Not so bubbly..

[Reef69]

Hey guys, I think there was a thread for this but im not too sure..Anyways, have a RBTA, and the tips are not..ermmm, bubbly?..any reasons why?..Thanks

[fx300]

That happens to mine too. What I have noticed is that when she extends her tentacles they are not bubbly but when it is small it does show the bubbles. Is this what yours does? If not, may be someone else can give you a better explanation why.

Fabian ;)
Brownsville

[CD]

Well, I just spent about the last hour and a half trying to find you an answer to this question on WWM, Diego...
Apparently this is a mystery to even the pros. Fenner *does* recommend at least 5 watts per gallon of daylight lighting, "medium" flow, pristine water params, and feeding at least once to two times a week...three Xs a week should produce VERY good growth.

There was one reefer that wrote in saying he'd had his BTA for a couple of years...doing very well, had nice big bubble tips, reproduced, etc...
The guy changed from Kent salt to IO (slowly, with water changes) and when he changed salts, the RBT was OK healthwise, and still ate, but the bubble tips would no longer "bubble". Weird huh? Well, the reefer started using the Kent salt again after a couple of weeks, and guess what? The RBTA started "bubbling" again. Maybe trace minerals in the salt? Who knows :blink

One of the other "pros" on WWM also stated that they have a RBTA that does this for weeks on end sometimes, with no explaination.

IMO, as long as all your params, lighting, flow, and feeding are up to par, I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe try a good water change and see if that makes a difference? Are your light bulbs realtively new, or are they old enough for the spectrum to have shifted? :unsure

Wish I could be of more help. Keep us posted.

W.

[pilot_bell777]

What type of lights to what size tank do you have?

They usually strech out and stay looking that way when they are trying to gather as much light as they can and then stay small and bubbly when they have enough light.

JIME.....

[Reef69]

wow, thanks alot Wendy..:)

I also found out on RC that its a mystery..

Its a 90 gal. with 2x 250 wat 14,000K MHs..the bulbs i guess are old (december 2004)..maybe thats the problem..

[pilot_bell777]

That should be enough light depending on how deep it is and where the BTA is in the tank......it very well could be the bulbs but 7 months they should still be ok. If it is not attached, see if you can get it higher in the tank and get it to stay there....if attached leave it alone and just watch it.

as long as it is eating good and acting normal (I know oxymoron, what is normal for an BTA, LOL), looks healthy I guess that is all you can really do. I kept mine under 400watts of PC lighting and it did fine for the time I had it but I always noticed it when just the antinic light would come on or the 10K would go off. (Ran a sunrise/sunset cycle)

Check water conditions, temp, watch it eat...........if you have anything like cleaner shrimp make sure you feed them first to keep them occupied and then feed it small peices of shrimp or silversides (cut up in small chunks). Everything that I read after I lost mine said that if you feed them too large of things like a whole or even a half silverside that it looks like they take and eat it and then late at night they just throw it back up and then starve to death. Same thing with the shrimp....they will pull food out of the BTA's mouth hurting and starving the BTA......I would feed it and watch it for another hour. :huh

If water coditions are fine, temp fine, and eating good then I wouldnt worry about it. You could buy new bulbs if you wanted to though.

Are any of your other corals showing signs of light distress? >_<

It could always be that is just wanted to stretch! LOL they are misterious creatures! :unsure

Also...to agree with Wendy......they will start acting weird when there is any change in their environment. Has there been any changes to the tank lately? New additions, checmical brand changes, food changes, new light, less light, new corals, any deaths in the tank, etc, etc?????

[Tim Marvin]

I have a hunch it is probably a food issue. They probably stretch out to cover more area to trap foods.

[Reef69]

I dont think its a feeding issue. I feed her every 3 days, a silverside (good size one too)..i have no clue..it just sucks, doesnt look as cool as when they do with the bubble tips..

[CD]

I dont think its a feeding issue. I feed her every 3 days, a silverside (good size one too)..i have no clue..it just sucks, doesnt look as cool as when they do with the bubble tips..

Give this a try and see what happens...It won't "hurt", and might make a difference: Try feeding once a week until it's full in lieu of every three days. You say you are feeding silversides (good sized)...are you feeding them to the anemone whole? If you are, I would try cutting up the silverside into smaller pieces (I've read that this is much better for them). From what I can tell from reading Fenner's book (The Consc. Marine Aqrst.), it is much better that the anemone be slightly underfed than overfed...that, and the _size_ of the items being fed are the two biggest feeding issues. ;)

W. :)

[Reef69]

Thanks Wendy..so, i should try and feed once a week?..i can do that.

I cut the silversides in half..let me give that a try..THANKS!!

[pilot_bell777]

and then feed it small peices of shrimp or silversides (cut up in small chunks).



You say you are feeding silversides (good sized)...are you feeding them to the anemone whole? If you are, I would try cutting up the silverside into smaller pieces (I've read that this is much better for them).

Wasn't this the advice I gave???? LOL ^_^

Guess I shouldn't write such long post sense nobody reads them. ;)

LOL :lol

I feel the love......... :(

[CD]

LOL...I did read your post PB, but it's been a few days. :lol Actually, it didn't click until Diego mentioned what size the food was that he was feeding, and Tim concurring that he thought it was a food issue.

Diego - better yet, cut the silversides into at least three or four pieces. The BT could be *taking* the larger pieces, but later expelling them when it figured out it was too big to handle (maybe at night when you're asleep?).

W. :)

[Reef69]

lol..sorry...well, i guess ill do that..it looked so cool at the LFS...now its all..not bubbly..lol..and it really sucks..

[pilot_bell777]

:D

[Reef69]

I think Tim is the winner...i fed the tank and the anemone caught alot of the food ..and it just bubbled up..I think it was just stretching like Tim said.

[pilot_bell777]

I personally don"t argue with Tim.....just in the time I've known him, I've yet to see him be wrong...........or at least that what he thinks.

JJ Tim....LOL...you know I listen to ya!

[Reef69]

LOL..well, I think he was right, my anemone looks perfect right now.