My BTA might be dying

[Corey Shelk]

I have been gone each weekend since June and My tank has suffered for it. I’ve had lots of algae but the corals and fish were all doing fine, except for my BTA. When I left this past weekend, it was doing ok although I haven’t seen it fully out in a month. When I got back Sunday evening I checked on everything and it all seemed fine, but Monday morning the anemone looked terrible. I did a little bit of dragging and gluing things down Monday and I noticed the BTA (it’s name is Julius Caesar btw) was attached to a rock which I thought was perfect. I took everything out of the tank, including Julius and it’s rock, while I was flying things down and rearranging for some space. When I put it all back in I made more space for Julius and put it out in the open (although relatively in the same spot.) and ever since then it has looked dead. I don’t know if it is because I had it out of the water for maybe 20-30 minutes (it was still wet though and never dried) or if it’s because it’s no longer under the overhang area that it used to be in. But I know anemones can move so I figured it if was unhappy in its new place it would just move, so I’ve given it a few days to adjust and it still hasn’t moved. Now when the lights are on it’s completely flat and shriveled and when the lights all almost completely off (it’s on a timer so this is during late sunset/early sunrise time) it is expanded but hasn’t looked like it used to. Does anyone have any ideas on what the issue could be? That is poor Julius almost directly in the center of the picture

 

[Corey Shelk]

Here is a better pic with it not so deflated this morning.

 

[Lance M.]

Tank details? Water parameters and lighting?

Mouth still gapping?

 

[Corey Shelk]

Tank details? Water parameters and lighting?

Mouth still gapping?

I don’t have the parameters. I can go get my water tested tomorrow and get back to you. It’s a 20 gallon aquarium. The lighting is a FluvalSmart Sea marine spectrum LED. 25000 K, 32 watts. I don’t remember the exact PAR but at the depth of the anemone it is around 50-60 I think. The mouth is no longer gaping though

 

[Lance M.]

You need a better light.

If you can, try to get your own test kits and test for yourself as well. My lfs uses api test kits and have told me the wrong numbers a couple times when I compared to my testing with Red Sea test kits and a few times I’ve tested with icp.

 

[Corey Shelk]

My LFS said KH is 12.1, Ca is 360, and Mg 1360. I have API test kits but not the fancy ones, they test with Red Sea. They said my other levels were good (I’m assuming they meant nitrate/nitrite/ammonia/pH, etc but didn’t specify.) I’ll be able to test them when I get home

 

[Corey Shelk]

You need a better light.

If you can, try to get your own test kits and test for yourself as well. My lfs uses api test kits and have told me the wrong numbers a couple times when I compared to my testing with Red Sea test kits and a few times I’ve tested with icp.

Are you sure it is the light? My BTA used to be under my rock work most of the time, here is a pic detailing my PAR for the light.

 

[Corey Shelk]

Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate is 0ppm. pH is between 7.5 and 8. This API test strip says KH is about 120 ppm. GH is 180 ppm

 

[Rjukan]

I don’t know if it is because I had it out of the water for maybe 20-30 minutes (it was still wet though and never dried)

!! You had the anemone and it's rock sitting out of the water for 20 to 30 minutes?

 

[Corey Shelk]

!! You had the anemone and it's rock sitting out of the water for 20 to 30 minutes?

Yes, at the most. I’d like to think it was more like 10 minutes but maybe not. It stayed wet the entire time but that might have something to do with it

 

[Lance M.]

Are you sure it is the light? My BTA used to be under my rock work most of the time, here is a pic detailing my PAR for the light.

I should have phrased that better. I wouldn't say the cause is this but it is not enough to sustain the nem long term. 150 or better is good to shoot for.

How long have you had it?

The out of water is not a good thing but some times they are shipped in little to no water.

I would get some Red Sea test kits and start checking the parameters.

What is your routine tank maintenance? water changes? frequency?

Do you have an ato or manually add water for evaporation?

