HelP with possible sick rbta

Fishfanatic4454 · 02/08/2012, 09:56 PM

I recently bought a rbta from the Lfs who said they got it from a customer who's rbta had babies. It's little and about an inch and a half big foot. The bulbs seems to be doing great but it has had its foot hiding in a barnacle decoration for the first few days and now it has moved and he foot looks like it is white with some skin like stuff coming off. Also the mouth is tightly closed but it has some white markings near the center. I will try posting pics but any help as to what his may be would be great. It came from a ph of 8.2 and a temp of 80 and my tank parameters are as follows...

Ph 8.2-8.3
Temps: 80-82
Nitrates: 0
Nitrites: 0
Calcium 440ppm

Pictures can be found in my album...

Again any help as soon as possible would be great. I know how quickly they can die and destroy entire systems.

bradleym · 02/08/2012, 11:23 PM

While that is odd, it is far from dead. I would just leave it be as long as that's all there is to it. Since you've had it for a few days, try to give it a thawed mysis shrimp. If it eats and the mouth closes all the time, I wouldn't worry about it.

Fishfanatic4454 · 02/09/2012, 08:03 AM

The little guy moved again last night about a few inches. This morning very bubbly though. I can no longer see the mouth with its positioning now though. I am sorry too I forgot a few things as far as my tank parameters...

The salinity is at 1.0245.
My lighting is 2 x 250 Watt MH with 4 x 65 Watt PC (2 blue actinics, and 2 50/50 10k-blue actinics).

As soon as I shut the lights off last night I saw it detach and start to move and the foot didn't look as bad since it was move stretched maybe?

I tried feeding it last night but it would not eat from what I saw. Would you recommend Mysis only or is there something else like frozen krill or silversides that would work better and entice it to eat? I plan on buying a pairs of picassos within the next week or two but I know there is no guarantee with them hosting it.

Any other feedback from people as to why the mouth has that white around it?

Thanks for the response so far.

bradleym · 02/09/2012, 04:03 PM

I would recommend mysis, krill, shrimp, scallops, or squid, but only in pieces the size of the anemone's mouth. Mysis is the only one you won't have to cut up. I would not recommend silversides due to many bad reports here on this forum.

BairdimusPrime · 02/09/2012, 04:56 PM

My RBTA's reject silversides but LOVE fresh diced scallops
they key is variety best of luck

02/08/2012, 09:56 PM	#1
Fishfanatic4454 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2	HelP with possible sick rbta I recently bought a rbta from the Lfs who said they got it from a customer who's rbta had babies. It's little and about an inch and a half big foot. The bulbs seems to be doing great but it has had its foot hiding in a barnacle decoration for the first few days and now it has moved and he foot looks like it is white with some skin like stuff coming off. Also the mouth is tightly closed but it has some white markings near the center. I will try posting pics but any help as to what his may be would be great. It came from a ph of 8.2 and a temp of 80 and my tank parameters are as follows... Ph 8.2-8.3 Temps: 80-82 Nitrates: 0 Nitrites: 0 Calcium 440ppm Pictures can be found in my album... Again any help as soon as possible would be great. I know how quickly they can die and destroy entire systems. Last edited by Fishfanatic4454; 02/08/2012 at 10:19 PM. Reason: add info...

02/08/2012, 11:23 PM	#2
bradleym Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Shrewsbury/St. Louis, Mo Posts: 3,878	While that is odd, it is far from dead. I would just leave it be as long as that's all there is to it. Since you've had it for a few days, try to give it a thawed mysis shrimp. If it eats and the mouth closes all the time, I wouldn't worry about it. __________________ Happy reefing means sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Current Tank Info: 92g corner round. No sand, lots of mushrooms.

02/09/2012, 08:03 AM	#3
Fishfanatic4454 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2	update... The little guy moved again last night about a few inches. This morning very bubbly though. I can no longer see the mouth with its positioning now though. I am sorry too I forgot a few things as far as my tank parameters... The salinity is at 1.0245. My lighting is 2 x 250 Watt MH with 4 x 65 Watt PC (2 blue actinics, and 2 50/50 10k-blue actinics). As soon as I shut the lights off last night I saw it detach and start to move and the foot didn't look as bad since it was move stretched maybe? I tried feeding it last night but it would not eat from what I saw. Would you recommend Mysis only or is there something else like frozen krill or silversides that would work better and entice it to eat? I plan on buying a pairs of picassos within the next week or two but I know there is no guarantee with them hosting it. Any other feedback from people as to why the mouth has that white around it? Thanks for the response so far.

02/09/2012, 04:03 PM	#4
bradleym Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Shrewsbury/St. Louis, Mo Posts: 3,878	I would recommend mysis, krill, shrimp, scallops, or squid, but only in pieces the size of the anemone's mouth. Mysis is the only one you won't have to cut up. I would not recommend silversides due to many bad reports here on this forum. __________________ Happy reefing means sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Current Tank Info: 92g corner round. No sand, lots of mushrooms.

02/09/2012, 04:56 PM	#5
BairdimusPrime Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Monmouth county NJ Posts: 259	My RBTA's reject silversides but LOVE fresh diced scallops they key is variety best of luck