added first anemone to tank

R

ryanpal

New member
hey guys...as some of you already know i got my first reef tank on saturday (150 gallon). it was all up and running...it's been running for 6 years so the system is quite balanced.

i just added a bulb anemone for the two clown fish. upon first entry i placed it high on the live rock. the clown fish eyed it up but have not made contact yet. the anemone has migrated a few inches to where two live rocks meet and wedged itself there. it's not expanded like it was at the store (expected since it was exposed to shipping and a new home).

i'd just like to hear some feedback regarding this...perfectly normal? any key things i should watch at this stage? (ive read the popular pdf faq on anemones so i have some insite)

thanks
ryan
 
Being 3 days into your new tank I don't recommend having an anemone. There is lots to learn with reef tanks, anemones are considered delicate creatures. Your system may be established, but there has been a disruption. As far as it being balanced, that is up to you. I suggest monitoring it closely.

Here is a website that may be helpful:

www.karensroseanemones.com
 
I agree...best of luck, but it would be much easier for you and the inhabitants of your tank if you give yourself some time to really get things figured out on your end before adding new livestock.

It might even be best to take your anemone back to the store or have a local reefer hang onto it for a while.
 
wow...i understand they are very delicate, but i was advised that it shouldnt be a problem. guess i'll tend to side with you guys considering im still a beginnner...i guess i'll hope for the best

edit: agreed that my system has been "disrupted" from adding in an new element. that makes perfect sense. i guess i'm hoping that since the system was 6 years old, the levels were fine and the tank is rather large that it shouldn't be that much of a shock. i'll keep everyone updated
 
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I moved a 55 8 months ago when I started and some things made it while others didn't. The anemone I started with did not. I'd be shocked if your tank doesn't still cycle a little or at least have some spikes in parameters for a month or so. I wouldn't give the anemone that much of a chance in the long run considering the move. Even if you moved most of the water with it. Thats just my opinion from my own experience though. But good luck either way!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10094336#post10094336 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ahullsb
I moved a 55 8 months ago when I started and some things made it while others didn't. The anemone I started with did not. I'd be shocked if your tank doesn't still cycle a little or at least have some spikes in parameters for a month or so. I wouldn't give the anemone that much of a chance in the long run considering the move. Even if you moved most of the water with it. Thats just my opinion from my own experience though. But good luck either way!
Click to expand...

we actually managed to move all the water. we had to top it off with some of the lost water, but it is all the original water for the most part. i'll keep you guys updated
 
update: the anemone was squeezed tight between the LR last night, yet when i wroke up it was expanded upwar and alot more open. similar to how it was in the store. not bad only after 2 days. i've read some guides which it would stay squeezed between two rocks for a week.

i did notice however the nitrite level is at 40ppm. when i tested this two days ago it was near 0. i noticed i didn't shake the 2nd bottle as directed (which i did during the last test), so maybe the original results were skewed. at any rate, is this level high? i have some stuff that came with the tank that decreases the nitrite levels by added in a few drops each day.
 
I agree you should have waited a bit but it is too late now lets just make sure it survives and help him out.

This can be normal.. First of all I do not know what the system is like at your lfs but most I have seen do not have the light to keep anemones long term.. With low light conditions an anemone may expand more than normal because it is trying to create more surface area to get light. If you have way more light in your tank than the lfs it will contract or stay smaller till it gets used to your lights and may never open up as much as it did in the lfs...

What is the lighting on your tank... The bta is a rather easy anemone to keep especially the greens, so at least you picked an easier one to try. But slow down and take some time to learn and educate yourself before making more purchases. Rushing this hobby has pushed more people to drop out than anything else. This hobby is not cheap and it is irresponsible to cause deaths on some of these creature that are taken from their home in the ocean.


good luck and do not be afraid to ask.
Dave
 
thanks dave. makes perfect sense.

the lighting in my tank is 2 metal halides and two florence bulbs. i placed it on the top of the live rock to be somewhat close to the lights. currently it doesn't seem as if it's over expanding itself. also, i believe the lighting is sufficent because the previous owner had an anemone prior...and the lights do seem pretty damn bright. at first i wasn't sure if it was giong to be too bright. at any rate, i've been told it's common for the anemone to wedge itself down deep and then expand up. if it gets bothered it can retract quickly down to where it feels safe.

as i mentioend before it looks like it's getting more comfortable with its new system...at least for now.

anyone see any problems with the 40ppm level?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10102535#post10102535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryanpal


anyone see any problems with the 40ppm level?
Click to expand...

You should never see any nitrite in your tank and it is very bad. If you are seeing nitrite that means the biological processes was disturbed during the move and has not ballanced out yet and the tank is not ready for anything. When moving a tank it still will have to go through a cycle like any other tanks, it just is usually shorter... I would have your water tested by your lfs to see if that is right. Do some water changes because you need that lower. That would be high even for nitrate. nothing should be added to a tank till ammonia and nitrite are zero.. Have you tested for ammonia?

Was there a sand bed in this tank?

Dave
 
yes there was sand at the bottom of the tank which we took out some in a bucket but left some in there as well.

all the water was taken in 5 gallon water jugs. i'm going to have to test this again. it seems odd to have a 0 nitrite level and then have 40 two days later.

granted i forgot to "vigorously shake" the 2nd nitrite bottle...but would this really account for that big of a spread? i'm going to test again.

do lfs charge for water testing by the way? ...just curious.

and no i haven't checked for ammonia. i'll have to get a kit that tests for this.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10102709#post10102709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryanpal
yes there was sand at the bottom of the tank which we took out some in a bucket but left some in there as well.

all the water was taken in 5 gallon water jugs. i'm going to have to test this again. it seems odd to have a 0 nitrite level and then have 40 two days later.

granted i forgot to "vigorously shake" the 2nd nitrite bottle...but would this really account for that big of a spread? i'm going to test again.

do lfs charge for water testing by the way? ...just curious.

and no i haven't checked for ammonia. i'll have to get a kit that tests for this.
Click to expand...

A couple by me test for free... some do not do tests at all....

Disturbing an old sand bed could very well account for that jump in nitrites....

Dave
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10102805#post10102805 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shred5
A couple by me test for free... some do not do tests at all....

Disturbing an old sand bed could very well account for that jump in nitrites....

Dave
Click to expand...

best treatment is to change a good percentage of the water? what about the treatment stuff that came with the tank that drops the levels by adding a few drops each day?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10102835#post10102835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryanpal
best treatment is to change a good percentage of the water? what about the treatment stuff that came with the tank that drops the levels by adding a few drops each day?
Click to expand...

Time is the best way.. But yea water changes and I would not put any food in the tank....

Dave
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10103040#post10103040 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shred5
Time is the best way.. But yea water changes and I would not put any food in the tank....

Dave
Click to expand...

for how long? i need to feed the fish
 
Your fish will survive better without food for a few days than they will with elevated nitrite levels.
 
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