BTA on the loose...few questions

[craftedpacket]

I got my green BTA about 2 weeks ago. He found him a spot and was happy for those 2 weeks...eating silversides....always bubbled up and open. LAst night be decided to become a rock climber...which was fine. He made it to the top of the rock work and was hanging out. This morning he was down inside of one of my cave formations. Now he wont grab hold of anything....Many times this morning he has been floating around tumbling over things I have been moving coral frags out of his way all morning. I tried to help him find a secure spot a few times but he wont grab. Now he is sittin at the bottom on the substrate. I have turned of the power heads so he will quick flying around in the open. What should I do if anything? Thanks in advance for your help.

[redvipe2010]

Protect him by covering your powerheads so he doesn't get sucked up. Can you give some more details of your set up. Such as equipment and water parameters, and a list of what else you have in your tank. Also a pic would be helpful.

[craftedpacket]

I was just about to post more info...sorry about that. The tank is 140 gallon. 5ft long..18 inches deep, 29 inches tall. 150 pounds or so of LR. Water tests good for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, calcium, and dkh. I dont have a phosphate test at the moment. Temp is around 79 degrees salinity at 1.025.

Other tank mates include a naso tang, pair of occelaris clowns, Ping spotted watchmen goby, a pair of cleaner shrimp, few acrapora frags, torch, few zoos and some pink star polyps. I have a mag 12 for my return...and 2 maxijet 1200's. I have been changing flow around a little. Not quite sure how to align the maxi jets for best flow since I dont have any sort of wave making device.

Lighting includes 2-250w 6500k iwasaki bulbs, and 2 140w actinic VHO's.

[craftedpacket]

The clowns and the bta where introduced at the same time...the clows have not found the bta yet.

[redvipe2010]

Without knowing your exact water parameters, I can't comment. I try to target for 1.026 on salinity. How big is that torch coral and how close did the BTA get? It may have been irritated by that and took a stroll. Or you may have an unhealthy BTA. What does it's color look like? Is the mouth tightly closed or wide open? Will all this being said, your BTA may still be getting used to his environment, and trying to find the perfect spot. The next time he is floating around in the tank you can try to reduce the flow for a while (until he has his foot planted) and place him away from other corals. Try a place where there is a hole in the rock where he can bury his foot.

[redvipe2010]

There is no guarantee that the clowns will ever take to the BTA. But two weeks is certainly not long enough to give up hope.

One other thought, is the shrimp pestering the BTA? Stealing food maybe? If so, try feeding the shrimp first, then the BTA, or covering the BTA with an inverted strawberry basket.

[redvipe2010]

double post

[craftedpacket]

His mouth is closed. His coloration when the halides are on is a peachy color...somewhat transparent. With little pink spots on the tips of tentacles. I put the torch on the oposite side of him...when he changed sides today I moved the torch again. I moved him from the substrate up higher in the rock work. If he tumbles face down should I turn him over?

[craftedpacket]

I also have a large colt...but its away from the nem as well. when I feed the nem a piece of silver side I watch to make sure he eats it...never had any issues with him not eating.

I wasnt expecting the clowns to host this soon, just letting you know. Thanks for your help...

[redvipe2010]

Sounds like a bleached anemone. Unhealthy. Please post a pic. In the mean time, try soaking it's food in selcon. It needs to be feed small portions often to regain it's zooxanthellae. I suggest feeding portions just a little smaller than it's mouth every day or two. Keep prestine water quality.

[craftedpacket]

Here are a few pictures before he started floating again this morning. Sorry for crappy quality all I have is a cell phone.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s281/craftedpacket/IMG00009.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s281/craftedpacket/IMG00004.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s281/craftedpacket/IMG00006.jpg

[redvipe2010]

He's bleached, but I've seen worse. Tenticles are somewhat stubby, which means it's hungry. Try the silversides soaked with selcon.

[redvipe2010]

www.karensroseanemones.com

Is a great website, with lots of pics.

[craftedpacket]

I have kent marine "zoe" is that suffcient?

[redvipe2010]

Unfortunately I've never tried that. I don't even remember it being recommended for anemones. But I could definately be wrong on that. I've posted a link for selcon, check out the vitamins listed and compare it to what you have. Hopefully someone else who has more knowledge on Kent Marine Zoe will chime in. If not, you may want to start a new thread with "Kent Marine Zoe for anemones" in the title.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=5009&Ntt=vitamins&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

[craftedpacket]

He seems to have attached to a rock last night but he still refuses to eat. His mouth is still closed and his tentacles are looking deflated. I will keep trying to get him to eat.

The zoe seemed to have everything that selcon did except maybe the omega 3...I will order some of that though.

[RedSonja]

How is its color now compared to when you got it? Has it gotten lighter or darker or stayed the same? I have good luck using Selcon as a soak for 'nem food, I second the advice to try it.

-Sonja

[craftedpacket]

Color has seemed to remain the same. A light pinkish color with pink tips. In Actinic only lights its bright green. I will order some selcon and give that a try...Hopefully he lasts that long.

[redvipe2010]

He still has a heck of a fighting chance. He is much better looking than some I have seen that have recovered. How big are the pieces you are giving him? Your LFS may have selcon. It would probably be more expensive than ordering on-line, but you would have it sooner.

[craftedpacket]

I really thought he was gone a day ago...his tentacles where looking really bad.

I tried feeding mysis and he seemed to wrap the mysis in a mucos looking stuff and then just drop them all.

Last night he was on the substrate...this morning he was up high on the side of the tank...cant see him from the front any more...but at least he moved up and is sticking to the rock.

I tried feeding him a silverside this morning....it sit halfway in his mouth for about an hour before he let it go...I didn't know what to do.

I went home at lunch and fed him a small piece of frozen Krill...He ate the whole thing. Hopefully I can keep him eating!!! I have some Selcon on order so for now I am still using the zoe.

[redvipe2010]

Was he expelling waste when this happened with the mysis?

See here:

http://www.karensroseanemones.com/deflating.htm

Can you post your exact water parameters, and another pic if you can get one?

[craftedpacket]

he did look like that when I tried to feed him mysis...he looked like that when I tried to feed him the silverside also. When I went home at lunch he was real small...but not as deflated...his mouth was kinda of bubbled up...but he ate the krill. I did do a 25 or so gallon water change on Sunday night trying to help him out. I have another 25 gallons ready to go for this weekend.

I only have good (salifert) tests for Ammonia, calc, and alk. I have other tests for nitrate/nitrite/ph but they are not reliable. I will run the tests I have and let you know.

[redvipe2010]

how often are you feeding him?