RBTA Question

BST96 · Sep 3, 2019

All the threads I have seen on this topic seem to end with no conclusion. If you want to skip all the back info my question is at the very bottom and any help is highly appreciated.

I picked up a small (3.5 - 4") rainbow bubble tip at RAP. Added it to the tank and it was immediately on the move but it was pretty late at night so I went bed. Next morning no where to be found and I noticed some little neon pieces floating around (4 to 5). Based on what I read it would be a lot messier had it got fully ran through the powerhead. So my thought was maybe it got a little too close and lost a few tentacle tips, I dont think it could have been anything else in the tank. About a week ago I noticed the hermits munching on a chunk of something white looked like raw shrimp but it was small about a 1/4" in length. I removed it from the tank but, I dont think that could have been the nem at leat not the whole thing.

Fast forward to today still have not seen the dang thing. Today I felt all around the back of the rocks in the holes etc. and couldnt feel a thing. My scape basically forms one large solid arch and its all glued together so I cant remove just one rock.

So my question is at what point does this nem become enough of a concern to essentially tear apart my whole tank?

Any thoughts on the situation as whole or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ben

D-Nak · Sep 3, 2019

There's a few ways to think about this:

1. Purely from a monetary standpoint, I'm guessing you spent about $50 for the RBTA, based on CA prices. Is it worth it for you to tear apart your reef to look for it? Only you can answer that question.

2. Based on what you saw, I'm guessing the nem is dead. Either it floated into a powerhead as you surmised, or is simply withered away. There's not much you need to do at this point, aside from monitoring your water parameters and doing a water change if needed.

3. It's still alive and is hiding (which I doubt).

The body of an anemone is comprised mostly of water. They expand very much like a balloon. What you purchased as a 4" nem when expanded, can easily become less than 1/2" when deflated. It's definitely feasible for an anemone of that size to die and you'll never see any evidence.

Jon Fishman · Sep 3, 2019

Blended, and dead, it sucks, but at least it was small thus not nuking your tank. I would do a water change and not tear apart the tank.

andrewkw · Sep 3, 2019

I would not tear my tank down over this. D-Nak summed up the options pretty well. If it ever shows itself think of it as a pleasant surprise, otherwise I'd assume it's gone.

BST96 · Sep 3, 2019

Sweet I appreciate the replies! I must've over paid a hair.

My major concern was it causing harm to other stuff in the tank if it died. I kept reading they would nuke your tank . Everything seems to be fine and I dont trust the API test kit very much but, it hasnt shown any spike of nitrate or ammonia.

Swapping tanks in the next few weeks or so, maybe I will find it if not then no biggie.

Again much appreciated now I can stop thinking about it!

-Ben

chizerbunoi · Sep 3, 2019

If you are running carbon then most likely you would be okay unless you got an ammonia spike in a tank that is not mature enough to handle it.

In the next tank, plan to make the power heads anemone proof to prevent it from happening.