missing anemones

[mkiely]

hello,
I was wondering if anyone had any info about the reproduction of bubble tips. Because of location, I only have a 30-gal reef setup. I am in a 2nd floor apt. and don't want to risk the weight of a bigger tank. The system has been running strong and mostly problem free for over a year. What I am curious about is one of my first inhabitants was a green bubble tip anemone and a tomato clown. The bubble tip was maybe 7 inches in diamater and the clown about 2.5 inches long. About 4 months ago the anemone split in 2, in about a 70 -30% split. They both looked great and seemed to be completely healthy. Around 2 months later the larger and original anemone again split into a third piece, which seemed to have a hard time finding a comfortable home, eventually settling next to the original where they both co-existed, the other took anchor on the complete opposite side of the tank. The clown was in heaven playing in all 3 keeping the original as his resting place. About three weeks ago only the original was left in place and the other 2 are no where to be seen. I looked in every crevice of the live rock, (approx. 65-70 lbs), I went as far as re-landscaping the tank just to be sure I looked at each and every rock. The other tank mates are a lawnmower blenny, a blue mandarin, a psuedochromin (SP?), and a spotted hawk, non of which fight for territory. I also have a banded coral shrimp, sand sifting star and snail, a peppermint shrimp to take care of a minor aipstasia outbreak. ( he was introduced after the bubble tips went missing) and some blue and red hemits plus a few other hard and soft corals that do not fight for space.
Basically I am curious if anyone has any ideas what could have happened to them? When the 1st went missing I didn't think anything of it, assuming it just de-hydrated and tucked itself into a hole. 2 days later the 2nd one was missing and I haven't seen either of them since. Any chance of cannibalism?
My set up isn't the best, all filters and skimmers are hanging on the back of the tank. I thought maybe one of the filters sucked them up but there wasn't any traces of them in any of the filters. Any ideas are appreciated.
thanks.

[Unfair Advantage]

Probably deflated into a crevice or under some rock you cannot see. I've got a BTA that at one point I thought also disappeared completely for a few days.

It was in the same spot in the crevice on the rock, just so deflated that it could barely be seen.

There isn't anything in your tank that would be capable of eating an anemone and they are colonial animals and do not cannibalize, so rule that out. If they were to have been sucked up into the filter, you wouldn't see much of a trace of them, just some slimy stuff, so if it's clear in there it's likely that didn't happen either (unless they were pretty small in which case they might have been mushed/filtered into nothing).

So, best bet is they:

A: moved to a new spot somewhere you can't see them or
B: deflated to the point they are very difficult to see or
C: a bit of both

I know you said you checked the LR, I thought I'd checked mine as well. They can get pretty darn small when they want to, so...check again?
HTH!

[mkiely]

thanks for the input...I don't believe the filters got them, although they did split they were still a good size and debris would have definitely been noticable, but it has been awhile since they have last been seen so I have to believe they aren't around anymore. If they were I think the clown would be hovering in that area.
My water quality is always good, I check it on a weekly basis so I don't believe that would be a factor either.
Since I am relatively new to reef keeping I would imagine the splitting meant the tank and anemones are healthy?

I will take another look in the rock, hopefully I still have them. If having a new spot is the case and they are just dehydrated, any clue why only two of them have decided to hide and not the original? To much competition possibly?
Thanks again.