Feeding new BTA???

[sjj80]

Hello everyone I recieved a healthy BTA on thur. 3-22-07, I acclimated slowly then added to display tank. He stayed open the whole time and continues to do so, he also has stayed on the same rock he moved himself to since thur so I assume he's happy. I could see his oral disc both yesterday and today and his tentacles are stretching upward. Is it too soon to feed him??? If not would frozen freshwater mysis shrimp or cyclopeze be good?

Params are stable.
Sg 1.025
Nitrates 5
PH 8.2
Calcium 420
Temp 79
Solaris LED running @ 100%

Will post pics soon!!!

 

[Purple Penguins]

I feed mine frozen cocktail shrimp with no shells of course, soaked in selcom (defrosted) and cut into fine smalle pieces so can easily be digested, it was my understanding if tentacles are thin and stretching out, its hungry

 

[55semireef]

I fed mine the first day.

 

[SVXH6]

try feeding.. it will be fine..

 

[kurt72]

silversides, chopped squid, chopped scallops. i myslelf have not tried the scallops, but mine likes the silversides and chopped squid.

keep an eye on it while it's eating. do you have a cleaner shrimp or two? i usually cut up some extra pieces for mine and feed them before or the same time as my BTA. if i don't, they will climb right in and grab the food. for some reason, my maroon's are not that useful in keeping the shrimp away. not to mention i am afraid my BTA might eat my cleaners!! congrats on your new purchase.

 

[sjj80]

I have some pics to post, never done this before so I hope it works.

Since the first post and these pics were taken he has moved all the way behind the rocks and has closed up. What should I do???

 

[sjj80]

Sorry about the pic size, my pic files are all mb size and the only way I've figured out how to reduce them to below 50k is by compressing.

Would squirting the bta with thawed cyclopeze help open him up so I can feed cocktail shrimp pieces???

 

[omni2226]

Best thing is to leave it alone. It will come out into the light on its own.
And contrary to common belief nems do not need feeding. At all.
Many have been kept for years with no supplemental feeding at all.
It doesnt hurt to feed one once in a while but never try to force one to eat.

 

[omni2226]

Also go here and get an account. Free hosting of your pictures.
http://photobucket.com

Use the "post reply button and the image tag buttons to post pics.

 

[sjj80]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9566834#post9566834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by omni2226
Best thing is to leave it alone. It will come out into the light on its own.
And contrary to common belief nems do not need feeding. At all.
Many have been kept for years with no supplemental feeding at all.
It doesnt hurt to feed one once in a while but never try to force one to eat.

Do you think him just suddenly closing up is normal? I'm just concerned since this is my first nem and he'd been open the moment he arrived on thur. until an hour or so ago and he's closed completely up. I've heard they do this to adjust to new tank, I'm just concerned that he's closing up after being open for 4 days.

 

[Slakker]

He could be expelling waste or acclimating himself to various differences in tank water, etc...I wouldn't worry too much yet.

 

[sjj80]

Thanks everyone for the help. He's opened back up but still behind the rocks, hopefully he'll move out towards the front where I can see him. I appreciate all the info, if there's anything else I need to know about BTA behavior or feeding please let me know. Thanks again!!!

 

[Slakker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9566834#post9566834 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by omni2226
Best thing is to leave it alone. It will come out into the light on its own.
And contrary to common belief nems do not need feeding. At all.
Many have been kept for years with no supplemental feeding at all.
It doesnt hurt to feed one once in a while but never try to force one to eat.

Can you supply a source that supports that claim? I've never seen an expert say that not feeding your anemone is the best course of action.

Sure, some individuals have survived in just the right tank with just the right husbandry, but a staggering majority of anemones absolutely need to be fed to live.

 

[omni2226]

From wetweb:
Feeding/Foods/Nutrition: Types, Frequency, Amount, Wastes

Anemones possess rings of tentacles around their mouths used for prey collection and manipulation. These are arrayed with numerous stinging (cnidocysts) and sticky (spirocysts) cells below their surface. These specialized cells may be found in and on other body areas and assist in immobilizing and holding prey as well as warding off would-be predators.

