pink tip haitian anemone

[AdamC]

Hello,

I have what is suppose to be a pink tip haitian anemone and a bubble anemone.

Recently they both have migrated to under rock work away from rocks maybe it could also be the current but I have 2 power heads. One marineland 1400 and another koral low end one. I kind of ruled that out as to why they would move under there. They also just haven't opened up quite right for a few days.

The pink tip did eat when I fed him this morning. My question is do my bulbs need changed. They are only 4-5 months old. shy of the 6 month old mark. This is a T5 4 bulb config.

All my params have been fine. And I use tap water not rodi. but that has never been a problem since I owned the pink tip 6 months ago.

 

[Kelz88]

I would worry about the tap water, theres no real way of knowing whats in it. A lot of things that are safe for us are nowhere near safe enough for nems.

 

[AdamC]

Yeah and I understand that but I have never had an issue with the tap water I used before.
Can I use the same tests on my tap water as I do with the saltwater? And what am I exactly looking at to be "okay"?

 

[Northstar24]

Minimum you'd want to be testing for the following if you have sessile inverts such as nems or coral

Temp
Salinity
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Calcium
Alkilinity
Phosphate
Magnesium

As far as why they move, I have no idea, I'll let someone chime in who acutally has experience with 'nems.

As far as tap water, there are a few places where its clean enough to use, but that is the exception to the rule. Most municipalities put all kinds of crap in the drinking water that you don't want in a reef tank. Money spent on an RO/DI unit is money well spent

 

[Kelz88]

Also whats in the water may be affected by other things as well.

Where my father lives the water causes cancer in the fall because of the leaves breaking down in the open resiviour (sp) mix with the chlorine. For the rest of the year its fine to drink though

 

[Bifferwine]

You can't test for all the bad things that may be present in tap water. You just don't know what's in it.

https://www.livingreefs.com/why-using-tap-water-bad-idea-t19865.html

Your lighting is on the low end for anemones. I don't think your lights can support anemones long-term. How long did you say you've had them?

 

[AdamC]

I've had the pink tip for 6 months.how would a 4 bulb t5 fixture not be able to support it?

 

[AdamC]

USually if they go into hiding it means something else. If it wasn't getting enough lighting it would reach or move to higher ground

 

[Cheeser]

I've had the pink tip for 6 months.how would a 4 bulb t5 fixture not be able to support it?

once u switch to metal halides or a decent led fixture.....ull definitley see the HUGE difference in what your anemones have been missing. a 4 bulb t-5 is definitely on the low end for anemones.
anemones need strong lighting and prestine water conditions....tap water is definitely a no-no cus u dont know whats in it, and also whatever IS in it could change from time to time and thatll piss your nems off cuz they really need VERY STABLE parameters.

 

[AdamC]

He died this morning... :( Now my clowns have no host, and one keeps going back to the spot he died in :(..

 

[Bifferwine]

Try something easier and more hardy than an anemone. Clowns will host all sorts of things. Give hairy mushrooms, a toadstool leather or xenia a shot. All those will be fine with your lighting. I wouldn't recommend trying another anemone.

 

[AdamC]

Yeah I'm tryig to get a new light right now. How about a 6 bulb T5?
I wasn't aware that they could host other things. Thanks for that information!

 

[Cheeser]

sorry dude. that sucks.
get better lights.
stop using tap water.
save urself some headaches

 

[Bifferwine]

A 6 bulb T5 would be just fine for a 75. You can keep anything you want with that.

 

[slwedge71]

He died this morning... :( Now my clowns have no host, and one keeps going back to the spot he died in :(..

Just make sure you get it out of the tank fast. They release toxins into the water that are harmful to the other critters. :death:

Sorry to hear about your loss. Just make sure you don't use tap water any more. At 30 cents a gallon at walmart you can't go wrong for RO water. Also most LFS will sell RO/DI water for about 35 cents a gallon. It worth it to keep your critters alive and healthy.

 

[AdamC]

what exactly qualifies as "Rodi" water when it comes to buying it a supermarket?

 

[AdamC]

what I mean is how do you know its truly rodi water

 

[Bifferwine]

I haven't seen RODI water sold in grocery stores, but they do sell reverse osmosis (RO) water, which is fine to buy. It is also fine to buy distilled water. Stay away from "drinking water" or "spring water" as those have added minerals to make them taste better.