Damaged BTA

[esears]

Yesterday afternoon my wife and I went out and got a BTA for our tank. We acclimated everything and it was looking great when we went to bed. It was fulled extended and generally just looking healthy. Well when we got up this morning, it is half deflated and has two very obvious flesh wounds in it. One is about half the size of a dime and the other one is a bit smaller. It has during the day retracted itself inward as much as possible on one side and it's tentacles are very limp and deflated looking. One half of it doesn't seem to be that bad and is somewhat normal looking.

We moved the anemone to our sump tank to try to keep the other fish away from it as they seemed to be expressing some interest in it and we had to keep shooing them away to keep them from pecking at it. From what I've read everyone says to just keep the water conditions stable and leave them be and they will either heal or they won't. Is this just the best thing to be doing?

It's foot is great and when we moved it we kept it attached to the rock it had decided it liked. Was it a mistake to move it or should we just let it see if it can heal in the sump or put it back in the other tank? Thanks a lot.

 

[Aquatic Guru]

You know....I'm really " dumb " lately with abbreviations but what does " BTA " stand for??:?:

 

[payge]

BTA is for Bubble Tip Aneneme (sp).....Any advice would be great

I feel so bad he had just found a nook of his own and was spread out and huge..no he's all withdrawn And the fish won't let him be...

Help....if you can

Payge

 

[mmkeeper]

Your bubble tip will open and close move around till it fines a happy place. Sometimes it will look great, others you will think it time to remove it. JUst keep a eye one it and try to target feed it when it is opem.

 

[payge]

We tried to feed it this morning hoping it would coax it out...no luck..altho we didn't expect it to eat...having read/been told to give it a week before even trying....

The holes are very noticeable..not just a matter of it closing /deflating...but these holes look like maybe the Puffer or our Sally Lightfoot crab took a big mouthful out of it...the 2 spots (holes) look bad to me...deep gouges in the flesh that looks to be attempting to be closed off to heal...they are nasty flesh wounds..it's still able to hold onto the rock it liked..but it looks very stressed and unhappy now...

Is there a way we can sorta block the fish from nipping at it? w/o blocking light and water flow?? maybe a net/mesh box made of something SW safe??

Don't wanna lose him

 

[steve-s]

What species of puffer (as well as other tank mates) and where exactly are the wounds located? I cannot make out the pics...

Please give a general rundown on the tank set up, age, water quality/chemistry tests and any other relavent info possible. Try not to move the anemone or disturb it any further unless in danger. As far as the fish bothering it, you can segregate a corner/side of the tank using eggcrate (lighting difuser).

Unfortunately by the sounds of it, your tank may not be the ideal place for this type of invertebrate.

Cheers
Steve

 

[payge]

We have 1 Valentini Puffer approx 3in (max)..1 PJ Cardinal..1 Sixline Wrasse..2 False Percs (black)..1 Sally Lightfoot Crab..mixed blue legged hermits...1 Lawnmower Blenny...1 Clown Goby (green)..1 Red Scooter Blenny..1 Sandsifting Star..

The "wounds" were on the side near the top where the tentacles are..1 mid section (base) 1 higher up just under where the tips meet the base..

Its still stuck very securely to its rock..the other coral life is doing great..even the Xenia is recovering nicely and has split for the first time

All tank parameters are in Normal range..using FastTest kits ...amonia Ph and such..the tank is now roughly 3mo old..was very stable ..

We had tried a Condy first...but the more we read on it the less we thought it suited the tank..So we returned it for a BTA...and now the poor bugger is all injured... I just don't want to see it suffer..as it was quite happy last nite in its spot it found..It looks as tho it's trying to pull thru....

Here's Hoping for the best....oh the tank is 80g if that makes a difference with Odyssea lighting PC 240w--I think-- its at about 3watts or so per gallon..Daylight/Actinic....

Thanks

 

[mmkeeper]

What are your nitrates?

 

[thermacline]

I'm no expert but your tank is a little new for an anemone. Anenomes need to be in well established tank. They are a difficult animal to keep. With that said I put a red bubble tip in my aquarium and it opened up nice and full and the next morning it had a big wound on its side. I was worried about it until I looked around and found that there werre two in my tank. It split over night. This may be what is happening. Is the wound getting any bigger? Keep an eye on it, if it dies it could cause a big ammonia spike. Hopfuly someone else chimes in that has a little more knowledge to further help you out.

mark

 

[payge]

Not Sure on the exact numbers of Nitrates...but I know they were in the "buffer/safe" zone on strip tests and in the very low norm zone on the Test kits...

