BTA vs Wavemaker

[AGWL]

It ain't pretty, y'all.

My older BTA has never been able to find a spot he's happy in, at least not longer than a few days at a time. (My newest BTA bebopped around the tank for a few hours, found her rock, and has been happy ever since.)

Sagan, though, has always tended to stay in the top back corner of the tank, near the protein skimmer. He'd move around, but primarily in that area. There's a wave maker near there and I'd switch it off whenever it looked like he was moving in that direction. He always ate well, taking fresh shrimp from me 1-2 times a week. My tomato clown loves him.

Then this morning, the clown was in a part of the tank he doesn't normally go to (he stays near his anemones). Sagan had moved along the back wall of the tank, which he'd never done before, and wedged himself behind another wave maker. It did not end well. There were pieces floating around, everyone.

I turned the wave maker off, obvs, and moved it. Sagan's foot was still engaged on the glass. I gently moved him and put him down on the substrate near some rocks. He was moving slightly, but the hermits started picking at him (jerks) so I've pulled him into a container by himself.

It doesn't look like he's expelled anything. His foot is engaged and he's still moving slightly. I offered a piece of shrimp; he contracted around it and seemed to take it.

I'm cleaning my QT tank and setting it up for him to recuperate, but really.... is there any hope here?

 

[Dom]

I would put it in an isolation box and leave it in the tank.

 

[AGWL]

I would put it in an isolation box and leave it in the tank.

How would I keep the inverts from picking at him?

 

[Dom]

How would I keep the inverts from picking at him?

You are placing it in an isolation box, which you then can hang inside the tank.

 

[littlefoxx]

It ain't pretty, y'all.

My older BTA has never been able to find a spot he's happy in, at least not longer than a few days at a time. (My newest BTA bebopped around the tank for a few hours, found her rock, and has been happy ever since.)

Sagan, though, has always tended to stay in the top back corner of the tank, near the protein skimmer. He'd move around, but primarily in that area. There's a wave maker near there and I'd switch it off whenever it looked like he was moving in that direction. He always ate well, taking fresh shrimp from me 1-2 times a week. My tomato clown loves him.

Then this morning, the clown was in a part of the tank he doesn't normally go to (he stays near his anemones). Sagan had moved along the back wall of the tank, which he'd never done before, and wedged himself behind another wave maker. It did not end well. There were pieces floating around, everyone.

I turned the wave maker off, obvs, and moved it. Sagan's foot was still engaged on the glass. I gently moved him and put him down on the substrate near some rocks. He was moving slightly, but the hermits started picking at him (jerks) so I've pulled him into a container by himself.

It doesn't look like he's expelled anything. His foot is engaged and he's still moving slightly. I offered a piece of shrimp; he contracted around it and seemed to take it.

I'm cleaning my QT tank and setting it up for him to recuperate, but really.... is there any hope here?

Maybe since his foot seems okay! I agree with just putting it in an isolation box in the main tank and leaving him be

 

[littlefoxx]

Box can be found at petsmart or petco

 

[TinyReef522]

They tend to be pretty resilient. I think if you put it in an acclimation box like suggested it’ll probably slowly recover.

 

[AGWL]

He's looking so much better today!

 

[OrionN]

Looking good. Healthy BTA often tolerated mishaps like this. Sometime this even resulted in reproduction and you ended up with several smaller anemones

 

[AGWL]

Looking good. Healthy BTA often tolerated mishaps like this. Sometime this even resulted in reproduction and you ended up with several smaller anemones

At what point can I let him out of isolation?

 

[littlefoxx]

Im glad! I wasnt thinkin he was going to make it. He looks better for sure

 

[OrionN]

When his skin fused over and he no longer leaking it OK to release him. Make sure to isolated the problem. BTA does not like a lot of light or current. Good water is a must.

 

[AGWL]

He managed to get out of isolation overnight and is back in his usual corner, on the glass near the filter intake. We'll see how it goes over the next few days. (ignore the spirorbids; they've taken over)

Thank you for all the help, everyone!

 

[Spicy Reef]

Do you have Anamone guards on the wave makers, or are they the gyre type?
I have the gyre type, when I have a nem on the move I try to wrap a coarse sponge around the intake portion. I've found that nems like to either burry their foot deep in live rock or in my clowns egg laying clay pot!!!
Is there anything else that might be either drawing them or forcing them to that area other than flow. like light/no light, food , temperature etc...?
I've had nems come back from much worse...

 

[AGWL]

I have no idea why he likes that spot. My other BTA is quite happily hanging out on her rock near the bottom of the tank and has never moved more than an inch or two. This guy, however....he's a wanderer.