RBTA Help!

[Renelope]

Purchased a beautiful large rbta about a month ago, he came on a small piece of live rock, but about 2 days after placing him in the tank he moved to the bottom corner of the tank, and since then has moved several times out of any flow, and in lower light.

It look like he is trying to split, but hasn't really made anymore progress since bringing him home. Foot looks great, no damage that I can see, just what I would call trying to slowly split in two.

Today I noticed him on magnet algae scrubber and got him to move over to some live rock since it was right next to my power head.

His mouth looks bubbled and white and maybe partially open, not sure what's going on now?? Is this part of him splitting? Injury?

Also, have to 2 clowns but so far, haven't "found" the anemone.

Any help is appreciated, got a crappy iPhone photo before the lights came on...

 

[dylana407]

The white part looks like its mouth. It is not a good sign when the mouth is open. After a month, it should have settled. How old is your tank? What are the water parms? What is the tank lighting and intensity? Tank size and flow?

 

[jsker]

Have you been feeding it?

 

[Leslie Tabor]

The white part looks like its mouth. It is not a good sign when the mouth is open. After a month, it should have settled. How old is your tank? What are the water parms? What is the tank lighting and intensity? Tank size and flow?

Second this...need more info

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

If all your water parameter are in place then it should be fine once its found it perfect spot.
In my experience with few of my new BTA, they all came from LFS tank that pretty much has zero flow on them, their tank just has an over flow at the end of line (all tanks water exit at that point), so when I place them in my tank with flow they are moved out of the flow, they chose the spot with flow pretty much enough to swing their tentacle in very slow motion if I don't pay attention I though that spot has no water flow (dead spot), they didn't move anywhere last 2 weeks.

 

[DSC reef]

It looks like it's spilling it's guts, that's got me concerned. Really need more info though. For now, don't intervene and let it move where it wants too unless it's on a powerhead.

 

[Amoo]

The white part looks like its mouth. It is not a good sign when the mouth is open. After a month, it should have settled. How old is your tank? What are the water parms? What is the tank lighting and intensity? Tank size and flow?

+1

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

It looks like it's spilling it's guts, that's got me concerned. Really need more info though. For now, don't intervene and let it move where it wants too unless it's on a powerhead.

+1

 

[Renelope]

The white part looks like its mouth. It is not a good sign when the mouth is open. After a month, it should have settled. How old is your tank? What are the water parms? What is the tank lighting and intensity? Tank size and flow?

Thank is about 6 months old, parameters have been stable. 90gal display / 120gal total

Last night's testing (which is stable results last 3 months):
PH 8.1
Temp 80
ALK 8.2DKH
Sal 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate .2PPM
Phos 0
CAL 500
Thats all I have tests for.

I have 2 radion LED lights - the smaller ones, set to a "traditional reef tank" schedule. I have been concerned that he likes the lower light, bluer light but have been waiting to see...
I have the vortex return pump
I have 2 Hyrdor powerbeads pointed toward the front glass on either side of the tank

He's moved again and is now underneath that large piece of live rock against the sand.

I've feed him once after about a week- squirted some mysis into his tentacles. He has always looked really good - mouth has been shut until this morning, he has had great color, full bubble tips etc... not sure why he can't find a good location to settle...

 

[Amoo]

They typically move when they are stressed or when something changes. A great example is the guy who just posted a thread about the nem close to the power head. He changed the lighting and the nem started on a walk about. It may not be happy about the amount of flow, it may not be happy about the amount of light, it may not be happy about things constantly changing in the tank. Typically when Nems are stressed over long periods of time they start to display behaviors like yours as your is dangerously close to needing to be pulled and possibly treated. You've said you've had it for a month and it's not settled yet, have you tried different flow patterns, lighting intensities...etc?

Basically now that we know your current conditions we need some history on what you have been doing in your tank over the last month. Read through this to kind of get an idea of some of what I'm talking about: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/introduction-of-a-new-nem-follow-along.324332/

speaking of I need to post an update to that.

 

[dylana407]

Here is what I would do. I would reduce light intensity by 30-

 

[Renelope]

They typically move when they are stressed or when something changes. A great example is the guy who just posted a thread about the nem close to the power head. He changed the lighting and the nem started on a walk about. It may not be happy about the amount of flow, it may not be happy about the amount of light, it may not be happy about things constantly changing in the tank. Typically when Nems are stressed over long periods of time they start to display behaviors like yours as your is dangerously close to needing to be pulled and possibly treated. You've said you've had it for a month and it's not settled yet, have you tried different flow patterns, lighting intensities...etc?

Basically now that we know your current conditions we need some history on what you have been doing in your tank over the last month. Read through this to kind of get an idea of some of what I'm talking about: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/introduction-of-a-new-nem-follow-along.324332/

speaking of I need to post an update to that.

Thanks for replying. The first few days he was on the rock I bought him with from the lfs. They had him under radions as well, but blue light all the time.
I set him in the bottom of the tank, and he inflated and looked beautiful for 2 days.
his foot was smooth against the rock, but in the middle of his foot it looked like it was just starting to separate in two. I had read that they sometimes split when stressed, he's about 5 inches across so I wasn't surprised or worried.

Here's a pic

Then we woke 2 days later and he was in the back of the tank against the live rock. I asked around and everyone said to leave him be, he'll settle within two weeks... not to feed him right away, he needs to acclimate.


