RBTA Shriveling

[MitchReef]

I finally decided to venture into an anemone, and found an amazing price on a Rose Bubble Tip at a LFS that was closing up shop. It feeds great, and is right pretty. I am hoping for the color to get brighter, but I know that will be a slow process.

I have it on a nice mound of LR under 150W Phoenix. It is usually really pretty:

But sometimes (just about daily) it shrivels up and looks like:

It always puffs back up, it just looks all nasty for a few hours, then poof, just as pretty as can be. It even seems to be a bit bigger and brighter afterward. One friend said it's just pooping. Is this possible? Does this look like a problem?

Parameters:
pH 8.2
SG 1.025
Temp 79.6 - 81.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0
Calcium 440
dKH 9.6
Magnesium 1450

BTW, My two silly little Misbar Ocellaris clowns discovered the anem this week, and I think they both enjoy the interaction.

Excuse this pic, the lights were off, and this is a flash picture.

 

[a4twenty]

anemone's are mostly water and swell and shrink to expel waste. from the last picture your anemone looks to be extremely hungry, what and how often are you feeding him?


my best advice would be to get some krill / silversides / shrimp and offer the anemone a small piece. for now i would try to feed a little everyday or every other day until he gets his strength back.

also i would check your test kits, with the algae growth in the tank it is likely that you do have some nitrates and phosphates.

 

[MitchReef]

My test kits are verified. The algae is actually dropping back, as my trates were up for a few weeks, but my mangroves and chaeto have kicked in good, a couple of water changes done and everything is where it needs to be now.

I have been feeding him twice a week, a bit of mysis or cut scallop. I will up the feedings and see if he looks better. I guess it's time to go to the grocery store for a couple of shrimp! Maybe I will get a few for me too!!!!

Thanks for the reply, like I said, I'm new to anemones.

 

[a4twenty]

what i see as a sign of hunger are the tiny tentacles around the outside edge. are you watching that he is actually eating what he's feed? how much are you feeding?, i give my GBTA's a full krill or silverside twice a week and that seems to keep em happy. this of course will vary on the size and health of the anemone and his response to the food. he can only fit so much in his mouth at one time so huge pieces are no good.

does the clown try to steal his food?? if so feed the clown first, then the anemone.

twice a week is probably ok, maybe think about feeding a bit more volume at each meal, as long as he is eating it all and not spitting it out it should help.

 

[Frank AZ]

Mine does the shrink up daily also - could pretty much set a clock to it. He does it right before the lights go on for the day.

8:30-11am - shrink up.
12:00-8:00pm - expand an widen (lights turn on)
8pm - feeding time
9:00-8:30am - (lights go off) he streaches out - this morning he was streached to about 6" from his hole in the rock.

 

[MitchReef]

Well, this morning he was shrivelled up, but while I was out and around I stopped and got a package of silversides. When I got home this afternoon, I thought he was gone, I searched and found him on the bottom of a little rock, which I turned over. He started puffing up a little and I gave it a half of a silverside, which it devoured. Maybe we are on to something here!!!!!

Thanks for the input everyone, I think it's going to be smooth sailing from here.