BTA Looking Sad

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

Hello all! My poor BTA is not looking good. I found a couple pieces of it on the floor in the sand yesterday. It attached itself to the, looks deflated and it’s mouth is slightly open. Got up at 2 am and my tank is cloudy. The tentacles look a little shorter too. Also I suddenly got brown algae grown overnight. I did buy some snails and frags this past weekend. I have only two little clown fish in the tank as well. I’m a new reefer. Please help!

blaxsun · Oct 27, 2021

Hi, welcome to R2R. If you could, maybe share a few details about your tank: size, salinity, water parameters, etc. A few images of the BTA would also help those with keen eyes as to whether it can be saved.

PeterC99 · Oct 27, 2021

Welcome to R2R!

How old is your aquarium?

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

blaxsun said:
Hi, welcome to R2R. If you could, maybe share a few details about your tank: size, salinity, water parameters, etc. A few images of the BTA would also help those with keen eyes as to whether it can be saved.

Hello thank you for helping! I have a 24 gallon had it about a month. Had no idea I had to wait for a BTA the fish store guy said nothing. The water is a bit cloudy as well. I was thinking on setting up a quarantine tank for her using the same water from my main tank? Gotta do a water change anyway. Last night parameters were:
Nitrate: 20ppm
Nitrite: .5 ppm
Total alkalinity:130 ppm
PH: 7.9
Salinity 1. 024
I feel terrible! Is there anyway to save her?

Cell · Oct 27, 2021

If you found pieces of it spread about, it walked into a powerhead. From the picture though, it looks like it's pulling itself together a bit. Are you sure that's a BTA though?

Cell · Oct 27, 2021

Carbon is your first move then water change asap.

blaxsun · Oct 27, 2021

That honestly doesn't look like a bubbletip.

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

Cell said:
If you found pieces of it spread about, it walked into a powerhead. From the picture though, it looks like it's pulling itself together a bit. Are you sure that's a BTA though?

That is what they said at the store. She does look a little different on the pictures When I did my research. You have any thoughts as to what she is? The color is still there so that is good right? Should I just keep her in my main tank? Thanks again!

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

Cell said:
Carbon is your first move then water change asap.

Can you please explain the carbon process? Thank you!

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

blaxsun said:
That honestly doesn't look like a bubbletip.

Any thoughts as to what it is?

Jeffcb · Oct 27, 2021

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

G Santana · Oct 27, 2021

I just wanted to welcome you, I don't keep nems but have always been under the impression that you should never introduce a nem to a new tank. I'm not sure how to help. Good luck.

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

G Santana said:
I just wanted to welcome you, I don't keep nems but have always been under the impression that you should never introduce a nem to a new tank. I'm not sure how to help. Good luck.

I appreciate your kind thoughts!

blaxsun · Oct 27, 2021

Indytab99 said:
Any thoughts as to what it is?

If I had to make an educated guess, it looks more like a carpet anemone (or what might remain of one). It's definitely not a long tube anemone and it doesn't look like any of the bubbletip anemones that I have (I have six, and none of them have tentacles that small, short or numerous; and I've never seen a bubbletip that vivid green color).

KJ · Oct 27, 2021

Welcome to R2R!!!

vetteguy53081 · Oct 27, 2021

Looks more like a sebae anemone. if this is a new or newer tank, anemones in general are not good starter specimens. They are sensitive to changes in environment which a newer tank will offer not to mention importance of good lighting and moderate water flow. Often, anemones will become Unhappy when there is too much water flow lighting too low or too bright. Light is necessary for their production of zooxanthellae which gives them both color and cell production.
Having thorough knowledge about these specimens is a must. These invertebrates againare sensitive to water changes and require pristine conditions to stay in good shape. Failing to meet their needs can result in early death and damage to the tank environment as a whole. Yes, getting caught in a power head is a concern but rarely occurs.
The most important thing you’ll need to take care of before you bring your anemone home is perfecting the tank and water conditions. Again - You should never place an anemone into a tank you just set up.
Take some time to get parameters just right and let the closed environment cycle for a few months. This ensures that conditions are stable and safe. Most anemones prefer warmer temperatures. Water should be on the alkali side as well. Monitor water conditions regularly to avoid any major changes. Ammonia and nitrate levels should be undetectable at all times using a good quakity test kit and Not API either.
Here are some water parameters to follow.

Water temperature: Between 77°F and 82°F (stay close to the middle of this range)
pH level: 8.1 to 8.4
Water hardness: 8 to 12 dKH
Specific gravity: 1.024 to 1.025
Nitrate < .5

When you first introduce the anemone to the tank, turn down any pumps. The flow should be minimal until the anemone gets settled in. Chances are, your new anemone will move around the tank until it finds a suitable spot to call home. If it starts to move towards any coral, simply direct your water jets to the coral. This will discourage the anemone from anchoring near it. It will move to another area to attach. Touching more- Lighting for your nem is a very important aspect of their care. These creatures need a lot of light to truly thrive because they’re photosynthetic. Basically, that means that they absorb light to make food and grow. The anemone has zooxanthellae in its body, which are symbiotic microorganisms they feed on. Without proper lighting, the anemone will expel the zooxanthellae and turn white. This process is called bleaching and often leads to death.
A moderate amount of flow is recommended. Many aquarists agree that too much flow will cause the anemone to stretch out and look stringy. Keeping things moderate will help avoid this from happening. Avoid directing your jets at the anemone. The creatures enjoy subtle movement at all times. But too much direct flow hitting the anemone will force it to move.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 27, 2021

Indytab99 · Oct 27, 2021

blaxsun said:
If I had to make an educated guess, it looks more like a carpet anemone (or what might remain of one). It's definitely not a long tube anemone and it doesn't look like any of the bubbletip anemones that I have (I have six, and none of them have tentacles that small, short or numerous; and I've never seen a bubbletip that vivid green color).

Very interesting. Thank you for your thoughts. The color might be off in the picture. She has white tile and a purple bottom. I hope she makes it