Bubble tips dead/dying

[LauraR]

We had 2 BTAs that started looking pretty shrunken about a week ago and didn’t perk back up within a couple days so I tested the water (alk-6.1, calc-426, ph-8.5, salt 1.023). Had always used Reef Fusion to bring levels up before but never seen alk so low so decided to try more drastic measures. Read up on baking soda dosing here on R2R and used BRS calculator to figure out dosage. Suggestion was .92 tsp for 20 gal tank, but I didn’t want to bring it up too fast so I put a bit less than .5 tsp two nights ago and ditto last night. Today one BTA died and the other looks near death (see pics). Water test today is alk-8.2, calc-407, ph-8.2, salt-1.025. My questions are: 1) did I do something wrong with the baking soda or is it more likely they were just too far gone due to low alk or some other cause, 2) is there any chance the BTA in the pic will make it or is it about to pollute the tank(seems to be gripping better since I put it in seclusion pod, but mouth is gaping and it looks like it may have already spit out it’s organs if I’m identifying those brown bits correctly)? Add’l info: this BTA has come back from near death twice before - once when we evacuated from Hurricane Ida and again in January when it split (the clone looked like it was not going to make it but did eventually recover). It’s the mother that died this morning and the clone that’s still barely alive. Both of them started moving around in the last couple days like they were trying to relocate, but then just kind of stopped being able to cling to the rock. The rocks have a lot of green algae on them, but that never seemed to bother them before. Have been experiencing salinity swings due to unpredictable evaporation (likely from this heat wave we’re in), but stays b/n 1.023-1.026. The rest of the tank does not seem to be experiencing any changes (2 clown fish, 2 hermit crabs & a coral [coral has never thrived]). Any advice is appreciated!

 

[littlefoxx]

We had 2 BTAs that started looking pretty shrunken about a week ago and didn’t perk back up within a couple days so I tested the water (alk-6.1, calc-426, ph-8.5, salt 1.023). Had always used Reef Fusion to bring levels up before but never seen alk so low so decided to try more drastic measures. Read up on baking soda dosing here on R2R and used BRS calculator to figure out dosage. Suggestion was .92 tsp for 20 gal tank, but I didn’t want to bring it up too fast so I put a bit less than .5 tsp two nights ago and ditto last night. Today one BTA died and the other looks near death (see pics). Water test today is alk-8.2, calc-407, ph-8.2, salt-1.025. My questions are: 1) did I do something wrong with the baking soda or is it more likely they were just too far gone due to low alk or some other cause, 2) is there any chance the BTA in the pic will make it or is it about to pollute the tank(seems to be gripping better since I put it in seclusion pod, but mouth is gaping and it looks like it may have already spit out it’s organs if I’m identifying those brown bits correctly)? Add’l info: this BTA has come back from near death twice before - once when we evacuated from Hurricane Ida and again in January when it split (the clone looked like it was not going to make it but did eventually recover). It’s the mother that died this morning and the clone that’s still barely alive. Both of them started moving around in the last couple days like they were trying to relocate, but then just kind of stopped being able to cling to the rock. The rocks have a lot of green algae on them, but that never seemed to bother them before. Have been experiencing salinity swings due to unpredictable evaporation (likely from this heat wave we’re in), but stays b/n 1.023-1.026. The rest of the tank does not seem to be experiencing any changes (2 clown fish, 2 hermit crabs & a coral [coral has never thrived]). Any advice is appreciated!

Yeah that nem in the second picture looks bad. Usually when they start spilling insides they are almost dead. Keep an eye out for a smell, they stink when they die. All you can do is make sure the water quality is good and wait and see. Usually they dont come back from this stage but you never know

 

[LauraR]

The one that died earlier today didn’t stink but maybe I just caught it quick enough. I’m worried this one will die overnight and poison the tank before I wake up to check on it. Did the low alkalinity kill them, or do you have any other theories what it might be?

 

[littlefoxx]

The one that died earlier today didn’t stink but maybe I just caught it quick enough. I’m worried this one will die overnight and poison the tank before I wake up to check on it. Did the low alkalinity kill them, or do you have any other theories what it might be?

Honestly Ive got no idea. I really only track ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in my tank. I dont does either so its more natural and havnt had an issue with dying corals, so as far as you having low AK I cant speak for that as I dont track it. And yeah I had one die in my 125 and boy did the ammonia go off the charts. Lucky I had no fish. Its a hard call to make. If youve got a QT set up I personally would move it so if it does die it doesnt nuke the tank with parameter spikes

 

[littlefoxx]

Honestly Ive got no idea. I really only track ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in my tank. I dont does either so its more natural and havnt had an issue with dying corals, so as far as you having low AK I cant speak for that as I dont track it. And yeah I had one die in my 125 and boy did the ammonia go off the charts. Lucky I had no fish. Its a hard call to make. If youve got a QT set up I personally would move it so if it does die it doesnt nuke the tank with parameter spikes

As far as why its dying I think that the wave maker probably did too much damage to him for him to recover not so much water issues with AK.

Sorry I realized this isnt the chat with the nem that hit he wave maker!

 

[littlefoxx]

Okay so like I was saying in my other post I dont dose anything. I prefer the water parameters to measure how they naturally do. Lots of people chase numbers, but Ive found that if you keep the basic ammonia, nitrite and nitrates food then everything else balances. Im wondering if you dosing ak and baking soda changed the water chemistry too fast. Any changes with ak and other stuff like that need to be slow and steady. This is another reason I dont dose or track it. Ive had success keeping 7 BTAs with this method and it works for my tank! But if you are dosing and measuring and thats your style, keep doing it just dont get caught up in the chasing numbers game especially if all your animals look like they are doing well! Kinda the old car model, dont change or try to fix whats not broke. Does that make sense?

 

[Nano_Man]

I have a lot of anemones and I do water changes every week 20% . To replenish any thing that has decreased over the 7 days . The only thing I test for is nitrate and phosphate when I get round to it lol
I only do a full test if something looks off then I test everything . Sorry about your anemones but don’t give up this is the secret to this hobby . Reading back at your thread things don’t sound stable swings in salinity also low Allk . Anything you change in your water chemistry has to be done slowly. Anemones need stable conditions and you you get that as the tanks mature and become more stable. Good luck going forward .