I bought a GBTA from liveaquaria last week and it's been in my tank for six days now and it's tentacles are thin and looks nothing like a bubble tip nem should. Everyday he retracts into the rocks and "purges" himself, so I figured he was doing ok, but I don't understand why he doesn't look like a BTA. His tentacles are thin in high light, lunar light and in darkness. Also, my new ocellaris pair haven't hosted in him yet and I'm wondering if it's cause he looks the way he does. He catches meaty bits every night so I know he's eating (I rotate frozen ocean nutrition's prime reef and Rod's Food). What's goin' on with my GBTA????
My GBTA isn't so bubble tipped!!!!!!
- Thread starter sjj80
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Andythescientist
New member
I'd say six days isn't a very long time for it to have settled in, particularly as it's been shipped in the dark to you.
I have a theory that would fit your situation nicely. My theory is based on the fact that BTA can get nutrition from both light and capturing prey. I believe that they best harness light when their tips are bubbled up, more surface area for zoezanthelle. When they are in the stringy tenticle state, they are in their fishing mode, easier to catch prey when your tenticles are thin, long, and stringy. Since your BTA has been in a dark box, it figured that there is no light, so it switched modes. It my have expelled all it's zoozanthelle, so going back to the bubble mode would not help it at all. The key then to get a BTA into bubble mode is to give it an oppurtunity to capture or rebuild it's zoozanthelle and give it a light source that would enable the zoozanthelle to produce more food, much more then would be gotten if it was in its fishing mode.
jubjub
New member
on karen's anemone's site i think it mentioned where if its bubbled means its hungry because its trying to make more zoezanthelle to feed. but if its not hungry then its not really bubbly. mine was semi bubbly the first few days i got it then after a week i started to feed it whole silversides and its gone down....
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
Back when I had mine ( both green and red ones ) they never had bubble tips. Lights didn't effect it -- they were under 6*55 PCs ( in a 75 ) and then switched to 2*250 MH -- with no change in tips. Would try feeding often or waiting a month b/t feedings, there was no change in tips.
More often then not there will be no rhyme or reason for tips.
More often then not there will be no rhyme or reason for tips.
E.J. Coral
New member
There is certianly a reason. Everything that happens was caused by something. The problem is that light and feeding have been explored by many hobbyists, and no correlation has been found.
In my experience mine have had bubbles most often in the following situations:
1. new clone
2. When first added to a tank .... even if taken from another where they had long tentacles
3. When the lights first go on and before they go off..... both instances under actinics...
In my experience mine have had bubbles most often in the following situations:
1. new clone
2. When first added to a tank .... even if taken from another where they had long tentacles
3. When the lights first go on and before they go off..... both instances under actinics...
1GoldClown
New member
I just got a GBTA also and it has not "bubbled up" either. Though im sure time will tell. I have had mine for only 2 hours though and since then i have fed it and it has accepted the food (brine) and my GSM clown has hosted to it. I do want the bubble look but at the same time im just happy my clown has a shuffle friend now.
mobert
Active member
Here are pictures of my anemone clones. All but one (the darker) RBTA are from one original clone. As are the green tipped anemones all from one original GBTA. They all fed equally and the water parameters are exactly the same since they are in the same tank. Those at the top get more light and current. So you can see how they look as far as bubbles or no bubbles in my tank:
At the very top of the tank:
Near the top of the tank. You can see the RBTA's in the previous picture in the upper right of this picture:
Here is the middle of the tank:
Here is closer to the bottom (the RBTA on the right is the odd clone not related to the rest of the roses):
At the very top of the tank:
Near the top of the tank. You can see the RBTA's in the previous picture in the upper right of this picture:
Here is the middle of the tank:
Here is closer to the bottom (the RBTA on the right is the odd clone not related to the rest of the roses):
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Thanks everyone for the responses 
. My GBTA was stringy when it arrived and has stayed that way. I've fed him meaty bits twice and he's in a prime location for catching food ( my flow blows everything in every direction). I placed him toward the bottom of the tank cause my last BTA didn't like the intensity of my solaris and moved himself into an indirectly lit spot. Today I did notice one tentacle forming a bubble tip after moving the light fixture toward the front, giving him more direct light. Mt two CB ocellaris still haven't hosted in him, I've tried placing a clownfish veggie clip next to the nem and taping pics of clowns on the glass by the nem and nothing has worked!
. My GBTA was stringy when it arrived and has stayed that way. I've fed him meaty bits twice and he's in a prime location for catching food ( my flow blows everything in every direction). I placed him toward the bottom of the tank cause my last BTA didn't like the intensity of my solaris and moved himself into an indirectly lit spot. Today I did notice one tentacle forming a bubble tip after moving the light fixture toward the front, giving him more direct light. Mt two CB ocellaris still haven't hosted in him, I've tried placing a clownfish veggie clip next to the nem and taping pics of clowns on the glass by the nem and nothing has worked!
sk8rreefgeek
New member
haha. mine is bubbly in the morning
The opposite of me
The opposite of me
1GoldClown
New member
Ok so more intense lighting and flow?? I have mine under a 250watt MH and its in a 29G with the return practically blowing on him. Eh o well
The fact of not being in the wild and being in our tanks could be a issue. man can only do so much to make our tanks as close to mother nature as possible. so the anemones might be lacking something.. i noticed with 3 times a week feeding and added more flow to the tank mine has bubbled and stayed bubbled everday lately.
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