BTA dying?

[hayst]

Hi everyone! New member here and first post has to be about death, yuck. My wife bought a BTA about 2 weeks ago and we put it in our 30 gal Nano Cube. Everything is stock on it, so I'm pretty sure the lights are a bit underpowered (something we weren't told by our LFS), but we plan on upgrading now that we know. We've gone through the "digesting/excreting waste" phase so I kind of know what the BTA should look like then. We've also tested the water and all the levels are fine.

Well last time he really looked bad and fell from the rock he was perched on, since then he has moved around on the ground and hasn't really been showing his full colors, some of his "tubes", for lack of a better word, were shriveled and some were only half full of water. Well today when we got up he has shriveled even more and it looks like he has his mouth as open as it can go. He looks the worst I have ever seen him.

Thanks for any help!

 

[melosu58]

He does not look good if he`s even alive. He looks dead to me. Dont wait to long to get him out as he will fall apart when you try to remove him. It was probably your lighting or I dont know how long your tank has been up and running but the need a mature tank of at least 9-12 months IMO.

 

[hayst]

I just called the LFS and they said he was purging his system, I don't know whether to believe them or not. The water doesn't smell and he's not falling apart.

We've had the tank up for about 8 months now.

 

[melosu58]

You said he fell off the rock?

 

[hayst]

You said he fell off the rock?

Yeah, he started sliding off of it when he went into his excreting phase and eventually fell off of it. Now he's moved further back and has kind of covered himself, folded over. I'm gonna just give it a day or so and see if anything happens.

 

[Speakerman]

CC substrate, how are your parameters? CC in a nano cube with no refugium sounds like a potential nitrate factory to me.

 

[hayst]

CC substrate, how are your parameters? CC in a nano cube with no refugium sounds like a potential nitrate factory to me.

We tested the Nitrate, Ammonia, and PH a few days ago and they all came out at normal levels.

 

[hayst]

He's looking better. His mouth isn't open all the way any more, but he's still shriveled up. I'm gonna give him a day or two, make sure I keep a good eye on him to see if he starts breaking apart.

 

[ccCapt]

That doesn't look good at all. I would be suprized if it made a come back.
How long has the tank been running?

 

[RazorbacksFan]

That doesn't look good at all. I would be suprized if it made a come back.
How long has the tank been running?

8 months as the OP said further up.

 

[Tank2379]

How is your lighting? I have seen some BTA bounce back from this sickness? Could be something in the water that your LFS mush been supplementing for health reasons. I would give it a few days. But then again I am not an expert when it come to Nem's... JMO

 

[Stat]

So whats the verdict did your BTA bounce back ?

 

[hayst]

Unfortunately, no. When I got home yesterday he seemed to have some pink algae-like substance on him and we moved him a little with a feeding stick and saw is pedicle was beginning to break apart. We took him out right away and just chocked it up to a learning experience.

We did a water change right away, not only was it time but we didn't want his particles floating around, and went to the LFS to cheer ourselves up. The wife bought a bit more live sand, live rock, a gobi and a few turbos. I'll post a pic once I can get a good one. Thanks for all you guys help!

Also, we plan on upgrading our lighting, but the Nano cube only has one light adapter. Will we need to get a new lighting enclosure for the hood?

 

[spikey]

sorry to find that out!

 

[thincat]

A picture of your setup would help.