My BTA is not looking very good

[jrhodes777]

Hi! Am worried about my BTA. I know nems could be weird but this guys looks awful to me. My tank is a 40 gallon, about 7 months old now. I recently purchased this nem about 3 months ago. He was doing great in my tank and immediatly stuck where i put him. A couple days ago he decided to go for a wander for the first time, up to the top of my tank and now he looks like this. All other corals look happy and healthy. I have two juvenille clownfish that are hosted to this nem. I do 30% water changes about every three weeks to a month.
Tanks parameters:
ph- 8.0
ammonia- 0
nitrites- 0
nitrates- 10
temp- 82F (bit high ik)
SG- 1.025
Ca- 420
Mg- 1290
KH- 8.0
All advice appreciated and if i forgot to add any info please let me know! Thank you!

 

[Dbichler]

Honestly the tank doesn’t look very mature for 7 months and 30% water changes could be swinging your parameters too much.

 

[jrhodes777]

What size water changes would you reccommend? and how often would you say? He never seemed bothered by the water changes previously?

 

[jrhodes777]

Honestly the tank doesn’t look very mature for 7 months and 30% water changes could be swinging your parameters too much.

and what would i be doing wrong that it’s not maturing properly? thank you!

 

[Dbichler]

Your rock just looks like it’s barely starting to get coralline spots when it gets patches then your on the right track. I’ve found anemones need the stability it takes to grow coralline in order to really succeed. As for water changes are you sure it’s 30% volume or just of the tank. I would start at 10% and see how it goes as long as nitrates don’t keep rising or alk cal and mag don’t get out of whack you will be good.

 

[Mellotang]

In my experience when anemones go
On the move they are unhappy about something.

keep a close eye on it to be sure it doesn't get sucked into a pump

are you using RODI water for water changes? Did this move happen after a water change?

do you have an auto top off or do you top off manually?

82 is a little high, maybe try putting a fan blowing across the water surface to increase evaporation n drop the temp. This is much easier with an auto top off.

hows your lighting?

 

[Mellotang]

On a 40 gallon I’d just do weekly 5 gal water changes

 

[josephxsxn]

I'd give it some time to settle in and not over worry. If your tank is in good shape and your keeping water quality high it should find a place. Water flow that's to strong in my experience can make them move around same with lighting.

As for water changes I do 50% weekly on my 40gal frag tank with no I'll effects to the RBTA in it. Also feed mine reef blizzard - A, and recently reef blizzard LP.

 

[jrhodes777]

In my experience when anemones go
On the move they are unhappy about something.

keep a close eye on it to be sure it doesn't get sucked into a pump

are you using RODI water for water changes? Did this move happen after a water change?

do you have an auto top off or do you top off manually?

82 is a little high, maybe try putting a fan blowing across the water surface to increase evaporation n drop the temp. This is much easier with an auto top off.

hows your lighting?

RODI with manual top offs and i use a viparspectra 165w for lighting. all my corals & fish are happy. i have spots of coralline algae but not sure when a spot becomes a patch lol! thanks for all the advice