Questions on BTA and Green Goniopora

[Oldman]

Hi. New to the site and to the "additiction" of saltwater aquariums. Started research in Dec 03 and set-up 70gal, glass bowfront, corner tank in Mar 04. Have about 85lbs of assorted live rock and 60lbs of live sand. After tank stabalized, added clean up crew and then gradually added fish, BTA, and corals. May have added too much in the 3 months, but all was going great till about 3 days ago. All water readings have been relatively constant and within published parameters. The BTA has been in tank about two weeks, was opening/closing/eating, and then started moving around the rocks. Yesterday morning he was completely hidden (still is) somewhere in tank. The articles I've read go from he is splitting, leave it alone, to he is dying/dead - get him out. Would love some opinions before I tear the tank apart to find him.

The Green Goniopora has been in tank about 10 days, was looking great till yesterday when it would not open all day. Still has not opened and I notice a light gray color on some parts of him. I have him at bottom of tank on the sand. Is he gone?

Would greatly appreciate any help you would provide - thanks

[RobertG]

Patience my friend. Welcome to Maast. I would think do nothing at this point. Let the BTA do his thing. He might just be looking for someplace more comfy for him. The Goinopora is a tricky coral. I never had good luck with them. What are your water parameters? Nitrate, Ammonia, & PH This will help us help you.

[Dozer]

Welcome!

I would agree with Robert, leave him alone at this point. I would wait at least a few days before I thought about finding him. Then, very carefully, locate him and flip over the whole rock he's under(assuming this is possible, depending on what else might be on this rock), thus exposing him to the light and making him easier to feed. I think BTA's might be a little more prone to wander than some other anemones. My rose wandered a bit before finding a favorite spot. Then, when I did a water change and cleaning one day, wandered again, split, and then both settled again. In a way wandering means they are somehow not happy, but it isn't any reason to panic, imo. To me the key is eating/not eating. If they're eating I don't worry at all. If not, I would really worry (hasn't happened to me yet).

What are you feeding? It was recommended to me to feed silversides and ours have done great on those.

[Oldman]

Water stats as of yesterday: Temp 82, SPG 1.024, pH 8.2, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate 0, Cal 450 and dkH 8.4

The two times I target fed him (a week apart) was krill. A day after I fed him the first time he "crunched" up and later expelled a brown, item. Then was ok - fed him the next week, and then he started to move.

Since my first note I turned the Goniopora around and saw a hole, purple colored in him and right above the hole is a yellow prickly "ball" that is a little less than a 1/4". I am sure the coral is dead - any ideas about what these are and I assume they caused his demise.

Thank you - Sid

[BA]

any pics?

[Oldman]

Well I am afraid he died - saw some very white "tissue" way back in rocks and moved some rocks to try and find him, but no luck. Which leads me to big question -- do I need to tear my tank apart to try and find him to remove from tank? My ammonia level is till 0 and there is no odor, everything else seems to be ok. If yes, could you give me best way to do it as I have fish, corals, live rock in tank with no sump to move them to. What would happen if I just leave things alone?

Have no pics good enough to show problems with BTA or Goniopora. Thanks all - Sid

[Oldman]

Sorry, was not clear - the BTA is what has died

[RobertG]

Sorry to here this. I would let the tank mature some more before trying another. I would try & add more life to your system with more live rock. Let it age & things should work themselves out. Be Patient. Once Again Sorry.

[Oldman]

Thanks - I don't have the room to add more live rock without having to tear down tank. Is that what you think I should do?
Originally I was planning on adding my last fish, a Yellow Tang, in about 10 days, then leaving everything alone for awhile. Then try another anemone in a few months if no other problems show up.

[RobertG]

Check your water & if everything looks good take the chance on the fish. You do have other fish now? If so I would think you would be alright. BTA's are a little tougher than other anemones. I had one a long time ago when my tank was younger, it passed also. I have never tried one again. Or you can wait a little longer & mature the tank. Patience is the key...

HTH Good Luck

Robert

[Tim Marvin]

First off, were did your Live Rock come from? Did you buy the rock from one of the tank break downs locally or from a LFS/online. This makes a difference when we try to age the system. I've had lots of people tell me the tank is only a couple weeks old when they bought some of Jim's rock for instance. This is actually a move and not a new set-up. New to them but not new in reality. If it was bought online or from the LFS you need to wait 6 months to 1 year before even trying these two corals. Goniopora is very difficult to keep and even the pro's are unsuccessful. I am going to try it one more time feeding with cyclopeeze to see if I can have one. I have 2 corals that are very simular to the goniopora that I have been feeding with cyclopeeze that have not died off at all and actually seem to be growing. as for the BTA they are one of the hardiest anemones and should recover if the parameters are all fine. They die very easily if you nitrates or phosphates in the tank though. I have had great luck with rufugiums and keeping these anemones. I have had well over 100 anemones pass through these tanks and a lot of them have been residents for extended periods of time. I currently have 5 that have been with me for over a year, splitting and happy.

[BA]

if you've ever seen them, you'll prob agree w/ me, Gator has some of the COOLEST looking gonioparas i've ever seen, the pink one and white one look awesome, i've never seen them that color in stores

[Oldman]

Thanks again. I bought my live rock "semi-cured" (about 86lbs) from LFS and then added live sand (60lbs) and waited about month. When water stats were good I added "clean-up" crew, then began adding some fish and corals. Tank seems to be very stable based on my water tests -- however, I have never tested for phosphates -- I assume I need another test kit. Ammonia still 0 and no smell, but no sign of BTA.