The problem with small tanks is parameter stability.

 

[Corey Shelk]

I’ve had it since February 2nd and it’s been doing great except for the last week. I do a water change maybe once a month or two. I had no ATO but I manually top off evaporation, it’s about one cup a week of top off. I’m doing a water change tomorrow. I would do them more often but I don’t have my own RODI unit

 

[Lance M.]

One cup a week? Do you have a hood?
I get about 3/4-1 gallon a day with my 40b (with 40b sump tho). Would be interesting if someone did a poll on evaporation.

I would go with a water parameter issue as the cause/ some sort of instability. Although I would like to see a pic of the nem from a couple weeks ago or when you believe it was doing well, along with a current pic.

What do you have as far as flow?

 

[Rjukan]

Consider this... if you're just eyeballing evap and each week you're putting in a bit more fresh water than what's evaporated then you will slowly be lowering the salinity and that could explain the drop. If you put a piece of tape on the side of the tank that shows your starting point for evap, then you could fill back to that line whenever you like and be confident you're not diluting the saltwater.

 

[Lance M.]

Consider this... if you're just eyeballing evap and each week you're putting in a bit more fresh water than what's evaporated then you will slowly be lowering the salinity and that could explain the drop. If you put a piece of tape on the side of the tank that shows your starting point for evap, then you could fill back to that line whenever you like and be confident you're not diluting the saltwater.

Good point. I use to use a piece of tape in my return section before I had an ato. You could put it on the side of the tank so it’s out of view.

OP, also if you do not have one, get a handheld refractometer with calibration fluid and check your salinity.

 

[Corey Shelk]

Yep, I have a good. Flow is the output of a standard HOB filter and a wave maker. I don’t remember the brands, I’ll check them when I get home. I always fill the tank back up to just underneath the top trim, but I have been thinking it might be some instability. I’ll look for some pictures of it

 

[Corey Shelk]

Oh geez, these pictures aren’t very recent at all. I need to be better about taking pictures. The first picture is from March 6th, so about a little more than a month in. And then the 2nd picture is from June 16th, so about 4 months in. It’s a terrible picture but you can see part of it in the center and slightly to the lower, underneath the damsel.

 

[Rjukan]

I actually had this thread confused with another when I made my last post. I apologize, there was someone recently who couldn't keep their salinity up, and was 1.014. That's what I was replying to. Oops!

 

[Corey Shelk]

I actually had this thread confused with another when I made my last post. I apologize, there was someone recently who couldn't keep their salinity up, and was 1.014. That's what I was replying to. Oops!

Haha no problem, it happens

 

[Fredrik1911]

I have been gone each weekend since June and My tank has suffered for it. I’ve had lots of algae but the corals and fish were all doing fine, except for my BTA. When I left this past weekend, it was doing ok although I haven’t seen it fully out in a month. When I got back Sunday evening I checked on everything and it all seemed fine, but Monday morning the anemone looked terrible. I did a little bit of dragging and gluing things down Monday and I noticed the BTA (it’s name is Julius Caesar btw) was attached to a rock which I thought was perfect. I took everything out of the tank, including Julius and it’s rock, while I was flying things down and rearranging for some space. When I put it all back in I made more space for Julius and put it out in the open (although relatively in the same spot.) and ever since then it has looked dead. I don’t know if it is because I had it out of the water for maybe 20-30 minutes (it was still wet though and never dried) or if it’s because it’s no longer under the overhang area that it used to be in. But I know anemones can move so I figured it if was unhappy in its new place it would just move, so I’ve given it a few days to adjust and it still hasn’t moved. Now when the lights are on it’s completely flat and shriveled and when the lights all almost completely off (it’s on a timer so this is during late sunset/early sunrise time) it is expanded but hasn’t looked like it used to. Does anyone have any ideas on what the issue could be? That is poor Julius almost directly in the center of the picture

Maybe you damaged the BTAs ”suction foot” when you moved it? Its quite common.