Problems with new Magnifica

[diver_ua]

I've bought my Mag and Maroon clown about 2 weeks ago. Every night when actinics shut off the anemone turn over and squeez its body. And every day when light is on, clown helps Mag to come in norm.

I think water flow is strong enough. I use Tunze turbelle stream (8500 l/h) at 1' above my anemone. The light is 2x150W MH 10K + 80W actinics.

Please, help me. What can I do for it? Other animals (fishes, shrimps, clams) are OK.

At early morning
http://www.aqualogo.ru/phpbb2/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6545

after 1 hour
http://www.aqualogo.ru/phpbb2/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6592

 

[Pavlo]

That is not a magnifica. It looks like a brightly coloured BTA. I cant help with the problem because I have only kept a magnifica.

 

[diver_ua]

I think it's magnifica. It not hide the foot and dont't like slow current :-/

 

[Pavlo]

Any other opinions anyone?

 

[SVXH6]

id say brightly colored BTA.. i also have a magnifica, and have kept BTA's and that strongly resembles one.. as far as flow i would lower the flow so it is easier to attach its foot, and have you offered foods.. was it online ordered or store bought, what area did it come from, and also what are your tank parameters??

 

[diver_ua]

Here's another pics.


First 10 minutes in my tank

Second day

I don't see bubbles after first day at all

In the morning

Try to rise up

 

[phender]

The anemone is definately a BTA. The anemone doesn't have its foot attached to anything in either picture. The fact that the bottom of the foot is not attached to anything means the anemone is not happy. I don't know if it is unhealthy or it just doesn't want to be in the spot where you have placed him.
My suggestion would be to turn off the powerheads for a little while and see if the anemone will attach its foot. Then when you turn on your powerhead, the anemone will be able to move to a place it likes.

 

[phender]

edit - double post

 

[diver_ua]

Hmm... I bought it as BTA and first week it was in place with slow current. Each day I see the same "reverse position".

Sometimes anemone try to climb up on the top of LR or rise on glass.


Then I've read about Magnifica and move it to the place with moderate current. No changes at all...

 

[Pavlo]

Can you tell us your lighting and water parameters?

 

[diver_ua]

Ok... Lets name it BTA. What I need to do now?

 

[diver_ua]

actinics 12hrs, MH 10hrs

nitrate, phosphate = 0
SG 1.026
Ca 400 (with lime water)
PH 8.0
Temperature 26 C

 

[MarinaP]

It's a BTA. Probably unhealthy from the start. Are there any holes in the foot? Does it eat?

Healthy BTAs attach in a matter of seconds. Not much that you can do right now, but hope for the best.

Privet

 

[foob]

Shouldn't buy anemone and clownfish together.

Best to get an anemone first, make sure it's healthy, before letting a clownfish "harrass" it.

Also get clownfish that's much smaller than your anemone.

There's nothing much you can do with an unhealthy anemone. If your water parameters aren't great, nothing will fix that right now. Should already have the usual parameters stable - salinity, temp, lighting for a reef tank.

 

[diver_ua]

Hi guys!
Privet, Marina!

I see no holes or other damages of body... may be there is big failure of anemone's "brain".

foob

I've heard that clown helps anemone to get used to tank's conditions.

All parameters are stable bad. I'm kidding. I'll try to do 10% water change today.

 

[reefallen]

This anemone is definately a H. macnifica. And, I just went through a "similar experience to yours. A little different, but with a bad ending. See thread entitled "HCBTA just died - MANY QUESTIONS". I meant to type HMLTA, but hit the wrong keys. There are some pictures further down.

The first problem is that the anemone hasn't attached it's foot into the sand. Are you feeding it? It likes to have current on its tentacles, but not too much. It likes light, but I have heard of people being able to raise them successfully in varying amounts of light. But, it seems the more, the better.

It doesn't like phosphate!!

Feed it silversides, meaty foods like clams, scallops, etc.

Make sure its mouth is not gaping open. Look at its mouth, what do you see?

