BTA Questions

[mastersonr]

Added a green BTA to my 150g on Saturday and it attached to a piece of live rock quickly. That night it moved underneath the rock but took a detour and sideswiped some anthelia. Questions:

1) I should probably leave it alone and let it come out on its own correct? How long can I expect it to stay under the rock before it tries to find a spot where it is getting some light and flow? I have a 6 ft 150g tank with T5 lighting.

2) About 1/4 of that anthelia colony is crumpled and wilted. Will it come back or should I just take that part out? I am not too concerned about it. I have it isolated on a rock and have no doubt it will grow back quickly if I remove that portion.

 

[kozmic]

Yeah, if you try to place a BTA, it will usually move around until it finds a spot it likes and it selected. Best to let it determine what it likes (this can take a few minutes, to a few hours, to a few days, to well... you get the idea...)

Can't help with question #2, sry.

 

[mastersonr]

Thanks kozmic. I will let nature takes it course...

 

[carrots]

One of mine always moved to the back of the rockwork. I tried to spin the rock around so I could see it from the front but it would move out of sight again the next day. Changing flow from MP40s didn't help. They really go where they want to go.

 

[mastersonr]

One of mine always moved to the back of the rockwork. I tried to spin the rock around so I could see it from the front but it would move out of sight again the next day. Changing flow from MP40s didn't help. They really go where they want to go.

Did it ever move out in the open? They do need light at some point don't they?

 

[mastersonr]

So for the last two days, my BTA has been anchored upside down underneath a rock during the night. During the day it will slowly move up the backside of the rock and wedge between the rock and overflow. It is not fully out in the open but is in position to now get some light. Is this normal behavior for acclimating to the tank? Will it continue to move back and forth on a daily basis or eventually settle on a somewhat permanent location.

As for the Anthelia, it has recovered. Just like the weeds in my yard that keep coming back...

 

[g_langley]

If it were me, I would take the opportunity to feed the BTA a little while it is out in the open, this way it may start to like that particular spot a little more as it associates it with food? If it's not getting the daily light requirement then feeding would be a good choice, after all they do have mouths. PE Mysis or anemone pellets by Vitalis are good.

 

[mastersonr]

Thanks for the advice Langley. He seems to have finally settled in a spot between a rock and one of my overflows. I wish he was completely in the open but we have a fairly decent view of him. He readily accepted a piece of krill about 2 weeks ago and I have fed him twice more since then with good results.

My ocellaris clown found the BTA today too which is great news. My question now is whether I should continue to feed the BTA once a week now that it is hosting the ocellaris or is that no longer necessary. How common is it for the clown to bring food back to the anemone?

 

[aznflyfisherman]

If your bta is healthy n your lights are good, then you dont need too, but you can still feed if you want, i would say maybe once every two weeks.just make sure hes not bleaching over time.