An impossible question!

[tom obrecht]

So I'm going to ask an impossible question just to get an idea of people's viewpoints and also I'm bored at the moment! I currently have a 120 gallon sps display with a variety of fish including a pair of black percs that constantly lay eggs on a piece of Tonga branch. Tank has been set up for a good year and a half so is well matured. I have tried a couple ritteri anems before and unfortunately failed. I'm about to pull the trigger again on another anemone but try a bubble tip this time. My question is a tough one but am wondering what people think the chances are that where I want to place the BT if it will stay there? It will be on the rockwork and at the bottom of the tank with good flow and pretty good light penetration. Thoughts?

 

[Rybren]

I just made my first foray into keeping BTAs. The tank has been up and running for ~5yrs and is pretty stable. A week and a half ago I traded a 14-16" leather for three smaller BTAs and some frags.

I placed the anemones on some rocks low and in the front of my tank. They went on a walkabout for a few days, only to return to the spot where I had initially placed them. I'm hoping that they'll stay there.

Here is the largest of the 3 under the Blue/RB/UV channel of my LEDs. The colour in the pic is a fairly accurate representation of their true colour under these lights. They don't look nearly as nice when all of the lights are on.

 

[OrionN]

I would never keep a BTA in a SPS reef. They move around too much. I cannot predict why or where they move to. Because of this reason, I just avoid them all together. All of the other species of host anemones, I can predict and set up conditions that would keep them where I want them.

 

[D-Nak]

I would never keep a BTA in a SPS reef. They move around too much. I cannot predict why or where they move to. Because of this reason, I just avoid them all together. All of the other species of host anemones, I can predict and set up conditions that would keep them where I want them.

+1. I completely agree.

Furthermore, BTAs are one of the few nems that can fill themselves with water and become buoyant and float around the tank, and they typically end up getting sucked into a powerhead.

If you can set up a QT tank, we've had excellent results treating magnifica with antibiotics. Once fully acclimated, they are very hardy. When you find them, they are typically decently priced (unless it's a rare color morph) and when placed high in the tank on a flat surface, where they can't touch the tank wall, they typically stay put. My mags move maybe an inch but always stay on the same rock.

 

[tom obrecht]

Thanks for the feedback! I had a feeling this would be the outcome to my question. I personally have kept BT in the past with varying results. Some never moved others never stopped moving. Think I will stay with my current setup and be satisfied with that. Thanks!

 

[phender]

I can't remember a BTA ever going on walkabout in my tank. However, I normally keep large BTAs and I find a place for them where there is an attachment spot inside the rock work where they can hide their foot and column while exposing their tentacles. Small BTAs seem to move more readily IME and from the experiences of others. They also don't need to be blasted with current. A gentle movement is good enough.
I currently have a large BTA with some pretty nice/unique SPS corals. Some have been stung. Those that can be moved, were moved away as he grew.
It is always a gamble when you put in a stinging animal that can move with others that can't, but quite frankly, in the 10 years I have had my BTA in my SPS tank, I have lost more coral to the growth/stinging of other corals than I have to my BTA.

 

[Winwood]

I can't remember a BTA ever going on walkabout in my tank. However, I normally keep large BTAs and I find a place for them where there is an attachment spot inside the rock work where they can hide their foot and column while exposing their tentacles. Small BTAs seem to move more readily IME and from the experiences of others. They also don't need to be blasted with current. A gentle movement is good enough.
I currently have a large BTA with some pretty nice/unique SPS corals. Some have been stung. Those that can be moved, were moved away as he grew.
It is always a gamble when you put in a stinging animal that can move with others that can't, but quite frankly, in the 10 years I have had my BTA in my SPS tank, I have lost more coral to the growth/stinging of other corals than I have to my BTA.

Prove it Phil! I really just want an updated photo of your bta

 

[addictedreefer]

I have had good experiences with BTAs and SPS. Of course, you need to be prepared for them to move a bit when first introduced, but IME, once they settle down, they will not move unless they split. Definitely no more prone to move around than ritteris.

Also, BTAs have by far the weakest sting of any host anemone, so if one starts to move and brushes against a coral, you have some time (at least a day or more) to identify the problem and relocate the nem/coral without any permanent damage.

 

[OrionN]

Last BTA I tried to keep, a nice green base multicolor small one, was given to me by a friend. I put it in my QT. It was doing well for 1 week, minimal movement then got chewed up by my Vortech overnight. Completely gone. I have to do a 100% water change.

 

[OrionN]

I forgot that I got 2 clones in my 65 gal tank at the office for many years. They are small only about 2 inches or so. They are in the rock work. As soon as I see any clone I can remove, I would remove it and sell it to the LFS. This keep them from overtake my 65 gal tank.
That tank have 3 SPS ant the rest of the coral are Xenia, A Goniopora, my Green hybrid carpet and a Malu anemone.