Is my rbta a lost cause? New reefer needs help

fishermanaurl

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Hello reef community,

I know there’s a lot of forums out there but I can’t seem to find the answer... any help appreciated

i got a rose bubble tip anemone and it’s very unhappy or dying. It never settled from day 1 I got it (this is day 14) and it went in between my rocks (not getting much light!!) . I could never see it’s legs or mouth because it’s hiding inside the small crevice so i left it alone to slowly accustom to my tank.


it was already deflated & moved deeper into the rock yesterday. Still can’t see the foot nor mouth.

Also I saw a chunk of anemone (about the size of a thumb’s finger nail) floating around my tank yesterday.

question:
1) what could be the cause of it dying?
2) Should I attempt to remove it before it nukes my tank? Or pray it recovers?
3) & if yes, HOW do I remove it because it’s between my rock work (see pic below) and it’s a single piece of rock !!

parameters:
Salinity 1.025
Dkh: 9
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 50
Mg: 1280
Ca: 400
Tank age now: 3 months

Thank u everyone

EC02087F-1785-4223-82D7-B9B33298D397.jpeg

D8BE1A13-91AC-4D5F-A9AD-D1FBFFFBA62D.jpeg
AA7BBD68-08B0-4AAC-A95F-11E1B9CB11F5.jpeg
 
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fishermanaurl

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For what it’s worth this is how the rbta polyps look like when magnified - in between the rocks

(did u know iPhone has a magnifying glass option? Wow!!)

9731008D-3C37-46D6-BDBB-0D6032A97706.jpeg
 

laverda

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You numbers look good. I would double check your alk. My experience is they don't attach when put in a tank where the Alk is a lot different then what they were in. What are your phosphates at? What light are you using and what is your light schedule?? Did it have good color when you first got it? Where did you get it?
There is something we don't know that is clearly missing in new tanks, especially ones set up with dry rock. My guess is it may be some sort of beneficial bacteria. Did you use any sort of bacteria additive to start the tank. It has settled in place now and will reach out for light if/when ready. I would not try to move it or worry about it nukeing your tank.
 

laverda

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For what it’s worth this is how the rbta polyps look like when magnified - in between the rocks

(did u know iPhone has a magnifying glass option? Wow!!)

9731008D-3C37-46D6-BDBB-0D6032A97706.jpeg
They don't look red at all. Looks more like a bleached green BTA. Is that the color they were when you got it.
 
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fishermanaurl

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You numbers look good. I would double check your alk. My experience is they don't attach when put in a tank where the Alk is a lot different then what they were in. What are your phosphates at? What light are you using and what is your light schedule?? Did it have good color when you first got it? Where did you get it?
There is something we don't know that is clearly missing in new tanks, especially ones set up with dry rock. My guess is it may be some sort of beneficial bacteria. Did you use any sort of bacteria additive to start the tank. It has settled in place now and will reach out for light if/when ready. I would not try to move it or worry about it nukeing your tank.
Just double checked - dkh is 9.0 which is what I’ve been maintaining it at.

Yes we added Special Blend + nite out II (total used 3 bottles)

lights: zetlight qmaven II
light schedule: 15 hours with below settings

7:30-8:30am: 4% white, 16% blue, 6% red+green, 15% blue+violet +UV
830-10:30am: 8% white, 32% blue, 8% red+green, 30% blue+violet +UV
10:30 - 6:30pm: 20% white, 80% blue, 30% red+green, 75% blue+violet +UV
6:30pm - 8:30pm: 12% white, 48% blue, 18% red+green, 45% blue+violet +UV
8:30-10:30pm: 6% white, 24% blue, 8% red+green, 23% blue+violet +UV

my concern is that my rbta had a chunk of it fall off yesterday and I see 1-2 little tentacles floating around today as well.

there’s also white slimy long mucus seen
 
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fishermanaurl

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They don't look red at all. Looks more like a bleached green BTA. Is that the color they were when you got it.
1446F867-684C-4E37-94C0-B19C670926E2.jpeg


Here is how it looked on 3rd day.

I thought my rbta found his spot at the back here (after walking from the front side of the rock) but nope..... it went into the crevice (as per first 3 photos above) again
 

KrisReef

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If it is loosing chunks it will not survive. A tentacle or two they can spare, but body parts floating in the tank would require divine intervention for a recovery. Sorry.
 
