Help - My new Bulb anemone looks deflated.
 

Is this a normal thing for a bulb anemone to look rather the deflated (the tentacles)? Its only been in the tank for about 1.5 hours and I took about 30 minutes to acclimate.

The anemone does look little better though (just looked at it).

Basically is this common for this kind of anemone to deflate as it acclimates to its surrounding?

Thanks!

its not uncomon for corals and stuff to do that when introduced...its only been an hour and a half, so i'd wait a day or 2...but also, imo thats not a long enough acclimation.

Actually the anemone now looks a lot better.

I'm wondering if they like current or not?

With regards to placemnet I do have it pretty high up in the tank. Is this a better thing since they are hungry for light right?

Also, does this type of anemone hold on to rock (I don't think you glue anemones like corals right?), or do you have to squeeze the bottom portion (the base) into a crevice between rocks?

THANKS! :)

Anemones will roam on their own. Don't try moving it or picking it up or gluing it. Once its over the initial shock of being transplanted it will probably start moving around to find a spot it likes (unless you've found its perfect spot for it :)). It uses its very sticky foot to grab onto rock and glass. If its picked a completely inappropriate spot, you can coax it into moving by pointing a power head at it.

Your anemone attaches itself to the rock. If it doesnt like the spot you picked for it now, it will eventually move. It took my anemones a good while until they found the spot they like. They picked spots right under the filter and close to the powerhead, where the most current is.
Hope this helps

You might try reading the Host Anemone FAQ which is a sticky on this forum. It has lots of good information on selection, acclimation, etc.

yes they'll move, and no dont glue it...i've heard they often pic a spot directly under/next to a filter return, so maybe put a filter return where you want it?

I just bought a RBTA. He showed up looking deflated and looked like this after acclimation

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...y/DSCF0609.jpg

A day later he looked like this:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...y/DSCF0616.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...y/DSCF0618.jpg

Today he even looks better. I put a plactic ring cut from a 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe on the spot I wanted him. Them I put him in the ring while deflated. When he ballooned up he had a nice safe secure spot to protect his foot and hasn't moved.

Mike

That was an awesome idea with the PVC piping. I'll look into that. The type that I have (I'll pst a pic tomorrow)...is a Bulb Anemone (is this also a Bubble tip?). Its like a white/pinkish color with a bluish dot at the tip of the tentacle.

Thank you everyone for posting. ;)

Chris.... bubble tips will deflate from time to time to expell wastes. I have had mine for almost 6 months now and i'd say he does this approximately once a week. It lasts for 30min to 1hr and then he puffs right back up and hosts my GSM clown. People say that you cant keep them with PC's.... I say BS!!! When i bought him he was the size of a softball..... now when hes fully extended hes the size of a dinner plate! Thats under 265w PC (2 x 10k and 2 x actinic) with ideal water params.

I credit a lot of this to buying him as a very healthy specimen initially.

Good luck with yours.

MCary.... that anem is lookin good! Looks like it found a good spot.

Will False Percula host in BTA?
 

I just read the Host Anemones - All You Ever Wanted to Know thread.

In it, there is no mention that False Percula clownfish will host in these anemones. Is this true, that they don't host this kind of anemone?

With regards to the lighting issue, from people that I have heard of and read here online, many people do keep this kind of anemone under PCs (about 260-280 watts), But I think this is the only kind that can "thrive" with this lighting. All others need Metal Halides if I am not mistaken.

I just fed the anemone a piece of krill that has been soaking in Selcon. The krill stuck to the tentacles and I am assuming its currently in the process of eating. :)

it isn't that they won't host in that type of anemone, it is that, that type of anemone is not it's natural host in the wild, but ppl have had them host in them before.

Its good that the food stuck to its tentacles, thats a good sign of its health. If its eating though, it will actually pull the food into its mouth. Make sure you start will small pieces of food, depending on how big your anemone is. Good luck!

My false percs being hosted by a green bubble tip anemone:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...y/DSCF0359.jpg

Don't mean to hi-jack, I just like splashing pictures around.

This is the RBTA a week after I got him. He's fully acclimated now and still hasn't moved. At night with the actinics on the bulbs are red and the base of the tenacles are green. Very purdy.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...y/DSCF0625.jpg

Thanks a lot for the responses.

This morning I woke up and saw how big this anemone really is, as it had moved up on a rock that I did not want it to be on. The reason I moved this is because I have a clam and I don't want it stinging the clam. So at the moment I am trying to find a good niche for it. I really don't know how delicate these BTAs are, so I don't want to hurt it while trying to place it in a niche/crevice.

Another question: How often do you feed the BTA? Is krill a good choice?

I am starting to think that my BTA is NOT a BTA. I will post a picture today ASAP so you all can tell me what you think.

For now: It is a more pinkish color and each tentacle has a blueish dot at the tip. Its about 6-7" when fully expanded. The tentacles (I am assuming) is no more than half of a person's index finger.

I'll post a pic later today.

I feed no more often than every 3 days. Overfeeding can be stressful.

Here is a pic of my anemone:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...0__Medium_.JPG

Looks like a bleached Condi, but it could be a BTA, but it is bleached. Anemones can eat fish, but they generally live off zooanthelae just like corals. The tentacles should be brown, or brown covered with a color, green, blue red. But the underlieing color is brown.

I am also being told that its a Sebea

Def not a bubble tip! I would lean towards sebae compared to the ones ive seen at the lfs.

Yeah I know now. :(

It looks healthy, but I read the requirements are harder to keep for this anemone. So I am up in the air whether I should return it or not.

if you have had it this long you shouldnt have any problems, i've always heard that the first week is the crutial week. I have a bubble tip, purple condi, and a sebae.there all doing well! try feeding a live goldfish sometime, thats awesome to watch! im not morbid or anything its just neat watching them eat!

or you can feed it dead fish and see the same thing without torturing a poor goldfish