BTA giving trouble

D

DuleTnT

New member
Hi guys.
My tank is about 6 months old now.

3 months ago I put a baby BTA inside my tank. It grew 3-4 times of it's original size in those 3 months, but its color is brighter than when I bought it.

Water parameters are good and stable.
Amonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, are all undetectable and very stable for all this time. Calcium always between 460 and 500... Alkalinity 8, PH 8... etc...


This is how it looked 3 months ago as a "baby":

20160515_173017_zpsqv5cjgna.jpg



And this is how it looks now:

20160727_143046_zpsnnojninp.jpg



It eats whenever I offer it a food... and that is about 4 times a week...

What is very strange is that it never tried to move from this position. She really loves this spot. So I really don't understand what is wrong.


My first guess was light.
I have two LED fixture:

165 Watts X 2, or more precisely (55 X 3 Watts) X 2
(Metal-halide comparison 250 Watts X 2)

They are 10 inches above the surface. Tank is 26 inch deep. more than 90 gallons.

At the very beginning when I settled tank for the first time I put lights close to 100% of intensity. Later when I added first corals I needed to decrease the intensity on 50% only because light was way too strong.

All corals doing well.
I don't know what is wrong to this BTA.

By the way, I have 5 more rock flower anemones and they all doing great!


The problem is that I can't get PAR meter anywhere on this island... so I need to wait until I travel next time to the US or to get it through skybox....
So I can only guess now.
And, to be honest, I don't feel like buying something that I might use only once or twice.

Anyone with similar experience?
 
My RBT did that same trick, growing fast and almost appeared to fade in color. It then split into two :debi: Although that may be completely unrelated.

I understand through my studies, that to much light can bleach them. In your case though Bubbled up tentacles are indicators lighting is good, long skinning stretching for the light source would indicate not enough light. There is also an algae called zooxanthellae algae. It grows inside them and gives the anemone color, also help the anemone use photosynthesis in place of food. Too much lighting can kill off the algae causing the anemone to appear bleached. Maybe for some reason yours were getting to much light at one time and it killed off the algae. How or why you will have to look that up. There were to many ways to find one that might be specific for your case. And I am still, myself, looking into finding a way to reintroduce zooxanthellae algae back into the anemone. Good luck, I hope this helps - and your anemone (bleached or not) is beautiful!
 
Kymaro said:
My RBT did that same trick, growing fast and almost appeared to fade in color. It then split into two :debi: Although that may be completely unrelated.

I understand through my studies, that to much light can bleach them. In your case though Bubbled up tentacles are indicators lighting is good, long skinning stretching for the light source would indicate not enough light. There is also an algae called zooxanthellae algae. It grows inside them and gives the anemone color, also help the anemone use photosynthesis in place of food. Too much lighting can kill off the algae causing the anemone to appear bleached. Maybe for some reason yours were getting to much light at one time and it killed off the algae. How or why you will have to look that up. There were to many ways to find one that might be specific for your case. And I am still, myself, looking into finding a way to reintroduce zooxanthellae algae back into the anemone. Good luck, I hope this helps - and your anemone (bleached or not) is beautiful!
Click to expand...


Thanks :)
I am only worried if she is doing well. And, as you said, even if bleached she is really beautiful and actually seems happy and always hungry hehehe.
I also know that too strong light can bleach them - so I was worried that light might be still too strong although it's on 50 % only.

Now when I think about it, I did have one short term infestation in my aquarium - after I added new candy cane coral in my tank about 3 weeks ago I got some bacteria that made my water milky blurry (it was probably hitchhiker) and the only way to get rid of it was to install UV-sterilizer. And that really cool device actually solved problem in only 2 hours.

It is possible that event actually caused anemone to stress out?
 
DuleTnT said:
It is possible that event actually caused anemone to stress out?
Click to expand...

