My Green BTA Looks Horrendous

[Ty.S44]

I’ve seen other posts on BTAs looking shriveled and/or deflated, but I think mine wins. It’s been like this since yesterday I think. I’ll tell y’all right now I think my nitrates are high (40ppm) and my alk is low (7.7dKH. Don’t hang me, but my tank is only four months old. I know I’m supposed to wait for the six month mark. For reference, I’ve also included a short clip of what it looked like for about the first week it was in the tank. I just need to know what I need to do and how long do I have to do it. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I tried a water change very recently of about 30%, and none of my chemistry problems seemed to change at all.

 

[blaxsun]

How long have you had it?

 

[littlefoxx]

I’ve seen other posts on BTAs looking shriveled and/or deflated, but I think mine wins. It’s been like this since yesterday I think. I’ll tell y’all right now I think my nitrates are high (40ppm) and my alk is low (7.7dKH. Don’t hang me, but my tank is only four months old. I know I’m supposed to wait for the six month mark. For reference, I’ve also included a short clip of what it looked like for about the first week it was in the tank. I just need to know what I need to do and how long do I have to do it. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I tried a water change very recently of about 30%, and none of my chemistry problems seemed to change at all.

Are you feeding him some small pieces of meat? He still has his tentacles so I think he still has hope. Especially if the tank is new he could benefit from some supplements as well as feedings (small pieces every few days) like red sea AB+ that helps put food in the water column for filter feeders

 

[Ty.S44]

How long have you had it?

Today makes its 12th day in the tank.

 

[Ty.S44]

Are you feeding him some small pieces of meat? He still has his tentacles so I think he still has hope. Especially if the tank is new he could benefit from some supplements as well as feedings (small pieces every few days) like red sea AB+ that helps put food in the water column for filter feeders

I have fed him before, but that was maybe ten days ago. It was before my maroon had moved into it. I did some research and found that a lot of people were having success with BTAs by not feeding, so I decided to follow suit. I've been trying to cut down on feeding outside of the tanks typical 4x a day dispensal of pellet food due to the high nitrate count I had.

 

[littlefoxx]

I have fed him before, but that was maybe ten days ago. It was before my maroon had moved into it. I did some research and found that a lot of people were having success with BTAs by not feeding, so I decided to follow suit. I've been trying to cut down on feeding outside of the tanks typical 4x a day dispensal of pellet food due to the high nitrate count I had.

Is your maroon still hosting? I dont feed my nems if I have a clown hosting them because they will do that themselves!

 

[littlefoxx]

Is your maroon still hosting? I dont feed my nems if I have a clown hosting them because they will do that themselves!

And what media are you using? Anything to control nitrites and nitrates?

 

[rhostam]

4 month old tank may be too clean. I agree with feeding. I lightly dust mine with reefroids (manual feeding only) to see if they are hungry. If they react, I proceed with feeding some food. I’ve had one get ticked I believe due to a flow change. I nursed him back to health by reverting change and manual feeding. They can get ticked at clown activity, too.

 

[Ty.S44]

Is your maroon still hosting? I dont feed my nems if I have a clown hosting them because they will do that themselves!

Yes it's still hosting. It actually seems really pitiful watching the poor maroon wiggle itself on the tiny section of tentacles currently presented lol. That is the reason I had stopped feeding the nem though. Although the few times I have caught my automatic feeder going off, I don't believe I have seen the maroon take food back to the BTA. I don't think it can get enough food in one feeding to start to feed the anemone.

 

[littlefoxx]

Yes it's still hosting. It actually seems really pitiful watching the poor maroon wiggle itself on the tiny section of tentacles currently presented lol. That is the reason I had stopped feeding the nem though. Although the few times I have caught my automatic feeder going off, I don't believe I have seen the maroon take food back to the BTA. I don't think it can get enough food in one feeding to start to feed the anemone.

Youre feeding pellet food right? That would be why, nems wont eat that. They need frozen meaty foods, once you feed those you will see your clown taking food to him. Once a week I put some bigger chunks of frozen food in the tank for the clowns to feed the nems (Ive got 5 my maroons take care of)

 

[littlefoxx]

4 month old tank may be too clean. I agree with feeding. I lightly dust mine with reefroids (manual feeding only) to see if they are hungry. If they react, I proceed with feeding some food. I’ve had one get ticked I believe due to a flow change. I nursed him back to health by reverting change and manual feeding. They can get ticked at clown activity, too.

Yes that as well, my clowns in my other tank almost killed one of mine, had to move him back to the other tank and my maroons helped me bring him back

 

[Ty.S44]

Youre feeding pellet food right? That would be why, nems wont eat that. They need frozen meaty foods, once you feed those you will see your clown taking food to him. Once a week I put some bigger chunks of frozen food in the tank for the clowns to feed the nems (Ive got 5 my maroons take care of)

I recently got somewhat of a variety pack of seafood from the grocery store. I believe it includes small shrimp, mussels, calamari, and squid. What would you recommend I throw in the tank, and how big should the pieces be?

 

[littlefoxx]

I recently got somewhat of a variety pack of seafood from the grocery store. I believe it includes small shrimp, mussels, calamari, and squid. What would you recommend I throw in the tank, and how big should the pieces be?

If you have tongs put a small piece on the tongs (or hand if you dont have tongs) and gently touch the nems tentacles with the food. If he wants the food he will “take it” by grabbing it with his tentacles. If he doesnt take it dont force him, just try the next day

 

[Ty.S44]

I'm also concerned with where my BTA has chosen to hunker down. He's at the very bottom of the tank literally touching the sand bed. The flow's good there I suppose, but the lighting is what I'm mainly worried with. I'm only running 6 T5 bulbs over a 30" deep tank, and the bulbs are fairly old. I've heard to just let it be, and it'll move if it's unhappy. I'm just wondering if it hasn't moved because it'd have to move through a less desirable area to get to the ideal spot?

 

[Ty.S44]

If you have tongs put a small piece on the tongs (or hand if you dont have tongs) and gently touch the nems tentacles with the food. If he wants the food he will “take it” by grabbing it with his tentacles. If he doesnt take it dont force him, just try the next day

That's essentially how I did my feeding the one time I offered. I'm not sure it exactly took it from me that time though. I had to hold it in its tentacles for a good thirty seconds.

 

[littlefoxx]

I'm also concerned with where my BTA has chosen to hunker down. He's at the very bottom of the tank literally touching the sand bed. The flow's good there I suppose, but the lighting is what I'm mainly worried with. I'm only running 6 T5 bulbs over a 30" deep tank, and the bulbs are fairly old. I've heard to just let it be, and it'll move if it's unhappy. I'm just wondering if it hasn't moved because it'd have to move through a less desirable area to get to the ideal spot?

He will move if he needs more light, but a better light would for sure probably help him! My nems move around from time to time too

 

[Skay]

I'm also concerned with where my BTA has chosen to hunker down. He's at the very bottom of the tank literally touching the sand bed. The flow's good there I suppose, but the lighting is what I'm mainly worried with. I'm only running 6 T5 bulbs over a 30" deep tank, and the bulbs are fairly old. I've heard to just let it be, and it'll move if it's unhappy. I'm just wondering if it hasn't moved because it'd have to move through a less desirable area to get to the ideal spot?

anemones are dumb creatures, if it doesn’t like a spot it’ll move regardless of what’s around it. in my experience if you’re truly concerned see if you can detach it yourself carefully and put it in an anemone bowl/ basket to monitor. but most of the time i would just leave it be. it’s probably not your tank age, after a month of stable parameters i’d say your good to throw in an anemone