Crowded (BTA) House

[Coelli]

I have a small (3-3.5") RBTA, two baby clowns, and two porcelain anemone crabs. The clowns lived in an acclimation box with the RBTA until they graduated to the DT together a couple of weeks ago. Shortly thereafter, my two porcelain crabs, who had largely ignored each other until then, paired up and moved into the nem too. The clowns and crabs completely ignore each other. The clowns have not paired yet, so one or the other is often evicted but occasionally they are both in the nem as well. I recently added a second Gyre to my tank and have the two pumps alternate every 6 hours. When the second pump went in, the RBTA moved about 15" and took the whole party with it.

The crabs are completely unphased by the clown, as you can see.

The nem is usually more inflated than in this pic, and it ate some of the extra 1mm pellets the roomies missed tonight, but I'm concerned that this is just way too many occupants for one little nem. Thoughts on its long-term health if this keeps up? Anything I should watch for? Thanks!

 

[juniorrocketdad]

That Rbta is pretty small and I've heard of them getting hosted to death so if it starts looking any worse I would isolate it

 

[addictedreefer]

That nem is looking rough. I would remove all but one symbiont.

 

[Coelli]

It usually doesn't look like that; I think it was just one of the occasional limpish periods it's had even before the crabs showed up. They happen every so often but I wanted to get the pic taken so it probably gave the wrong impression. This is it this morning:

Mouth is still closed nice and tight and when a few 1mm pellets landed on it last night it grabbed them right away. If the deflation starts to happen more often I'll pull it and put it back in isolation with the clowns; any other signs I should look for? The lack of bubbling is because it's at the bottom of a 24" tank.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

LOL then you are the ONLY person that has figured out why they do or don't bubble LMAO

 

[Coelli]

LOL then you are the ONLY person that has figured out why they do or don't bubble LMAO

True, I'm just assuming. It bubbled when it was close to the lights in the acclimation box, but stopped when it was moved to the bottom of the tank. I'm just guessing!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

LOL ya, but has nothing to do with any of it. Mine was bubbled nicely when I bought it from a buddy. It's a beautiful Sunset BTA. Now it's got tentacles that are about 4" long LOL Still great color and very healthy. Try's to bubble but only gets puffy tentacles. LOL

Now, if only my clowns would find it

 

[daveM100]

Now, if only my clowns would find it

This is all you need Dk!

 

[Coelli]

This is all you need Dk!

That made me LOL.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

This is all you need Dk!

:thumbsup: That's awesome!

 

[oakengineer]

That is a very pretty coloration of BTA. Never seen one like that.

Most people seemed to be concerned with their livestock not hoasting. You've got the entire opposite problem.