We got a bubble tip nem a little over a week ago and everything was going perfect. He was opening up for most of the day and closing at night, sometimes he closed for a little during the day too, but always opened back up. I even saw him suck in a piece of shrimp a couple of times so I know he was eating. After the first day he found a good spot on a rock and stayed in that spot ever since. But today he deflated and I noticed his mouth was open and sticking out a little. We left for a couple hours and came back and his tentacles were still deflated and he was all puffed out in the middle with his mouth open. Now half of his foot is falling off the rock. Something seems wrong, is this behavior normal?My clowns are pretty aggressive when they wiggle into him, and they haven't stopped even when he is deflated. Can they hurt him? My water params are:
Temp 78
Ph 8.6 (it was 8.4 when I took in a water sample to buy him, what can make it go up?)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
out of nitrate test kit...
Specific gravity 1.026-1.027

In the past hour he has slowly started to disconnect from the rock, but hasn't fallen off. If he falls off what should I do? I'm so worried! All my other animals are fine, along with my frogspawn. Please help!

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

I should add I have a high output dual bulb corallife light system.

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

Your pics didnt' come out. But what is the lighting its under? How long are your ligthing periods? Nems can and will deflate from time to time when they get ticked off, but will normally not just detatch and float around. Anemones need prestine water conditions, and you did not list Phosphates, ALK, Magnesium.?? Your PH is also high. Lighting periods will make the ph go up and down, all depends on when yoiu take the water sample. I think that even 8.4 is high.

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http://s1050.photobucket.com/profile/TheReefingMadness

AH, problem solved. Power Compact lighting will not sustain a Anemone.

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http://s1050.photobucket.com/profile/TheReefingMadness

Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Reef Aquariums: Bulb Anemone

For best care, the Bulb Anemone requires strong lighting in aquariums of at least 30 gallons. Under ideal conditions, it can grow up to 1-ft in diameter. However, most typically remain compact in size when kept under bright lighting. If the lighting is insufficient, the Bulb Anemone will expand its body to make the most of the available light. It should be kept with a Clownfish for best care. At times, the tentacles of the Bulb Anemone may appear stringy; this may be due to insufficient light or the need for food. Its diet should include chopped fish, shrimp, or worms if a clownfish is not present

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LPS and Softies don't require the attention to water quality that Anemones and SPS need.

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Coralife Aqualight Dual T5 Lamp High Output Fixture is what I have. It was $179 and I was told is was sufficient for the nem when I bought him... That light isn't enough?
I do need to get more water tests, but I was told by my LFS that I didn't need them yet so I was waiting.

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

Update: His tentacles are inflating a little and his middle is not so puffed out. He is rounding out again, but his foot is still half way detached from the rock.

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

See, thats why we need input here. I was not thinking about that fixture. I answer tons of posts and can't remember lighting and stuff.
So, what you were told is correct, that light is enough.
You do need those tests kits, you must test for that I listed.
Magnesium- 1200-1400
Phosphates, should be undetectable
Nitrates should be undetectable
ALK- 8-12

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He may have decided that he doesn't like that spot. They are finicky lil buggers. But usually once they settle into a spot, they don't tend to run around unless something changes.

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Ok, good on the lighting. I will get those test kits asap. He is now about half way inflated and his mouth isn't open, but its still sticking out just a little. He is still falling off the rock though. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping he just wants to move, but he really didn't look right earlier... He has been in that spot for about 6 days. I'll keep an eye on him!

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

He fell off the rock, and is right side up in the sand. But his tentacles are not inflated all the way and his mouth is sticking out. I'm worried :( If he is dying how do I know? I don't want him to poison my tank.

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

As of this morning he looks normal and has re attached him self to a lower rock. Could he have been having problems expelling waste? I saw him close around a whole mysis shrimp 2 days ago and I was impressed, but after doing some reading it may have been too big for him... Yesterday he definitely looked like his insides were trying to push out his mouth, and his whole center section was puffed up. I thought for sure he was not doing well, but this morning he is totally normal and fully inflated.

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.

If the shrimp was to big for him, he would not have taken it in.

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how long have you had anemone? Sometimes it takes awhile for a anemone to open up. Do you have any powerheads up and running? It will need waterflow to help rid of its waste. btw what size is your tank?

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36 Gallon Saltwater reef tank
Ocellaris Clown, Scooter Dragonet, sandsifter star, Decorator crab, emerald crab, coralline snails, blue leg hermit crab, and horseshoe crab.
Zooad's and shrooms
40 pounds of Live sand, 20 pounds of LR
Canister filter, 1-unit of chemipure
VHO 2-39W bulbs reef sun/actinic

I think he just decided he didnt like that spot..nem's do the weirdest things sometimes..he could have just been expelling waste..but i agree with reefing maddness..if it was to big of food he wouldnt have taken it..my nem used to get a whole silverside in one feeding and had no trouble taking that in.. after you have had that nem for awhile and get used to what they do..when you see him what you think is not looking right, you will just go ahhhh give him a few days ..now if he starts to turn white around the oral disc.(his mouth area) then youneed to start worrying. how big is your tank btw..

Rick

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POWER to the FISHIES

He is all normal now, I was just worried because I don't know their behavior. He can get himself into some really odd shapes and sizes but he has now settled on a rock on the opposite side of the tank. He isn't bleached out at all and he hasn't moved more than an inch or two since the day I thought he was dying. Thanks!

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30 gallon freshwater: 1 crowntail betta, 5 neon tetras
60 gallon hex saltwater: 1 banded brittle star, 1 peppermint shrimp, 2 hermit crabs, 1 turbo snail, 1 yellow watchman goby paired with a candy stripe pistol shrimp, 2 ocellaris clown fish. Bubble tip anemone, frogspawn, fungia, clove polyp.