Shrunken BTA

[Robert DeWolfe]

My BTA has shrunken a lot since I’ve gotten it. I’ve had it for about 3 months and it has only gotten smaller since. It also just started hiring a clownfish. I am a beginner and my tank is 5-6 months old. 36 gallon.

 

[PatientZero]

Does not get any bigger during the day? It doesn’t look very happy. What kind of lights are you using? Does it look any more inflated after you do a water change?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Parameters? And have you been feeding it

 

[Mykesocalreef]

My guess is your tank is still to young. I had the same issue. Mine shrank to the size of a pencil eraser only stopped once I moved them back to their old tank. Good luck.

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

I am using Current USA moon orbit lighting. After water changes it looks the same. I don’t typically feed it but I do see it eating sometimes after I put food in.
As for water parameters, I tested the other day and everything was perfect but I don’t think my test is accurate. I use the API test kit. I’m going to get parameters tested at my lfs soon and will update here when I do.

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

This is a more accurate photo of what it usually looks like. I think it was pooping when I took the picture yesterday.

 

[dedragon]

Hope its still okay, your light probably isnt strong enough for the anemone to survive. also its important to post tank parameters just so we know what else is going on to try to help out a bit more.

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

Hope its still okay, your light probably isnt strong enough for the anemone to survive. also its important to post tank parameters just so we know what else is going on to try to help out a bit more.

I very recently got my water tested and the lady said every thing was good but just a little ammonia. All my corals are doing great but recently a couple fish have died due to disease and I am currently going fallow. My anemone has only gotten worse. I put him in my fallow tank because i just wanted to see what it would do, figuring as bad as he was doing there’s not much worse he could do. Nothing has fixed it. Although my light on that tank definitely isn’t strong enough for coral/ anemone. That light is a small reptile uvb. Thank you for replying on this post even though it’s been a couple weeks.

 

[dedragon]

sometimes anemones just wither and die for what seems like no reason and could totally not be your fault. any ammonia is gonna be bad in the tank and make fish more susceptible to disease so i would start by adding beneficial bacteria like dr. tims or fritzyme 9 to make the tank safe also check the qt tank for ammonia as well. different people run tanks at different parameters so it is a good idea to post ammonia nitrate phosphate calcium alkalinity and magnesium that way people can more likely help if they are running similar levels

 

[dmy535]

What’s “a little ammonia”? Ammonia is toxic and very bad for inverts/anemone. Post the levels so we can help further.

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

What’s “a little ammonia”? Ammonia is toxic and very bad for inverts/anemone. Post the levels so we can help further.

Not entirely sure. My test kit is inaccurate and the lady at the store didn’t tell me specifically. She just said it wasn’t a dangerous amount. I asked a guy at a LFS and he recommended iodine dosing so I’ve been doing that too.

 

[dedragon]

Sometimes the people in the LFS are so unhelpful. They should tell you the results for all of the parameters I listed earlier. Probably no real reason to dose iodine either if you keep up on water changes and dont have much coral or invertebrates. You should get water checked or buy test kits (I use red sea and salifert) so that you can check it whenever you need. Its going to be very hard to help you without that information as there is a huge difference between non-dangerous amounts and correct amounts in tanks. There are also iodine test kits but i doubt the LFS actually tested your iodine

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

Sometimes the people in the LFS are so unhelpful. They should tell you the results for all of the parameters I listed earlier. Probably no real reason to dose iodine either if you keep up on water changes and dont have much coral or invertebrates. You should get water checked or buy test kits (I use red sea and salifert) so that you can check it whenever you need. Its going to be very hard to help you without that information as there is a huge difference between non-dangerous amounts and correct amounts in tanks. There are also iodine test kits but i doubt the LFS actually tested your iodine

I got my water test at an exotic pet store near my house because it’s closer. The LFS is the place that told me to dose iodine. Sorry I didn’t make that clear. I sadly think my BTA is too far gone.

 

[dedragon]

Sadly some anemones dont make it. Api tests can work for Nitrate, pH, and Ammonia just double test with freshly mixed saltwater to make sure they arent reading false positives. Again I highly suggest test kits for Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium or at least go to the store and get it tested asap, and ask which test they used. It will be much cheaper to get test kits in the long run. You need to add some sort of bacterial additive to help the biological uptake in the tank as well for the ammonia present in the tank. Just making sure are you using rodi water and salt as well?

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

Sadly some anemones dont make it. Api tests can work for Nitrate, pH, and Ammonia just double test with freshly mixed saltwater to make sure they arent reading false positives. Again I highly suggest test kits for Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium or at least go to the store and get it tested asap, and ask which test they used. It will be much cheaper to get test kits in the long run. You need to add some sort of bacterial additive to help the biological uptake in the tank as well for the ammonia present in the tank. Just making sure are you using rodi water and salt as well?

Yeah and using both rodi and salt. I was using bacteria for a while but ran out. Are there any you’d suggest because the bacteria I was using you’re supposed to add 1 time a week, I read if it makes you add regularly it’s not quality bacteria. Also I will look into those other test kids for magnesium, calcium, alkalinity, I currently have api and I only say it’s inaccurate because every time I test it says I have perfect perimeters and I doubt that I do.

 

[GaryE]

I have found that all of the LFS's around me, even the one that specializes in marine aquariums test with API strips.

If the API liquid reagents are not reliable, I can't see how the strips are more reliable. I refuse to believe that they can give me a better result than I can get from my own testing.

I have a BTA that went thru a phase like yours is showing. He's most likely just not happy about something. Mine was ticked because of a couple of RBTA's I put in the tank with him. I have since moved him to a tank with only green BTA's and he's making a nice recovery..

 

[josvanmeer]

Change your light for starters, that current usa light is absolute trash

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

Change your light for starters, that current usa light is absolute trash

What would you recommend. I’ve only heard good things about current usa

 

[dedragon]

I used fritzzyme 9 and 900 in my tank, both are the same thing one is just more concentrated. If you want a strip probably 2 Orphek OR3 bars for a medium light aquarium is what I would recommend for the price. What are the dimensions of your tank though

 

[Robert DeWolfe]

31x15x22 bowfront 36 gallon