EMERGANCY BTA inside out and half of mantle is damaged

[moretor1]

A few days ago my bta was doing fine and then one day looked a little droopy

Found him face down on the rock and it is still slightly responsive and moving

Is it worth trying to split it and hope the healthy side recovers?

 

[moretor1]

Got the feeling this guy is on his way out

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

How old is your tank, and what are your full parameters?

 

[landlubber]

I don't see this getting better. is the tank recently started?

 

[moretor1]

How old is your tank, and what are your full parameters?

Tank is still newish

Calc 370ppm (raising it currently)
Ph ~8.2
Phos ~1.8 (dropping steadily)
Nitrate ~17ppm
Kh around 8°

It was doing great less than a week ago. I added a pair of peppermint shrimp and I'm suspecting they damaged it stealing food as they are fairly grabby

I had a temp spike the other day bc weather is changing the other day and it probably hit around 82-83

 

[Dbichler]

Peppermint shrimp wouldn’t cause damage to anemones. Too new of a tank and parameter shifts most likely.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Tank is still newish

Calc 370ppm (raising it currently)
Ph ~8.2
Phos ~1.8 (dropping steadily)
Nitrate ~17ppm
Kh around 8°

It was doing good up until recently. I added a pair of peppermint shrimp and I'm suspecting they damaged it stealing food as they are fairly grabby

Peppermint shrimp can pick at the anemones, especially if they are underfed. Anemones  need  stable water parameters. This is why we recommend putting in an anemone at the 6 month mark for experienced reefers, and putting in an anemone at the 12 month mark for beginner reefers.

With those 2 combined, I am guessing that's what caused your anemone to become unhappy. Hopefully it can recover, but it doesn't look to good at the moment.

 

[vetteguy53081]

A few days ago my bta was doing fine and then one day looked a little droopy

Found him face down on the rock and it is still slightly responsive and moving

Is it worth trying to split it and hope the healthy side recovers?

These anemones not recommended for a tank less of 4 months in age and it represents a cauliflower head which is a sign of death. You want to carefully net it and remove and give the tank time to mature and yourself time to perfect the various parameters needed to make this tank successful

 

[moretor1]

I agree it looks as if it is on its way out. Huge bummer tbh. I only got this guy because I wanted my clown to host something as he mostly sits near the back

This video was taken last Monday, about 2 weeks after I got it. It is the last footage I have of it looking lively. Sadly it is in the background and not focused

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Yes, it's pretty unfortunate.

Don't give up though. In a few months when your tank has matured and your parameters are stable, try again.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

A few days ago my bta was doing fine and then one day looked a little droopy

Found him face down on the rock and it is still slightly responsive and moving

Is it worth trying to split it and hope the healthy side recovers?

So sorry this happened, but as others have said, anemones are not easy, even for experienced reefers, they are one of the most temperamental creatures to keep. You will be able to get another one, just give you and your tank time. And take that time to do some more research. Everyone here will help along the way however we can.

 

[landlubber]

So sorry this happened, but as others have said, anemones are not easy, even for experienced reefers, they are one of the most temperamental creatures to keep. You will be able to get another one, just give you and your tank time. And take that time to do some more research. Everyone here will help along the way however we can.

To be fair, tank maturity (stability), and availability of light, food and flow are the prerequisites for success. Once those are accomplished they are among the easiest corals to keep as unlike truly difficult to keep corals will move to suit their own preferences.
For a tank that is one year old the biggest challenge ends up being keeping your other corals safe from their sting and random movement.
I just don't want to push a narrative that they're something challenging and advanced when they're really not at all.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

To be fair, tank maturity (stability), and availability of light, food and flow are the prerequisites for success. Once those are accomplished they are among the easiest corals to keep as unlike truly difficult to keep corals will move to suit their own preferences.
For a tank that is one year old the biggest challenge ends up being keeping your other corals safe from their sting and random movement.
I just don't want to push a narrative that they're something challenging and advanced when they're really not at all.

Fair enough, I am just going on personal experience, both past and present, as well as what I have read, and researched. It is all actually very relative, in that what may be "easy" for one, is difficult to others, and vis-a-versa.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I agree it looks as if it is on its way out. Huge bummer tbh. I only got this guy because I wanted my clown to host something as he mostly sits near the back

This video was taken last Monday, about 2 weeks after I got it. It is the last footage I have of it looking lively. Sadly it is in the background and not focused

Just be prepared for your clown to show no interest. Of the 4 clowns I've ever had, none have been hosted by anemones. The first pair was hosted by a colony of green fuzzy mushrooms. The second pair is hosted by my toadstool coral.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I just don't want to push a narrative that they're something challenging and advanced when they're really not at all

Yes, they actually are. Think about it. Anything that we put in our tank, has adapted to live in a ocean with extremely stable parameters. Even the most mature tanks will still have un-stable parameters. Its impossible to have parameters as stable as the ocean, which these creatures were adapted to live in. Bubble tips are among one of the easier anemones to keep, but just because you have found that in your tanks anemones do well once your parameters have stabilitized, doesn't mean it's all the same for other people. All tanks are different, as well as all people. You may have found something to work for you that makes it seem anemones are easy to keep, while someone else could still be trying to keep one alive. And, I know I have made it sound like you are wrong - you are not, it's just that for some people they are really difficult to keep, and for some it's not. There's just so much factors to play in before the general consensus that anemones are easy to keep comes in.

 

[moretor1]

Just be prepared for your clown to show no interest. Of the 4 clowns I've ever had, none have been hosted by anemones. The first pair was hosted by a colony of green fuzzy mushrooms. The second pair is hosted by my toadstool coral.

Yeah. I wouldnt mind if he hosted my toadstool leather or a hammer ig

BTAs were also one of the reasons I think saltwater is so intriguing. Mollusks, cnidaria, and crustaceans are so cool I can hardly control myself

I'll probably end up waiting until I set up a larger system for a nem ig

 

[landlubber]

Yes, they actually are. Think about it. Anything that we put in our tank, has adapted to live in a ocean with extremely stable parameters. Even the most mature tanks will still have un-stable parameters. Its impossible to have parameters as stable as the ocean, which these creatures were adapted to live in. Bubble tips are among one of the easier anemones to keep, but just because you have found that in your tanks anemones do well once your parameters have stabilitized, doesn't mean it's all the same for other people. All tanks are different, as well as all people. You may have found something to work for you that makes it seem anemones are easy to keep, while someone else could still be trying to keep one alive. And, I know I have made it sound like you are wrong - you are not, it's just that for some people they are really difficult to keep, and for some it's not. There's just so much factors to play in before the general consensus that anemones are easy to keep comes in.

I can understand what you're saying and agree that they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea but "advanced" in this hobby generally means "special circumstances required" which anemones do not need.
The hobbyists that struggle to keep them are missing either stability, a food source, strong lighting and water movement or a combination of them. This is also why you rarely see an issue in established systems where all of those are present.
A great example of advanced would be the majority of SPS corals, especially Acropora. These require rock solid stability, specific placement, very strong lighting, wavemakers and dosing equipment along with the previously listed basics. Where if anything is missing the coral is doomed in 24 hours or less.
Just to be clear, i'm not trying to diminish the experience of someone having a challenge with Anemones. Its more about saving the investment along with a poor experience for the hobbyists and the animals as its personally defeating to lose corals and the road to success is often just having the right circumstances prepared ahead of introducing the animal.