Is my gtba toast??

[thatevochick]

I have a 40g breeder it was a 6 month old established system that was broken down and moved to my house where I then broke down my 2+ year old 29 biocube I drained everything into the 40 and topped off with 40s original water.
My params then and now are the follow

pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Specific Gravity 1.026-1.027
Calcium 420

A week after the tank was set up I bought a big beautiful gbta and a wild caught gold stripe maroon clownfish. The first 3 days the anemone looked fantastic fully extended big bubble tips. Then my maroon decided to host. I came home to a completely shrived gtba gaping mouth and brown stringy discharge. All really bad signs so I've read. 5 minutes later it bounced back and was fully fluffed and extended not as bubble tipped but still looked good closed puckered mouth

Now about an hour after lights out it is right back to shriveled gaping mouth with even more discharge. My clown is relentless rubbing and hosting. Not sure what to do and if I am going to loose the anemone. No idea whats wrong with it maybe the clown [profanity] I also read this is normal when it gets put in a new tank but for how long? Any help or two cents would help thank you!


(images are showing up huge here is direct links)
When it was happy
http://i.imgur.com/QVroa4K.jpg

Its [profanity] decline
http://i.imgur.com/7xYPwN8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hpx4QSa.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/PluE7Rt.jpg

 

[thatevochick]

Bump*** anyone??

It continues to do this once a day. It shrivels expells brown gunk gaping mouth then 10min later inflates to healthy looking bubble arms and closed mouth

 

[Tango451]

Maybe bring the salinity to 1.025? (don't think it is causing him to do that though?

And maybe bring pH up a little to around 8.2

What is your temperature when the lights are on and when lights are off?

 

[Jemhidiah]

It didnt look happy when you said it did! What kind of flow is it getting, what kind of light, has it taken food, where did you get it? Any time you add a new nem there is going to be a acclimating period but a gaping mouth like that is never good unless its taking food in.

 

[thatevochick]

Maybe bring the salinity to 1.025? (don't think it is causing him to do that though?

And maybe bring pH up a little to around 8.2

What is your temperature when the lights are on and when lights are off?

Temp very stable 79 day 78 night

It didnt look happy when you said it did! What kind of flow is it getting, what kind of light, has it taken food, where did you get it? Any time you add a new nem there is going to be a acclimating period but a gaping mouth like that is never good unless its taking food in.

Oh

In high flow area. I bought him at my regular local lfs very reputable beautiful stuff. However now that you say it my LFS had him in a shallow tank with metal halide. Now he is on the bottom of my 40 with two T5. I've moved him up to the top of the tank and I'll see how it does. He ate like a champ a small piece of silverside a day before he started acting up. I'm gonna try tomorrow to feed again.

Thanks

 

[SkySoldier173]

I heard it's not good to over feed anemones. Just 3 times a week

 

[gveng]

Temp very stable 79 day 78 night



Oh

In high flow area. I bought him at my regular local lfs very reputable beautiful stuff. However now that you say it my LFS had him in a shallow tank with metal halide. Now he is on the bottom of my 40 with two T5. I've moved him up to the top of the tank and I'll see how it does. He ate like a champ a small piece of silverside a day before he started acting up. I'm gonna try tomorrow to feed again.

Thanks

Two T5s over a 40g doesn't seem like enough light for an anemone. I would add two more.

 

[thatevochick]

Two T5s over a 40g doesn't seem like enough light for an anemone. I would add two more.

I am in the process of adding more light.

Everyday it continues to shrivel up and look mad. but the discharge has stopped and its still alive.

 

[tippmannsniper]

I believe more light would help.. Consider matching the type of light it previously flourished under or slowly introduce a spotlight.

 

[clorox]

Like others said, more light will be beneficial as long as you don't exceed. Bta's don't need intense lighting, but what you presently have is insufficient. Flow needs to be consistent, but not strong or unidirectional, otherwise it will most likely start moving. I would keep SG at 1.025.

More importantly, don't feed it! Especially silversides. There are many threads about issues and anemone deaths due to silversides.

Like many anemone keepers in this forum, I only feed frozen seafood for human consumption that you buy at the supermarket. Shrimps, scallops, clams. Small pieces the size of a pencil eraser tip or smaller.


Bta's don't really need to be fed if they have good overall flow and good lighting, they will capture food particles in the water column from when you feed your fish. Most of their energy comes from symbiotic zooxanthellae algae. Once it is fully acclimated (takes several weeks) you can feed it once or twice a week. They grow fast once they are healthy.

Your main goal now is to stabilize it and let it be for several weeks. I would keep an eye on the maroon as they are notoriously aggressive. You might want to cover the anemone with a small plastic container with holes (a small colander strainer) or a strawberry basket to protect it from the clown loving it to death.