Clowns beating up BTA...

srusso

srusso

Active member
I was so happy the day my clowns paired up and shortly after I they began hosting my BTA. I couldn't be happier with my purchases...

I thought my female clown was a little on the large side for hosting the anemone but it didn't seem to be doing any damage.

Fast forward to today, about two months into hosting and the BTA has seen better days. The clowns hold onto you BTA at night by biting the tentacles. I have now noticed the BTA has started slowly moving, I know this must be a bad sign...

So tonight I have placed a clear cup that has slits and holes over the anemone, to prevent the clowns getting to it.

My questions are:
Can this work?
How long would I need to do this?
Can this create more problems?
What would you do?

I have no way to catch the clowns, way too smart.. no way to move the anemone without stressing it even more... In two months the anemone has never moved a centimeter, now it's trying to escape the clowns... Help!
 
So just took a look at the tank and the male is small enough to fit through one of the openings... he is hosting again... but he is not really the one that is making problems.
 
So one night of covering the anemone with said cup has resulted in significant improvement in it's appearance. Tentacles are full and in better condition.

My only dilemma, how long will it take? How long do I have to keep the cup in the tank?
 
It will likely be a month approx. Its hard to say. They are all different. You may have to get rid of the BTA. Pics would help so we could see the size of the fish and nem. Also to see how bad the damage is. Its quite normal for BTA's to move when they are new.
 
rkelman said:
It will likely be a month approx. Its hard to say. They are all different. You may have to get rid of the BTA. Pics would help so we could see the size of the fish and nem. Also to see how bad the damage is. Its quite normal for BTA's to move when they are new.
Click to expand...

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1306063492.266544.jpg

This was taken before any real damage had started...

Additionally it looks even a bit smaller then that now...
 
Well its not that small but if your clowns are being too rough just keep it covered until it recovers then try again. You may find as it gets used to them it will be less of an issue.
 
rkelman said:
Well its not that small but if your clowns are being too rough just keep it covered until it recovers then try again. You may find as it gets used to them it will be less of an issue.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply! That's great to hear! The cup I have covering him is just not working... I have to find something else... Any ideas?

So last night I felt my aquarium grabber/tongs in the tank next to the BTA... The female seems to stay away now, the male could careless...
 
You may have to remove the BTA from the rock to cover it properly. Maybe a fish net would work? You could bend it to fit the rock.
 
rkelman said:
You may have to remove the BTA from the rock to cover it properly. Maybe a fish net would work? You could bend it to fit the rock.
Click to expand...

It does look a bit better today, I have placed the tongs directly if front of the anemone before I left for church this morning. (moved it after I took the picture)

This seems to be helping a lot, the female will not go near the anemone so long as tongs are in the tank.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1306080772.480708.jpg

I don't love the net idea, but it could work if I had a very large one... I started brain storming ideas, I think a strawberry container might work...
 
my advice is to feed that anemone like crazy for the next couple of months. I'd do daily feedings of mysis, cyclopeze, etc. The size of your anemone my very well double in the next couple of months and then the size ratio won't be so bad.
 
Thats great. If the tongs work use em. The strawberry container is a good idea too. I'm under the impression this is a new bta? If it is don't overfeed. That will just make matters worse. Once its recovered and looks healthy by all means feed away.
 
rkelman said:
Thats great. If the tongs work use em. The strawberry container is a good idea too. I'm under the impression this is a new bta? If it is don't overfeed. That will just make matters worse. Once its recovered and looks healthy by all means feed away.
Click to expand...

its been with me for ~3 months now. the longer the tongs are in the less they care...
 
They will eventually get used to it. You can buy time likely by putting a net there until you go shopping :)
 
I have managed to get the original cup on much better. The strawberry container didn't work, mostly because of the shape.

Thanks for the help, I paid a lot of money for this anemone... $125 to be honest. I am sure I over paid.

Its a flame bubble tip, green base and red/pink tentacles.

A month into it being in my tank it created a spawn, which is doing very well and growing. Thank god the clowns have yet to start host it... lol

4a5a9de0-ebd8-5f96.jpg


http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1984261

Here is another thread I started when I got the BTA, maybe this can offer some extra information...

Again thank you so much for the help!!!!
 
I tired feeding a piece of shrimp yesterday, he wouldn't take it. I fed cyclopeze heavily (not spot feeding). At night as I said before I got the cup on well. My wife said it fell off around 5pm today. I worked late today do I haven't had a chance to replace the cup but... The short time it was on has made a difference. I think both helped a lot.

Male and female are both hosting tonight. Anemone is double the size tonight. I just fed another large feeding of cyclopeze.
 
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