A bit worried about rbta

[CoryD]

About 3-4 weeks ago i got a rbta. First couple weeks it was doing great. It was fully open about 6-7" in diam. I would feed it mysis every 2-3 days, seemed happy as ever. Then last week my clown started to host in it and it still seemed fine at first, after a couple more days it wasnt opening as much the tips are all curled up, some look "bruised". I have noticed some tips have broken/fallen/torn? off. About the same time the clown started to host one of my peppermint shrimp dissapperd. Could it have gotten eaten by the nem and damaged it? The last 2 days it is almost completly closed up. Anyone know what might be going on?

thanks,
Cory

Tank info:

75 gal
temp 78 +/-
SG 1.025
PH 8.2
ammon 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
calcium 440
alk 8 dkh
phos .25 ?

using api test kit
marineland reef LED lighting

 

[bradleym]

What type of clown and how big is it? Some kinds of clowns are rougher than others.

 

[CoryD]

Its just a little percula about 2"

 

[CoryD]

Anyone have anything for me? It looks really bad today all sucked in to itself, the tentacles that are showing are all shriveled up like little deflated balloons. the clown seems to have lost interest in it as of now.

 

[LAKEM0NSTER]

What other livestock do you have in your tank??

Not enough light??

 

[nanito]

I say ....... It is not getting enough light.

 

[JMa4290]

Agreed^^^.. those marineland fixtures really are not suitable for coral.. they say reef capable but really have horrible par value and the leds quickly fade.. I would say fork up a few extra bucks and get an AI Sols Orrrrr some ecotech radions

 

[CoryD]

What other livestock do you have in your tank??

Not enough light??

I have the clown,
sixline wrasse
blue damsel
neon damsel
bicolored dottyback
chromis
diamond goby
1 peppermint shrimp ( had two but one disappeared as mentioned above)
handful of hermits and snails
kenya tree coral
star polyps
various mushroom corals



As for not enough light, the BTA is a little more than half way up in tank pretty much centered under the light. It is pulled back into a crevice in the rock.
Am i wrong to assume that it would try and get more light or closer to it? instead of sucking up into the rock?

 

[CoryD]

If it is the light, s there anything i could do untill better lighting might be purchased? Like put a spotlight on it or something? Try to move it up to the very top of the tank?

 

[BigCountry74]

if your growing a kenya tree coral you have plenty of light. thats my opinion at least

 

[LAKEM0NSTER]

Cory, one thing I wouldn't do is try to move the nem to a higher place; it would probably get stressed out & take longer to recover. You might try finding a cheap T5HO fixture to add some light. Those nems really like to soak up the light, I think you better start saving for some lighting upgrades.

 

[wonderz]

I thought bta will move to a higher spot when it needs more light? Will they just stay in the shaded area even though it needs more light?

 

[cichlidconvert]

Yes they will stay in shaded areas way to long. They don't always hang out in the perfect spot. But when they find it they setup camp. I have a nem looking like what you are describing. I was thinking it might be that the clowns were stealing their food. Because I have enough lighting. I do have an anemone crab that I worry about but the guy at the LFS said they play nice. So I will let you know if better feeding practice helps or what helps.

 

[CoryD]

The nem was looking a little bit better today. opened up a just a little bit more than it has been. i squirted a bit of mysis into it just to see, and i did notice my clown taking it out. he also is really getting into the nem like trying to bury himself in the withdrawn tentacles if that makes sense.

Im kinda of thinking the clown might be stressing it out and its not so much a light issue. It was doing really well the first couple weeks untill the clown started to host. But i really dont know much about anemones.

Would the clown be ok if i put him down in the sump for a few days (if i can get him out) to see how the nem responds?

 

[rathos]

My nem usually shrinks like that when it has too much food. They shrink like that because they are trying not to pull any food in or get food from light. If it has a clown hosting it you shouldn't need to feed it anything additional. Without a clown you shouldn't need to feed it more then once every two weeks as it pulls out food in the water and gets food from the light.

Further, if it was a lighting issue the nem would get as big as it could to soak up more light.

 

[CoryD]

Is it possible that it ate my peppermint shrimp? it was about 4" or so, would have been a pretty big meal, probably would hold it over for awhile food wise if it did.