Red Bubble Tip Anemone

[Donmarco]

Last week I purchased my first anemone, a Red Bubble Tip. It was about 1 inch in diameter and a few hours after acclimating it to my tank it attached itself to a ledge in the upper portion of my 120 tank. For about three days it was doing very well, with its tips fully extended. Then on Wednesday it suddenly moved from one side of the rock to the other, leaving a portion of itself behind. The portion left behind disappeared within minutes. Then from Wednesday until this evening it seemed again to be doing well, but after the lights went out on the tank I noticed that it had disappeared. I cannot find it anywhere in the tank and there seemed to be a very small piece of it on the rock where it was attached. It seems to have disintegrated entirely. I keep a careful watch on water chemistry and it is very good and stable. The only thing difference is that this afternoon I performed a partial water change (only ten gallons) with well-seasoned (two weeks old) seawater that had been aerated and heated for twenty-four hours before use.

 

Since this is my first anemone (I've had saltwater reef tanks for two years) I haven't any experience to judge what may have gone wrong. Everything else in the tank, including a beautiful birds nest coral is doing exceptionally well.

 

Does anyone have experience with anemones like this and does anyone have an idea what may have happened?

 

Thanks.

Donmarco

[davelin315]

When it left a piece of itself behind, did it look like a little anemone? If so, that means that it split. That is one method for them to reproduce, pedal laceration where they simply divide into more than one anemone. It's not unusual for them to go adventuring to see what new real estate they can find and they will typically find a spot they're comfortable in and settle down. One problem with dividing, though, is that it leaves the new splits vulnerable and unable to eat, so sometimes they can die off if conditions aren't right for them. Keep watch on what you've got and keep fish away from anything you find - they can bother a new split enough to kill it off.

[Coral Hind]

If the portion left behind disappeared within minutes then I would guess it was just some mucus/slime.

 

The new anemone is still adjusting to your tank and it will wander until it finds a spot it likes. BTA like to have their foot in the shade and extend out into the light. So it may have just retracted out of sight. I would give it a few days and it should move back into the light. If a week goes by with out a trace you might want to go looking for it to get it back into the light.

[guppychao]

1inch diameter is awefully small, hope you didnt pay to much for it.

 

i believe flowerseller has a bunch that he sells.

[L8 2 RISE]

I've never heard of a 1" 'nem splitting... usually when they are BIG.

[lanman]

I have had a 1" RBTA for over a year. It keeps disappearing, and then re-appearing months later. It once got up to about 2" - and then took off again. Maybe one day it will settle down and EAT!

 

bob