RBTA in trouble

jimeluiz · 08-18-2004, 09:50 PM

We have an Extreme Sport RBTA that just tried going over the overflow for a tumble in the sump. (Something that it has done before... or maybe it was the other one...)

I came home to it 7/8 the way through one gap in the overflow with the other 1/8 sagging through the neighboring gap.

Sigh.

It was painful to see and nerve wracking to coax back through the gap to get it free.

I've put the exhausted and distorted anemone in a low flow area on a rock, hoping it does not take flight.

Anything I can do besides light a candle and wait it out?

Poor thing.

BoomerD · 08-18-2004, 10:12 PM

Just wait it out. If there's no torn tissues, thenit should recover just fine...might take several days to several months, depending on how badly it was stressed or injured, but given time, it should be fine...and as usual, it will try to find it's own sweet spot, so don't be surprised if it does it again...Go to Lowes, Home Depot or similar store, and you can get a black plastic mesh, used forkeeping debris out of rain gutters , it makes good screening for overflow teeth.

jimeluiz · 08-18-2004, 10:20 PM

Thanks, Neil. You remember our previous incident.

It already looks like it is actively improving. It is grabbing more of the rock and moving a bit. I'm confident we'll pull through. You don't get to be a bonified species by being terribly fragile. But we still have our fingers crossed.

I'm going to look into that mesh.

BoomerD · 08-18-2004, 11:05 PM

This article covers the gutter guard material. Scroll down, pics 4 thru 7 I think ...fairly unobtrusive, yet effective and not so fine as to impede flow.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/gt/

pyxis · 08-19-2004, 02:56 AM

i had the same issue with my bta at 1 time. He got pretty torn up as well. I went and glued some eggcrate just about the cuts in the overflow, then added some mesh netting around it, so he could not do it again. and for some reason, he loves to put his foot there every now and then, tempting the material.

hope this helps a bit

Maxx · 08-19-2004, 11:50 AM

I've seen anemones recover from some seemingly horrific powerhead and filter issues.....
The key in those cases was to turn off the offending item, (powerhead or filter) and let the animal work itself out. I realize that in this case that wasnt possible, but if you were able to coax it out of trouble and it already looks like its doing better, then you'll probably be just fine....
Nick

music man · 06-05-2006, 03:25 PM

I picked up a 30'x48" roll of plastic mesh fencing at Home Depot for 15.00 it has 1/4" spaces in it so it wont trap anything you want out and it will keep the buggers in that want to go on a trip, I use it on everything even my pond to keep out raccoons, it's more heavy duty than the plastic netting they sell at pond stores, and it holds it's shape well, more like fine fencing made of plastic. and it's black so it blends in well in dark spots. I also bought a 4'x24" flourscent light cover, it has 1/2" spaces but it is extreemly heavy duty and runs less than $10.00 at the hardware store, it's the kind of grate you see in offices over the lights, it also has 101 uses. it's in the lighting department usually by the 10.00 flourescents that you wish you could use over a reef tank. the fence is in the fencing department. make sure you wash the fencing realy well if you use it, it seems to have a mold release agent on it that takes a little work to remove, I'm sure the release agent wouldnt be good for your tank.

08-18-2004, 09:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
jimeluiz Achilles Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Niteroi, Brasil Posts: 829 View Gallery Karma Komment	RBTA in trouble We have an Extreme Sport RBTA that just tried going over the overflow for a tumble in the sump. (Something that it has done before... or maybe it was the other one...) I came home to it 7/8 the way through one gap in the overflow with the other 1/8 sagging through the neighboring gap. Sigh. It was painful to see and nerve wracking to coax back through the gap to get it free. I've put the exhausted and distorted anemone in a low flow area on a rock, hoping it does not take flight. Anything I can do besides light a candle and wait it out? Poor thing. __________________ Sold the tank prior to our move. Setting up our new life in Brazil.

08-18-2004, 10:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,637 View Gallery Karma Komment	Just wait it out. If there's no torn tissues, thenit should recover just fine...might take several days to several months, depending on how badly it was stressed or injured, but given time, it should be fine...and as usual, it will try to find it's own sweet spot, so don't be surprised if it does it again...Go to Lowes, Home Depot or similar store, and you can get a black plastic mesh, used forkeeping debris out of rain gutters , it makes good screening for overflow teeth. __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

08-18-2004, 10:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
jimeluiz Achilles Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Niteroi, Brasil Posts: 829 View Gallery Karma Komment	Thanks, Neil. You remember our previous incident. It already looks like it is actively improving. It is grabbing more of the rock and moving a bit. I'm confident we'll pull through. You don't get to be a bonified species by being terribly fragile. But we still have our fingers crossed. I'm going to look into that mesh. __________________ Sold the tank prior to our move. Setting up our new life in Brazil.

08-18-2004, 11:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,637 View Gallery Karma Komment	This article covers the gutter guard material. Scroll down, pics 4 thru 7 I think ...fairly unobtrusive, yet effective and not so fine as to impede flow. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/gt/ __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

08-19-2004, 02:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
pyxis Limpet Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Richlands,NC Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	i had the same issue with my bta at 1 time. He got pretty torn up as well. I went and glued some eggcrate just about the cuts in the overflow, then added some mesh netting around it, so he could not do it again. and for some reason, he loves to put his foot there every now and then, tempting the material. hope this helps a bit __________________ "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." (Evan Hardin)

08-19-2004, 11:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
Maxx Manta Ray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St Louis Mo Posts: 3,079 View Gallery Karma Komment	I've seen anemones recover from some seemingly horrific powerhead and filter issues..... The key in those cases was to turn off the offending item, (powerhead or filter) and let the animal work itself out. I realize that in this case that wasnt possible, but if you were able to coax it out of trouble and it already looks like its doing better, then you'll probably be just fine.... Nick __________________ "Chaos, confusion, despair...my work is done here." ...Some guy named Murphy.... A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!" Reef Sanctuary Knowledgebase (Answers to all your questions and then some!)

06-05-2006, 03:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
music man Midas Blenny Join Date: May 2006 Location: Olympia, WA USA Posts: 110 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: RBTA in trouble I picked up a 30'x48" roll of plastic mesh fencing at Home Depot for 15.00 it has 1/4" spaces in it so it wont trap anything you want out and it will keep the buggers in that want to go on a trip, I use it on everything even my pond to keep out raccoons, it's more heavy duty than the plastic netting they sell at pond stores, and it holds it's shape well, more like fine fencing made of plastic. and it's black so it blends in well in dark spots. I also bought a 4'x24" flourscent light cover, it has 1/2" spaces but it is extreemly heavy duty and runs less than $10.00 at the hardware store, it's the kind of grate you see in offices over the lights, it also has 101 uses. it's in the lighting department usually by the 10.00 flourescents that you wish you could use over a reef tank. the fence is in the fencing department. make sure you wash the fencing realy well if you use it, it seems to have a mold release agent on it that takes a little work to remove, I'm sure the release agent wouldnt be good for your tank.

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