I've had 2 RBTA's for 18 mos (was one, split after 2 mos.). I kept them under 170w PC lights for the first 7 mos, since then they've been under x2 20,000k 250W halides. For the last 6 weeks or so, both have shrunken in size considerably, from 6" diameter each to now maybe 2 or 3", tentacles have become very stringy and only the tips have any color left, which is a hot pink under the 20k's. A single maroon clown hosts both, switching between them. I thought they would do better under the halides and better water quality since the tank is more established, but they seem to do worse weekly! I've fed them silversides, mysis and raw table shrimp rotating every 2-3 days, and the clown will always bring food to them during the days I don't specifically feed them. They still accept food. What am I doing wrong? Nitrates (from API test) fluctuate between 0- 10ppm, phos 0.50 (salifert), salinity 1.027, temp fluctuates from 79-83 depending on how hot the days are. Any ideas?
RBTA bleaching help!
- Thread starter JAG107
- Start date
Jamie1210
Active member
man, i hate posts like these: it appears that you're doing everything PERFECTLY, and then, bam, problems start coming out w/BTAs, and you don't know why ... ugh.
My best guess would be that the sudden exposure to such high intensity light totally shocked the heck outta them, especially since they've had such low light PCs for most of their duration w/you. So I'm thinking maybe you could move them to a lower light intense place/shaded area til they recover. That's my best bet ...
My best guess would be that the sudden exposure to such high intensity light totally shocked the heck outta them, especially since they've had such low light PCs for most of their duration w/you. So I'm thinking maybe you could move them to a lower light intense place/shaded area til they recover. That's my best bet ...
They've actually been in shaded areas since I put them under the halides, they moved around a little bit when I moved them over and have stayed put for 3 months now, haven't moved at all. I thought putting them under brighter lighting would increase their health and overall appearance, but they look 100 times worse than when they were under PC's (which everyone on the forums told me it was a miracle they were still alive for so long under dim lights).
mobert
Active member
Make sure your test equipment and chemicals are accurate and the food your are feeding is fresh. I've read about anemones not doing well after eating bad silversides. 1.027 is OK but I shoot for 1.025/1.026. Also, your hydrometer could be surprisingly off if not calibrated with salt water. Sometimes bleaching is a response to a single fluctuation in parameters and you could be doing everything right the rest of the time and it just takes awhile to recover.
Thanks mobert. The silversides are about 5 months old in the freezer. I also just ordered a refractometer because my hydrometer is 2 years old and probably not 100% accurate.
Also the nems positioned themselves away from any sort of current, they seem to like the calm water right now for some reason. Don't they like higher flow usually?
Also the nems positioned themselves away from any sort of current, they seem to like the calm water right now for some reason. Don't they like higher flow usually?
mobert
Active member
Since your are shooting for a S.G. of 1.025, it is better if your refractometer is right on at 1.02 rather than right on at 0.00 and maybe a little off at 1.025. You are probably close enough calibrating at 0.00 but for those who want to be truly accurate, then calibrating at 1.025 is the way to go.
