# Sick Anemone Please help



## MaconTallMan

I've had a BTA for a while now and it has been growing and doing well. I walked in tonight and found that it was small, very deep in color, with it's mouth open and long white strings coming out of it. What could be wrong??? any help would be appreciated!


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## redpaulhus

Test your water - how's the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH ?

Have you added anything new to the tank recently ?
Skipped any water changes ?
Made any water changes ?


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## Fishfirst

BTA - bulb tipped anemone? or BTA - Bubble tipped anemones... if its the second one, I'm afraid that it has a poor survival rate in aquaria. I'd try feeding it silversides, shrimp and other meaty items at night if it'll accept them. Again what is your ammonia, nitrite, nitrat, pH, salinity, and alkalinity? Have you been feeding it? Is it white in color (outside)?


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## Reefneck

MaconTallMan said:


> I've had a BTA for a while now and it has been growing and doing well. I walked in tonight and found that it was small, very deep in color, with it's mouth open and long white strings coming out of it. What could be wrong??? any help would be appreciated!


I am assuming you mean a Bubble Tipped Anemone. These are commonly called BTA's and the Rose (RBTA) & the Green (GBTA) are the most common.

My first guess would be that your anemone is making "Poo" in your tank. In other words, He had to go potty. When a BTA goes potty they expel all the fluid in their bodies and shrivel up to nothing and the colors are greatly enhanced. They stay this way sometimes for hours. The mouth is also their "Bum" and the expel waste through the same opening they take it in with.

It has probably done this before but you have not been around to see it. Scared the heck out of me the first few times I saw it too.

Provided that the anemone still has his foot attached and your water tests fine then I would bet he just had to go potty. If his foot comes loose and he rolls over....Get him out of the tank before he fouls the water. 

Definitely feed silversides or squid to it once or twice a week. He may poo more often but will be much happier.

Keri


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## TheOldSalt

They do that sometimes, even in a non-poo-related way. They have a habit of releasing long strings of acontia fibers on occasion.


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## MaconTallMan

Thanks to everyone. He is doing well now. that must have been it Salt. I have been feeding him Shrimp (Gulf Pink, the kind you and I eat) He has been taking that fine. I also started giving him Mysis shrimp. I have had mixed results with this. The Cleaner (Skunk) shrimp has a bad habit of stealing it from him before he can get it down.


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