Help! What is this and what should I do?

[Amandajb]

Hoping someone sees this before it detaches from BTA so being brief....

Walked by tank and saw Green BTA shriveled up completely and this thing hanging off of it. Thought of sucking it out with coral feeder???

 

[1guydude]

Tunicate? Sponge? Dark blue picture. Hard to tell
D

 

[Amandajb]

Just got out of work meeting and now it is gone - was able to get a small piece stuck to rock sucked up - was brown slime. Its mouth is now fully open and incredibly shriveled. It used to have covering over mouth (not sure what you call it). My fighting conch is also very close, first by rock now next to it in sand... It was completely fine at least 2 hours before this happened. Will post another pic of it now

 

[Amandajb]

This does not seem normal..

 

[Amandajb]

Still working (work from home), but will try and get better pics here shortly

 

[dedragon]

your bubble tip is expelling zooxanthellae and has its mouth gaping which is not a great sign

 

[dedragon]

check you water parameters. Side note the rocks look very white and not too mature of a tank which is a problem if keeping an anemone

 

[1guydude]

Dragons spot on. Most people wont recomend an anenome until the tank is a good 1 year old or established for 1 year. Your water is too new. Lol.

 

[1guydude]

Id check salinity

 

[Amandajb]

I will test everything here shortly...

I'm not happy to hear that I need a year established tank, I'm only 3-4 months (started this tank in Nov) in and provided detailed info. to LFS with current setup and future plans. I was told to get this first because I had no other corals for it to roam around and harm until it found its place. Ugh... so upset, this is my third tank and the one I was really hoping for the least amount of mistakes. - not right off the bat.

As for white rock - followed Bulk Reef Supply method of no lighting for 4 months. Few weeks shy of the 4 and wanted light.

 

[dedragon]

oh rock makes perfect sense then. Yea your local fish store shouldnt have recommended this so early on, but all hope isnt lost yet. It will probably bleach a bit so be ready. Keep lights on lowest power setting if they are dimmable

 

[dvgyfresh]

As long as you can keep things stable it will survive btas are hardy , but don’t keep things too clean btas like some nitrate in the water

 

[Amandajb]

k, off work and getting ready for testing everything! Tested salinity and good there , have ATO as well...

For lights, have Kessil Ap9x and dimming now! Do u think it was too much? This did happen about the time it would be the brightest. I think I have highest intensity at 60, but will confirm

 

[dedragon]

well the intensity wouldnt have helped at least. Dim to 10% for now. Dont worry it isnt a goner just yet imo. We all start out learning with these things. In the future always acclimate corals and photosynthetic organisms to your light

 

[dedragon]

also definitely a great and powerful light you got there. kessil may have an acclimation setting if these are setup with wifi

 

[vetteguy53081]

These require moderate light and water flow. Established is good but cycled and maintained with good parameters is essential also. With that, What test kits are you using?
Are you using RO water or tap water from the faucet.

recommended:

Temp 77-79
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1-8.3
Nitrate < .04
Phosphate < .04
Ammonia < .03

 

[Amandajb]

also definitely a great and powerful light you got there. kessil may have an acclimation setting if these are setup with wifi

It does and I never noticed!! Going there shortly...

 

[1guydude]

Hang in their! U got this! It could have just been spitting its guts out cuz of the bright light moment. Specially if they ramp up and down.
D

 

[Amandajb]

These require moderate light and water flow. Established is good but cycled and maintained with good parameters is essential also. With that, What test kits are you using?
Are you using RO water or tap water from the faucet.

recommended:

Temp 77-79
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1-8.3
Nitrate < .04
Phosphate < .04
Ammonia <

Using 6 stage BRS ro/di unit with Fritz Pro Reef salt...

using API master test kit ...first set of results look good (phosphate in next API kit, but just found unopened Salifert I will try also.

Temp 77.4
salinity 1.026 (should I add a bit of ro?)
ph 8.3
Nitrite oppm
Nitrate 5ppm
Ammonia 0

 

[dedragon]

you can keep it at 1.026 just fine, nitrate is fine too but i suggest getting red sea or salifert for nitrate, calcium, alkalinity, phosphate and magnesium, if you are trying to keep corals at all. Bare minimum nitrate and phosphate because api is usually inaccurate