GBTA has huge inflated base. Does this look normal?

C

clearmotions

New member
It's not as big in this picture but the base of this gbta will sometimes get really big and then deflate again. Is this typical behavior?

ct37H07.jpg
 
K, I would expect it to act strange for at least a week while it gets used to its new environment. Mine always deflate and expel brown stuff and switch their internal water out with the new water of the tank they are in. I wouldnt be too worried about it. Does your friend have power heads that could shred it? I lost two that way when I first started keeping them. Usually when they are new they like to move around and sometimes can go for a swim in the current to get to better spots. This can lead to them floating into a power head.
 
alb_56 said:
K, I would expect it to act strange for at least a week while it gets used to its new environment. Mine always deflate and expel brown stuff and switch their internal water out with the new water of the tank they are in. I wouldnt be too worried about it. Does your friend have power heads that could shred it? I lost two that way when I first started keeping them. Usually when they are new they like to move around and sometimes can go for a swim in the current to get to better spots. This can lead to them floating into a power head.
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Ah, that makes sense. I've been keeping an eye on it to make sure it stays away from the powerhead. Last night it attached beneath a rock upside down and it didn't look very good this morning so I flipped the rock over and it perked up and started walking around again. Strange creatures.
 
If i was you i would cover the powerheads. I have lost 1 bubble tip when i first started. I have a rbta now in my tank for 2 months and it is still walking around once every few days and last week it was floating around the tank. Sometimes it can take a long time that they find a spot that it like.
 
Kaman8 said:
If i was you i would cover the powerheads. I have lost 1 bubble tip when i first started. I have a rbta now in my tank for 2 months and it is still walking around once every few days and last week it was floating around the tank. Sometimes it can take a long time that they find a spot that it like.
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That's probably a good idea. Is there something in particular that I can buy to cover them up?
 
A lot of people recommend panty hose or a thin stocking material. I think BRS actually sell something specifically for it but it might just be for a specific type of pump,( dont quote me on that though).

PS, doing this will restrict the flow of the power heads.
 
alb_56 said:
A lot of people recommend panty hose or a thin stocking material. I think BRS actually sell something specifically for it but it might just be for a specific type of pump,( dont quote me on that though).

PS, doing this will restrict the flow of the power heads.
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Perfect, I actually stole some pantyhose from my girlfriend a while ago to cut up and put purigen in so I'll just use that.

How long does it typically take before they finally stay put?
 
Typically, I would say around a month, but it really is animal and tank dependent. We all have such different environments, rockwork, and other inhabitants, its impossible to really say for sure. Mine still move occasionally, but usually only a few inches from where they were. Probably doesn't help I'm always messing with the tank though.
 
When the foot swells up like that the anemone is on the move. Like others said, cover the power heads. It will settle it's foot in a crevace where it feels safe.
 
clearmotions said:
That's probably a good idea. Is there something in particular that I can buy to cover them up?
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I use mesh . It will not reduce your flow and easy to clean. If you are playing with you flow a lot it will on the move all the time.
 

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clearmotions said:
I just put some pantyhose on there for now but I'll try to find some mesh as a long term solution.
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You should do that, because pantyhose increase the flow a lot and it's get very dirty very fast. I have used it at the beginning and then made my own mesh cover for long term use.
 
Kaman8 said:
You should do that, because pantyhose increase the flow a lot and it's get very dirty very fast. I have used it at the beginning and then made my own mesh cover for long term use.
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Thanks for the info.

Another quick question: what's the best way to tell if it's healthy and happy?
So far all I've seen multiple times is to make sure that it's still attached to something and remains responsive. This is the first anemone that either of us have owned so I want to make sure I can spot any warning signs. Also, the fact that it will go from looking like a lumpy pile of goo to fully extended and vibrant within minutes of each other multiple times a day makes it kind of hard to gauge, haha. All I'm really doing at this point is making sure that the water remains pristine.
 
When you by them from a store you usually look for any tears or damage to the foot. Tears usually decrease the survival rate pretty drastically. Losing color and turning white is the other biggest indicator of health. From your picture, it looks like you got a nice large healthy one.
 
Oh, they can also start eating their own tentacles. Its hard to really say why they do this exactly but most people think its because its starving and needs fed more.
 
alb_56 said:
Oh, they can also start eating their own tentacles. Its hard to really say why they do this exactly but most people think its because its starving and needs fed more.
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Great info, didn't know about these things other than the bleaching. One thing I noticed is that it seems to move away from the flow and light. So far it has spent a lot of time in dark corners, though it hasn't stayed in them that long. I was worried that the lights were too bright but they are just a regular LPS-capable fixture and don't put out a ton of power. I guess I'll just wait it out for now and see what happens.
 
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clearmotions said:
Great info, didn't know about these things other than the bleaching. One thing I noticed is that it seems to move away from the flow and light. So far it has spent a lot of time in dark corners, though it hasn't stayed in them that long. I was worried that the lights were too bright but they are just a regular LPS-capable fixture and don't put out a ton of power. I guess I'll just wait it out for now and see what happens.
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How many watt is your light? Anemones need high light. If your light is not good enough the nem will slowly bleaching and starting to eat their tentacles and starve to dead. If you see the mouth gaping then you need to worry. At the beginning it will hide in caves, it is acclimating to your tank. Keep your parameters stable.
 
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