Bleached BTA & missing critters

[KelBell3113]

Hello, I have a bta I bought at lfs and didn't realize they're not suppose to be white so I've been trying to nurse it back to health. It seemed like it was getting a little better but today I noticed what seemed to be small pieces in the tank that look like they may be part of the anemone. I have 2 peppermint shrimp that hang out around the bta almost constantly. Could they be eating or picking at it? I feed the bta, shrimps and my emerald crabs bits of brine shrimp so I know nobody is going hungry. This is my first saltwater tank. I've had it for a little over 3 months. Water levels, salinity and temp are all good and stable. We have an actinic bulb and 10k daylight bulb. 14gal biocube. No fish just shrimp, crabs, snails and anemone. Lots of live rock.
Also I noticed 2 of my nerite snails, 1 astrae snail and 1 blue leg hermit are missing. Could the shrimp or emerald crabs have eaten them? All the critters have been living together peacefully for 3 weeks and now all of sudden some are mia. Help please!!!

 

[Tahoe61]

It's a really young tank perhaps too young for a BTA, but BTA's are hardy.

Hermits will kill other hermits and snails. Crabs and shrimp molt and hide until their exoskeleton hardens, crabs and shrimp are also extremely vulnerable during and immediately after a molt and can fall victim to other tank mates.

 

[KelBell3113]

Thought the same thing too but I even had my LFS check my levels to make sure my tests were correct & it was safe. They said my tank had fully cycled so it was ok to get the bta. I've only had the bta for 5 days. Both my shrimps molted last week. I guess I will just have to keep a close eye on everyone. Good news is that the anemones mouth is closed and he is usually at least partially open most of the time.

 

[KelBell3113]

I also have a bubbler in the tank to make sure there's plenty of oxygen.

 

[SandJ]

We have had a peppermint shrimp to kill a BTA. I had a quarter size one I gave to my daughter for her tank. It was not in great condition but still colored up, just small.

Within a few minutes of adding it to the tank, the peppermint shrimp stole it and pulled it under his rock. He had it in his arms spinning it around, tearing the tentacles off. The BTA did not survive.

After some research, we discovered that the shrimp was not the Aiptasia eating peppermint (A on the chart below), but another species(C). Don't know if that was part of the problem.

Kinda off topic, but here is a great chart to identify the types of peppermint shrimp:
http://decapoda.nhm.org/pdfs/27306/27306.pdf

 

[SandJ]

Thought the same thing too but I even had my LFS check my levels to make sure my tests were correct & it was safe. They said my tank had fully cycled so it was ok to get the bta.

How did you cycle the tank?

Did they tell you what they tested or what the levels were?

How many times did they test the water?

What kind of lighting do you have?

Random thoughts (some may not apply depending on answers to questions above):
Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate will read zero if the tank has not cycled. During a cycle, you need to test a few times to see the ammonia rise, then ammonia drops and nitrites rise, then nitrites drop and nitrates rise.

If the LFS is selling you a bleached anemone, knowing your tank has just cycled, be cautious of the info they give. Even the best LFS can sometimes give incorrect information, but this is a red flag.

When you say you have a bubbler in the tank, do you mean an air pump and air stone? I may be wrong on this so please double check, but I don't think these are recommended on the tank because of the bubbles causing a lot of salt creep.

 

[Tahoe61]

Thought the same thing too but I even had my LFS check my levels to make sure my tests were correct & it was safe. They said my tank had fully cycled so it was ok to get the bta. I've only had the bta for 5 days. Both my shrimps molted last week. I guess I will just have to keep a close eye on everyone. Good news is that the anemones mouth is closed and he is usually at least partially open most of the time.

Always take pause when someone that is trying to sell you something.

I would definitely start doing your own testing.

It's a big learning curve, keeping seeking assistance but remember if those offering assist may profit from your involvement than their opinion may be biased.

 

[KelBell3113]

My LFS has tested my water 5 times. My ammonia levels rose a little, then my nitrites, then my nitrates. My nitrates are now 10ppm, my nitrites and ammonia are 0ppm. And I also do my own testing. I only had them test to double check it. The LFS told me once I went through those levels and such that my tank had fully cycled.
The anemone seems to be doing a little better. He hasn't moved a whole lot, his mouth stays closed and he'll take little bits of brine shrimp when I feed. This was him last night. He loves the bubbles. I turned them off to feed him but otherwise he is constantly in them. I have an air pump and the stone you can see in the picture. Please excuse the dirty sand. Our cuc is a little lazy and we're battling cyanobacteria. I'm thinking I need a cleaner fish. Would a lawnmower blenny be a good choice?

 

[KelBell3113]

I have an actinic bulb and a 10k daylight bulb. It's a 14 gal biocube. And my salinity has been good and steady at 1.023-1.024 so I don't think the bubbles are causing any issues.