Help! Anemone question

I got an rose bubble anemone a few days ago and he was doing just fine hanging on the rock that he was on in the lfs. In the last few hours he decided to start moving and changing color. He moved between a rock and the bottom of his tentacles are turning a greenish color. Im pretty sure thats not good and I dont want him bombing my tank.

Let me know what I can do. I am getting ready to check params and do a water change.

Posting a picture once I get it hosted too.

Opps wrong section, mod please move. Sorry

The color of the nem looks fine. If it keeps moving and doesn't find a place to settle down, that is cause for concern. I hope you have strong enough lighting for it. It doesn't look unhealthy at all.

Water params are all perfect: PH: 8.3, 0 ammonia, nitrate, nitrite.
I do have sufficient lighting, my main lighting turns off at 8pm to much lesser lighting for an hour or so before turning off completely.

He has since deflated more and put himself smack dab in that wedge of the rocks. I sure hope he doesn't stay there because that's my coral beauty's domain that he swims in and out of. He doesn't seem to mind and goes around for now.

I guess I am just freaking out because I thought he didnt have any green at all when I bought him but from what I am reading the different night lighting may be whats making him green as they are naturally green when slightly deflated under those lights and I never noticed because Ive always seen him under the main lighting.

Im also on edge after losing my baby blue tang to my sump after a snail pulled down my mesh covering my overflow slots. =( Hasn't been a good week for the tank.

Ill post in the morning if anything changes, thanks for taking a look Bitterwine.

Hi Tritan,

Don't panic,:D, anenomes inflate by filling with water and then deflate pushing all the water out and when they do their tentacles and such look long and stringy and different colors. It is not distress but just their natural processes. Different anenomes have different time frames. I have two anenomes that look exactly the same and one deflates every night, and the other does so every few days.


As for his choosing that spot, if you want him to move you can direct a water flow on him for a while and he will probably up and move.

Your nem looks gorgeous. What are you feeding him?

Well first off anemones need a stable tank of at least a year old. That could be one problem. They need stable and perfect water conditions to survive. If you see it turning white I would get rid of it before it nukes your tank. Just my opinion.

When Anemones are new in the tank they will move around until they find a suitable place. They often wedge themselves in crack or crevices. I think they do this to acclimate themselves to the different lighting. I wouldn't worry for now. Just give it a couple weeks. It takes them a while to get used to the tank. If it does start to turn white then I would worry but he looks great in the photo you posted.

You guys were right, he/she/it was just getting acquainted and being normal. The lighting and shriveling up really threw me off. What a beautiful creature though..

Here is an updated picture, hes still wedged between the rocks but looks great.

Awesome they do this from time to time.Mine the first 3 weeks moved all over the place. But once they find a spot do not attempt to move it there foot is locked in and that spot is now there home. a damages foot is 10/1 a death bell for a Nem. Also be carful in the placement of your corals as you may well know they can and will sting if not kill the corals placed close to it. Other than that do enjoy your Nem they are awesome.

I like that Anemone its goregous.

I'll tack my question onto this one.
I have a pink tip one that I aquired a week ago. Since then he settled down in the rocks quite well on the first day. His tentacles were outreached and flowing beautiful.
Tonight he looks shriveled and sick. Some of his tentacles look dried up so I tried to move him in case he was dying but he was latched onto the rocks really well so I figured he was doing good but I dont understand what he is doing.

I have been researching the heck out of Anemone's and there really isn't a good guide out there for raising and caring for them.

I fed him some krill and he ate it.

I dont know the readings right now but everything was perfect a few days ago. I'll check them later tonight. I bought this 2 year old established tank but it was neglected so maybe it wasn't ready for these guys. Everything else seems to be thriving in there.

I do not have any circulation as of right now, I'm waiting for it to get here :grumble:

any help will be greatly appreciated

oh and I also have t5 lights which the bulbs have never been replaced i believe so that could be an issue as well. I wasn't sure what type of lighting to give them and have been trouble finding that as well as most people say "strong lighting" That doesn't clarify anything for me lol