day.

 

[dvgyfresh]

GBTA and RBTA can commit chemical warfare on one another , ask me how I know lol. It’s too new to tell but I had many cases of this and only cipro could fix it. It could also be acclimating , they will expel waste when acclimating to a new system which looks like what yours is doing

 

[NanoReefUK]

So small update, I have left it and just before my lights went out for the evening it started to wander and is heading down my rock and possibly to the back of the rock with less lighting/flow.

I will let it be until it is settled and will feed it when it has found its place.

 

[NanoReefUK]

First, stop trying to feed it. Trying to feed an unhappy nem will generally only hurt matters.

Is that another nem to the left? I have heard of some instances of different color BTAs waging some chemical warfare on each other.

Generally speaking, if a nem isn’t dead, and it isn’t wandering, you should leave it alone.

Thank you, I will let it do it's thing and stop trying to feed..

It is an RBTA to the left, I had no idea they could release chemical warfare on each other I was always un the impression that as long as it is a BTA they should get along.

I shall keep an eye on it for now and update everyone on what happens.

 

[Faurek]

I think all you can do rn us having carbon.

 

[TX_REEF]

I think all you can do rn us having carbon.

agreed, carbon can't hurt

 

[Faurek]

agreed, carbon can't hurt

Turns out on a fishless tank it can. Found out by trying fishless.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Turns out on a fishless tank it can. Found out by trying fishless.

So running GAC on a fishless system can hurt the tank . Can you explain more please ?

 

[Faurek]

So running GAC on a fishless system can hurt the tank . Can you explain more please ?

You can strip the tank too much yeah, goes too clean and no food for corals.

 

[NanoReefUK]

First, stop trying to feed it. Trying to feed an unhappy nem will generally only hurt matters.

Is that another nem to the left? I have heard of some instances of different color BTAs waging some chemical warfare on each other.

Generally speaking, if a nem isn’t dead, and it isn’t wandering, you should leave it alone.

So, I came back from work today and it did something!

it is now sitting under the rock, pulsing itself so it goes bigger and spreads out then goes smaller and more compact but not into itself. Unsure of this behavior, it is not getting much light and can not think it to be in its happy place there? Could it be splitting due to stress?

I am tempted to move it to a nice rock with low flow and lower light levels, where it has a good place for it to bury its foot, or shall I give it some more time to acclimate?

Does anyone know why it is doing this???

Photos:
Image 1: Large and spread out
Image 2: Shrinking down

 

[dvgyfresh]

I don’t wanna spoil yr mood but this looks exactly like a nem suffering from chemical warfare or a bacterial infection. It’s going to need help to survive either removing from the system or doing a cipro treatment

 

[dvgyfresh]

Last thing you should do it try to move it , it will just move somewhere else again

 

[Spare time]

You can strip the tank too much yeah, goes too clean and no food for corals.

Carbon will not starve corals.