BTA wedged in rock DOA???

CobrajetMach1

CobrajetMach1

Member
My tank had a bad outbreak of ich, and I've lost all my fish except for my yellow watchman goby. I'm currently waiting for my QT to cycle so I can get him out of there and then I plan on waiting a good 8 weeks for the ich to die off in the DT.

Anyways my question is for my bubble tip anemone which has been in my tank for about 4 months now. During the time it's been in the tank it has split twice. I removed the 2 clones since and gave them away, as I didn't want a ton of anemones in my tank. The last time it split was about 3 weeks ago.

About 1 week ago it walked over to this spot on my live rock and worked it's way inside of the rock. He's been there for over a week now like this. All I can see is the foot and it doesn't seem like it's moved at all in that period of time.

My tank is the RSM 250. I gave the back sumps a through cleaning this weekend. Installed some chemi-pure elite, and a JBJ UV submersible pump in the sump. I changed out about 20 gallons of water. I just tested my parameters this morning.

SG: 1.0235 with refractometer, Temp 81 degrees F, PH level 8.0, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate @ 2.5 ppm.

I checked the PH and ammonia with API test kit and Nitrite and Nitrate with the Red sea tests.

So should I leave the anemone alone and keep the water quality up and hope it snaps out of it, or should I get it out of there and if so how??

Here's a picture I took of it. What's your thoughts?

bubble_tip.jpg
 
CobrajetMach1

CobrajetMach1

Member
If it dies they disintegrate right??
So as long as it appears intact it's still alive?

I'll leave it be until I notice it falling apart or it snaps out of it I guess.
It's not like I don't have a lot of free time thanks to the ich...
 
G

Glaucus

New Member
Either let it be or remove it because you want to remove it from your tank because you believe it is decaying.

My brother also has an RSM250. He bought a BTA probably a bit too early in a tank still filled with algae bloom/growth and insufficient CUC. It wandered a lot, floated around for a bit (turn off the big pump in that case or it will tear it's own tentacles trying to hold on to something) and it especially liked hiding. It would hide for like 5 days, come out slowly for 2, then stay out for 3 and then move/float and hide again. Last time it hid for like 2 weeks. Maybe more. It's mouth was swollen up while hanging upside down in a cave. But it didn't die. Or at least not yet. It came back and now looks quite good. Maybe it had to heal up a bit or digest some food. Or acclimate to the lights or water.

It did change shape/inflate/deflate every once in a while when hiding. That's an obvious sign it's still alive and not about to decay. So check that.

If it is already decaying you can turn off all the pumps and siphon it out of it disintegrates on touch. Your tank should be able to handle some decaying material. Especially if it's empty.
 
O

offshore357

Member
Mine hides like that as well. A day or two after a meal its off to a cave or inside a rock. The bigger the meal the longer the stay it seems.


Sorry about the Ich!

IMHO, Invest in a PH meter. All my test kits were .3 -.4 higher then the calibrated meter.


-JOHN
 
CobrajetMach1

CobrajetMach1

Member
Thanks,

I think the nem is done for it's been in the exact same position for well over a week now. It's moved behind the rocks and in the caves before but never inside the rock, and never for this long. I think what I'm going to have to do is the next time I change the water I'll fill up a plastic tote with the old water, remove the rock, put it in the tub and get him from there. I'm concerned it's going to disperse in a cloud of anemone nastiness in the tank if I tried to get it out in there. Just gotta be careful cause my 2 peppermint shrimps live in the same rock. I'll have to time it when they're out roaming around.
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
If it's truly "Expired" you may be able to use a turkey baster or something similar to get it out. Once they are a "goner" they usually are not longer "tacky/sticky/attached" to their rock or least mine wasn't. You'll KNOW it's a goner by the smell and trust me... if it is gone and you smell it you'll say, "OMG what the heck did I smell of that for? I'll never EVER get that smell out of my nostrils. I'm scarred for LIFE! Someone please push a Stick-Up into my nose IMMEDIATELY!"
 
CobrajetMach1

CobrajetMach1

Member
LOL!!:laughroll Wow Al nice mental image there with the smell!

