RBTA deformed tentacles

[Siapin]

I've had this nem for about 4 months. After the first week, it split in two. A few weeks later, the tentacles began to look a bit weird. I feed silversides weekly. Tentacles are very sticky, so that's good. Tight mouth, also good. All water perams are good (pH, NO, PO4, CA2+, Mg, Alk, etc.) EXCEPT

I had SG at 1.022 up until a few weeks ago (poorly calibrated refractometer). I slowly raised it to 1.026 (I used salt water in my ATO to raise salinity).

I haven't seen any improvement in tentacles yet. Any idea what's going on?

 

[Daniel62]

I have had this problem. Now, what I did is in no way proof that it solved the problem, but it worked for me. I started feeding directly with shrimp dipped in selcon. After a few weeks my nems tentacles looked much better, color too.

Good luck

 

[tatuaje08]

Don't know if its related, but don't feed silversides. They are too boney and nems sometimes can't digest them, which can lead to their death.

Also, the one on the right looks like its being blasted by flow?

 

[Siapin]

I use Rod's Food for my fish. It has shrimp Selco (I think the same thing as Selcon?) in ingredients. I see that some chunks get caught by the nems. I'll try to spot feed it with Rod's food and see what happens.

But as far as nutrition, there is plenty of light for photosynthesis.

Does anyone ever have tainted silversides?

 

[tatuaje08]

Some people have reported deaths after feeding silversides. There's no proof if the silversides themselves were tainted, or the theory i mentioned above.

 

[Siapin]

Don't know if its related, but don't feed silversides. They are too boney and nems sometimes can't digest them, which can lead to their death.

Also, the one on the right looks like its being blasted by flow?

I've been out of the hobby for several years, and back in the day silversides were the way to go. That's changed? I'll stop feeding ss and see what happens.

Flow - I have one EcoTech mp10 (reefcrest mode) on opposite side of nems providing flow. There's no blasting.


And no, the wrasse isn't stuck in the powerhead, kinda looks like it though.

 

[tatuaje08]

I've always had good luck with mysis and chopped up squid.

 

[cabinetman123]

Ive read that if you feed them they will develope long sweeper tenacles. If you don't feed then they bulb up trying to gather as much light as possible. I bought one about 2 months ago and it was bulbed up nice. I fed it quite regular and guess what it was getting those long sweeper tenacles. I stopped feeding lately and bulbs are coming back. Just my experience lately

 

[tatuaje08]

Coincidence. I feed all of mine and I have nems with tentacles that are all shapes and sizes.

 

[jmadison]

I had similar deformities when my btas tentacles were getting snagged and blown against the LR. I attributed to them being "scarred".

 

[hjp109]

Yes, stay away from silversides...the anemones can't deal with the bones.. so it's best you go with shrimp (you can buy at your local asian market for dirt cheap). Just cut them into small bite size pieces that will fit your anemone's mouth. Or you can grind the silversides in your blender and then feed the paste with a turkey baster or something. However, do not feed it whole or in half with bones inside them.

 

[steve1986]

Try feeding mysis instead of silverslides

 

[D-Nak]

Yes, stay away from silversides...the anemones can't deal with the bones.. so it's best you go with shrimp (you can buy at your local asian market for dirt cheap). Just cut them into small bite size pieces that will fit your anemone's mouth. Or you can grind the silversides in your blender and then feed the paste with a turkey baster or something. However, do not feed it whole or in half with bones inside them.

It's not just the bones. The main reason why many suggest not feeding silversides is because they could be spoiled. Fish food isn't regulated like food for human consumption, which is one of the reasons why we recommend feeding table shrimp. Just safer. The risk of feeding silversides offers little reward, if any.

 

[D-Nak]

I was at the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few months ago, and they had RBTAs with a lot of deformed tentacles. I'm not sure what causes it, but I'm just letting you know that it's not uncommon (found via a Google search).

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85621683@N08/9512625212/" title="Untitled by k00k00kachoo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5460/9512625212_a63f6f017d.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85621683@N08/9509838461/" title="Untitled by k00k00kachoo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2863/9509838461_ee06090369.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Untitled"></a>

What happens if you lower the flow to barely anything? Do the tentacles still stay long?

Also, check to see if the clown is biting the tentacles.

 

[tatuaje08]

It's not just the bones. The main reason why many suggest not feeding silversides is because they could be spoiled. Fish food isn't regulated like food for human consumption, which is one of the reasons why we recommend feeding table shrimp. Just safer. The risk of feeding silversides offers little reward, if any.

I agree that fish food could be spoiled, but its not just limited to silversides. That's why I believe the harm is not from spoiled silversides being used as food, but rather the silversides spoiling inside the nems.