Will his "foot" pop off the rock if/when he dies?? I would rather not risk the rest of the livestock over this one aneneme Specially since the 2 clowns alone are worth more than this guy

The wound doesnt seem to be gettin bigger but its seems to be pushing fleshy stuff out..almost oozing if you would... Sure has been a not good thing to watch

Thanks for the info.

 

[steve-s]

I would agree on the tank age, far too young for this kind of invertebrate. Nitrates should also be as close to undetectable as possible. I would also be a little concerned about light penetration. In this particular circumstance though I do not believe these to be the cause but can make matters worse.

I think in this case, your culprit is the puffer. While they are moreso prone to attacking/eating crustaceans, they are not above sampling sessile inverts and smaller anemones. This could have easily happened while the anemone was balled up. There is also the possibility of mechanical damage(?) from powerheads or the like. The wound could be getting worse if picked at or leading up to a stress splitting, either way not really good news. :doubt:

You really need to pass this on to someone more set up for the anemones needs (local reefing club or such). I would not move it back to the sump but if you have a lit refugium, that will do in a pinch until it can be permanently relocated. Barring that, I would create a barrier (eggcrate/plexiglass with holes) to keep out the fish/crustaceans, so the anemone does not get worse. Do some large water changes in the short term (well aged/aerated) to reduce DOC that may potentially exaserbate the wound.

Sorry to be a naysayer, but I really do not think this animal belongs in this type of set up. I would also urge you to carefully consider compatibility and care before choosing your next addition. FWIW, clowns do not need a host anemone to do well. More commonly just the fact they are a pair if often as much as they need.

Cheers
Steve

 

[payge]

Yeah I wish the fish store had shunned me away....the Puffer has never sampled the other corals..and only 1 hermit....I've gotten all my fishes but 2 from this fish place...they knew the tank, I will try calling them..altho If its too far gone not much they can do probably but dispose of it...

Thanks.

 

[plack]

I disagree on the tank maturity being a factor with it if it's got good water parameters. Having got a sebay after my tank was only 3 months old , and I still have it I do think it was attacked by the puffer or sally crab period. It will need light in the sump to survive or somehow be separated from the offenders.
Good luck sorry to hear about that I do think you need to research what an animal needs and what is compatable with it at some point hopefully before you get it but if not right away as this can be the unfortunate result.
Paul

 

[liveforphysics]

I will trade you for a heartier anemone ( not a RTBA or BTA, as they are delicate and sensitive) in perfect health, and then give you your own bta back for free when ever you think you are ready for it, and it has healed back to strong health. Yes, thats as good of a deal as it sounds. No strings attached. When a bta starts poofing out its guts like that, its in the dying process. When they are wounded AND in the dying process, they really only have a few days to live.

 

[Elmo18]

I'm sorry to just butt in

am I correct to say esears and Payge are talking about the same anemone?

Best,
Ilham

 

[liveforphysics]

I think they are husband and wife.

 

[Elmo18]

I sent a PM Luke.

Best,
Ilham

 

[liveforphysics]

Just to clarify, I'm not going to trade a BTA or RTBA for your damaged BTA. I have this huge pinkish/fleshcolored annomnie which clowns can host (I dont know the type). Its a very hearty species which I belive would do well in your enviroment. I am willing to do this so I can have only BTAs in a perticular reef.

So, dont worry Mike, your babies will all be kept safe and sound and hopefully rapidly multiplying.

 

[esears]

I'm sorry to just butt in

am I correct to say esears and Payge are talking about the same anemone?

Best,
Ilham

Yes, we are husband/wife.

 

[steve-s]

The BTA will definately heal in a more suitable environment but I would not suggest replacing it with a different species. At least for the time being, you should forgo adding a new anemone.

I disagree on the tank maturity being a factor with it if it's got good water parameters. Having got a sebay after my tank was only 3 months old , and I still have it

I don't mean this as a "shot" but one time possitive result is by no means a future recipe for success. While the possibility for this does exist, the reality is these types of invertebrates are simpley far to sensitive to their environment and more often than not placing them in a young tank is not a wise choice.

Cheers
Steve