Bubble tip help.

[Sharkattackmack]

We got this guy about a week ago. At the store looked good, took him home and got him to attach(or so I thought I did). The next day he was attached to the back wall. I know these guys move around a lot so I was worried. Now he keeps sucking himself further and further from light. Do I have a kamikaze bubble tip? Any tips on what I should do?

 

[lapin]

Let him move around. Maybe he will find the happy place. It might not be where you want it to be .

 

[laverda]

It is very bleached, so it was not healthy to start with. Keep your parameters stable. Feed lightly and give it plenty of light. It will take a long time to get its color back. Having nitrates at 10 or higher is preferable for BTAs, as it is a food source for them.
It is moving around because it is not happy for some reason. What are you peramaters?

 

[ThePhoReefer]

Whoa didn’t know they needed nitrates. Is that something to do with their zooxanthellae?

 

[laverda]

It is a food source for them. I am not sure how the process it. Most life forms need both nitrate and phosphates to live. Just not excessive amounts, especially phosphate.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

It is a food source for them. I am not sure how the process it. Most life forms need both nitrate and phosphates to live. Just not excessive amounts, especially phosphate.

Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10-15
Salility .025sg
Alkalinity 11.2
Calcium 430
Magnesium 1480

Salt was a little low when we first added it. It's since positioned itself at the bottom of our tank. We've added some corals, got a few more testing kits and will continue to watch him.

 

[laverda]

You alkalinity is on the high side. I am guessing a fair bit higher than your LFS keeps theirs at. ALK changes definitely creates stress for BTAs. Can you have someone test your phosphate? For you

 

[ThePhoReefer]

8-9 kh is the good spot to not stress your nem

 

[Sharkattackmack]

You alkalinity is on the high side. I am guessing a fair bit higher than your LFS keeps theirs at. ALK changes definitely creates stress for BTAs. Can you have someone test your phosphate? For you

I have the red sea phosphate test kit. I'll check it tomorrow. I was under the impression that 11 would be good for me as I have a mixed reef. I guess what's good for one isn't good for the other and finding a happy balence is what I need to do.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

You alkalinity is on the high side. I am guessing a fair bit higher than your LFS keeps theirs at. ALK changes definitely creates stress for BTAs. Can you have someone test your phosphate? For you

Phosphate is between .02-.04

 

[Mical]

As mentioned DKH is a little high - mine do well in the 8.5-9 dkh range. Post your temp please - they seem to like upper 78-79 degree range.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

As mentioned DKH is a little high - mine do well in the 8.5-9 dkh range. Post your temp please - they seem to like upper 78-79 degree range.

Jumps from 78-79. I'll try to let the dkh fall a little and find a happy medium for the nem and the coral. I think it's happy with the spot he found on the ground.