rose bubble tip anemone is slowly shrinking down in size and dying!

[titus'reef]

I have 2 bubble rose that are loosing color and becoming smaller and smaller, and i have a few more that look pretty nice and open. i have lost 2 already. I feed them silverside once a week or so and also doze iodine. I got metal halide and actinic+ T5 as lightning. They were very large size when I got them and one of them even split once.

How can i prevent from loosing them?

I am lost.

Please help.

[Kimberlee]

How new or old are your bulbs....I am assuming though that's something you already thought of so what our your #'s like at the moment? Have you tried food other than silversides?

[PowderBlue]

Most nems are hard to keep, lighting is not only the main factor, they need stable, clean, correct water. What are you tank parameters? Have you checked them lately? That's where I would start.

[titus'reef]

The bulbs are not even 6 months old, and I just bought the t5. the water is all good as i use reactors for carbon and phosphate remover.

I haven't tried other foods than silverside as they take it no problem. my other anemones seem to be very happy and bright color and very open.

[PowderBlue]

Almost everyone on here uses reactors, doesn't mean our tanks have not and cant take a turn for the worst. I would check your basic parameters first. We can't help you of you don't know where they sit. If everything is perfect in the water, the lighting is definitely sufficient then we need to start hunting. But until we know it's a lost cause to throw out guesses.

[titus'reef]

That's right. I will check the water and get back to you.

[PowderBlue]

That's right. I will check the water and get back to you.

 

Also how is the flow where they are? Since others are doing ok maybe it's too much or not enough? Do they move around a lot?

[titus'reef]

I have a vortech MP40W and the tank is a 50 gallon size the setting is on 40%

[Emerald525]

Are the nems wild caught or are they clones from someone elses tank? I have found the wild caught to be more sensitive.

 

Also I have lost many of mine because my black and white clowns were too agressive with it and started biting the nems.

 

I hope you get it figured out.

 

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[titus'reef]

I have both and it seems that the wild ones are doing very good. I got them from someone from the forum. They were fine until a month ago when I notices they are not as open and the tentacle are not as long.

[Emerald525]

I have both and it seems that the wild ones are doing very good. I got them from someone from the forum. They were fine until a month ago when I notices they are not as open and the tentacle are not as long.

 

That's been my experience with the wild ones. Like sps they can look great but can be sensitive to parameter swings.

 

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[titus'reef]

That's been my experience with the wild ones. Like sps they can look great but can be sensitive to parameter swings.

 

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I ment to say the the the wild ones are the ones that are doing good, but the tank raised are not doing good.

[Gill]

It sounds like you are over feeding to me. I can testify that BTAs do not mind "dirty" water, however IME swings in water they do not appreciate. You might want to google silversides and nems as well, I have read that they can "spoil" and subsequently kill your nems. After reading that I stopped feeding silversides all together. As long as you have good lighting your nems should be fine being target fed brine shrimp. I also like to give mine spectrum pellets (the 1mm ones)

[Blackhand]

It sounds like you are over feeding to me. I can testify that BTAs do not mind "dirty" water' date=' however IME swings in water they do not appreciate. You might want to google silversides and nems as well, I have read that they can "spoil" and subsequently kill your nems. After reading that I stopped feeding silversides all together. As long as you have good lighting your nems should be fine being target fed brine shrimp. I also like to give mine spectrum pellets (the 1mm ones)[/quote']

 

i agree with this silversides can be a treat but they should not be fed to frequently to nems due to it app takes nems 3-4 days to eat a piece of silverside and other food that size which can result in the food spoiling or the nem spitting most of the food out and then affecting the water quality but thats imo

[illcssd]

Myself and many others have had bad experiences using silversides as an anemone food. Occasionally you'll get a bad one and it'll kill the anemone. I don't think that's the issue here, but I'd recommend not feeding silversides ime. I'd check your phosphates and see where they're at. Nitrates too for that matter.

[Jeffreyg]

As long as there mouths aren't hanging inside out I wouldn't worry too much nems are strange little critters .. With mine I noticed I was feeding them too much I have one black and white that hosts two bubble tips . While feeding they were deflating and not looking healthy . This is jmo ! If your water is fine then I would back off feeding . Maybe one time a week if you don't have a host . Bubble tips are again IMO the easiest to keep . They will move if there is too much flow or not enough light . You can't make a nem stay where you want . Also before dosing iodine you should make sure you need to . I dose nothing besides buffer and mag . What's in your water should be enough . Again jmo !

[Hewey McLovit]

I have found this site to be really helpful

 

http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

[titus'reef]

I have found this site to be really helpful

 

http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

 

Thanks for the link. It helps me a lot.

[steelhead77]

Wow! There's a lot of mis information in this one thread. First, nems don't need clean water. Miine have thrived in water that has nitrates up to 80 and above. Second, DO NOT FEED THEM!!!! Think about these things in the wild. No one is coming by and cramming a fish down their gullets. They are not hunters. They are very simple creatures that, IME, are the easiest things to take care of in your tank. I NEVER directly feed the 14 or 15 that are in my tank right now. I broadcast feed once a week, if I remember.

