I was wondering why my anenome stands so big and tall when the lights are off, but shrinks down when the lights are on. The tank is a 46 gallon corner with 2 13" PC lights, one pure actinic and the other 50/50. Is it just that he is trying to get light?
If you have "The Reef Aquarium", V2, read page 355. I will quote some from it in case you don't have access to this book. It shows a picture of an LTA stretching it's column up tall. The caption under the picture explains: "This was an indication of insufficient water circulation and resulting low oxygen level." The text goes on to explain: "During the daytime when the anemone is bathed in light and its zooxanthellae are producing oxygen by photosynthesis the decrease in oxygen solubility from high temperature is not a problem. At night it is, when the zooxanthellae consume oxygen instead of produce it. This can become particularly problematic for anemones that live with their column buried in the sand where low oxygen levels can produce anoxic conditions."
Sounds like you need better water circulation, at least at night.
