Rose anenome won't sit still!

Hello- I bought a Rose (bubble-tip) anemome about 3 weeks ago and everything seemed to go O.K. at first. Within about 2 to 3 days it started to wander about the tank. Everyday it would be in a new location- N-S-E-and W. It's starting to shrivel a little now. Could it be incorrect lighting or the wrong intensity. I am currently using power compact lighting. Is anyone experiencing the same kind or problem with their rose anenome? Thanks! -Mike

We have had a bubble anemone for about 2-3 months now and are beginning to understand her behaviour and sensitivities. We have medium lighting, nowhere near as strong as some in this forum but more than entry level. Hotlips, as the anemone is called, likes to reside in a cave (there are several in our tank). She comes out in full bloom (8-10 inches in diameter) for about 8 hours a day, spreading all around the entrance of the cave. She retreats to just fill the mouth of the cave for the remaining daylight hours and shrivels right back at night. The two clowns are playing in her tentacles the whole time.

Hotlips' mouth swells at feeding time (hence the name) and she feeds with everyone else on frozen brinshrimp, etc.

Her biggest sensitivity is to water flow. We have a Juwel tank with an internal filter. You have to remove the water outlet nozzle to change the pads and sponges in this. Whenever I do any filter maintenance, Hotlips ups and moves, probably because I have failed to get the nozzle angle exactly as it was before. The change in water flow is what I think prompts the change. If I change the flow deliberately, the chances are she will move as a result, so it is pretty reproducible.

(facing the back of th tank). She can only stay there for so long before she clearly needs the light. The other thing to note is that she will definately not stay rooted on an exposed rock face - her anchor point is always hidden well back so she can retreat out of sight when she wants to.

So, assuming you have a 'reasonable' lighting system, I would suggest you make sure you have enough caves and crevices for your anemone to anchor in and try adjusting the way the water flows around your tank.

The one thing I would say, though, is be prepared for a degree of nomadic behaviour. It's a bit like musical caves in our tank - every time Hotlips decides she wants to change, she normally has to evict one of the three shrimps (a cleaner, a fire and a boxer). The evicted shrimp then quite often has a contest with one of the others for their cave. They then all settle down again until the next time that nasty reefkeeper changes the flow! Quite an amusing little routine.

Agree with Knowleman, the parameters are waterflow and light. They look for a cave or crevice where they can plant their foot. I have a green/brown BTA. When I increased my lighting, he moved to the bottom of the tank. He also doesn't like direct flow. He prefers a crevice on the bottom where he can get a soft flow of water.

Funny I have the same issue. Mine moved In till it found the cave. There is no light in the cave and this color is gone, but he seems healthier then when he was on top of the rocks. I have 44 gal 136 compact light and a cap 2200 pump.