Rose BTA change shape

[ozy]

Hi, I bought 2 small rose BTA about 1 months back. And they look like this:

But as I am keeping them, the BTA are opening up and is changing their shape. The tentacles are no longer bubble-like and they open up to quite long. There is no signs of bleaching as the colouration is still quite vivid.

I have read on the web that anemone changing the shape of the tentacles may not be a good thing. Any gurus care to share advice?

[ozy]

This is what the anemone looks like a few weeks later.

[coralreef]

Erm, why not you post your equipments and tank parameters...see if anyone can help...lighting affects too

[ozy]

Oops... keep forgetting that. Sorry

My tank setup is a 1.5 feet nano, running liberty as filtration with polyfilter and carbon in the filter. And using Sanders piccolo skimmer.

Temp - 27.5 degrees

PH 8.3

SG - 1.022

NH3 - 0

NO2 - 0

NO3 - 20

Lighting - 2 x 36W 10000k PL and 1 x 18W Antinic FL. Tank is not big so I think lighting is enough.

Dripping kalk in tank too to maintain water level as well as dosing minerals to tank.

Have some hair algae problem, but still managable.

[coralreef]

that's a small tank.....how often you change your water?.....I felt that the water volume is not enough

[ozy]

I change 50% every 2 weeks.

It is a nano setup. Just trying out a concept and the inhabitants seems to be well and healthy. My gonipora who has not been opening in my 2 feeter is opening up nicely in this nano. I have adjusted the dripping rate to sort of offset the evaporation rate and I managed to achieve a variation of water volume of not more than 2.5%.

[FuEl]

Many anemones will change the shape of their tentacles in captivity. It can be due to alot of factors like lighting, current, water conditions and even feeding. I read an article before regarding the feeding of bubble-tipped anemones. Bubble-tips in the wild feed on plankton sized prey. Offering them too big and too frequent a meal will lead to their tentacles going out of shape.

[ozy]

Thanx Fuel.

Did it say if it is good or bad for the anemone? or any suitable replacement food for BTA?

Currently I did not feed my anemone any solid food. I just put DT for my other corals.

BTW my photo period is 12 hours.

[flush]

actually my anemone is just like your's, but i think its quite alright, doing fine...been with me for almost half a year.

hopefully this helps.

[hamannbmw]

I think anemone need stonger lights than PL lights

[ozy]

actually my anemone is just like your's, but i think its quite alright, doing fine...been with me for almost half a year.

hopefully this helps. 

Thanx. Just that I like it better when the bubbles are distinct.

As for lighting, I think the wattage is enough as the tank is a small setup and not too deep. Only 10Gallons and having 90W of light. so it is 9W/Gallon. I won't want to grow algae instead of coral. I think that moderation is key.

[19percula]

is it due to the current not strong enough

[ozy]

is it due to the current not strong enough

Might be possible, but I am very very apprehensive in putting in a power head in the tank. I would not want to have freshly squeezed anemone juice in my tank.

Will be a interesting factor to consider for my next study project on anemone...

[19percula]

i suggestu to increase the current flow

[flush]

the funny thing as that i actually have a power head blowing at the anemone, but it sill looks the same. i think the reason why the bubbles "inflate" is because the anemone is feeling threatened? correct me if i'm wrong.