BTA moving to back of tank

mattgoof

New member
I got my first BTA on friday and placed it on the top of one of the rock formations in my tank. Within about 2 hours, it moved over the back of the rocks and settled on the bottom of a low 'bridge' between that formation and the one next to it. In total, it moved almost 2 feet to get to that spot. Over the next two days, it moved over about 6 inches on the original formation and has affixed itself upside down to the second rock up from the bottom. It has been there since Sunday morning.

In it current position, I have to use a mirror to see it, which quite honestly is extremely disappointing as it is the most expensive thing in my tank. Despite the fact that I have to labor to see it, it has been out in the open and healthy looking and has eaten everything that I have fed it.

My question now is what to do about it. I would obviously prefer that I be able to see it on a regular basis, but at the same time, I don't want to overly disturb it while it's adjusting to the tank. Of course, if I am ultimately going to try to move it, I don't want it to get so comfortable that a move would be too difficult. Also, I don't think I can move it by hand without moving almost every rock in the tank. What do you guys think I should do?
 
That's part of what puzzled me, he's right under a forward-pointing filter outlet, so I don't think there's any flow back there at all. Should I move my powerhead so that it shoots down the back wall?
 
Well depends.If he likes a new change for bit it may take a bit but it may only take a few hours never can tell!
 
I don't think that much of it is hitting him. I just took the elbow off the return so he's almost 2 feet away from the source. It's definitely hitting him, but it's certainly not bending him over or anything.
 
Well, he finally moved to the middle of the rocks, right in a hole between the top two. Since I could actually see him, I tried to feed him. I couldn't get my frozen stuff to sink through my tube, so I sent a shrimp pellet his way, but couldn't see if he took it or not. Then I woke up this morning and couldn't see him, but there was a white mucus attached to a rock nearby and the water was a little cloudy. I can barely see him, but it looks like he's completely deflated. I'm doing water tests now, but I'm gunna guess that I lost him during the night.
 
I finished the tests, and everything's perfectly normal. SG 1.023, no amm, nitrites, nitrates or phosphates, ph 8.2 and kh 9.5. Maybe he just didn't like it here.
 
Once you get her to where you want her start feeding her heavily. This way she will associate the spot she is in with a good food source and is more likely to stay there.
 
That's a really good idea, thanks.

Do you foresee any problems with the dried shrimp pellets? I can't seem to get frozen shrimp to sink down to it. Or is there some fancy feeding tong that I could use without fear of scratching the poor thing when I'm feeding?
 
You are welcome. The pellets may be a bit rough on her. Better to use silversides if you can. 1/4" or 1/2" pieces depending on her size. Feed until she spits it out. Chopsticks will work, so will forceps, or for that matter a plastic fork. Just don't gouge her and use something that will allow the food to come loose when you release it and she sticks to it.
 
ok, thanks for the advice. At some point 2 nights ago, she reinflated and ran back underneath that rocks and I haven't seen her since. I have no idea what to do now.
 
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