I've not really got anything to add to these comments. I love anemone's too, i think they're the most amazing creatures you can get! Watching them is a treat, especially with clowns.
I have managed somehow (as a newbie) to keep two successfully for over 8 months and they seem to be doing incredibly well. I am also trying to care for another injured one, but i won't count it as sucessful until he gets better, and has survived past the 6 month rule of thumb.
From my experience i have found that Bubbletips are quite easy to care for, they do not seem to overly like the light, and feed happily all the time, and their growth rate is steady but noticable. In terms of the bubbletip - Seffie is your girl for advice!! But i thought i'd share what i do and give you some tips.
Firstly and definately (in my opinion) the most important thing to do is start with a 100% healthy specimen!! Hard to tell, but really important!! For me, most important thing is the anemones sting, make sure you touch the anemones tenticles and you get a sticky sensation (without this you will not be able to feed your anemone at all, which is important) Second, ensure it can attach with its pedal disk (its foot/base) don't buy one thats rolling around on the floor. Colouring should be dark, or bright - not pale and dull. Those 3 things are very important for survival! Buy from a trusted dealer. I personally would not buy an anemone from anyone else other than aquaticstoyourdoor.co.uk. I have bought a malu that has survived so far from them, my parents have also bought a malu that has survived for 12months in theres, and a bubbletip which has also survived so far. All the anemones they have sent have been very strong specimens and have adapted incredibly well to an aquarium. WOULD RECOMMEND. They also will take requests well so if you tell them exactly what you want they will get it and send to you.
So once you have your anemone, most important - COVER YOUR POWERHEADS. Ouch does not describe what happens if you dont. The one anemone that did not make it - well I forgot to do this! and my poor bubbletip got shredded, nearly wiped out EVERYTHING. i was lucky but all my powerheads are covered now!! Please do it - at least for the first month you put it in cos it can end badly!!
So once its in, i read a book on care for anemones and this is where this bit comes from, leave the anemone to settle for 7 days. Once it has housed itself in a suitable location (the ANEMONE CHOOSES, dont move it) you can begin feeding it. Anemones eat pretty much anything, mine even eat the fishes flake food!! I feed mine, squid, clams, mussels, prawns, shrimp, mysis and brine.
Its up to you how often you feed them, most suggest you dont over feed, ie feed more than once per day. I could go into biological reasons but i wont bore you, this post is already very big!! but just dont feed every day, i tend to feed every three days and the anemone catchs bits in between.
Feeding an anemone is important. Your aim is to mirror their life in the wild. They are meat eaters, and need feeding to survive. hense why they have sticky tenticles and mouths! PLUS its one of my favourite things to watch!
From the 2 BTA's i have had and what i have read. BTA's tend to wander when first put in until they find a good place. Both mine have retreated to hiding in the rocks, but made their way out to the light after a week. If they have not returned after a week or so, perhaps consider hunting for them and bringing them back to the light!!
Clowns do host BTA, however my true percs have taken 10 months to host it, and are being very wierd at the moment with hosting. (another story!) lol. BTA's tend to change appearence regularly from bubble tipped, to long tenticles - nothing to be concerned about. Bubble tips shrivel and look dead when disposing of waste - they do this regularly so do not worry if he does it. Disposing waste can take up to 3 hours and be very worrying for new anemone owners! They are normally fine, and you will get used to its patterns.
So to summarise, pick a healthy anemone, cover powerheads, leave alone when first introduced, and feed! Your lights seem fine for a BTA by the way, i keep one with T5's too.
Hope i haven't bored you, and all that is from my experience (as little as i have) and reading on anemones (which i have done A LOT!! lol). If Seffie or one of the others disagree with anything i've said then they are probably correct, so listen to them.
Best of luck with it if you do decide to get one, please keep us posted on your decision!!
I have managed somehow (as a newbie) to keep two successfully for over 8 months and they seem to be doing incredibly well. I am also trying to care for another injured one, but i won't count it as sucessful until he gets better, and has survived past the 6 month rule of thumb.
From my experience i have found that Bubbletips are quite easy to care for, they do not seem to overly like the light, and feed happily all the time, and their growth rate is steady but noticable. In terms of the bubbletip - Seffie is your girl for advice!! But i thought i'd share what i do and give you some tips.
Firstly and definately (in my opinion) the most important thing to do is start with a 100% healthy specimen!! Hard to tell, but really important!! For me, most important thing is the anemones sting, make sure you touch the anemones tenticles and you get a sticky sensation (without this you will not be able to feed your anemone at all, which is important) Second, ensure it can attach with its pedal disk (its foot/base) don't buy one thats rolling around on the floor. Colouring should be dark, or bright - not pale and dull. Those 3 things are very important for survival! Buy from a trusted dealer. I personally would not buy an anemone from anyone else other than aquaticstoyourdoor.co.uk. I have bought a malu that has survived so far from them, my parents have also bought a malu that has survived for 12months in theres, and a bubbletip which has also survived so far. All the anemones they have sent have been very strong specimens and have adapted incredibly well to an aquarium. WOULD RECOMMEND. They also will take requests well so if you tell them exactly what you want they will get it and send to you.
So once you have your anemone, most important - COVER YOUR POWERHEADS. Ouch does not describe what happens if you dont. The one anemone that did not make it - well I forgot to do this! and my poor bubbletip got shredded, nearly wiped out EVERYTHING. i was lucky but all my powerheads are covered now!! Please do it - at least for the first month you put it in cos it can end badly!!
So once its in, i read a book on care for anemones and this is where this bit comes from, leave the anemone to settle for 7 days. Once it has housed itself in a suitable location (the ANEMONE CHOOSES, dont move it) you can begin feeding it. Anemones eat pretty much anything, mine even eat the fishes flake food!! I feed mine, squid, clams, mussels, prawns, shrimp, mysis and brine.
Its up to you how often you feed them, most suggest you dont over feed, ie feed more than once per day. I could go into biological reasons but i wont bore you, this post is already very big!! but just dont feed every day, i tend to feed every three days and the anemone catchs bits in between.
Feeding an anemone is important. Your aim is to mirror their life in the wild. They are meat eaters, and need feeding to survive. hense why they have sticky tenticles and mouths! PLUS its one of my favourite things to watch!
From the 2 BTA's i have had and what i have read. BTA's tend to wander when first put in until they find a good place. Both mine have retreated to hiding in the rocks, but made their way out to the light after a week. If they have not returned after a week or so, perhaps consider hunting for them and bringing them back to the light!!
Clowns do host BTA, however my true percs have taken 10 months to host it, and are being very wierd at the moment with hosting. (another story!) lol. BTA's tend to change appearence regularly from bubble tipped, to long tenticles - nothing to be concerned about. Bubble tips shrivel and look dead when disposing of waste - they do this regularly so do not worry if he does it. Disposing waste can take up to 3 hours and be very worrying for new anemone owners! They are normally fine, and you will get used to its patterns.
So to summarise, pick a healthy anemone, cover powerheads, leave alone when first introduced, and feed! Your lights seem fine for a BTA by the way, i keep one with T5's too.
Hope i haven't bored you, and all that is from my experience (as little as i have) and reading on anemones (which i have done A LOT!! lol). If Seffie or one of the others disagree with anything i've said then they are probably correct, so listen to them.
Best of luck with it if you do decide to get one, please keep us posted on your decision!!
the only thing I would add: if at all possible by a clone Bubbletip from a reefer, I will not buy an anemone taken from the wild and most are I'm afraid 
Second point, don't be fooled into, 'it's a rare white bubbletip' if its cream or white its bleaching and dying, they are possible to save, but these nems are not for newbie nem keepers.
