Will GBTA stretch out for more light?

[$eaba$$]

Hey guys,

My GBTA is doing great, and has nice color to it. I was just wondering, though the anemone is still very visible, and seems to be doing well, and is luckily in the front where I can see it, it is staying in the same spot, and has been there for about 3 days now. It seems happy there, and looks very healthy, by the color and appetite. I just wanted to see if you guys think it will "stretch" out more for light, once it gets even more used to the spot. Since it's a 20 gallon, 16" tall, and I only have 130 watts of powercompact lighting on the tank, I know that it's not much, so it will probably want to utilize as much of the light as possible. Also, one other thing; on BTA's I often see long and skinny tentacles, but on mine, they are normally short and like bubbles. Here are some pics:

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Thanks!

 

[Slakker]

I'd move that frogspawn...looks like the anemone is staying somewhat deflated on that side to avoid contact with it.

 

[$eaba$$]

I will move it, but it really just looks worse than it is. There is about 4" between.
Alright, I just movied the octopus coral. It is at the top now, far away from the GBTA.
Thanks Slakker!

 

[garygb]

I think you are fine with two 65-watt PC on a 20 gallon. It is likely in time the bubble tips will elongate. That just seems to happen more times than not. Your anemone looks perfectly healthy to me.

 

[$eaba$$]

thanks for the positive attitude haha garyb! Also, will the anemone's foot most likely stretch out so the anemone is more out and up higher to seek for light, in addition to the "tentacles"?

Thanks!

 

[garygb]

It might extend it's body some, I expect it will. If you feed it 2 or 3 times per week, it will get larger and the body and tentacles will all grow. Keep the tank in good shape with regular water changes and the parameters in line and you will be surprised at how fast the anemone can grow.

 

[alexknight]

I would highly recommend you upgrade your lights to t-5 or MH, I had one under PC and it didn't do well at all into I got my MH. now he is a very nice deep green. Your anemone Is on the lighter side, you can see threw some of the tentacles from my experience you shouldn't be able to see threw them at all.

 

[$eaba$$]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13826676#post13826676 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alexknight
I would highly recommend you upgrade your lights to t-5 or MH, I had one under PC and it didn't do well at all into I got my MH. now he is a very nice deep green. Your anemone Is on the lighter side, you can see threw some of the tentacles from my experience you shouldn't be able to see threw them at all.

This I'm not very sure about... sorry. I have read a bunch of stories on here and online of people having BTAs' under PC lighting, and they have done well. It may do even better under halides, but I have heard that they can do well under PC too. On here also, I have heard that BTAs' are almost the best suited anemones for lower light. Thanks for the concern and view though.

 

[alexknight]

$eaba$$- Hopefully the PC lighting works out for you, me it sure didn't lol but then again like you said other people have had no problem with it. I am just ganna share my pic's of my BTA under pc lighting and now under MH.

Under PC

Under MH

 

[garygb]

I've kept my RBTAs under PC, MH and T-5. They have been fine under each one. I do think having all daylight, either 6500K or 10,000K (which is more crisp white and less yellow) gives you the fastest growth. But frankly, in a 20 gallon tank under two 50/50s is that the bulbs you have?) you will be fine for growth and color. I would suggest that you keep up with how old the bulbs are and change them out at around 8 or 9 months.

 

[$eaba$$]

Thanks guys. Garyb, yes they are two 65 watt 50/50 power compact bulbs. One bulb is under a month old, and the other is about 4 months old.

Thanks!

 

[garygb]

All should be well. Just feed it pieces of fresh squid, shrimp, silversides, and scallops and let it grow--and move stuff out of the way that it might sting.

 

[$eaba$$]

will do. thanks. still in the same spot..

 

[chrisstie]

I think once an anemone settles down and stays mostly put for a few months is when we all finally feel able to breathe that sigh of relief that its doing well. Having it keep doing well after that just makes us happy. It can be nerve wracking the first few months but hang in there!

I'm not going to say you can't do it with PC lighting- I have one that looks just like the green one above in the MH lighting in a red sea tank that has PC lighting and its made 2 clones and keeps growing. My clown loves.. all of them. Its getting close to a year now and hopefully much longer. These have stayed bubbled. A 3rd clone in my other tank under T5 lighting has elongated but I think its accomading my much larger clown in that tank. I'm not sure if it knows it or not.

You have some great advice on this thread. The only thing I would add is to check in at night when the lighs have been off for a while to make sure there aren't any tentacles coming from corals. That frogspawn that you moved can elongate its own tentacles to defend itself and other corals can have them too. Just keep an eye to make sure there isn't warfare going on and you should be setup for a positive experience it looks like.

 

[$eaba$$]

thanks!

 

[JeffReef]

Can you post a FTS?

It appears that the GBTA is on the lower right corner of the tank. I would try moving the anemone a little higher and towards the center to see if there's an improvement in color and overall appearance. You may have to add more live rocks in order to position your nem properly.