How to acclimate an anemone to new lighting?

[Duddly01]

I think I screwed up. This past weekend I upgraded my lighting from PCs to T-5s and I think I just killed my GBTA.

The lighting is soooo much more intense. My corals are so much more colorful and seem to be loving it. My RBTA is now flat against the rock and not reaching for the light like it used to. Its tentacles are also little stubby balls but it seems to be adjusting ok I think. My GBTA on the other hand ran under a rock and now its tentacle are all shriveled up and it looks like it is spitting out its guts. What should I have done? If it doesn't make it and I get another one at some point how should I acclimate it to the lighting? I don't think most LFS have them under good lighting as it is.

 

[GSMguy]

i bet its splitting.
you cant hurt a BTA with light but they can hide until they are ready to come out into it

 

[55semireef]

I say its splitting too.

 

[Hoyle]

I just had the exact same thing happen to me, but it was after bringing a new BTA home from my LFS where it was kept in much lower lighting. I first made the mistake of putting it at the highest point in my tank under 250W MH. It shrivelled up, turned gray, and I thought for sure was going to die at any time.

I moved it about 1/2 way down the live rock and more into a shaded area where it could still reach the light when it was ready. After the lights turned out it slipped under a crack that I didn't even realize was there and found a cave in the rocks. I could only see it with a flashlight.

After a few days I decided to give it another try so I caught the BTA and put him at the lowest spot possible, almost on the substrate. He looked great and was eating as much as I would give him.

I woke up this morning and he's gone again, only this time I can't see him anywhere. My wife said that she saw him at about 5:00 a.m. moving into the live rocks again. Is he going to split or is he just taking his time getting used to the light? How long should I wait before checking to make sure he's not dying under a rock somewhere?

 

[Duddly01]

I hope it is just splitting, but it looks really bad. It is just hanging upside down under a rock and looks like it is spitting out its insides. I am soooo bumbed, I wanted to do something nice for them by upgrading the lighting, and now I am afraid I may have done the worst thing for it.

BTW, My midas blenny didn't seem to like it either, it jumped out of the tank yesterday while I was at work. It found a small opening I had made in the egg crate I put over the tank to keep him in. How is it they always seem to find that one spot? He had jumped on me twice before, but this time I wasn't home to save him. I thought I was doing a good thing.

 

[Duddly01]

He didn't make it. I found it falling apart in the sand when I got home. I checked my parameters and the only thing off was my nitrates were at 40. I guess the ammonia from the death was getting converted quickly. This afternoon my daughter told me the other BTA is just starting to extend its tentacles again so it looks like I didn't kill it at least.

 

[Hoyle]

I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe you can kill a BTA with light after all. If so mine's probably heading down the same road. I still haven't seen him since he last vanished.

 

[Duddly01]

If so you will want to get him out quickly, I understand they can polute your tank. When I pulled it it sure smelled horrible. My poor Clarkii's are so confused. The female still hangs out where it was. I think she is hoping it will come back.