Rbta not doing too good

[jcs11236]

I have had this Rbta for over 5 years. Never any issues. Has split twice since I have had him. Never moves. Never any issues. For the past week it has been really small and not opening up much. And it has been expelling brown goo every night. This morning I found it on sand bed. Put in in a floating container in tank. Doesn't seem to be disintegrating but does have mouth a lil open. I has stuck on to bottom of container. What do you guys think could have happen. What do you suggest I do.
Nothing has changed in system. All levels are normal. It has been hosted by my two clowns for years. I never feed it.
Levels are:
Ph 8.30-8.40
Alk 8.3
Cal 440
Nitrates 10
Phos .08
Salinity 1.025

 

[jcs11236]

Thanks in advance for any help. I actually have had this Rbta for 7-8 years.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

It might have eaten something that didn't agree with it. Can you do a picture without the blue lights on?

 

[jcs11236]

Thanks for reply. Like stated I never feed it directly but maybe it grabbed something. It has been in same rock forever and when I found it laying on sand I was worried. Mouth is opened. Should I try to feed it? It did attach to holding container.
He's a better pic

 

[Dkuhlmann]

No don't feed it, let it purge itself out. Could have eaten a snail or hermit or something similar.

 

[jcs11236]

I don't think a hermit or snail was eaten. It is completely deflated and flat. Just can't really see in pic how flat it is.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

You missed my point, it ate something that didn't agree with it...

 

[akida]

Strange it looks really sick. If you haven't fed it, it must be something in the water that affected it. Do you dose anything daily?

 

[jcs11236]

I never feed it directly. I dose 2 part but levels are notmal. It still looks the same. Nor better nor worst. Can't really get a good view but looks like the foot might be torn or something. I don't know how that would happen if it has been in same place for years. Try to post a pic of foot

 

[marc price]

Like stated I never feed it directly

Should I try to feed it? It did attach to holding container.
He's a better pic

That's the problem, IMO.

Mouth looks bad. See if it will eat something and watch to see that it takes the morsel into its oral cavity and closes the mouth before declaring it ate and walking away from it.
I'd try pencil eraser size piece of wild caught table shrimp or a few PE mysis, or the small San Francisco Bay brand krill. You may need to chase away fish or long legged crabs and shrimp to keep them from grabbing the morsel from the weakened anemone. If you do get it to eat, start feeding it regularly.
When I kept BTA's, I'd feed every third day. It would grow to ~15" oral disc prior to division. It was a rose with dishwasher liquid orange tentacles/hot pink tips and a metallic green oral disc. For many reasons, I grew to hate them and couldn't wait to sell off the last of the clones. Never had the desire to keep a BTA again.

At any rate, it is entirely possible your anemone was feeding on itself. They can be slow to show outward signs of distress/decline and when they do it's often too late to reverse.

Another possibility, assuming it's nutritional needs were "just" being met, could be it's stressed and getting ready to divide as a defense mechanism to perpetuate the species, idk.

 

[marc price]

Furthermore, if you do see it eat, be sure it doesn't eject the food some time within 30 minutes later.
Problem with relying on the anemone to sustain itself is, even after seven successful years of it you have no way of knowing what and how often it is eating. When something does go amiss it's one more variable when in reality anything could be the cause if its decline.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

If it's foot is torn it might have started to split and then changed it's mind. One of mine did this just two days ago. I was like Great, it's finally going to split for the first time since I got it. Then the next morning it's hiding behind a rock and doesn't look so good. They will usually pull out of it in a few days. Personally I wouldn't feed it at this time while it heals, but that's me. I do however feed my anemones at least once per week if not twice with small pieces of fresh frozen shrimp that you can buy from the seafood freezer section in your grocery store.

 

[akida]

I've witnessed BTA's get chopped up into suey and not look that bad. I cut my sunburst in half and it's guts were showing but it still didn't have a gaping mouth. Marc maybe right about the feeding perspective however I've heard a few stories of BTA keepers not feeding their anemones and justify it by saying their thriving. After so many years maybe it just couldn't sustain anymore without a balance of nutrients. I feed my sunburst salmon and he loves it and has grown tremendously.

 

[jcs11236]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Maybe you guys are right about the feeding. I never directly fed it. If it pulls threw I will start. It is looking the same but not worst. Mouth is not gaping as much but still disinflated. I actually put one single mysis on its mouth and it ate it. I have read so many threads and so many mixed info on feeding. It's like 50/50 on feeding and not feeding. But after this I believe they do need actual food.