bta alive?

Susan Edwards · Feb 10, 2017

I'm wondering if my bta is not alive anymore. It's all shriveled and just hanging. Not unusual but it does normally open up a bit, esp. in the evenings. It didn't last night and maybe not the night before. It's never acted right since day one (was kept in a basket floating on top of frag tank at lfs in just a few inches of water--I now know this isn't a good or healthy way to keep them). It was in hiding for most of its time in my tank (crevices), finally came out in back of tank after a good 3-4 weeks, but never really recovered. Never took food, never look nice and healthy.

How can I tell if it's gone? Will it detach?

I posted issues in another post titled water change as all of a sudden I have ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. I was believing maybe my tiger tail sea cucumber has died as I haven't seen it since I added it end of January. But if my bta is dead, that could be doing it too.

Preme · Feb 10, 2017

Well if you still have(had) those water conditions that probably killed it. Anemones aren't the greatest creatures to be exposed to those things

Susan Edwards · Feb 10, 2017

it has had "stuff" coming out for a while but I thought that was it's "poop". It isn't like smoke, but solid. It's tightly closed right now. It's been like this for a while, prob. before the water parameters changed.

Susan Edwards · Feb 10, 2017

Okay, new pic. I think it's gone and probably source of my tank ills

Susan Edwards · Feb 11, 2017

This is unbelievable. Checked it a couple hours ago and it was a bit more extended. So hold off on removing. Just before bed, I ck it, and this. It's actually moving up the rockwork. Maybe the water change freshened it? Which means something is still decomposing in tank.

Going to drive me nuts, this gbta

Shaddow_wolf169 · Feb 11, 2017

You need to check all of you inhabitants and remove the dead ones quick

Susan Edwards · Feb 11, 2017

@Shaddow_wolf169 I have. The one missing since I put it in is the tiger tail sea cucumber. He buried himself and I haven't seen him since. No idea where he is or if he's alive or not. Other than maybe a couple of hermits or snails, all fish are accounted for. Not sure on all the emeralds as they are hard to find.

Shaddow_wolf169 · Feb 11, 2017

It's still holding on really good that's a good sign. Normally they are out during the day and cover up at night. If you start to see it looking like slime and pieces falling off pull it out. But it's okay for now probably just acclimating. But get your water under control use prime to detox the amMonica and nitrites and nitrates 5x the dose of your thank example if you have 100 gallons that's 10 caps. 1 cap is 50 gallons.

Tahoe61 · Feb 11, 2017

Results of stocking a tank too quickly called new tank syndrome. As the saying goes nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

erinmegan85 · Feb 11, 2017

I think if you're cucumber bit the dust that it could cause all the above issues as well. I would see if you can find it and maybe do another water change.

Susan Edwards · Feb 11, 2017

I really think the issues are with a dead sea cucumber. trouble is, I cannot remove rock to find it as the structure is cemented. no more Sea cucumbers for me! Will be doing another wc today and adding more prime. If it continues, I'll try dredging the sand to see if I can find it. bta all shrivels and pooping (brown stringy stuff). For a creature who doesn't eat it sure gets enough nourishment to poop.... Notice a hermit feasting on a turbo snail this morning... Tank really clear this morning, fish all active and looking for their meal. Will test and see where I'm at today.