is my anemone going to make it?

[blackthunda77]

I got a GBTA about 2 months ago. When i got it it wasnt very big and didnt act very typical of the average BTA. didnt really bubble up, but it did once in a while. I have a pair of false percs and in about 1 week the female found it and has been "trying" to host in it ever since. Like i said it wasnt very big and im starting to think that the clown was stressing it out. In the mean time, it looks like it got physically smaller, and most of the color has been lost. The foot wasnt very pink to begin with but right now almost the whole anemone is a pale yellow and the disc is very transparent. The tentacles have kind of shriveled up and are very small. i didnt really feed it much in the beginning but have now started to feed it silversides almost everyday. This is how it stands as of now. It still is holding tight to the rock work(dont they usually let go if they are dying?) because i tried to move it to my 55 gal reef with dual 250 MH, right now it is in the 29 oceanic BC with the stock lighting and added another 65 watts of pc. the mouth is tight and its not falling apart. its not spitting out its insides, and is actually eating everytime i feed it. Is there a way to bring back the color? i would like to try to move it into the 55 gall reef with the MH but i cant detach it from the rocks, any advice? ALSO i added the extra 65 watts when i saw the anemone going south, the funny thing is that i added the lights in the bck where the anemone was and by the end of the second day it moved to the front of the tank away from the direct light from the light i just added for it??!!??

 

[vr697getta]

the clowns may have stressed it
sounds like it stays in one spot thats good
and that its eating is good
what do you test for in your water

 

[blackthunda77]

tested for all water params, but not supplements like calcium or alk or mag. ph was 8.3 sg was 1.024, temp is 78, amm was at 0, trite was 0 trate was <15. phosphates were 0

 

[sarahkucera]

I don't think you should feed it every day, as it could likely be regurgitating the silversides later. Try every third day. Keep the clowns away from it. It sounds like you have half a chance of bringing it back around, but it's really going to be touch and go for a while.

 

[blackthunda77]

Hey actually moved now, once again, sincei had the "barrier" around it for a couple of days. Hes climbing up the rock work, hes seems to be getting biggr in size, but the color on his disc and his foot is still a pale white/yellow

 

[sarahkucera]

Keep an eye on where he's going and move any corals he might stumble across. It'll take a long time for him to color up.

 

[garygb]

Make sure any powerhead intakes are covered to prevent the anemone from being sucked in and shredded. The clowns could definitely be iritating to the anemone. I've read that an anemone needs to be three times the number of inches of the clown that lives in it. In your case, it's a pair, so three times their combined length. The pc lighting should be fine for a BTA, assuming the bulbs are not old and are of daylight temperature. Actinic lighting is not useful, photosynthetically speaking. The anemone will position itself where the lighting is suitable. Try not to move the anemone and for now, it is likely a good thing to keep it out of the tank where the clownfish are. Sounds like your water parameters are good for the most part, if I were you I would slowly bring the specific gravity up to 1.025, although 1.024 is not bad.
Gary

 

[blackthunda77]

well the clowns are definatley part of the problem then, because it seems to be doing better since i blocked it off from them getting into it. I gues ill just keep feeding it every 3 days or so and il just keep an eye on it.

 

[blackthunda77]

well the clowns are definatley part of the problem then, because it seems to be doing better since i blocked it off from them getting into it. I gues ill just keep feeding it every 3 days or so and il just keep an eye on it.

 

[garygb]

If you keep feeding it regularly and continue to provide good conditions, you will be surprised at how quickly your anemone will be large enough to host your clowns. I would expect a few months. Maybe you could then take the clowns and put them im the the 29 gallon. Ideally anemones would be kept in specimen tanks anyway. In a year, you would likely have a very large BTA and a happy pair of clowns.
Gary