Sunburst Bubble Tip

[jf2381]

What you should avoid doing to your sunburst bubble or any anemone.
I picked these up last night from a friend that has not been able to care for them.




It's going to be difficult to help them recover, but I will try my best. At least they took mysid shrimp which is an encouraging sign.

 

[alb_56]

Good luck! They look save able to me, I hope they come through for you.

 

[jf2381]

12 day update Shot.

The sunburst (on the left) is showing tentacles.. The rainbow is spending a lot of time under the rocks.. I guess running from the light. But they continue to eat a couple of mysid every other day.

 

[FDAWG]

Good luck with the recovery.

 

[BayouCorals]

I think as long as they are eating they have a chance. I have gently force fed small pieces of krill to BTAs to get them to eat. Good luck.

 

[mayjong]

how do you do that?
what conditions would cause that kind of damage?

 

[mnchartier]

Honestly I would not be feeding them, digesting food uses a lot of energy and that is energy they need to recover. Make sure they get the light they need and keep up on the water conditions.

 

[jf2381]

Honestly I would not be feeding them, digesting food uses a lot of energy and that is energy they need to recover. Make sure they get the light they need and keep up on the water conditions.

Never considered that.

I will be away for two weeks starting this Saturday..so we will be able to put that to the test.

 

[BayouCorals]

Honestly I would not be feeding them, digesting food uses a lot of energy and that is energy they need to recover. Make sure they get the light they need and keep up on the water conditions.

I am not an expect, but my experience is no food means continued slow death to a BTA that far gone. Food = energy. I don't think light alone will heal that BTA. I could be wrong, but that is my opinion from my experience.

 

[mnchartier]

Nope, I've never feed any of my BTAs. While they are in that shape if they have issues digesting food it can rot inside them and cause more issues. As long as you light is adequate that is all they need.

I had these for 4 years and never feed them, lost the tank in a hurricane.

 

[BayouCorals]

Nope, I've never feed any of my BTAs. While they are in that shape if they have issues digesting food it can rot inside them and cause more issues. As long as you light is adequate that is all they need.

I had these for 4 years and never feed them, lost the tank in a hurricane.

Not sure why you ares saying "Nope". You are comparing your experience with healthy BTAs with these near death BTAs. There is a big difference. The BTAs in the picture have no color and no zooXanthella to convert the light into food. They have consumed their own tentacles and that is a sign of starvation. The only reasons I think they have a chance is that they show a feeding response, are not gapping their mouths in every picture, and they are still attached. If the food rots inside of them then they are too far gone in my opinion to save. Feeding is their best chance based on my experience. I have about 20 BTAs currently and propagate them. I am not an expert but do have experience getting several BTAs to recovery from loss of color and nubs for tentacles. None as bad as the two in the original pictures. Again good luck.

 

[shifty51008]

Feeding them when they look that bad will have them use more energy than they can use. I agree about not feeding them till they start looking much better, they will be fine with good lighting only.

 

[nemoboy1]

Let's put these theory to the test if OP wants too. Since both bta are in terrible condition already there won't be any ifs about it. Feed one with food plus light and the other one strictly lights. But both would have to be under the same light etc. I want to see the outcome worse they can do is both live regardless if feeding or one or both parish since it might be too late anyways. Good luck

 

[nemmy]

I'd say I'm in the "target feeding them lightly small mysis" camp. I don't think I've read a study that said anemones digesting food uses more energy than they can spare. I get that they are photosynthetic but this pair really has no tentacles and their oral discs are pale white. I would think they are getting the most minimal amount of energy right now from the lighting and could use a little help. Granted I wouldn't give them a giant piece of shrimp of fresh fish but some small quickly and easily digested food has to be helping. I just can't imagine digesting would be the death of a hungry creature.

All personal thought and opinion. I'm no biologist.

 

[tntdsol]

I am curious what the outcome of this is. I understand where both sides are coming from, but will keep my opinion to myself. Most important thing is getting these guys back on track.

 

[mnchartier]

I'm searching for the study that I read that looked at starved and fed anemones and how the increase respiration of the fed anemone decreased the photosynthesis in those species.

With these two guys, I would concentrate at getting some of the zoo population back before feeding them, not sure if you have access to other healthy BTAs but you could try a zoo transplant to help jump start the population.

Here is someone that used a BTA as a donor for a Mag. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2318463&highlight=transplant

 

[jf2381]

I do have other healthy bta's. I believe I'm at 4 or 5. Hard to count when they are fully open.

The tank is light by 400w mh. They come from a tank that was under a Radion. The sunburst is stretching towards the light. The rainbow is doing the opposite, it is hiding under a rock.
It looks like the sunburst is recovering quicker than the rainbow. It is also taking more food than the other. However, I can't say that is it doing better because of the food or because it is getting more light.

Like I said before. They will not get any food for about 2 weeks. We'll see what they look like when I return.

 

[jf2381]

Here is one of my healthy one.

 

[Willster]

Good luck with the recovery! Following along to see how it goes

 

[lidofishieboi]

Looks like it's coming back slowly.