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My anemone is experiencing swelling
Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2023 9:23 pm
by Finley_8
I've recently added a new tank member - a yellow angelfish - and now I'm worried about my anemone. It shrunk significantly over the past couple of days, and its tentacles are swollen around midway down. I've been feeding it shrimp regularly, so I don't think starvation is the issue.
My current water parameters are:
- Ammonia: 0.06
- Salinity: 1.023
- PH: 8.2-8.3
I'll have to check the rest again, but they were all within normal ranges when I tested them yesterday. I'll attach a picture, hoping someone can help me figure out what's going on and how to get my anemone back to normal.
Re: My anemone is experiencing swelling
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2023 12:51 am
by coltin
If that's a baby bubble tip anemone, it's actually doing alright, that's just how they appear when they're content. Swollen tentacles around the middle section are pretty normal for a happy anemone.
Re: My anemone is experiencing swelling
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:12 am
by coltin
Bubble tip anemones can change shape and size throughout the day, it's pretty normal for them to have long wavy tentacles for part of the day and then shrink them down a bit later on. They're quite flexible, so that's nothing to worry about.
When you feed your anemone, try using small bits of food and only offer a few bits at a time. It's best to give it about the same amount of food as your clownfish, and make sure the pieces are small so it's easy for the anemone to digest. If you give it big pieces of food, like a whole prawn or something, it'll engulf it and then regurgitate the leftover bits, which can cause water quality problems.
Good lighting is also important, as anemones have symbiotic algae in their cells that produce food for them through photosynthesis. If the light is good, the algae will thrive and give your anemone its color. But if the light is poor, the anemone will fade and lose its color.
Also, be careful not to let the water temperature get too high, as this can cause the anemone to expel its symbiotic algae and turn white, a process called bleaching. But if this happens, the anemone can recover once the water cools down.
To keep your anemone healthy, just make sure to keep the tank and filter clean, do regular water changes, and give it good light and food. With proper care, your anemone will grow and thrive, and it might even divide into two identical anemones after a few months. And the best part is, if you take good care of it, your anemone can live forever, which is pretty amazing.