something wrong with RBTA,,HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bues0022]

karensroseanemones is ok for some very basic information, but I find that it is a bit outdated and lacking when it comes to proper nutrition for these animals. There is far better information on here. I too would question using bottled water. "purified" does not mean 0 tds. I'm not surprised you are having algae blooms yet reading 0 phosphates - the algae is using it before you can see it in a test. I think you have high nutrient problems (not using 0 tds water, plus lots of feeding). I would do several mid/large water changes a few days apart with RO/DI water.

 

[greg1786]

well i wish i could use ro di but i dont have that option right now. so the next best thing is the bottled water. i buy it in 5gallon drums and it has 12 TDS which obviously isnt perfect but its alot better than my tap at 330TDS.


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[OrionN]

Exactly why freshly mix water is toxic for the animal I am not sure, but if you put a fish in 100% freshly mixed salt water, the fish will died every time. The higher the percentage of water they live in that is freshly mix, the more stressful it is for the fish.

 

[CoralReeferGal]

Exactly why freshly mix water is toxic for the animal I am not sure, but if you put a fish in 100% freshly mixed salt water, the fish will died every time. The higher the percentage of water they live in that is freshly mix, the more stressful it is for the fish.

No offense, but recheck your statistics. We have never ever ever waited to add saltwater; we mix it as needed and put it immediately in (most often through the sump but occasionally right in the tank) and never once in 10 years lost a fish (or anything else) after adding new salt water.

 

[CoralReeferGal]

anyway, to answer the OP though, I don't think I would force feed either... we bought a RBTA from that fish place and ended up losing her. Kinda bummed for the price we paid (which I'm sure you know lol) but looked great there, awesome color, looked really healthy, then all of a sudden 2 months later she uprooted and disappeared. Our clown loved her a little too much also though, so much that the nem would tuck in almost completely ttrying to get away from the clown. We just replaced the nem today with a (much larger) GBTA and they seem to be doing great together already. I would just make sure the nem has plenty of light, has it moved at all? Usually they will move if they arent getting the right light or flow, so if it's staying put, I doubt any of that is the problem. The clown is probably not helping, like I said, ours would tuck in to try to get away from the clown, so that could be the case for you as well. If you're able, (or have a QT) move the fish to another tank for a bit and see how the nem does in the following week or so without a clown to "bother" her.

 

[sqwat]

do not feed in this condition everything you have said if from overfeeding bta and rbta need verysmall amounts of food at a time they must be fully digested till fed again or you cause gut rot wich is what you have youre nem is going to die get it out b4 u totally pollute tank.feeding him now is making it worse.let me guess he is only blowing up half his tentacles and deflating twice a day?this is the start of ther demise.feed 1 piece the size of mouth every 4 days or till he totally digests it

 

[greg1786]

actually she stays inflated mostly all of the time. she deflates uniformly once every two days at night. i am only feeding now one pea sized piece of shrimp every 36hrs. she still has all her color the only issue im having is her tentacles are disappearing to almost nothing as if shes been eating them i dont know why im so confused


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[sjwitt]

Post a picture of this animal when it's tentacles are "disappearing" ... there's a big difference between an anemone balling up when it's fed and it's tentacles disappearing. One is a normal feeding response the other is a sign of starvation.

 

[greg1786]

i am pretty certain its not a feeding response. here she is tonight

my avatar shows her regular size which she hasnt been in two weeks


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[sqwat]

Do not feed

 

[sjwitt]

Well, you're right that it's not balling up. In the beginning of this thread you said you're battling a lot of algae. Have you found the source of that? What are you doing to get rid of the algae? How long have your bulbs been in the fixture?

 

[greg1786]

the source of the algae was mytap water. i had high phosphates and nitrates they were .25 and 20 respectively. i have since gone from tap water to distilled water and recently to rodi water. with several large water changes i have gotten both untraceable. i bought 24 astrea snails to add to the 12 i already had. them plus my pincushion urchin have done a great job. ohand my sea star

. The algae is no longer growing and though it has not begun receeding, thanks to cuc it is going away. do you think if i switched my two 10000k t5 bulbs to 12k or 14k she would respond better. the other two bulbs are actinic 420 and 50/50


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[greg1786]

the bulbs have been in fixture for about two months i just bought that fixture.like i said tho i run two 10000k an actinic 420 and a 50/50. my brother in law just started reef tank and i helphim set his up he also went t5 ho for fixture but his bulbs are 12000k and 460nm actinic by truelumen and they appear much brighter than mine


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[sjwitt]

Glad to hear the algae issue is getting better. I had an outbreak about a year ago (bryopsis) and I had to actually WEED the tank so I feel your pain. Lights you have should be fine, I wanted to see if they were old or something. I don't know what else to tell you. Why don't you try something beside shrimp. Smash up a small bay scallop in tank water to make kind of a 'chunky paste'. Add some pellets to it and let them soak and get soft. Use a turkey baster to target feed. I assume it's 'sticky" so it catches and holds onto food. Watch it for a couple of hours and make sure it's not regurgitating the food. If it is then don't feed it so often. I'd back off to once a week.

Beautiful sea star by the way. I've never seen one like that.

 

[greg1786]

thank you he is really cool sandsifter. i havent fed in several days i may try tomorrow. when i left for work this afternoon she was actually looking SLIGHTLY better from previous days will keep everyone postes


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