Underfeed, underfeed, don't feed! Underfeed, underfeed, don't feed! Most losses in captive systems are the result of over-feeding. How many more times do I feel I need to write this? Bunches! Some anemones have been kept for YEARS without any intentional external feeding. Know your stock! Many anemones (especially larger species) are detritivorous (a polite term meaning they eat poop), planktivorous, and largely chemoautotrophic/photosynthesizing species/individuals that hobbyists try to over-stuff with meaty/prepared foods. My bid for largest cause of loss of anemones is the consequences (lack of oxygen, hydrogen and other sulfide production...) from over-feeding. Cut it out! Within normal temperatures and other conditions, most can and do do well on weekly feedings. If you're going on vacation, leave them alone.

For almost all varieties kept, an occasional (weekly or so) perfusion (wash?) of live brine shrimp, prepared mash of frozen or dried food, or frappe' (as in with your blender) of "fresh" marine food meant for human consumption (shellfish, shrimp, langouste, not-so-oily fish) with or without supplementation. Temporarily turn off your particulate filters and squirt the food onto their tentacular surface.

Link to full info articles:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anempt2.htm

 

[omni2226]

As stated many times:
In the wild the chances of any sized chunk of anything edible making it through the water colum to be caught by a nem is next to zero.

On rare occasions a Clownfish may stash a small bit of a dead something in the nem but this doesnt happen often.

 

[GSMguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9573165#post9573165 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by omni2226
As stated many times:
In the wild the chances of any sized chunk of anything edible making it through the water colum to be caught by a nem is next to zero.

On rare occasions a Clownfish may stash a small bit of a dead something in the nem but this doesnt happen often.

anemones in aquariums die from allot of things but overfeeding just usually isnt one of them i dont know where you are getting this

anemones catch food on the reef more than you think also clown fish live in groups in the anemones and create a ton of poo for them to eat

 

[omni2226]

I get my info from people who have been in marine biology and science for decades, not from half baked ideas that you stumble acroos on the internet.

Belive what ya want it makes no diff to me.

 

[Slakker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9573105#post9573105 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by omni2226
From wetweb:
Cut it out! Within normal temperatures and other conditions, most can and do do well on weekly feedings. If you're going on vacation, leave them alone.

For almost all varieties kept, an occasional (weekly or so) perfusion (wash?) of live brine shrimp, prepared mash of frozen or dried food, or frappe' (as in with your blender) of "fresh" marine food meant for human consumption (shellfish, shrimp, langouste, not-so-oily fish) with or without supplementation. Temporarily turn off your particulate filters and squirt the food onto their tentacular surface.

Link to full info articles:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anempt2.htm

When you quote a source supporting a claim, next time read it to be sure it actually supports your claim.

The entire second half of the quote you supplied states explicitly that the majority of captive anemones need to be fed.

Please...feed your anemones. It's misconceptions like this that lead to starving, dying anemones, and ultimately to the depletion of the natural stock.

 

[omni2226]

Yes and if you will dig a little on that website you will find that the majority of people who have kept marine life for years all agree that feeding is not needed.
Does it have a use? Yes. Lower light systems and for prompting splitting of nems. It can be helpful but more often than not causes harm.

See I read the entire website. And many others dealing with nems and corals.
Not to mention relying on people who are experts in their feilds of study, not hersay and gossip in chat rooms and unbacked claims found on bbs.

You will also find that plain old tap water is just as good as ro/di unless you live in odd places.

And that very few species of coral need the 20 to 50 times flow rate that everyone seems to think they need.

And that bioballs/wetdry filter systems are fine. As are power filters and canister filters.
People who are too lazy to do water changes and clean the media call them nitrate factories and everyone falls in line.

The myth that metal halides are required to keep so called sps corals is another big one people love to promote.

But people like to buy stuff and tinker,and bigger/faster has to be better.

 

[chris wright]

omni226

I think you will find most people post their opinions from their own experiences. i have read a lot on the wetwebmedia site as well, i find it very imformative, but have seen differneces of opinion there as well.

Bob Fenner does not like or agree with the use of kalk, but sees no probs with overflow boxes.

Anthony Calfo is big on kalk, but not overflow boxes, nor other crew members who work with customers who have bad experiences.

Whos right and whos wrong. PS Anthony's always saying more flow is better for corals just read what he says about his tanks and green house experiences. (experience will teach us all)

sjj80

Some say to feed, some dont, you have a choice to eithertry or not feeding, or you can give it a go and if your getting what you deem to be results, keep feeding. If not you can simply stop feeding.

Hope this helps

Chris