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New to Anemones (Beginner questions)

2K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  howaboutme 
#1 ·
A friend of ours set up our tank this past summer and yesterday dropped off a long tentacle anemone for us. I wasn't able to educate myself on them before researching their care. As I started researching tonight, I'm nervous that it is "bleaching," although I'm not entirely sure what that means? Can someone tell me if this guy looks healthy? Also, apparently I need to move it to the sand to attach? (Will he not attach to the coral?) Do I need to feed him a certain way? And lastly, how do I get my clowns to host in it? Thanks! (And sorry for the "novice" questions!) Just want to make sure I'm taking proper care of him!
 

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#2 ·
It looks good to me, what kind of lighting do you have ? You'll have to keep your parameters in line, they require a good deal of light and clean water. You can place it anywhere you want but it'll ultimately choose where it wants to be.
How old is your system ?
Welcome to the reef
 
#3 ·
I'm no nem expert, but I know that bleaching means that the nem is either getting too much light or not enough light. My guess is that its not getting enough light. What kind of lighting do you have? What size tank do you have? When it is not getting appropriate amounts of light, the nem (and all corals) will expel their zooxanthellae, the microorganisms that live symbiotically within the corals that photosynthesize for them. If it is bleaching, that means that it cannot photosynthesize. You'll need to feed it. Most people feed nems a portion of a silverside. The nem will ultimately find its own spot. It usually won't stick in rock unless it fits perfectly and is at an appropriate height. There is no surefire way to get your nem to host your clowns.
 
#4 ·
Thank you both for the help! I think he has found his home wedged under a piece of live rock. Our tank is only 4 months old but it has coral, water and fish from a tank owned by a Aquarium Store's owner who set it up for us. The anemone was looking pretty good yesterday, but below is a photo of him today. As for the light question, I am not positive what we have. I know it is an LED on a timer. It does 1 hour of a blue light, 4 hours of "regular" light and then 1 hour of the blue light again. The sticker on top of the light says "Daylight LED Watts 28x1 Watt" and "Moon LED Watts 2x1 Watt." It is a "Skkye Light Tablet 30W (this is all foreign to me!) The photo was taken earlier today before the light had kicked on. Is that why he is looking closed up? I have read that they require a lot of light, but doesn't a lot of light also increase nitrates? What is ideal time for the lights to hit him? Also, am I okay to feed him the mysis the others get, or is it recommended to feed Silversides?
 

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#5 ·
I don't believe you have enough light with just 28 1 watt LEDs. If you research around, you'll notice 3 watt or greater per LEDs will be more of what is used for nems or sps corals. For the sake of not rushing to buy a better light, I would increase your photo period as well to maybe 6 to 7 hrs of day time plus 1 hr on each end for the blues and take your time to research what kind of lights are needed. You may need to supplement a little bit of meaty food to keep it healthy if it's not able to produce enough zooxanthellae as it's main nutrition source but give it a few days/1 week to let it settle. Things can change for better (or worse) after a period of acclimation.
 
#8 ·
Yes LTA's require a deep sandbed to attach. That one is also bleached. Once attached you should feed it till the colors come back. If it dont attach or is not sticky it could be too weak already.

I have brought back many bleached anemones before but never a LTA.
 
#9 ·
I have taken all your advice and increased my lights. MY LTA has moved around quite a bit but unfortunately, every time he moves he ends up on his side. I did the "PVC trick" under the sand bed but again, he keeps falling. Am I being too impatient? I worry if he stays laid over for too long, he will begin to die. Also, I have been using a turkey baster to direct mysis toward him but I haven't witnessed him actually eating it. Should I be concerned?

Side note: In testing nitrates last night, they are very elevated. Not quite due for a water change. Should I do an early oone, or is there another way of reducing nitrates?
 

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#11 ·
I have taken all your advice and increased my lights. MY LTA has moved around quite a bit but unfortunately, every time he moves he ends up on his side. I did the "PVC trick" under the sand bed but again, he keeps falling. Am I being too impatient? I worry if he stays laid over for too long, he will begin to die. Also, I have been using a turkey baster to direct mysis toward him but I haven't witnessed him actually eating it. Should I be concerned?

Side note: In testing nitrates last night, they are very elevated. Not quite due for a water change. Should I do an early oone, or is there another way of reducing nitrates?
Not sure if your PVC trick is the same advice I am going to give you but...take a small bowl and put it on your sandbed. Then put your nem in there and let it settle. If using the PVC trick is what you're doing, I would suggest getting the sand that's in there out and making it into a bowl.

What are your nitrates?
 
#10 ·
I have BTA, not LTA, but I feed it chopped frozen shrimp from the seafood section of my supermarket, mixed with Reef Chili from BRS. Also, I sprinkle it with brine shrimp sometimes.

As for clowns, there is nothing you can do. I think that clowns need at least 3 things: location of the anemone - it needs to be kinda in the open and not deep between the rocks. The anemone needs to be big enough to host the fish. And they need time to adapt to the anemone's sting. So just give it time and keep feeding it until it hosts a clown. Once it does, you do not need to feed as often because clowns will feed it.
 
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