Green BTA not looking so good! HELP!

Hey all,

I've had this Green Bubble Tip Anemone for about a month or so. It has been doing fine with my Clarkii. This past weekend I installed a sump and removed my External Canister Filter (all major filter components are now in the sump) and now my BTA isn't looking so good. He shrivled up then started to pooped out his mouth which I know is normal but usually he perks right back up, not this time.

As you can see in the attached picture he isn't looking so good. He does have color still which is sort of a relief but its mouth is open. I should have mentioned the he moved from the top of a rock to the side where he is now and has been looking glum. My Clarkii won't leave it alone and trying to stir it up.

Recent H20 Parameters:

Temp: 75F-77F
SG: 1.024
PH: 8.2-8.4
Nitrite: 0 mg/L
Nitrate: 20 mg/L
Ammonia: 0 mg/L
Calcium: 500-520
Phosphate: 0 mg/L
dKh: 8-10

It is a 55 Gallon setup. I have a SunDial T5 24hr system Light with 2 10k and 2 Actinic Blue lights equaling 216w roughly and Lunar Lights. Have a Stg 1 Koralia Powerhead moving water at 15 minute On-Off Intervals during the day in one direction and 15 mintues every hour at night in the same direction. My BTA is around 20" from the light. I have been keeping up with reef supplements such as calcium, Stronium and all that good stuff. Tank has been up and running for over a year now. I do have a Bubble Coral that is living everyday just fine so I am not understanding why my BTA is acting up?

My new sump includes: 10 Gallon tank, Berlin Red Sea 2x Skimmer, Heater, pieces of LR, Floss Filter, and Mag 7. It is a slow gentle flow back into the tank from the sump with the return recirc open at 50%.

Tank houses:

Clarkii Clownfish
Pseudochromis Orange & Purple Bi-Color
Lawnmower Blenny
Peppermint Shrimp
Turbo Snails
Blue & Red Hermit Crabs
Pink Bubble Corals

65lbs Live Rock
45lbs Live Sand
-Derrick

P.S. Been fighting off slight Brown & Green algae problem on glass and sand for a little while now. Probably related to over feeding. This problem is being tended to properly.

 

well from the info. you have listed their can probably be at least 4 things of what it could be.. One he is not getting anough light on the side...Two he can still be adjusting to the new surrowndings sense he did move sometimes it takes a while..Three your clown is to rough with it(id try if u have another sw tank putting the clown in their to see if he opens up).Four i think your calcium is a bit high i think a good range is around 450 on the higher end.

 

"This past weekend I installed a sump and removed my External Canister Filter"

Did it have bio media in it? If so the sudden loss of that bio media could have spiked some of your params, which would piss the nem off.

 

Pgoodsell, no bio- media was installed. All the sand and LR took its place. Just 2 layers of floss filter, loss carbon media in a bag and nitrate sponge in a bag was in the canister filter.

 

Stoney, it looked fine up until this weekend. The clown is a little rough but I don't think the BTA minds. The clowns length reach from one end of the anemone to the other cause the BTA is small. The BTA moved itself on the side of the rock so I won't make him move. My calcium was high because of adding a sump which increased my total volume so I over compensated a little on the calcium. I will try placing the clown in my 100 gallon aggressive tank for a day or two and watch the reef.

 

Ok, so I am playing keep Nemo away from the Anemone as we speak. Seems like the theory of my Clarkii being to large for the Anemone is true. My nemo is really mad but the BTA is coming down off of his rock and onto the sand bed. His mouth is more closed now and his tips are more full.

I did notice two interesting things thou.

1. It's foot is HUGE!! It looks almost transparent from swelling of some sort... any idea why this is?

2. It looks like there is a small pin hole next to its mouth bout 1/8" away. I am wondering if it is going to try and spilt.

I am debating about going to the LFS and picking up another Anemone that is larger and more adequate for my Clarkii.

Input is appreciated!

 

My maroon badgers my BTA when it eats!!
if it doesn't improve in (insert amount of days here) buy a new one

 

lol, one step ahead of you Yellow Tang. I just got back from the LFS with a medium Rose Tip Anemone. Waiting for it to settle in and hopefully my Clarkii wil leave my Green Tip alone for a while.

 

any update? How is it doing? Last time when I saw my BTA like this I am scared and took it out...

 

My maroons were REALLY hard on my anemone, so bad where I bought a larger one. They wore that one down just as bad and ended up killing both of them. General rule is for the diameter if the anemone to be at least twice the length of the clown that is hosting it or it will wear it out fast. After 2 anemones, my maroons aren't getting another home.
The small tear could be from the clown biting it. My maroons did it on the edge of their anemones. It would heal up after a week, but it doesn't help the anemone stay big and healthy.
having 500ppm of Ca is ok, as long as the Alk and Mg are in balance with it. With 500 Ca, you would want about 1400 Mg and dKH at about 12.