Baby BTA Tips

[CafeReef]

Hi everyone

My LFS gave me this baby BTA, one of theirs split it off and was talking to them about their incoming stock. My tank is 4 months old but extremely stable and everything is growing fantastic. This little guys foot is about the size of a quarter, felt it would be fun to see if it will grow and thrive. There is no apparent mouth yet that we could see.

Looking for any tips, right now I have him in a small glass to keep flow down a bit til it acclimated better.

Thanks!

 

[hotelbravo]

I bought my BTA at about that exact size.. it was a year in a half ago this month when i purchased him. ive been rotating bi-weekly feedings of mainly squid and oyster. but i also feed it raw table shrimp, small fish chopped up, and scallop. its grown quite alot in that short of a time frame. i found especially when he was small like yours that if i chopped food up into tiny bits and mashed it into a teaspoon i could hold my thumb over the teaspoon to keep it from coming out and i would release the bits of food right at its mouth. it digested the small chopped food much easier.

This is my anemone

 

[CafeReef]

I bought my BTA at about that exact size.. it was a year in a half ago this month when i purchased him. ive been rotating bi-weekly feedings of mainly squid and oyster. but i also feed it raw table shrimp, small fish chopped up, and scallop. its grown quite alot in that short of a time frame. i found especially when he was small like yours that if i chopped food up into tiny bits and mashed it into a teaspoon i could hold my thumb over the teaspoon to keep it from coming out and i would release the bits of food right at its mouth. it digested the small chopped food much easier.

This is my anemone

Awesome! I know it's a free nem, but I'd still be upset if I lose it. Thanks for the feeding tips. Im considering finding a long/fine tubed syringe to feed it with. I've read mixed reviews on grocery store shrimp, scallop etc and to buy from my lfs. But will research more. Im looking forward to using him as my excuse for a larger tank. :beer:

 

[raythepilot]

Feed your anemone thawed frozen brine or Mysis shrimp. Also if available from your LFS try live brine shrimp and black worms.
Use a baster to suck up a small portion of the food and squirt it at the nem.

 

[hotelbravo]

Awesome! I know it's a free nem, but I'd still be upset if I lose it. Thanks for the feeding tips. Im considering finding a long/fine tubed syringe to feed it with. I've read mixed reviews on grocery store shrimp, scallop etc and to buy from my lfs. But will research more. Im looking forward to using him as my excuse for a larger tank. :beer:

Oh sorry I did not clarify. All the food I feed my anemone comes right off the boat or from my own net/rod. I dont buy from grocery stores you never know how fresh that stuff is.

But I wouldnt feed mysis or brine its not the most nutritious of choices. The mysis is...okayish but definitely not brine it does very little to nothing as far as nutrition goes.

 

[raythepilot]

But I wouldnt feed mysis or brine its not the most nutritious of choices. The mysis is...okayish but definitely not brine it does very little to nothing as far as nutrition goes.

Interesting! Can you show me the FDA label or wherever you got this nutrition information. I would like to pass it on!

 

[hotelbravo]

Interesting! Can you show me the FDA label or wherever you got this nutrition information. I would like to pass it on!

im just passing on the information thats been brought up countless times on this forum. im not trying to butt heads or anything just be helpful. i firmly believe brine is very bland in nutrition but without cold hard facts off a label(though it wouldnt be FDA if not for human consumption) its merely just an opinion. though looking at the ingredients on brine you see it does have some protein but lack the fatty acids that alot of things need. and they are largely water based foods. its been refered to on here that brine is the potato chips of the sea world.

 

[raythepilot]

im just passing on the information thats been brought up countless times on this forum. im not trying to butt heads or anything just be helpful. i firmly believe brine is very bland in nutrition but without cold hard facts off a label(though it wouldnt be FDA if not for human consumption) its merely just an opinion. though looking at the ingredients on brine you see it does have some protein but lack the fatty acids that alot of things need. and they are largely water based foods. its been refered to on here that brine is the potato chips of the sea world.

Well I firmly believe from my personal experience that brine shrimp are a great food and have used baby brine shrimp almost exclusively to raise small fish fry.
I guess I feel offended that you are saying that I am raising my fish on potato chips. But then maybe I should change. What should I feed my fish fry instead of baby brine shrimp?

 

[hotelbravo]

Well I firmly believe from my personal experience that brine shrimp are a great food and have used baby brine shrimp almost exclusively to raise small fish fry.
I guess I feel offended that you are saying that I am raising my fish on potato chips. But then maybe I should change. What should I feed my fish fry instead of baby brine shrimp?

listen we clearly have different views im sorry to offend you it was not my intent but im not going to go on with this its not productive to the OP's question and shouldnt be hijacking his thread to argue opinions. ill respect your opinion and apologize i just have a different opinion.

 

[Irishdolphin]

Interesting article
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/1/inverts

 

[shifty51008]

Brine shrimp is like popcorn you can eat alot and get filled up on it but its not nutritunal. Now bbs that just hatched and still have the yolk sack is very healthy for fish and such but the have to be fed within a few hours of hatching or the yolk sac is gone. And you can also feed bs nutritinal foods like selcon to make them healthy.

 

[raythepilot]

Interesting article
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/1/inverts

Great info THANKS!!!

 

[CafeReef]

Sorry for the blue's it's nighttime in Cafereef. Baby BTA seems to be doing well, still has great color, but has cuttled up behind my rock up against the back wall. Still getting comfortable im sure. Foot is now plated. Wife doesnt like that he's hidden but I just tell her he's just doing his thing and will come out when he's ready.

 

[CafeReef]

Just to provide an update, my baby BTA went from the glass cup to behind my rocks pretty fast and was there until today. From all the reading I've done I found it best to leave him alone and that he would come out on his own. Today is that day.

Almost three months old and much larger, probably the size of a racket ball now.

 

[CafeReef]

Finally settled in and is right where I wanted it to be.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Looks great,not bad for a freebe.