BTAs; is this normal?
 

My anemone seems to be going through alot of changes, and I'm concerned about if they are normal, or if they are an indication of a larger more underlying problem. The tomato clown has grown alot; from about half an inch to just under 2 inches.

This first image is shortly after I first got it in November of 2004
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/PICT0114.jpg

This second image is about 6 months after it was first introduced. At this point the anemone had lost its bubble tips.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/PICT0002.jpg

This is the anemone tonight, and unfortunatly the picture doesn't show the true color. The color is now white, with a neon-green tinge under my lights. Its also shrunken to half its size, and the bubble tips have returned.http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/PICT0079.jpg

Any thoughts as to what is happening?

shrinking BT
 

We have a BT and it shrinks considerably at night and opens in the morning. Not sure about the white color. Maybe from the lighting? How long have you had it? It took about 2 weeks for ours to find favorite location. I think as long as the mouth is closed its probably fine.

Doug

It's looking bleached to me. The fact that it is shrinking is also a bit concerning.

You've had it for a while; that seems unusual to bleach after a year.

What kind of lighting do you have for this tank? How old? Do you feed the anemone, if so, what and how often?

400W MH, atinics, and PC lights. MH runs for 12 hours a day. The anemone is fed when its possible (it likes to select locations that are hard to feed), its usually fed silversides, or krill. Its too small to eat a whole silverside anymore though, even half would be too large, we've settled on krill because of the size.

The mouth is closed. Its just so strange.

Maybe the tomato is stressing it, aren't tomatoes fairly rough with their host ? My suggestion is to watch the clownfish behaviour in the anemone, and feed that bad boy once a day from now on to get his color back. It is looking like it's bleached (or bleaching) Your lighting is sufficient... so I am not too sure .. Surely water paramaters are all well? Like I mentioned, watch the clown and how rough he is with his host, and feed it once a day from now on , and see if this starts to help.

Not to hijack a thread or nothing, but my RBTA shrinks nightly into its hole. Any thoughts on that? I thought with stress he would always be shrunken, but during the day he expands..

opinions would be great :)

The tomato actually isn't that rough to be honest. I was watching her this morning, and she actually seems to be more gentle. I think her behavior is in part what made me post. Today's color looks stronger, but the whole thing looks neon green. Its a big change from the red-brown it was when first purchased.

All water chemistry tests fine as of a couple days ago. The biggest change in the system has been the introduction of a kalk drip about a month, or maybe a month an a half ago.

This is normal, my rose does the same as well as every other BTA I have kept. What they are doing is "flushing" their tentacles of water, and re-filling itself with new fresh water if you will.. a normal process. Sometimes you'll notice they don't always do it, and sometime more than others. If this is the case, water quality may be a factor. But generally, they are just flushing and re-inflating with new water.

Scott

Scott,

Are you talking about shrinking and growing throughout the day?

A red/brown anemone = a healthy anemone . I am stumped myself as to what's going on with yours michika. I really am not sure what to suggest as of now, other than to feed your anemone as much as possible. If it readily accepts food , your anemone is still quite healthy... a nice tightly close, puckered up mouth is also the signs of a healthy anemone. (don't feel bad that it's bleaching .. sometimes this DOES happen, even with mine it did) the main thing to watch out for is the mouth, and just see if it readily accepts food.

It eats, and its mouth looks fine when I can see it. I'll keep feeding it, and hopefully something will happen.

Ironically I really wanted one of Newguy's nice neon white-green anemones...

I am referring to the whole lights out, and then the anemone shrinks.. even during the day... this is the anemones way of flushing out the old water, re-inflating with new water. Also, when an anemone deflates.. it could be "pooping" ...

Hey Michika, one last suggestion.. copy your initial post and head over to Reef Central and post this in the Anemone/Clownfish forum. Lots of anemone experts over there!

I will do that when I get a moment. I just want to know whats up with it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Yeah I know.. it's frustrating, especially when everything is in great condition in your tank. I am sure someone here or on reef central can provide some more insight.. and besides, your anemone isn't dying by any means.. it still sounds quite healthy. Just losing some of it's (do i dare try and spell) zooaxethelle?! hah :lol:

LOL!

Do you think atinics could be causing this? It just occured to me that the color started changing when atinics were added.

No, I wouldn't think so, I have kept BTA's under actinics. That surely wouldn't be the cause.

Well i'm off to Reef Central to post this...

Sounds good. Keep us updated ! Good luck.

Will do

just a word of caution. do not feed your anenome daily, once a week is usualy enough (or feed smaller portions throughout the week). Alot of anenomes die from food rotting inside of them.

It is my understanding that a healthy anenome should stay inflated throughout the day and even the night. Although my little guy seems to be healthy, the deflation at night seems unusual.