GBT Not Well

[WillM]

So this guy has been in my tank for a few weeks now. The first 10 days looked great and only moved 1 time. It then moved from the bottom of my rock work to the under side of the return from my HOB filter. He’s been there ever since and hasn’t looked good at all. It doesn’t seem to matter lights on or off but it is still firmly attached as I couldn’t get him to detach (I gently tried this morning but he was still firmly attached so I left it)

At the same time he moved I noticed the little growth on the side of the foot you can see in one of the pictures but as I had not even attempted to touch or move it since placing it in the tank I don’t know if it could be damage or what would have caused it.

The parameters seem to alright with nitrates >5 and phosphate >.1. The tank is a little over a year old and the lighting is a current orbit using the stock mount about 3 inches above the water line.

Basically he’s been in that spot looking like that for a little over a week now so I’m wondering if I should just remove him or if this may be some form or normal and just give it some more time?

 

[vetteguy53081]

It’s at top reaching for light IMO as orbit is not the most reliable in output
Lighting and flow are essential for their happiness
Temp 77-79
Salinity. 1.025
Ph 8.1-8.3
Nitrate < .05
Ammonia < .03

 

[WillM]

I should have mentioned it is under the lip of the return and the tank is only about 6 inches deep total. Even when it was at the bottom of the tank it was only about 9 inches below the light.

knowing that should I still turn up the light?

 

[dedragon]

how big is the tank? Are you using rodi water? if not what is the tds of the freshwater before you add salt?

 

[dvgyfresh]

The growth looks like messentrial filaments of the anemone , which means it is injured or stressed its not a goner but may need some help/ stable parameters to recover

 

[WillM]

The tank is a 12 gallon long so it’s 36 inches wide but very shallow and not very deep. I use rodi water 100% of the time but do purchase from LFS.

 

[WillM]

As for parameters they are pretty solid if not even on the too clean side as I had no fish in the tank until 3 days ago and only added a small springers damsel. I do water changes 1 time a week and only feed reef roids 1 sometimes 2 times a week. Even algae growth is pretty minimal.

 

[Jekyl]

How old is the tank? I had issues with nems until mine was close to a year.

 

[dedragon]

probably too new of a tank for the anemone. They need stability from time and a large amount of water. Your tank may be too small for an anemone

 

[dedragon]

it could work but probably need 15+ pounds of live rock and wait to add the anemone in another 6 months. For now I would look to give it back to the store or give it to another member from the forum and in 6 months or so it will probably have split into two anemones, so win win for two people

 

[WillM]

The tank is over a year old it’s just been a mixed reef with no fish the whole time. And there is 18 pounds of rock in it. Since it’s so small do you think it’s still to new?

 

[Jekyl]

The tank is over a year old it’s just been a mixed reef with no fish the whole time. And there is 18 pounds of rock in it. Since it’s so small do you think it’s still to new?

Age will be fine if that's the case. Like another post said maybe the lights are a little lacking. Can try slowly ramping them up. I'm not familiar with that light though. If going to adjust do it slowly over time.

 

[dedragon]

could be, they can add a lot to the bioload like fish do

 

[WillM]

I guess the question now becomes are there any tips or advice what to do now? Does it seem too far gone?

 

[chizerbunoi]

It looks okay to me. That growth on the side does not look too bad. Keep taking pictures daily to monitor if it gets worst or not. You could bump up the light level but your algae right will increase as well. If you have more blue lights that you can crank up in then it will like it. They live a lot of light. I don’t know what else you have in your tank though.

Don’t remove him unless he starts to fall apart.

I often have lots of BTA hanging at the top on the glass of my tank. They attach to the powerhead base and Heaters as well.

 

[GoReefin]

Growth looks like an injury possibly from the overflow. Keep an eye on him if he takes a turn for the worst remove and do a cipro treatment.