anenome - do i keep it or return it?

I had a green BTA in my 30 gallon aquarium which had 1 12'' Actinic PC and 1 12'' 10,000K daylight. I had to move all my stuff into my 55 gallon which was set-up for a month, which has on it 3 48'' T5 actinics and 3 48'' T5 10,000K daylights. The anenome used to be about 4 inch in diameter during the day but ever since i moved it, it is about an inch in diameter all the time and very small. It has been in the new tank for about 2 months. It has been attached to the rock the entire time, and parameters are fine IMO.
Im concerned that the anenome might be slowly dying, and if so, will take out my tank, which i obviously dont want. What are the signs of a dying BTA, and in your expert opinions, should i keep it or try to remove it and give back to a LFS?

 

Discoloration of the base, inability to adhere to it's rock and turning from sticky to slimy. Those are the major signs.

 

well it is still attached to the rock by its foot. DO you think that its possible that the stronger light has affected it poorly? Maybe it is adjusting, and takes a long time? Maybe due to the stronger light it doesnt need to be big?

Im very confused...

 

Still being attached to the rock is a good sign. I have seen one or two day periods where my RBTA was deflated, but not for such an extended period of time as 2 months. It is possible for BTAs to hide from light due to its intensity while the slowly adapt to it, though I cannot comment on deflation being a method they use to avoid light.

My RBTA used to have its foot in a cave near the top of the tank and its tentacles out in the light. While the lights are by no means intense, after while the anemone moved itself to the front bottom left corner of the tank. The light is obviously lower where it currently is, but it hasn't moved since.

Keep in mind that detaching an anemone is very stressful to it, and that they are capable of moving themselves if they are unhappy. How did you go about moving the anemone -- by detaching it or by simply moving its rock?

A favorite BTA site, which I recommend you check out, is Karen's Rose Anemones. Sometimes it seems a bit silly, but it's highly informative.

I would try to nurture it. How often have you fed it, what do you feed it, and have you watched to confirm that it is eating and then disposing of waste?

 

How did you acclimate him to the new lighting? Maybe just freaked out over the new light's?.

 

i would return it even if it wasnt sick. a reef is no place for a stinging animal that can move on its own accord with no discernable pattern

 

I've read multiple times that when a anenome has too little light it will expand its size, i guess to increase surface area in which it can take in light, so its possible that the smaller size is due to the increased lighting...I've had a sick anenome and it showed the obvious signs of deterioration...detaching, deflating, and becoming slimy...but I'm sure someone else has more insight on the subject

 

remember or good lighting from what others here on 3reef and L.F.S you should have 1.5-2 watts of lighting per gallon. with that being sed we kinda need to know what wattage u are runnin. also i have a L.T.A actually 2 of them. i have noticed when i target feed(by hand due to no baster) when it is hungry the tenticles are stickier and dont wanna let go. I target feed mine bout every 3 days or 4. cut up store bought shrimp. the other days i dont target feed i either use flake for the damsel or i cut up 1 piece of shirmp and spread it out tryin to feed intire tank
and they tend to catch pieces floating by. I have heard by target feeding meaty foods it can help bring a anemone back. My tank has been set up for goin on 3 months both anemone's are doin good and i had them from about a month on.when i got them they were transparent now brownish in color meaning they developin the zoanthelthel(sp) that they need to help thier diet....
over power lights can b harmfull and remember even if u move the anemone it may find a different spot to call home. i would say let it ride it may just be adjusting to the more powerfull lights.

 

That Karen gal has quite the impressive site. It's good to see someone who is trying her own way of doing things and having success. If a person setting up a new tank were to suggest some of the things Karen is doing, a lot of people would say it wouldn't work and therefore would never get tried. A lot of people say anemones should not be kept in a reef tank and I disagree as I'm sure Karen would too. If you start to get picky over the negatives of fish/coral/inverts a person would be very limited as to what can be kept, if every one thought this way and didn't stick their neck out every now and again this hobby would never have evolved the way it has. You are doing the best thing you can for your anemone sterling, research and asking questions, from this you will learn what to look for and how to care for these beautiful creatures. If you love anemones don't give up on them like sostoudt suggested, stick with it and the reward is much greater than giving up.

 

I have never target fed the anenome. It is also in a giant hole in a rock and i can barely see it, let alone target feed it. I can see that it is stuck to the rock still, is about an inch in diameter and the bubble tips are extended less than a centimeter.

Lights are 6 T5 bulbs (Nova Extreme PRO) on a 55 gallon:
- 3 actinics
- 3 10,1000 k

I think that my new lighting system has shocked the anenome and perhaps it is just trying to adjust, even though the adjustment has been about 2 months and still in the progres of.