What on earth happened to it?

my2rotties · #1 02-03-2009, 06:28 PM

Well I was checking my overflows and what do I behold in there...

There is a little baby LTA sitting in there at the bottom with hardly any light. I don't know if chunks of nems can turn into new ones or not. I know my nem was not splitting and had a bullet hole in it so I have no idea of what transpired. When I pulled the nem out the other day, I saw a chunk fall of it and go into the overflow. It was a chunk of tissue that fell off of the hole... but maybe I should not have taken it out. I was terrified it would tank my whole system and did not want to chance it.

I always thought they just split so my research is not showing anything about this incident. If they are mortally injured can any pieces turn into a new nem? I have no idea of how to get it out of my overflow since I cannot get to it at all. It is clear instead of pink right now and seems to be fine though. I guess it will move up if it needs to do so and it does get food at the bottom of the overflow. I'm just going to leave it alone.

Any insight with this?

Carmen · #2 02-03-2009, 06:40 PM

Just a thought, but may have just been splitting?? Or starting to split and ....something went wrong? Here's a pic of mine starting to split and it split from center out looking like a hole was "blown" through it and you could see all the insides exposed. As far as the piece is concerned can you try to get it with a small net? Small pieces can survive but I would think it would need light and feeding.

Hope you can salvage the light guy. Sorry to hear.

my2rotties · #3 02-03-2009, 07:13 PM

The thought of a split crossed my mind, but it guts were hanging out of it's mouth and the split was in the foot and not the mouth at all. When I finally picked it up, there was a huge hole in it with its guts hanging out there as well, and another hole closer to the tentacles. There was tissue falling off of it and I panicked. You know what I told you about hubby bringing it home, I was ****ed. I don't need that type of stress so early in the game.

I looked at post for pictures and it did not look the same. The little baby is suctioned to the very bottom of the overflows and even with my height and reach I can't get to it. When fish go down there I can't even fit a net to get it. I have a window beside the overflows and a small amount of light goes in there but not nearly enough. I also don't want to stress it out by trying to take it out so young. Maybe little tiny nems like to hide in low areas with small amount of light. I hope it moves up higher so I could snag it... I just don't want it to be eaten either.

Did yours' ever finish the split?

Carmen · #4 02-03-2009, 07:22 PM

Ya actually that doesn't sound too good with pieces falling off? Really sounds traumatic!
No still not fully split but ate again yesterday as it is, so for now I have a nem with 2 feet! And am not worried about it as long as it can eat. I guess it will finish the split when it's ready?!
Well hopefully the little nem does move up eventually. Perhaps add some light to the upper area of the overflow and it will encourage it to move to the top??
Good luck.

my2rotties · #5 02-03-2009, 07:52 PM

I tried to scoop it but it is so delicate and far down I can't get it. It is clear, so weird but I think I will let it decide if it wants to survive or not. Watch it be a really nice aiptasia, I can mange to grow the most magnificent aiptasia let me tell you. My copperband would rather eat mysis and super shrimp

Still wondering what killed my nem... an ugly worm worries me. Why can't Griff eat that? Silly puffer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmen

Ya actually that doesn't sound too good with pieces falling off? Really sounds traumatic!
No still not fully split but ate again yesterday as it is, so for now I have a nem with 2 feet! And am not worried about it as long as it can eat. I guess it will finish the split when it's ready?!
Well hopefully the little nem does move up eventually. Perhaps add some light to the upper area of the overflow and it will encourage it to move to the top??
Good luck.

BlueAbyss · #6 02-03-2009, 09:13 PM

Hey, whoa, don't be too worried about a worm or something, I just mentioned it because I've come across an account of something like that happening. There's a good chance it was something else, I just thought it might be of some insight. I know most bristleworms wouldn't do something like this unless there was dead tissue on the 'nem, and even then I would think it would stop when it came to healthy tissue... but I could be wrong.

Just noticed your post about it being a bad type of 'nem, wouldn't that just be insult to injury

my2rotties · #7 02-03-2009, 10:43 PM

The worms makes total sense to be honest. The damage to the nem seems consistent to what you had mentioned. It could be a probability since my live rock is very well established and is teeming with life of all sorts.

It would suck if the little guy in my overflow is aiptasia but it really looks like a clear BTA. It has a wide base and nice fat little tentacles. I guess I will know if it survives and comes up towards the light. I'm thinking of putting a little piece of rock down there beside it (if I could reach) and see if it moves onto it. It would be really cool if it was a BTA and then not all would be lost. You never know with this hobby

I guess I need to put out a trap and see what I can catch in it. If it was a big worm, I don't know if I could even come near it to take it out. I have seen pictures of some of them and wish I could leave it alone... I wonder what else they eat if nems are not available.

Thanks for the insight though, since it does make sense compared to other things I have thrown around in my head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueAbyss

Hey, whoa, don't be too worried about a worm or something, I just mentioned it because I've come across an account of something like that happening. There's a good chance it was something else, I just thought it might be of some insight. I know most bristleworms wouldn't do something like this unless there was dead tissue on the 'nem, and even then I would think it would stop when it came to healthy tissue... but I could be wrong.

Just noticed your post about it being a bad type of 'nem, wouldn't that just be insult to injury