Ready for some help

[Bob]

My BTA that I purchased around Christmas has been doing spectacular until lately. I last fed a much larger piece of defrosted Orange Roughy than I would normally feed (about the size of 5 quarters stacked) some two to three weeks ago.He seemed to handle it ok, although it took some time for him to get his mouth around it. He proceeded to barf (excrete) several times over the next several days and has since not fully extended or taken any food. He was never agressive about feeding but would always accept food. LOL..my clowns wont have anything to do with him and he seems very sensitive to any touching by anything. (a passive BTA?) I have told a friend that if he wont come around in a week or so I will give it to him rather than see him waste away. Any suggestions? He was so beautiful and happy and settled in my tank. I hate to admit defeat. temp 79, PH 8.1,NO2 0, No3 0, Alk 4.0, SpG, 1.022, Calcium 460,Po4 .1. The only thing I can come up with is SpG low and the buffer I have been adding over the past couple weeks to get my PH up. :(

[davelin315]

Need to know more about lighting and whether or not it's been moving around your tank or is staying put. Also, what do you mean by "sensitive"? Is it completely closing up or is it doing something else? Is it still sticky or have the nematocysts lost their fire power?

[Bob]

Need to know more about lighting and whether or not it's been moving around your tank or is staying put. Also, what do you mean by "sensitive"? Is it completely closing up or is it doing something else? Is it still sticky or have the nematocysts lost their fire power?

Thanks Dave, I run about 600 watts of compact flor. mixing atinic, daylight and combo atinic. He has always stayed put and never traveled. He still seems to be barfing even though he has eaten nothing in several weeks. His bubbles have gotten lighter in color (pale yellow green now, original darker green) He completely deflates several times a day but never fully inflates any more. I am not sure about stickyness or loosing firepower, he just does not seem to want to take any food. My tank is 150 g. I do 9 gal. water change once a week. I dont think location or lighting is of any negative factor.

Edited February 18, 2007 by Bob

[Grav]

IMO your SG is too low. A BTA would be more happy around 1.025.

 

Not sure that is the only issue, but it is a red flag I saw in your post.