Clown killing bta

becca22

New member
Hi I have had a bta for 5 days now. She isn't moving anymore and isn't inflated much, she is very bubbly though. I have one cinnamon clown and I had to separate her because she was stressing out the nem when she was settling.

How long should I was before I try adding the clown fish again?
Right now the nem is only about 2x as big as the clown, but she was bigger when she was moving, so should I just wait until the nem is more inflated and 3x the size of the clown?

Thank you!
 
Some clowns can be down right brutal when they are "loving" their anemones. I would at least let your anemone settle in and find it's "happy Place" before allowing the clown back into the same tank.

Got any pictures
 
Not at the moment because I'm not home, I hope she does adjust :/
I hope she expands soon

If you're able to let the nem settle for a few weeks without being bothered that'd be great. Not sure if it's possible. Consider other possible issues as well. Let us know a little more about your tank (lighting, flow, tank size and age, etc.) and welcome!
 
Yes that I can do, my clown has been hosting my goni for months so I put the clown and the goni together in a fish breeder net in my tank.
I'm currently also cycling a 12g with a 10g sump to use as a coral tank, and I came into a really great deal on the coral I wanted, and a rainbow bta was included.
The coral is in the a 29g biocube until the other tank is old enough. My biocube is about a year old, my nitrates are a bit high (I left in the care of my parents while I was on vacation for a few months an, so the water wasn't changed only topped off and they were overfed), I got the nitrates down to 20 before I had to take the bta :/ I added a skimmer a week before I got the nem. The goni and other coral are thriving. I adjusted the flow until she looked the happiest, I have 2 powerheads, one aimed at the goni in the fish net so it gets enough flow, and one where the nem seemed happiest. They are the hydor 425 gph powerheads, I use a Eheim 1000 (250gph) as my pump, and just using the biocube skimmer. I have a dwarf fuzzy lionfish, small cinnamon clown, midas blenny, coral beauty angel, 2 cleaner shrimp, and 2 serpent stars. Its a pretty healthy tank livestock wise, despite the high nitrates. I figured just a few more water changes and they should be back to normal. I do one change a week of 30%.

This is my first saltwater tank. I have a 75g African Cichlid tank and a 55g Discus tank all over a year and thriving and having so many babies I have to sell them.

Any advice on the bta would be amazing! I was impatient before and tried 2 before the tank was old enough, but their mouths were open soon after. Also one a I let a clown tear apart :/ I learned so I really hope it works, especially because it is beautiful. Below is a picture of the anemone up close, and then the second picture is so you can see where the anemone's powerhead is. I changed the picture quality so you could see it easier.

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70a2d22z5
 
My lighting is custom a Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light, I DID do a bit deep of a sand bed, a little over 1.7lb per gallon, temp is around 78, added a enough liverock, and I keep my salinity around 1.024.
 
I had the same problem with my pair of cinnamons and a large haddoni (16+ inches). They were beating up on him so much I had to remove the clowns. They ended up living in my sump for about 4 months. The cinnamons are now back with the carpet as well as being hosted by several other anemones and all are very happy. I would give your BTA a good amount of time to become comfortable/ maybe even grow a little before reintroducing your clown.

Is your BTA attached to a rock/ a small rock or on the glass or sand? If so/ she is easy to detach, you could get a strawberry basket and keep the bta in there away from the clowns or even put your bta in a small plastic critter cage so you wouldn't need to remove your cinnamon... unless you have a qt or another tank for your cinnamon? I think that would be the best option so your bta could find its spot in the tank and have time to adjust
 
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The bta is currently on a large rock, I'm hoping she will move to get a deeper hold on the rock. I will for sure keep the clown separated until the bta is bigger and stress free. If the clown still beats up on it I will have to sell her :/ This makes me sad because I really love the cinnamon clowns and this is the second one that has been too rough :( I'm worried of the bioload as well, so I don't really want to get another clown. Plus my new saltwater tank will have 2.
 
Ah, I see. Bta's are pretty tough/ hardy though once they become established in a tank. How big is the tank with the cinnamon and the bta/ how many other fish do you have? I am attached to my cinnamons as well. I was thinking about getting rid of them when they were beating up on the haddoni (they also attack me every time I get too close to any of their anemones which would be a pro as well to parting with them haha), but I couldn't get myself to go through with.

Pictures would help, but I would definitely give your bta some more time/ give your cinnamon another chance before parting with either. It will most likely work out :)

Also, check your message folder!
 
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http://s8.postimg.org/g86w7hzf9/Full_Size_Render.jpg

http://postimg.org/image/70a2d22z5/

I linked some pics above
Although I just looked with the lights off since it is night time and she looks bigger now and looks like she is moving, I'll see where she ends up by morning. It's a 29g with 1 clown, 1 fuzzy dwarf lion, 1 midas blenny, and 1 coral beauty angel.

It won't let me respond until I have 10 posts it said :/ But I will once I can, thank you I appreciate it!

If she has lasted about 6 days now in 20 nitrates should I be in the clear of that being an issue? I'm good with water changes so they should only get lower
 
I forgot about the 10 post rule and of course!

If you think she is moving around I would cut off your powerhead(s) for now just in case she lets loose/ floats around. They do have a tendency to inflate a bit more at night/ especially when they are moving. Also, have you noticed if she has been deflating/ inflating a lot?


Even though 20 nitrates isn't ideal, I personally think your bta will be fine and will do better once you do a few water changes. How long has the 29 gallon been set up?
 
Tango, just an FYI BTA's do the inflate deflate thing quite often. I know what you've been going through with your carpet lately and just wanted to say that BTA's are normal when they do this.

Becca, the more you feed it the faster it will grow. You can feed it Mysis shrimp, or can buy some store bought fresh shrimp that hasn't been packaged with preservatives or even get some fresh salmon and feed it very small pieces of either, small meaning the size of a pencil eraser and feed it every other day. Just keep the food small and it will keep it down. If it upchucks the piece you gave it was too large. Also if you're feeding it store bought shrimp take the shell off, as it's hard for the BTA to digest, which is hard on them. Sure they can and do in nature but why put it though that stress.

One other point about stress, over feeding and water changes are stressful to the BTA and they are prone to splitting when stressed. So be careful not to over feed and try and keep your water change replacement water as close to temp and SG as what's in your tank.
 
Wel she is in the same spot and more expanded by a little :) I have frozen mysis and krill I can try. She tried eating some pellets that fell on her, but then she "pooped" them out. I can't believe she is still bubbly. After 2 btas I had no hope for this one, but finally! Im willing to wait however long to let my clownfish hoverer, she obviously LOVES anemones haha.

So I have krill and mysis I can feed her. She is about 3in diameter not inflated. How should I hold the food close to her? I have tweezers I use for ghost shrimp for my lionfish. Also feed her about every week? I have seen so many different opinions on how to feed your nem
 
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Usually if the nem wants to eat it will grab a hold of the food. I just spray food on it with a turkey baster. People's feeding schedule ranges from never, to twice weekly, or more.
 
Sounds easy. I'll give her some mysis and hopefully in a few months she'll grow big enough to take some rough love
 
Yeah I'm sure your nem will be fine and will be ready to host the clown once fully acclimated/settled in. BTAs really are hardy once established imo.
 
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