If it is turning upside down or going into the rocks and not planting its foot, it is not happy. You need to "help" it find a better place in your tank before it gets too stressed out and dies. I found out it can happen QUICKLY!!! Mine died in less than a week. But, I later learned that it was QUITE bleached and would have died anyway despite whatever I did.

The best thing to do would be to find a nice area in your tank that is away from full-force action of power heads, but still is able to get a nice breeze from them to wave the tentacles. Hollow out a space in the sand. Place the anemone in the spot. Pray that it takes hold. Feed it. Pray that it eats. Keep repeating process.

The H. magnifica is the most difficult anemone to keep!! So, don't feel so bad!!

 

[SVXH6]

Its not a H. Magnifica.. and second H. Mags do not attach to the sand, they attach very high in the rock work and even often attaching to the highest point it possibly can in the tank(glass)..and it may be hard but you can have a recovery from a bleached anemone, it just takes more work on your part..when you purchased it they told you rite as it being a BTA, thats what it is.. how did you acclimate the BTA??

 

[reefallen]

Tony,

Not sure if you were speaking to me or not, but if you were, you are extremely rude.

For starters, the SW store that sold it to me that belongs to RC identified it as a H. magnifica, so if you have a problem with the id, talk to him, I'd be glad to PM you his www.

Secondly, obviously you don't know a whole lot about H. magnificas and the difficulty in keeping them. Most anemones are able to be saved from being bleached severely, but rarely are H. magnificas.

I am shocked by the rudeness in your tone and misinformation.:eek1:

 

[phender]

Sorry Mary,

You are the one that is mis-informed. Your anemone was not a H. magnifica and neither is diver_us's. Yours was a LTA (M. doorensis). Diver_us's anemone is a BTA (E. quadricolor).
Your LTA prefers to live in the sand. BTA's prefer to be in the rock work. BTAs tend to hide their foot in the rocks, H. magnifica tend to have their foot exposed on the rocks.

Bleached anemones are not that difficult to rehabilitate if that is the only thing wrong with them. Magnificas are no exception, as long as they are not dammaged in any other way and your aquarium conditions are good. Several members of this forum have saved bleached magnificas.

I am sorry that your LFS owner/ RC member mis-IDed your anemone(or you misunderstood him), but it happens.

 

[km133688]

Hi all. I have BTAs and they look exactly like pic3. No doubt, a BTA. however, it looks plenty healthy in pic3 so I'd say pick it up and put it on a rock somwhere. My BTA has split many times for me and many times for the owner before me. It is currently generation 14 in my tank. So these BTAs can be very hardy. You may have a real winner here.

Although you may be dissapointed about it not being HM, your clowns will like this anemone and you will find that with a couple of tricks it will be easy to care for. May I suggest the following:

1) find or place a rock in the middle of your sand not too close to either glass or other rock and deposit the BTA there. This will keep it in one place.

2) feed it meaty foods every day. Less is more in this case, meaning dont try to stuff it full. For example, I feed my tank a staple of Hikari frozen mysis (there are other brands too). I always squeeze a little out of the turkey baster for each of the currently three BTAs I have. They eat it quickley but ends up being only 5 or so shimps. I feed the tank twice daily, sometimes three times and they get food each time. I can't stress how important it is to feed your anemones. Regardless of light, it is feeding that makes them grow and keeps them happy. The more you feed, the faster they grow and more inclined they will be to split for you.

3) BTAs tend to wander so take precaustions. Specifically, put strainers of something over each power head intake. I have killed two from being sucked up into powerheads before I got wise. Also, do as suggested in #1 above to make it harder for them to move around. In the end, they will walk across sand and even float in the water if they are real unhappy but this is more rare.

4) watch them if you should ever change your lighting or water currents. These have been the two most common reasons for my anemones to start walking around the tank. In the end I just placed stragglers back on the rock, or gave them away noting that because I was feeding mine, they would eventually split for me again, and what do I need BTAs that won't stay still when the others will.

Good luck, Kevin