Help! Mandarin caught in BTA! Barely alive

[Eleni18]

Please Help! A few minutes ago, just after a water change, I saw my mandarin caught in my bubble tip anemone. I immediately netted her out and put her in a container with tank water and some brightwell fish recover. She is breathing but barely and not swimming. What can I do?

 

[Goaway]

Can you take any pictures of the fish? Usually, fish can survive a bta. But, if they aren't healthy enough. That normally gets them killed by anemones.

 

[Cell]

Post a pic of the mandy if you can. It was likely dying before encountering the bta.

 

[Eleni18]

Here she is. I added an airstone

 

[Eleni18]

Is there anything else I can do? She is in a 2 litre container with the fish recover and air stone now, no pump or filter and it is warm enough so no thermostat. She is still the same, with something like white slimy wisps coming off her and just barely breathing

 

[Goaway]

How big is your aquarium? I can't tell if she has any illnesses. Or if she's malnourished. Sadly, she probably isn't going to make it.
If she is swimming in the bucket, I would just put her back into the aquarium.

 

[Eleni18]

How big is your aquarium? I can't tell if she has any illnesses. Or if she's malnourished. Sadly, she probably isn't going to make it.

150 gallons. Lots of live rock and pods. I have had her for almost 3 years

 

[Goaway]

She could be stunned by the stings of the bta. If she's healthy she'll recover from it.
Hopefully someone else will be able to chime in and tell you if theirs any medication that can help. I really don't think there is.

 

[LiamPM]

Its odd for a healthy fish of any kind to wander into an anemone - Most seem to be aware of them and the ones that end up in them tend to be ones on the way out to begin with. The fact youve had it three years is the odd part for this to happen.

Personally, i would have left her in the main tank - She may just be in shock and may recover. They do have thicker slime coats than most which could well be a bonus in this kind of situation.

Is she moving in the bucket? Lying on her side like that is not the most promising.

 

[Eleni18]

Its odd for a healthy fish of any kind to wander into an anemone - Most seem to be aware of them and the ones that end up in them tend to be ones on the way out to begin with. The fact youve had it three years is the odd part for this to happen.

Personally, i would have left her in the main tank - She may just be in shock and may recover. They do have thicker slime coats than most which could well be a bonus in this kind of situation.

Is she moving in the bucket? Lying on her side like that is not the most promising.

Thank you. She is not moving. Just breathing. Her body is covered in a whitish wispy slime thing. Brightwell's fish recover apparently helps with skin problems. No idea what else to do

 

[Eleni18]

Thank you. She is not moving. Just breathing. Her body is covered in a whitish wispy slime thing. Brightwell's fish recover apparently helps with skin problems. No idea what else to do

 

[Eleni18]

Do you think I should move her back into the main tank? What about the medication?

 

[Uncle99]

Looks rough but this fish can be quite resilient.
While out of the DT, it cannot eat, so, in time, that’s going to make it worse.

I’d put it back in the DT, in an isolated area outside of bright light, and just watch.

If it can pull through, it must do it on its own and being in the “normal” environment is much less stressful.

Ive had mandys and BTAs in reefs for 30+ Years, never seen one get stung, but anything’s possible, but a weaken fish might fall to one.

The Mandy has a thick slime coat which would offer some degree of protection from the sting.

Good luck. No meds. If anything, she needs rest.

 

[Eleni18]

Looks rough but this fish can be quite resilient.
While out of the DT, it cannot eat, so, in time, that’s going to make it worse.

I’d put it back in the DT, in an isolated area outside of bright light, and just watch.

If it can pull through, it must do it on its own and being in the “normal” environment is much less stressful.

Ive had mandys and BTAs in reefs for 30+ Years, never seen one get stung, but anything’s possible, but a weaken fish might fall to one.

The Mandy has a thick slime coat which would offer some degree of protection from the sting.

Good luck. No meds. If anything, she needs rest.

Thank you. I will put it back in the main tank

 

[Goaway]

I am just curious if she eats pellets or frozen foods?

 

[LiamPM]

Thank you. She is not moving. Just breathing. Her body is covered in a whitish wispy slime thing. Brightwell's fish recover apparently helps with skin problems. No idea what else to do

Could well be that colour from the effect of the anemone stings or the fact they have a thicker slimecoat - Could be reacting or even protecting to a certain extent.

I do think she has a far better chance of recovery in the DT where she is used to though and would get her back in - Maybe lower the flow and lights if possible, try to keep things calm. I think brightwell fish recover is more for bacterial issues and although it woudlnt hurt to use it id be more inclined to have her back in the DT over it.

Im not sure there is much else you could do at this point.

 

[Eleni18]

I am just curious if she eats pellets or frozen foods?

No, just pods

 

[Eleni18]

Thank you. I have put her back in the main tank and lowered lights. She is lying on a rock where she floated when I moved her back. Not moving, still breathing

 

[Frogspon]

RIP

 

[Uncle99]

Thank you. I have put her back in the main tank and lowered lights. She is lying on a rock where she floated when I moved her back. Not moving, still breathing

I had one jump out of my DT, found it on the floor, was a bit dry, tossed her back into the DT, went to the bottom, stayed there 3 days, then, bang, back moving around.

Give her all the chance you can. If she’s motionless that’s not a bad thing, you’ll know if she doesn’t make it, she’ll drift uncontrolled.

Fingers crossed for her!