yet another BTA help thread

[BuckeyeTodd]

I've had this nem for about four months. It was a little bleached when I first got it, and have had issues ever since. It constantly moves itself to an area where it gets little or no light. I've moved it four or five times just to have it move back in 24 hours. It usually hangs upside down from a rock(where there is no light), and has tentacles that only extend 1/2 inch. I spot feed it two to three times a week with rod's food or mysis.

Well it just doesn't get any better, and in fact has gotten worse. My other BTA that I've had for over a year continues to thrive in the same tank(and I revived that one from being translucent). I've put it in different flow areas. Put it in different lighted areas. At one point it moved itself into the light for 2-3 weeks and looked a little better got some tentacle extension, until it just moved back to the bottom of the rock. Is it just depressed and wants to commit suicide?

Sal 1.026
Nitrates 5
po4 0
cal 490
alk 9.0
50-55x turnover rate

Only thing I can think to do is feed more, or switch to krill or silversides so it gets more food that way

Any advice please

[bues0022]

I don't see how switching to a larger food particle means more food. In fact, it is not recommended and the nem will use more energy digesting that the small food particles you are currently feeding. what is the flow like where the nem is? It might not like such ligh flow at the moment. Are you able to physically move it to another part of the tank? that might get it going. I know people say that nems will move to where they need to, but i also believe that there is a point where the nem is so sick that it just can't get to higher light because of the energy it would take to move. Can you put up some pictures of the nem and your tank?

[BuckeyeTodd]

yes I can move it(and have tried moving it multiple times), but every time I move it it will walk around to the bottom of the rock.

Here is when I first got it-a little bleached
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx251/mentzeam/005.jpg

Here it is today, I just moved it to try and get it light. This pic is with no tank lights on
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx251/mentzeam/031.jpg

I just don't know what else to do

[2Addicted]

When you say you move it does that mean you move the rock its on? or do you take it off the rock to move it?

[BuckeyeTodd]

I move the rock its on, and it will always walk around to back of it

[2Addicted]

When you got it did you acclimate it to your lights? How long have you let it be without moving it?

[BuckeyeTodd]

no I didn't acclimate it to lights, was informed later that I should have. I moved it today, just because it looks terrible and like it might die if I don't try something. I haven't moved it since I set up this tank, which has been for two months(for three weeks it moved to where it got some light-it is 27 inches under t5's)

[corbett_n]

it will probably die, sorry

[BuckeyeTodd]

it will probably die, sorry

yes, sadly I'm aware that this is the likely income. I have thought it was going to die many times. It simply has never done well in my tank no matter what I've tried.

It is however still alive, and I want to try anything that might lead it back to health

[2Addicted]

So the tank is only two months old? The first post said you have had the anemone for four months. Was it in a different tank?

[IPisces]

I adopted a RBTA that was bleached out a lot worse than yours. Yours actually has some color in it which suggests that it has not expelled all its zooanthellae. I got mine back to health but it took like four months in a seperate tank and left alone. I fed it every day, but dont move it. If you dont have a seperate tank to put it in, you dont want to move it. It may cause more stress on the animal. Here is a site that will be extremely helpful. http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

Heres a pic of mine after 4 months.
http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af103/IPisces/Saltwater%20Aquariums/DSC040371.jpg

[BuckeyeTodd]

So the tank is only two months old? The first post said you have had the anemone for four months. Was it in a different tank?

I won a new fish tank and switched two months ago, I've had this nem for four months

[BuckeyeTodd]

yea I read karen page(she has made it a lot more modern since the last time I was there) so the answer is to just feed the heck out of it?

[IPisces]

yea I read karen page(she has made it a lot more modern since the last time I was there) so the answer is to just feed the heck out of it?

pretty much and leave it where it wants to be. I put mine in a tank by its self an one small rock to attach to so it would be easier to feed, but in your display tank it could go somewhere you wont be able to get to it. So very low flow and low light is where it will want to be. I fed mine a couple pieces of mysis or a couple small pieces of raw shrimp every day. Some days it wont eat but thats okay. If you have clowns, they may irritate it into hiding, so watch them.