# lighting and anemones



## mrosenblum (Nov 17, 2013)

Hey all,
I have a few questions and need some help or advice. I have a 100 gallon reef tank. I have two rectangular led 120 watt blue line blue/white lights. My soft corals seem to do well. Hard corals do not survive. I have just added a bubble tip anemone and it is doing horribly. Could this be a lighting problem or more likely water? My lights came with no real guidance and the individual knobs for white and blue have no markings to know what percentage they are on.

Thanks,
Michael


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Nems need very clean water and strong lighting.So either could be the problem.They also dig having flow around them.


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## mrosenblum (Nov 17, 2013)

No sooner than this post went up did I spot a butterfly angel picking at him relentlessly. I was worried I had too much light. Gonna do a water test today. Thanks!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Most butterfly fish(not sure about butterfly angel) aren't well behaved in reef tanks.Only some of the dwarf angels are reef safe also.
My copper banded butterfly tore up my featherdusters until I spotted it and moved all the dusters to another tank.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

Butterfly Fish eat anemones. 

BTA's do not require super strong lighting, that's a misconception. I also use LED panels with 55-3w LEDS in a 20" deep tank and IMO, if you're running those fixtures at full strength that's too much light for a BTA regardless of it's placement in the tank. A BTA may or may not be able to acclimate to those fixtures running full strength but IMO, there's no reason unless you are keeping SPS. I want my BTA's to bask in the light. When they're basking, they'll be just slightly reaching for the light. I do not want them to burn. When they're burning, their tentacles are thin and holding water unevenly...the BTA is essentially cringing. I've burned a few BTA's, one as recently as this week, and the recovery process is slow. 

Your water needs to be pristine with nearly undetectable phosphates and nitrates. BTA's will tolerate spikes in phosphates for short periods but they hate nitrates. I dose trace elements frequently, that's important. There are several good products for dosing minerals; I personally like the response I get from the nems when I dose Purple Up. 

When my BTA's look like they're failing, it's almost always a flow issue. I want the tentacles of my BTA's to be pulled gently upward and back and forth in all directions. It doesn't matter how perfect the lighting is or how clean the water is if the flow is poor. Do not allow your BTA to be blown in a single direction and do not aim your powerhead in a way that blows it's tentacles downward.

There are a lot of opinions with regards to feeding anemones. I've fed mine solid fish and liquid coral foods and had success with both, but my current consensus is that liquid foods like Oyster Feast and reconstituted foods like Coral Frenzy are the better option. On rare occassion I still spot feed mysis shrimp, especially if I'm trying to recover a nem from something that's usually my fault. 

Good luck. Contrary to most literature, I've personally found BTA's to be one of the more challenging species of anemone to keep and I believe that's because my lights were too strong. 

FYI- IMO, the most effective way to rehab a struggling BTA is with live zooxanthellae.

Also, I started keeping SPS a few months ago and thus far, I've had no problem keeping a varity of SPS under my LEDS even with brightness set at partial strength. If you want, assuming your water and flow is right, maybe give SPS another go.


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## ScootJecax (Nov 29, 2013)

I'll be able to let it cycle without obsessing over it! When we get back I'll start testing.



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I think I'll have to treat myself to a new Red Kookai Lace Plus Size Nightwear soon.


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