BTA Advice

[Matt Jackson]

Hi Everyone.

I have a BTA that has been in my display tank for about 2months now. It stayed in the same place up until recently and now looks pretty stressed/dying. It was very very small when I got it and I was feeding it very small chunks of fresh shrimp every other day and it was was doing amazing. Then I went away for 4 days and obviously in that time it was not directly fed but would have got something from the Apex feeder. When I got home it has started moving around, nothing else has changed. All parameters are the same, 15-20% water changes every other week. It has been hovering around the top of the tank near where it was for the longest time but yesterday went to the bottom end of the tank and now looks like this, deflated and looks to be on deaths door. I have not attempted anything as yet apart from it’s normal fortnightly water Change.
I obviously don’t want it to die in the tank but don’t want to chuck it out if this is “normal” behaviour or nothing to worry about.

Any thoughts?

 

[BrandonS]

Tank parameters? and any idea on PAR? or what light you are using and settings so we can get an idea on par.

 

[Matt Jackson]

Not sure on the PAR but I’m using 2x Radion 15’s gen 4 pros and they are on 93%
Salinity 1.35ppm
Temp 78.9
Nitrate was between 0 - 5ppm
Nitrite & amonia looked to be around 0
High range PH is 8.4
Phosphate looked to be 0

Tanks is a reefer 250.

im using api

 

[BrandonS]

how high are your radions mounted? you could actually have way to much par and be frying things. Those are pretty powerful lights.

BRS has a very good you tube video on that light and talks about mounting height, suggested setting, and par values.

 

[BrandonS]

I like to keep bubble tip anemones in anywhere from 180 to 250 PAR.

 

[jordan10]

Ummm is ur salinity high? 1.35ppm or am I thinking something else

 

[Matt Jackson]

Ummm is ur salinity high? 1.35ppm or am I thinking something else

Sorry 33ppt

 

[Matt Jackson]

how high are your radions mounted? you could actually have way to much par and be frying things. Those are pretty powerful lights.

BRS has a very good you tube video on that light and talks about mounting height, suggested setting, and par values.

They are about 9” from the top of the water. Ok I will check that out on BRS TV thanks.

 

[jordan10]

And I wouldn't say that it not being feed has anything to do with it. And ur p04 is low I know they like some of that in the water.

 

[jordan10]

I got 6 there and my P04 is .09 so I think if u fees the tank a little more that will help

 

[Matt Jackson]

I got 6 there and my P04 is .09 so I think if u fees the tank a little more that will help

What would you say is the best way to raise p04 in your opinion? I think the lighting may be causing a bit of an issue as well, I need to look in to that ASAP.

 

[jordan10]

Over feed would do it. And you have had it couple months and it's been fine. I think if it was the lights it would of went down hill soon as u put in the tank. Just what I think I could be wrong

 

[BrandonS]

Either way let us know what you figure out.

 

[BrandonS]

Also I am a salifert test kit guy myself. For me at least they seem to be more accurate and reliable than API. But I use red sea for nitrate

 

[Matt Jackson]

So this evening when I walked past the tank it had let go of the rock it was swinging from and was face down in the sand and was a little saggy heap, I thought for sure that it’s done now so before it ended up going through one of the mp10’s I got the net and scooped it up. It then kind of instantly bulled up like it had just been fed but only smaller and a bit less firmer, so then I had absolutely no idea what do, flush it or leave it in the tank.
long story short(er) I ended up locating a hang on the side box that you can attach a small pump to for flow and it returns the water back from a sort of overflow. I have attached it to the side of the sump and now have it in that to monitor it. While it was in net for about 45mins its foot was fully attached to it, I had to very gently “peel it off” I have a piece of rock in this tank thing with it.
I have absolutely no idea what’s going on with it but I just don’t want it to die in the tank and have to tear it apart to find it or worse it goes through one of the heads.
anyways I’m off to bed and we will see what the outcome is tomorrow. So far it looks the best it has in the last day and half. Very very odd

 

[Matt Jackson]

Also I am a salifert test kit guy myself. For me at least they seem to be more accurate and reliable than API. But I use red sea for nitrate

Yes I definitely need to invest in some better test kits. How comes you use just the Red Sea for nitrate and nothing else?

 

[BrandonS]

Yes I definitely need to invest in some better test kits. How comes you use just the Red Sea for nitrate and nothing else?

The red sea for nitrate has very good reviews and many on the forums. The saliferts have good reviews on everything else and are a bit cheaper. If I wasn't going the budget route with the rest I would do salifert for phosphate and salifert for calcium and magnesium. Bulk reef supply has a good video on tests as well.

 

[BrandonS]

So this evening when I walked past the tank it had let go of the rock it was swinging from and was face down in the sand and was a little saggy heap, I thought for sure that it’s done now so before it ended up going through one of the mp10’s I got the net and scooped it up. It then kind of instantly bulled up like it had just been fed but only smaller and a bit less firmer, so then I had absolutely no idea what do, flush it or leave it in the tank.
long story short(er) I ended up locating a hang on the side box that you can attach a small pump to for flow and it returns the water back from a sort of overflow. I have attached it to the side of the sump and now have it in that to monitor it. While it was in net for about 45mins its foot was fully attached to it, I had to very gently “peel it off” I have a piece of rock in this tank thing with it.
I have absolutely no idea what’s going on with it but I just don’t want it to die in the tank and have to tear it apart to find it or worse it goes through one of the heads.
anyways I’m off to bed and we will see what the outcome is tomorrow. So far it looks the best it has in the last day and half. Very very odd

Sometimes they let go when they find themselves in a bad spot. What's the light like in his new spot?

 

[Matt Jackson]

Sometimes they let go when they find themselves in a bad spot. What's the light like in his new spot?

So I had it in the hang on breeding tank until Sunday evening, the noise of the water running back in to the sump was driving us crazy. The BTA was doing great in there, I took the light off a fluval sea tank that I use to quarantine fish and put that above the breeding tank. Once I returned it to the DT it stayed in its normal spot for 2 days and has now moved a few inches and stayed put since. It’s definitely back to it’s normal self now, just not in a good spot to admire it but at least it’s happy!

 

[BrandonS]

So I had it in the hang on breeding tank until Sunday evening, the noise of the water running back in to the sump was driving us crazy. The BTA was doing great in there, I took the light off a fluval sea tank that I use to quarantine fish and put that above the breeding tank. Once I returned it to the DT it stayed in its normal spot for 2 days and has now moved a few inches and stayed put since. It’s definitely back to it’s normal self now, just not in a good spot to admire it but at least it’s happy!

They do that. Just hope it doesn't take a spot next to or own your expensive stuff.

Glad to hear it's doing much better