Mine was created after I did a chemiclean for red bacteria (algae), I had a lot of very unhappy tenants when I was done. I'm still nursing some back to health. Crazy stuff but I was at a lesser of two evils. As far as I know, Bacteria loves to feed off algae, so IMO it's very possible. Plus you recently lowered your light intensity right? That may naturally correct it, given the time.
 
Last edited:
Kymaro said:
Mine was created after I did a chemiclean for red bacteria (algae), I had a lot of very unhappy tenants when I was done. I'm still nursing some back to health. Crazy stuff but I was at a lesser of two evils. As far as I know, Bacteria loves to feed off algae, so IMO it's very possible. Plus you recently lowered your light intensity right? That may naturally correct it, given the time.
Click to expand...

Hmmm I NEVER use any chemicals in my tank. Chemical treatment can't do anything right without consequences in my opinion. Only thing that I was adding to my tank were (are) trace elements and Vitamin C (in small amount) because they are very beneficial for all the creatures and health of the tank.

When I had that problem with bacteria that made my water blurry I did plenty research and realized that most effective and natural way to get rid of it is UV sterilizer - great device - it takes water out of tank push it through chamber with UV bulb where damage DNA of bacteria and return water back into the tank.... In that way sterilizer will kill all the bacteria parasites (even ich) and algae that float in the water. But, at the same time it will save beneficial bacteria because those live on surfaces - live rocks etc... So no chemicals for me.

As for light, no, I lowered intensity in the beginning, when I added first corals into the tank because I realized it's way too strong.... so it's on 50% since the beginning.
I thought maybe even that is too much because BTA's bright color - maybe to go on 40% and see what will happen? Or should I just let it be like this
 
I would keep the light where it is and continue as you have been. As long as she appears happy and healthy I wouldn't change anything.:spin1:
 
aznflyfisherman said:
I dont see an issue, thats how you want bta to look. Whats wrong with it?
Click to expand...


When I was reading about anemones before, there were saying that if it starts fading (loosing coloration) that is sign that something is wrong.

Mine is brighter than before.... that's why I was worried that something might be wrong.
Maybe I just care too much then hehe

You saying that is normal for BTA to change color intensity while growing?
 
DuleTnT said:
Hmmm I NEVER use any chemicals in my tank. Chemical treatment can't do anything right without consequences in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately using the chemiclean was the last effort. I hate using chemicals like that in my tank, but it was the lesser of tow evils. I had a hug infestation of the red algae. Was doing 5 gallon water changes every day to keep remove the red algae but by the next day it was all back, UV light was not working and various filtration setups didn't help. I'm sure it came off from some live rock and a bit of extra nutrient in my tank didn't help any. My phosphate levels and nitrates remained zero, but most liking because the bacteria was consuming it. It was the lesser of two evils. Since the treatment and correction of to much nutrient I have not had any returns. I thought for sure as a result of the treatment I lost my hammer head and my anemones. The hammer head has recovered and growing wonderful, I'm still have trouble with my anemones, I am concerned they will not make it. I am hopping they pull through, thou it's bee almost month.
 
DuleTnT said:
Hi guys.
My tank is about 6 months old now.

3 months ago I put a baby BTA inside my tank. It grew 3-4 times of it's original size in those 3 months, but its color is brighter than when I bought it.

Water parameters are good and stable.
Amonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, are all undetectable and very stable for all this time. Calcium always between 460 and 500... Alkalinity 8, PH 8... etc...


This is how it looked 3 months ago as a "baby":

20160515_173017_zpsqv5cjgna.jpg



And this is how it looks now:

20160727_143046_zpsnnojninp.jpg



It eats whenever I offer it a food... and that is about 4 times a week...

What is very strange is that it never tried to move from this position. She really loves this spot. So I really don't understand what is wrong.


My first guess was light.
I have two LED fixture:

165 Watts X 2, or more precisely (55 X 3 Watts) X 2
(Metal-halide comparison 250 Watts X 2)

They are 10 inches above the surface. Tank is 26 inch deep. more than 90 gallons.

At the very beginning when I settled tank for the first time I put lights close to 100% of intensity. Later when I added first corals I needed to decrease the intensity on 50% only because light was way too strong.

