Am I ready for a RTBA?

[BIGD0G]

I have a 180 tank that has been up and running/cycled for 11 months now. I have been through the diatom/algae stages. The water has been good and clean for many months now. I have had a CUC and 2 percula clowns in for 7 months and a watchman gobie/pistol shrimp for 6 weeks. Started adding a few Zoas, 1 frogspawn, 1 duncan and few LPS/SPS frags slowly over the last few months. Everything is doing great and growing well. The only loss I have had it a turbo snail.

I do a small 3 gallon per day water change using a litermeter pump. My water parameters are stable and as follows:

Salinity 1.0255
PH 7.9 - 8.1
Phosphate < .03
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates < .2
Calc steady between 420 - 435
Alk 9.5 - 10 dkH
Mag 1425

I have 3 Kessil LED lights and for flow use a return pump flowing about 650 GPH and 2 Tunze 6105 powerheads.

So my question is based on this info is it safe to add a RTBA to the tank in hopes that it will host by clowns? My thought is add it soon and let it get established where it wants before adding more corals.

Any issues with moving forward with an anemone at this point? Anything to avoid or look out for?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

You are good to go.

 

[mcfa2403]

Your tank looks good for a bubble tip, however don't count on your percs using it as a host

 

[BIGD0G]

Is there a better option than a bubble tip then for percs?

 

[addictedreefer]

Is there a better option than a bubble tip then for percs?

Natural hosts are H. Magnifica, S. Gigantea and H. Crispa. Mags and gigs are very difficult to keep and I would not recommend either as a first anemone. Crispa's are also very difficult, but slightly less so than the other two. Make sure you do your research before making a decision.

 

[garygb]

Although Fautin and Allen list crispa as a natural host, that could be erroneous info. I've yet to see a perc in a crispa in the wild. However, mags and gigs becoming host to a perc is as sure a bet as anything else in this hobby. Both mags and gigs are not for beginners, whereas BTAs are much easier to successfully keep. Often percs will wind up in the BTA eventually.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

btas are much easier to successfully keep. Often percs will wind up in the bta eventually.

+1

 

[BIGD0G]

Thanks all for the replies.

How long should you keep a BTA in QT?

 

[CoralsAddiction]

How long should you keep a BTA in QT?

No need to QT a BTA...you shouldn't have any problems with a healthy specimen.

 

[BIGD0G]

No need to QT a BTA...you shouldn't have any problems with a healthy specimen.

No fear of transferring brook or ick to the DT since the BTA retains tank water? Just trying to make sure I do everything right. I have gone slow and QT'd the fish as i do not want ICK in the DT.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

No fear of transferring brook or ick to the DT since the BTA retains tank water? Just trying to make sure I do everything right. I have gone slow and QT'd the fish as i do not want ICK in the DT.



Thanks again for the help.

Understandable. I wouldn't try to put anemone that's attached to a piece of live rock but I would put a nem without any substrate or rock under its foot. Unless your QT is as stable as your DT with sufficient light and flow, you are likely to kill the anemone if you are gonna wait for a 6-8 week parasite life cycle.

 

[Neptune 555]

I had heard that RBTA move in a tank and can get sucked up by power heads killing the anemone and possibly the other livestock... I am now researching ways to make my power heads safe. Are you considering this?

Neptune

 

[BIGD0G]

Thanks. Have been looking at ways to cover my tunze 6105s for a while until it settles. Don't want it to get into trouble.