He was happy, just kind of hidden. Then 2 weeks later a Turbo snail repositioned some of my live rock, causing his rock to fall, at that time I turned the rock he was on to face the front of the tank while fixing everything else.

It's hard to see but he's toward the back of the tank at this point. Mouth still closed tight, at this point I spot fed him mysis with a turkey Baster, I couldn't tell if he really ate.

Went camping for 3 days, came back and he was against the glass and sand at the bottom. Left him alone, I adjusted the powerhead to be as far away from him as possible, so no sand was blowing on him, and, he was lightly moving not being knocked to one side or anything.

Then yesterday we got a frogspawn and I set him in the front of the tank, and adjusted the powerhead so that it wasn't blowing directly on either. Since this, the anemone has moved a few times, this morning he was dangerously close to the powerhead, and I was able to relocate him to some rock.

I have not adjusted the lighting, I can't find anything the I can understand that is telling me how I might change it, and until today, I knew that he was moderately stressed, but as stated above, looked healthy and I wasn't too worried about it. I figured that worst case he would settle on the back side of my tank and I wouldn't get to enjoy much of him.

I've done 2 20% water changes since we brought him home.

Right now he's wedged up under two pieces of live rock facing the back and I can only see his foot, so I'm not sure how his mouth looks

 

[dylana407]

I would reduce light intensity by 30%. I would move the 2 hydors to both ends, and point them 45° toward the surface. You can ramp up the light after it settle. The new flow setup is not as good as what is was, but it will help the nem find a spot. Good luck.

 

[Amoo]

Grab the rock he came in on. stick him on that if you can, adjust your powerheads like @dylana407 mentioned, Turn them off for about 15 minutes and set the rock and the nem on the bottom of the tank. While it is off see how the nem is acting, if it's still trying to shrink from the lights the lights are too strong, if it looks about the same, don't bother with the lights. Once you restore flow, watch again to see how the nem reacts, pay attention to flow in the tank, is it getting more from one side or the other, is it starting to walk one way....etc.

 

[Renelope]

Grab the rock he came in on. stick him on that if you can, adjust your powerheads like @dylana407 mentioned, Turn them off for about 15 minutes and set the rock and the nem on the bottom of the tank. While it is off see how the nem is acting, if it's still trying to shrink from the lights the lights are too strong, if it looks about the same, don't bother with the lights. Once you restore flow, watch again to see how the nem reacts, pay attention to flow in the tank, is it getting more from one side or the other, is it starting to walk one way....etc.

I'd have to remove most of my rockwork to get to him, he's wiggled in between two rocks... I'll cut the light and flow and see if he will come out, I've got his original rock right next to him, maybe he will float over...

You can barely see his foot between the two rocks...

 

[Heather w]

They typically move when they are stressed or when something changes. A great example is the guy who just posted a thread about the nem close to the power head. He changed the lighting and the nem started on a walk about. It may not be happy about the amount of flow, it may not be happy about the amount of light, it may not be happy about things constantly changing in the tank. Typically when Nems are stressed over long periods of time they start to display behaviors like yours as your is dangerously close to needing to be pulled and possibly treated. You've said you've had it for a month and it's not settled yet, have you tried different flow patterns, lighting intensities...etc?

Basically now that we know your current conditions we need some history on what you have been doing in your tank over the last month. Read through this to kind of get an idea of some of what I'm talking about: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/introduction-of-a-new-nem-follow-along.324332/

speaking of I need to post an update to that.

I found in general to spot feed 1/4 size pieces once a week for reproduction. Every 2 weeks for splitting. If over fed the squirted mysis ect...he may by puking it back up. Could be too much food or he doesn't like it. Mine bobed around for a couple of weeks even after my clowns worshipped it. When it went to the right corner where it had stayed the longest I let my left side power head stay on, but turned off the rest for about 36 hrs. Has not moved since. That was 2 months or so. Just my experience.

 

[dylana407]

If you don't want to move your PH, then cut the flow on the side you want him to stay. Cutting the light completely won't help. You need to lower the intensity. He need to be acclimate to your tank lighting, and that takes time.

 

[Renelope]

If you don't want to move your PH, then cut the flow on the side you want him to stay. Cutting the light completely won't help. You need to lower the intensity. He need to be acclimate to your tank lighting, and that takes time.

Should I cut it BY 30% or lower TO 30%? In the EcoSmart app it says the brightness was 100%...

 

[dylana407]

Should I cut it BY 30% or lower TO 30%? In the EcoSmart app it says the brightness was 100%...

I would reduce by 30% first and see. When I introduced my BTA, I reduced my light by 50%.

 

[Amoo]

I personally think your problems are flow related, as the way all of your pictures have it stretching towards the light, I think it is either happy with your light or is asking for more. Again though that's just a snapshot form pictures.

Now though we're kind of at that point where we're not really sure if we should go see our family physician or go to the ER as his condition does not look the best. I've seen some disappear into the rocks and never be found again, I've seen some reemerge as some of the prettiest nems you've seen. Everytime your nem has stopped, you essentially changed the conditions again. Maybe he wants the flow stronger and doesn't mind the sand pointing at him. Either way, if/when it comes out of that whole, pay VERY close attention to where it tries to attach. Just because you may not think it's good flow, it may. Set your flow to create good erratic flow in your tank and let the nem decide.

So now that he is stressed, I think the light reduction method makes sense in this situation. Last thing we want it to do is start expelling zoos. It's already kind of got that, "I feel sick" look to it.