Would you not notice the smell with it still in the water, or does it hit you when you take it out?

Guess I better head to the store and get some febreeze so after I smell it I can go in the other room and empty a couple bottles and hopefully get it out of my nose!

Thanks again.
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
I lost a SeaHare recently and no I didn't smell it at all until it left the water. Within seconds Julie turned her head and I knew right away the "Aroma" had already made it across the room. Of course I was already gagging and trying to not "toss my cookies" right there in the living room.

We call it the "Sniff Test". It's something you wont forget anytime soon.

I'd write more but I'm OFF to the bathroom just remembering it . . .
 
Gyr

Gyr

Member
Cobrajet,
Interesting coincidence that your BTA got sick during an ich outbreak as I am having the same problem, myself.(http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/anemones/58351-my-rbta-sick-just-lonely.html)
From all the reading I have done it doesn't seem likely the ICH itself would cause the problem and my DT should be free of ICH by now since it has been fisheless for over 6 weeks, but the BTA is looking even worse. I didn't treat the DT with anything, just removed the fish. It was about 3-4 weeks after removing the fish (including the percula clown that had been a dedicate host of the BTA) that my BTA first started looking unhappy.

I am currently reversing the hyposalinity in my hospital tank and will hopefully be able to get the clown back into the DT within the next week. I know it is probably just wishful thinking, but I am hoping that will improve the BTA.

I don't know what is going on with our BTAs, and they may be completely different problems, but mine has been looking punky for over 2 weeks now and is definitely still alive, so I wouldn't give up on yours just yet.

Good luck. If I figure out what's going on with mine, I'll let you know.

Kurt
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Gyr said:
Cobrajet,
Interesting coincidence that your BTA got sick during an ich outbreak as I am having the same problem, myself.(http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/anemones/58351-my-rbta-sick-just-lonely.html)
From all the reading I have done it doesn't seem likely the ICH itself would cause the problem and my DT should be free of ICH by now since it has been fisheless for over 6 weeks, but the BTA is looking even worse. I didn't treat the DT with anything, just removed the fish. It was about 3-4 weeks after removing the fish (including the percula clown that had been a dedicate host of the BTA) that my BTA first started looking unhappy.

I am currently reversing the hyposalinity in my hospital tank and will hopefully be able to get the clown back into the DT within the next week. I know it is probably just wishful thinking, but I am hoping that will improve the BTA.

I don't know what is going on with our BTAs, and they may be completely different problems, but mine has been looking punky for over 2 weeks now and is definitely still alive, so I wouldn't give up on yours just yet.

Good luck. If I figure out what's going on with mine, I'll let you know.

Kurt
Click to expand...


Kurt don't stop short... you're too close to stop short. Wait the FULL 8 weeks just to be sure. It would be a shame to shave a week off and have to start all over again in a couple of months.
 
Gyr

Gyr

Member
Yeah, BigAl. You're right. I was just getting desperate to try to get my BTA happy again. Just one week early, just one fish...but no, you are right.

I'll wait the full 8 weeks because the teardown to get the fish out and the whole long hyposalinity treatment is definitely a bear.

It probably wouldn't help the BTA to have the clown hosting him again anyway. I just REALLY like my BTA, favorite inhabitant of my tank. I'm going nuts trying to figure out what's wrong with it.

Kurt
 
CobrajetMach1

CobrajetMach1

Member
Alright got the gumption to take out the rock the anemone went in and yup it's a goner.
dead_nem.jpg


It was hard to get out of the rock as it had the consistency of a gummy bear... Yes it was stinky too!

I got my goby transferred to the hospital tank in the process so my 8 week ich countdown starts today... Joy.

I went ahead and re-arranged my rocks while I was at it and did about a 15 gallon water change. So right now I have a RSM 250 with nothing but a cleanup crew, 2 peppermint shrimp and a handful of frags. Oh well lesson learned! QT is a must!!!

I think after the 8 weeks I might get a triggerfish, after all that's what I wanted when I started the hobby but I bought the clownfish first and then later read about them being incompatible. I can tell you one thing... no more anemones!
 
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