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fishermanaurl

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If it is loosing chunks it will not survive. A tentacle or two they can spare, but body parts floating in the tank would require divine intervention for a recovery. Sorry.
Oh man.... any recommendations on how to remove the dying anemone?

Can I use callipers to remove it while the rock is inside the water (will it disintegrate???) as u can see the rbta is wedged between my big piece of rock which is difficult to remove
 
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fishermanaurl

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Used a turkey baster to try to create some movement if the anemone would move but nope just blew out another chunk of it
Video as per attached
141BCB39-8DE3-4E1E-9856-7425ED556A67.png
 
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fishermanaurl

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Removed it from the rock by completely removing the rock from water. It fell off when I flipped the rock over.

looks like this now - lol I honestly don’t know because it’s my first rbta - is it a goner??

it’s still in my pail now.
 

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fishermanaurl

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@Jay Hemdal wondering if you’d be able to advice?

dump the anemone or put it back into the DT (inside a box)? It’s just sitting in my pail right now LOL my QT has cupramine now I can’t put it in

Removed it from the rock by completely removing the rock from water. It fell off when I flipped the rock over.

looks like this now - lol I honestly don’t know because it’s my first rbta - is it a goner??

it’s still in my pail now.
 

BostonReefer300

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How big is your tank and are you running carbon? If a big enough tank (with healthy biofilter) and running carbon, I'd suggest giving the nem another chance. I recently had one that I thought was a goner for sure, but it pulled a recovery. I'd put it back in the DT in an isolation box. Make sure the box is getting some flow (low flow though) and light (lower side---around 100 PAR). If it attaches to the box after a day, it's alive obviously and you can figure out things from there. If it's just floating around or falling apart after a day, it's dead. Also, not sure why the picture shows it as bleach white. Looks like it had lost all of its zooxanthellae.
 

fishguy242

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hi,hang tight wait for experts @OrionN and @Eagle_Steve ,i think poss savable w cipro treatment.?? they will come,best wishes..
 

OrionN

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You have to decide if you want to treat it with antibiotic or not. It does need treatment, but BTA sometime can live through infection, and antibiotic treatment is troublesome and require dedicated equipment and antibiotic. There is a sticky thread on this forum I wrote regarding antibiotic treatment. If you decided on treatment you should follow instructions in that thread. Getting the equipment is easy but sometime getting antibiotic quickly can be a problem for some of us. Time is of essence if you decide to do this.

For BTA , you can put him back inside the DT in a basket with some rock in it. He may recover on his own. If he died then you can take him out. It is OK for a BTA to die in a small reef tank. It will NOT wipe out your tank.

Good luck with him.
 

Jay Hemdal

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Sorry, that looks like mesentarial tissue, the anemones internal structure. Once you see that, you can rarely save them (at least I’ve never able to). You should lift it to the surface and smell it for decomposition - when you smell that, you need to dispose of it so it doesn’t foul the tank. Sorry!
Jay
 

OrionN

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Unlike @Jay Hemdal, from the last 2 pictures, my take is that the anemone is still intact and is making it last effort to rid itself of the bacterial infection it by empty itself of all the fluid, inverted itself.

BTA, but not other more sensitive host anemones, in this stage can be treat but treatment need to be start right away.
To me, dying anemone is one with tissue disintegrated and small chunks come off with fussy border and it will smell terrible. If this is the case then it is pass saving and should be flushed down the toilet.
 

OrionN

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Leaving him in the bucket is a death sentence, you may as well flush him.
Get a basket or something like this to put him in in your DT at the very least. I copy this picture dome somebody else in this forum.
954EBA93-F072-48FB-A7F1-BEA6414A0753.jpeg
 

Eagle_Steve

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Leaving him in the bucket is a death sentence, you may as well flush him.
Get a basket or something like this to put him in in your DT at the very least. I copy this picture dome somebody else in this forum.
954EBA93-F072-48FB-A7F1-BEA6414A0753.jpeg
I agree with @OrionN. They the tough and can make it through treatment like this. Also agree with putting back in tank, unless you plan to treat in bucket or flush it. Just be sure to watch it to see if it starts to dissolve and melt. If it does, remove and flush.

Treatment can be done in a bucket, but you need all items mentioned in the sticky in the clownfish and nem section, expect the bucket is your tank.
 

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