RBTA Emergency?!

[daveonbass]

haha. That's what I thought. But it looks worse today...thought the FOOT is actually hanging on more. (I think that's better)

As far as the fish...I like to think that the tank is GOOD...but I have a bad feeling that the species in question would breed even in bad tank conditions...they just keep producing eggs. BUT I have yet to have any babies, the male keeps dropping them before they hatch...but like I said, he keeps them longer and longer each time. I'm thinking of giving them a dedicated tank for the sole purpose of making babies.

more updates tonight...

 

[cox519]

i got a couple more nice ones for you Dave

 

[daveonbass]

And I am gonna clean up that fixture and get some pics out to you. Just understand that the bulbs are NOT new...so I would replace those ASAP.

I look forward to the future.

 

[daveonbass]

ok here are some updated pics...

It's moving "slowly" back to where the accedent happened. And I hate that. I may try to move it back to another side of the tank tonight.

these are from last night (Sunday around 10:00).

the guts show more in the first pics...but now (as of the morning) that side of his body is flatening against that rock.

I still don't think it looks like it's going to pull through...

 

[Coral Hind]

I still think it is going to make it. I have seen ones that look worse then that pull through.

 

[daveonbass]

I hope so...it sure was a pretty looking Nem in my tank. It was one of the nicest coral/animals that I had.

well next I have to get him to stop walking to the drain...

 

[Reefdiver72]

I have had to built a netting about 3 inches from my drains to keep them from going down them. A buddy of mine keeps having his go down his overflow box it makes it somehow but overflows the tank while it is in the 1 inch pipe.

 

[daveonbass]

Ok, well to my amazement the Nem has started to look Normal again. I really can't belive it. BUT...

He's moved back to where the problem occured in the first place!!!!!

I have put a powerhead in the tank and pointed it at him to try to get him to move...but it's not working...he just deflates and rides it out in his nook. I would really hate for this to happen AGAIN. So is there anything else I can do...moving the rock he's on IS NOT an option...it's just not moveable without taking down the whole tank.

Also, how long does it usually take for them to move away from the flow of water...? maybe I just haven't given it enough time. (so far a few hours.)

dave

 

[Coral Hind]

Every anemone responds differently so to give to a time frame would be only a guess.

Is there any way you can tee the suction line so there is not so much suction that would suck it to the strainer? Possibly make a new strainer that is much wider to decrease the flow pressure while maintaining volume?

 

[daveonbass]

the suction is split into to "in's" and four "out's." All through one pump. AND....it's all hardwired into the back of the tank...there is NO removing it. (the pump can come off)

The suction is not that strong actually...I think that's why it didn't get completely sucked up all at once.

As far as the strainer...I don't understand...the suction is determined by the pump...the size of the strainer wouldn't have an effect on the situation. Plus the size of the grating on the strainer is what kept the nem from getting completely pulled in. So I'm actually really "proud" of the set up and how the "fail safes" worked...

It's the nem that is stupid (IMO) for continuing to go back there...

It needs an edjumacation...;D

 

[Coral Hind]

By increasing the strainer surface area it will reduce suction at any one point as the suction is spread out over a wider area.

 

[daveonbass]

but the main suction will still always be the two 1.5" bulkheads...the suction will always stay constant there. even if I do spread out the surface area.

WHICH...

is what I'm trying to do right now. I'm in essence trying to create a "stand off" for that side. basically putting somthing in front of it...and letting the water be pulled in, not from directly in front, but from the edges of the wall. That way the nem won't get sucked directly into the bulkhead. (it would have to MOVE, which is what I wish it would do!!)

But I have given up on trying ot move it for now...I had a powerhead pointed at it for 3 days now and all it did was hunker down and ride it out. All I really accomplished was stirring up a bunch of sand. For now I hope to jsut get it back to health, and then I will try AGAIN to get it to move.

I'm really hoping that it's still trying to acclimate to my lights...and that once it is more used to them that it will move more to the front of the tank and away from the bulkhead.

that and I'm planning to carefully move the whole rock forward for the time being...maybe taht will give ti more light again and potentially cause it to move again to another shaded spot.

thanks guys. I'll try to post updated pics of how well it's healed up.

 

[rkelman]

If you take away its needs it will move eventually. Can you block the light to it? It will only live in the dark for so long before it heads for more light.

 

[daveonbass]

it's IN the dark...haha. I guess it was just grumpy.

it is now moving a little at a time up the side of that rock, and finally away from the dark spot of the tank. But just to be safe while I'm at work and all I decided to turn off the CL, and let it move on it's own, without any suction near it. It's finally starting to inflate and get big again like it did before the accident...I'm happy about that. And just to see how healthy it is I blew some mysis onto it with a baster and to my surprise some of them stuck. That was cool. BUT...I waited for a whilea nd never did see it start to pul lthe catch into it's mouth...in fact it eventually dropped some. But i'm still optimistic that all will get better in there. The fact that it's starting to grab food again is the first good sign so far.

I can't believe how much it's bounced back after what was left of it last week. What a wild ride with this very interesting creature.

again...I'll try to post pics in a sec...

 

[daveonbass]

pics...it's amazing if you compaire them to the first pics.

you can see the mysis. And the darker area under it (and a little behind) is where it was living...and that's one of the most shaded parts of the tank...

 

[patriots81]

thats so cool!

 

[daveonbass]

the Nem keeps moving up slowly, I'm hopeing that it will continue up to the light. I don't want to try and pry it off...not if it's weak, or if it's got a good foothold. AND...I don't want to force feed it. but I'm starting to worry that I've had it for about 2 weeks and it has never eaten. I think that's why it's getting a little more pale.

any advice on how to get it to eat...I saw the thread on "force feeding" the nems that are sickly. should I try that yet...or just leave it still?

 

[patriots81]

i would have to say, dont force feed it. i think it will be alright if you just leave it alone. some people dont even feed their anemones so it should be ok.

 

[daveonbass]

new question/idea

new question/idea

Ok, as you can all see in the last pics...one of the two pump intakes in just to the left of the nem, it's actually the back wall.

What you can't really tell from the flash pics, and the overexposed pics, is that it's relatively shaded there. And I can't get it to move by blowing water with a powerhead...the nem just unkers down and rides it out for days. Plus since it's kind of happy in the shaded spot...it has not move by me "removing" light by adding an opaque cover on that side.

So...

What about ADDING light? I have a spare Sunpower that I am not using (and can't seem to sell) and I could put that directly over the nem and give it MORE light and maybe that will make it want to find a differnt shaded spot.

That's my idea...does anyone think I should hold off?

Just to let you know...it's getting sticker everyday...but I still haven't seen it really EAT any mysis. But I could have sworn that it tried to tonight, but I just can't see it al that well back there...

SO what do the experts here think?

 

[Coral Hind]

I would hold off for a week and see if it extends into the light on its own. Usually after a tramatic event they will seek cover from predators to heal. If you give it light now then you will meet its needs and it will never move from that area.