All corals doing well.
I don't know what is wrong to this BTA.

By the way, I have 5 more rock flower anemones and they all doing great!


The problem is that I can't get PAR meter anywhere on this island... so I need to wait until I travel next time to the US or to get it through skybox....
So I can only guess now.
And, to be honest, I don't feel like buying something that I might use only once or twice.

Anyone with similar experience?
Click to expand...

Try feeding the RBTA less, it will than rely more on the zoo algae
 
DuleTnT said:
Hi guys. My tank is about 6 months old now. 3 months ago I put a baby BTA inside my tank. It grew 3-4 times of it's original size in those 3 months, but its color is brighter than when I bought it. Water parameters are good and stable. Amonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, are all undetectable and very stable for all this time. Calcium always between 460 and 500... Alkalinity 8, PH 8... etc... This is how it looked 3 months ago as a "baby": And this is how it looks now: It eats whenever I offer it a food... and that is about 4 times a week... What is very strange is that it never tried to move from this position. She really loves this spot. So I really don't understand what is wrong. My first guess was light. I have two LED fixture: 165 Watts X 2, or more precisely (55 X 3 Watts) X 2 (Metal-halide comparison 250 Watts X 2) They are 10 inches above the surface. Tank is 26 inch deep. more than 90 gallons. At the very beginning when I settled tank for the first time I put lights close to 100% of intensity. Later when I added first corals I needed to decrease the intensity on 50% only because light was way too strong. All corals doing well. I don't know what is wrong to this BTA. By the way, I have 5 more rock flower anemones and they all doing great! The problem is that I can't get PAR meter anywhere on this island... so I need to wait until I travel next time to the US or to get it through skybox.... So I can only guess now. And, to be honest, I don't feel like buying something that I might use only once or twice. Anyone with similar experience?
Click to expand...


It in good shape in my opinion, they are very active creatures, much more that assumed upon buying mine. If it stops responding quickly then indeed there is a problem but is it is active and responsive consider it healthy.
 
I think it looks fine. I had a small quarter sized rbta (it was red and sold as an rbta) when I bought it and it has become about 71 gbtas since about 8 years ago. The red faded I guess and became green. Anyways, out of those 71 gtbas, I have variations in the darkness of the coloration.
 
Thanks guys for your advice.
It is very helpful.

This idea to feed it less and in that way "force" it to rely more on Zooxanthellae is interesting.
I do feed it often (almost every day) but I just give it a very small piece of shrimp meat which my anemone loves soooo much hahaha she swallows it in a second :lmao:
I figured that is somehow better to give her a small piece of met every day than bigger piece once a week... smaller pieces are easier to digest and make anemone more happy when it has something to do more often hehe....
But, maybe I am wrong?
Maybe I should try to feed it less often and see what will happen?
 
IMO feeding nems causes them to grow faster but you don't have to feed them at all. I feed mine 2x a week using LRS Reef Frenzy Chunky. It's a all natural food with no phosphates unlike store bought shrimp which is loaded with phosphate

I have found mine do look better with more color when I feed them less, if you feed them too much the food can rot in their stomach and cause problems
 
azjohnny said:
IMO feeding nems causes them to grow faster but you don't have to feed them at all. I feed mine 2x a week using LRS Reef Frenzy Chunky. It's a all natural food with no phosphates unlike store bought shrimp which is loaded with phosphate

I have found mine do look better with more color when I feed them less, if you feed them too much the food can rot in their stomach and cause problems
Click to expand...



It make sense what you saying.
I know about rotting, that's why I feed small pieces just in case....
But I will definitely try to do that less often.
 
....by the way, (maybe little bit off the topic) I was hoping that my clownfish will host this anemone, but even after almost a month since I added him into the tank that didn't happen. He is totally uninterested.
Probably because it is a tank-raised clownfish. I don't know.
Going to add second clown these days and see....

Everyone say that is good thing for the anemone.
 
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