Anemone Problem

[Sinclair9]

Hey guys,

This is one of my first posts, so hello to all, now on to the problem.

I have a bubble tip anemone, which has split 3 times over the past year and now there are 4. For about two months they all remained on the same rock, just spread out. Recently they all decided to leave after cleaning and water change. Since then, been about a month, I cannot get any of them to eat. I used to feed them silversides once to twice a week, now when I try to feed them they just shrink up. They also notice to be getting steadily smaller, it is really starting to worry me. I have tested the water and everything apears normal. It may be time to replace the bulbs in my compact flourecents. The bulbs are roughly a 18 months old, could this be the problem??? Please help, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[finding nemo]

Might be the light but I doubt it, have you added any other corals to your tank?
Or cleanup crew.?
Are there tenticles staying full and are they curled and beaten up on the ends?
Do you have clowns in the tank?

 

[Sinclair988]

Sorry, had to create a new account, you can see the connection. Anyways, I have not added anything new recently, however one fish did die, a small yellow tail damsel. The corpse was not found but a WC has occured since then. They appear to look healthy, the tenticles look slighlty skinny, they are not short and fat like they are after they eat. But they do appear to be getting smaller, so maybe thats why they dont look as stringy as they do when they are really hungry. I have to ocilleous(sp) clownfish, they just sort of roam from anemone to anemone.

I have a 75 gallon tank with roughly 65 pounds of live rock, with 2 inches of sand substrate. There are now only 3 fish, the two clowns and a domino damsel, there is a large long spine sea urchin, my giant clam died roughly 3 months ago. I have the corolife lunar lite, with 4 x 65 watt compact flourencents. Is there any other info you need?

 

[Sinclair988]

Upon further research I have just realized that my tank is quite overun with aiptasia. From what I have been reading this could be the root of all my problems. I plan to pick up some joes juice this weekend in hopes of eliminating these pests. I noticed them popping up, but did not realize what they were. Hopefully once they are eliminated my bubble tips will be back to normal.

 

[SEAFLOWERS]

Joe's Juice will only eliminate what is in tank right now, not the problem. What have you been feeding the tank? Aiptasia will usually go crazy in a high nutrient area. Juice from foods added to the tank is like rocket fuel to them.

 

[Sinclair988]

I realize joes juice will not permanently remove the aiptasia. I meant that I believe the problems with my tank are from the aiptasia. I am hoping that they might be the reason my bubble tips are not eating and acting strange. Hopefully once they are removed everything will be back to normal. If you have any other suggestions as to why the bubble tips are not eating I would greatly appreiciate it. Thanks guys.

 

[dantodd]

I think what seaflowers was trying to say is that the aiptasia is an indication of excess nutrients. This is usually detectable in the nitrate and phosphate tests. What are your readings from these tests?

Killing the aiptasia will probably help the BTAs dramatically and you should do it. Don't try and kill them all at once. You can Ph shock your tank if you put too much in. I'd suggest not killing more than 20 or so at a time.

 

[Sinclair9]

Wow, didnt realize that. I will only do around 20 a day or so, thanks for the advice. I dont have my measurement numbers off hand, but I am gonna do a WC tomorrow and then I will retest.

 

[dantodd]

Joe's Juice is essentially kalkwasser so it is very safe but if you're trying to kill 200 or so it might get out of hand. Better safe than sorry.

 

[TOURKID]

works great on aptasia.. stains the heck out of your carpet

 

[Sinclair9]

Ok, as far as feeding the tank, all I really add is flaked fish food, I dont have any corals. But I did feed the anemones silversides once or twice a week until recently when they stopped eating. Before the clam died I would add cyclopeeze to the tank once a week, but I havent recently. I feed the fish twice a day with just a pinch or so of the flaked food, it is formula two flaked food.

 

[TOURKID]

i know uneaten flake adds phosphates to the tank... definatly get a test for that one...

 

[jojabis]

what happened to the clam??

 

[Sinclair9]

I have no idea what happened to the clam. I read that aiptasia can hurt clams, and there were quite a few around it prior to its death. I did not know what they were, I wish I had posted here sooner. Hopefully I will be able to get my anemones to eat soon.

 

[55semireef]

I think its your 18 month old lights. Just my guess.

You lighting also isn't strong enough to support the clam. Clams need intensive lighting. They usually need VHO or MH to do well. Most need MH.

With your RBTA, I would get new 65 watt bulbs. That might help. I would also look into new lights.

Just my two cents

Good luck

 

[Sinclair9]

I am getting new bulbs shortly, the lights may have been an issue for the clam, but it was not a clam that required a ton of lighting, it was a derasa clam, one of the giant clams, the kind that live deeper under the water. The light we have now has 4 65 watt bulbs, so it has fair amount of lighting. The anemone has done great for roughly 14 months, and has split 3 times like I said. Hopefully the new lights will help though. The anemones started roaming around somewhat recently, but now they seem to have found some new spots and are staying put. Thanks for all the help, I have just about cut the aipstia population in half. By this weekend I plan to have them all removed, and do another water change. Any advice on a new skimmer, that is not terribly expensive, for a 75 gallon tank? Thanks alot all.

EDIT: I currently have a seaclone 100. Filtration I have a Bio wheel 330, or something along those lines, I run carbon in addition to the carbon within the filters.

 

[55semireef]

That also helps a little with you last post. Carbon can release certain chemicles that can really irratate corals and anemones. A biowheel 330 can also be a nitrate factory if your not careful.

Yes, I would upgrade your seaclone. There are tons of great skimmers out there. I am planning on building a second one for my tank since I don't have the best either.

 

[Sinclair9]

Yeah, I knew about the carbon realease thing, I try and make sure to replace the carbon every month. Is there a filter which would be a better fit? I plan on getting a sump going next year. Should I just keep the biowheel until then?

 

[55semireef]

Keep the biowhell to then. I would get a sump as soon as possible. Just try to avoid bioballs since you have inverts that are sensative towards water quality. Meaning that bioballs can mean build up of nitrates.

 

[Sinclair9]

Yeah, I was thinking to just have a filter pad, then carbon and then some live rock rubble.