I think my GBTA is dying

[pompeyjohn]

in short;
I think my clowns are too blame, and need a way of separating them from the nem. The tank is a cube with a lot of rock, so a diveder will not work, and I don't have a spare tank to put them in. Any ideas?

and the longer version;
I am desperate for advice here. The above is just my guess based on my reading and observations. I welcome your thoughts.

At present:

• The tentacles have shrunken right up.
• The mouth is open and cotten-like.
• Last night it moved an inch along the rock it settled on.
• It is not responding to stimulus from me.
• It in not eating - silversides and mysis.

It has been like this for nearly a week. I think this is because the two true percs that are hosting in it are very rough. Before they took to the anemone it was doing great. They have been hosting for a month now, and it is taking a beating.

Water Parameters:

• 0 Ammonia
• 0 Nitrates
• 1.026 SG
• 450 calcium
• 10dKH alk
• 8.2 ph
• 79.5deg temp

The lighting on the tank is from nanocustoms LED bulbs. I have not changed the in tank powerhead placement, so the water flow has not changed.

The tank is mixed with a majority of softies and SPS and LPS:

Leaf Plate Montipora Coral
Candy Cane Coral
Sun Coral
Flower Pot Coral
Brain Coral

I run carbon 24/7 and everything else in the tank seems to be thriving.

If I can find an SD card I'll take some pictures.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RBU1]

How long has your tank been running?

 

[pompeyjohn]

oops, I thought I had that in the post.

tank is a year old, new was introduced about two months ago.

 

[RBU1]

OK glad to hear the age of the tank. So the anemone has been in the tank for 2 months and had been fine?

I would not worry about feeding it. I can tell you I never feed any of my anemones. I have 2 roses in my 300 and 8 greens in my 300. I also have a rose in my sons 34 gallon tank. None of them get any food at all and they are all beautiful. If you want to feed it every couple months or so that would be fine. But it is possible that you are over feeding it. If you feed them to much they can become infected on the inside from the food starting to rot. Take a break from feeding and see how it goes. Don't move it or touch it let it be and hopefully it will turn around.

 

[pompeyjohn]

Thank you RBU1. Do you have any advice on how I can keep the clowns away from it at least temporarily?

 

[RBU1]

Here are some of mine

 

[RBU1]

Well the only way I can think to keep the clowns away would be to add a second one and hope they go to it till the other can recover.

 

[pompeyjohn]

Yeah, agreed. I'll keep thinking though.

 

[Toddrtrex]

How big are your clowns (( and what type )) and how big is the anemone?

 

[pompeyjohn]

Again I thought I put this above, apologies for missing that...

Each clown a true perc, and about an inch in length. They have only recently paired up, and the female is noticeably larger than her partner. The facial disc of the nem is about 2.5 inches wide. Still hunting for an SD card.

 

[Toddrtrex]

If the oral disc is really 2.5 inches across you will need to separate the clowns ASAP --- I have seen clowns "love" an anemone to death.

 

[pompeyjohn]

If the oral disc is really 2.5 inches across you will need to separate the clowns ASAP --- I have seen clowns "love" an anemone to death.

Yep, that is what I am thinking.

I dont have a second tank though, and the cube is full of rock.

Any ideas on successful DIY separators? I am thinking floor to surface egg crate with a rock or two for them to rest under.

Any experience of how long they'll need to be separated? I am guessing this a "how long is a piece of string" question, and that the answer is subjective. But, I am looking at day, months, or weeks?

Thanks again.

 

[Ohponies]

Get a 2 liter and cut it in half, then cut a bunch of holes in it for water to flow in and out, but not big enough for the clowns to get in, then set it over anemone. Another idea is a food type Tupperware container, same thing, or if you can get it into the container and them put some kind of mesh over the container so it can get light and food.

 

[pompeyjohn]

would enough light get through to the nem if its covered by a 2 liter or the tupperware?

 

[Ohponies]

would enough light get through to the nem if its covered by a 2 liter or the tupperware?

Tupperware would probably not let light in at all, but if you get him into it, then you can fashion a cover with some screen/mesh so he could still get light. The 2 liter plastic will cut out some light, but probably not enough to hurt it if your lights are currently more than enough. I know nothing about LEDs at the moment so i can't tell you if you have more than enough light.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Yep, that is what I am thinking.

I dont have a second tank though, and the cube is full of rock.

Any ideas on successful DIY separators? I am thinking floor to surface egg crate with a rock or two for them to rest under.

Any experience of how long they'll need to be separated? I am guessing this a "how long is a piece of string" question, and that the answer is subjective. But, I am looking at day, months, or weeks?

Thanks again.

I would say months -- would like the anemone to be at least 6" across before clowns are allowed back into it.

Some floor to surface egg crate should work, just make sure it is secured properly.

 

[miguelp19]

why not just build a small container out of the eggcrate? just like a little cube that is enough to cover it but wont keep light out, only the clowns. good luck

 

[pompeyjohn]

why not just build a small container out of the eggcrate? just like a little cube that is enough to cover it but wont keep light out, only the clowns. good luck

Right, time to bust out the egg crate.... thanks for all the advice!