 

No one knows why they sometimes shrivel up, sometimes they are expelling waste, sometimes they split, other times, who knows. As long as they are still attached to a rock, DON'T BOTHER THEM. Stop feeding them and just relax. Only if they detach and start floating around the tank should you remove them. The only nem I ever lost was a Sebae. All of my BTA's came from a single one purchased four years ago.

 

I'll bet that within a few days to a week or so, they will be back to normal.

[Blackhand]

Wow! There's a lot of mis information in this one thread. First, nems don't need clean water. Miine have thrived in water that has nitrates up to 80 and above. Second, DO NOT FEED THEM!!!! Think about these things in the wild. No one is coming by and cramming a fish down their gullets. They are not hunters. They are very simple creatures that, IME, are the easiest things to take care of in your tank. I NEVER directly feed the 14 or 15 that are in my tank right now. I broadcast feed once a week, if I remember.

 

No one knows why they sometimes shrivel up, sometimes they are expelling waste, sometimes they split, other times, who knows. As long as they are still attached to a rock, DON'T BOTHER THEM. Stop feeding them and just relax. Only if they detach and start floating around the tank should you remove them. The only nem I ever lost was a Sebae. All of my BTA's came from a single one purchased four years ago.

 

I'll bet that within a few days to a week or so, they will be back to normal.

 

What is the misinformation that is on this thread other than feedings, just wondering since i want to learn, also how have you had such great success with getting your nems to split so frequently thanks

but to stay on topic i agree like i stated earlier large feeding are not good imo i prefer to use what you feed the fish which i what the clown is going to do anyways so extra feeding especially large aka silversides or krill are not good imo also i agree if your nems foot is holding on good and the mouth looks fine the nem should be fine just enjoy its wierdness and somethings in this hobby are better not understood but respected and enjoyed

[matty]

So given the information above should I not even feed my nems a bit of mysid each day with the fish? I feed my nems every day but a very small amount. I also feed my maxi mini's every day.

[Jeffreyg]

It was my observation that feeding was making mine deflate and look in poor condition that was two months ago and I have never seen them deflate or look unhealthy they stay put and have actually got so large I'm planning on removing them and redoing my rock work like yours Matty . I like your tank lol . I say do what ever works for you . I do know one thing splitting isn't always a response to being well kept but an attempt to keep life going . Due to poor conditions . 14 ! Anyways I'm no scientist . I have heard lol that they haven't determined why they split poor or good water quality . The only reason I don't make sure mine gets fed is because my clownfish is straight obsessed with them both and will even bite my hand if I'm too close . Jmo !

[Kimberlee]

So given the information above should I not even feed my nems a bit of mysid each day with the fish? I feed my nems every day but a very small amount. I also feed my maxi mini's every day.

 

Every nem is different so if your feeding and getting good results keep doing what your doing. I feed mine when to mood strikes me right. Other than that, they get food from the water column when I broadcast feed. Other than that just light, and I know mine are really healthy.

[racefan]

Wow! There's a lot of mis information in this one thread. First, nems don't need clean water. Miine have thrived in water that has nitrates up to 80 and above. Second, DO NOT FEED THEM!!!! Think about these things in the wild. No one is coming by and cramming a fish down their gullets. They are not hunters. They are very simple creatures that, IME, are the easiest things to take care of in your tank. I NEVER directly feed the 14 or 15 that are in my tank right now. I broadcast feed once a week, if I remember.

 

No one knows why they sometimes shrivel up, sometimes they are expelling waste, sometimes they split, other times, who knows. As long as they are still attached to a rock, DON'T BOTHER THEM. Stop feeding them and just relax. Only if they detach and start floating around the tank should you remove them. The only nem I ever lost was a Sebae. All of my BTA's came from a single one purchased four years ago.

 

That's pretty much spot on with what I do also. I'd guess to say mine has split maybe 8 or 10 times (my little money maker) I don't think I've fed it more than a couple times. Heck I even had one go through my overflow & end up attached to my pipe in my filter sock with no light & was doing just fine in there. Actually looked very healthy like it kind of enjoyed the ride down the overflow. Weeeeee!!!!! tentacles straight up screaming all the way down.

[CoralCrazy]

One of my rbtas deflates every night. By morning it's close to dinner plate size. My husband freaks out about it all the time. I just look at him and say leave the thing alone. It's been doing that forever and it's never lost color or gotten smaller. If anything in the last couple months its gotten huge and its color is beautiful. I do have to admit I target feed all my nems. I cut it down to once a week though. My clowns feed my carpet crisps all the time but I give it a small treat of meaty food still. I've learned over the years to not stress out when my nems do something funny anymore. I figure they have a reason and I haven't lost one yet.