Temp was stable and ammonia and nitrite had been reading zeros again. I had a nitrate spike...small one...with the algae bloom...but it was when my filter was down for a day because of repairs...my skimmer was working.

Gah I dunno. The tank had established rock and sand bed...the sand was from my tank that was a year old.

My pods are all still kickin and my bristle worms too...

I just didnt have a ton of experience with Xenia...it was all doing so well then it just melted.

Lesson learned.

When I feed my BTAs I clean up when they expell...I just figure if I have dead shrimp...they might as well be useful. I have not KNOCK ON WOOD...lost a BTA yet..the one I got as a newbie and found it was dyed...I nursed it for a year and it actually split for me...in this tank a month ago.

I also keep a very close eye on them...where they move...how they eat...when they need a hand...what symbiotes hurt more than help...etc.

I have been really lucky.

Pagan...the shrimp that we thought the BTA ate were the ones that were alive but hiding...until yesterday.