First Time BTA Questions!

[tylr9m482]

Hey everyone,

I have been looking into purchasing my first anemone in the near future and had some questions. But first here are my tank specs. 40 gal mixed reef, 20 gal sump, mostly lps and soft corals. Fish include 2 ocellaris clownfish, midas blenny, and flame angel. CUC various snails/hermits, 2 fire shrimp, 5 emerald crabs.

Tank Parameters are: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, <0.5 phosphate, 12 dkh, 480 calcium, 8.1-8.3 pH, 1.024 salinity

My tank has been running and cycled for 6 months now, I know this is the earliest most people start to recommend anyone adding an anemone, which is partly reason to my concerns. I just wanted to see what your thoughts on adding a RBTA or green BTA to my tank are. I have read that the green BTA maybe easier to keep and care for so I am leaning toward getting one of these if I can find a coloration I enjoy, (some seem to have a brown or tannish color) I am not sure if this is due to poor health or just an unfavorable coloration. I would also be interested in anything I should watch out for when purchasing the anemone which maybe a "red flag" of sorts which I otherwise my overlook. I wish to have a smooth transition while adding this new guy to my tank!

Now if my tank does not sound ready to support the anemone please feel free to let me know (I would probably add one within the next month or two). But if it sounds like a go, any advice I should know about as to the care/feeding/acclimation of the BTA would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[tylr9m482]

Also forgot to add, when placing the anemone, (waiting for it to find a foothold it likes), do I need to be concerned about what corals it is near? I dont want it to sting and kill any corals, or any corals to sting it. I have a torch, frogspawn, duncans, candycane, toadstool, mushrooms, and zoas.

 

[arinrb]

Everything I say is based on having a BTA for about one month. But until the more experienced answer, here are my two cents.

Your tank should be fine, but I would first consider size. They grow large, do you have the room in your tank for a full grown one? Are you willing to spot feed? They do move, mine walked around the tank at least twice before finding just the right spot - which, as far as I (and my clown fish) are concerned is the worst spot. If you do get a BTA and you like the looks of a Rose BTA, for for it; BTAs are not the Moorish Idols of anemones.

My advice, you do not seem that interested and so do not do it. They do not look as good as coral, have a mind of their own and you always have to worry that one day they will decide to go for a walk, drift into the water column and be chopped into poisonous anemone bits by your pumps. That said, you try and take my annoying RBTA who my clowns will not go near and :uzi:.

 

[tylr9m482]

Hey guys, I just want everyone to know that I am interested in getting one, I would not be looking for advice if I wasnt. Didnt think there was a need to go in depth about how much or why I want one, rather just ask advice on keeping one. Now I know they will walk around and may not decide to settle in exactly where I would like and it may not be hosted by my clowns right away, or ever, but thats part of the gamble I suppose.

 

[tylr9m482]

Well I have been doing a good bit of research and I plan on going to my LFS tomorrow and looking at their stock of bubble tips. Doesn't seem like too many people have much feedback or advice to hand out so I am going to try my luck at this providing I find a healthy looking specimen!

 

[ItsTheNano]

what i look for in a nem which is pretty basic is i check that the foot
is not damaged and another thing i check is that the tentacles are bubbled
and extended. From what i was told all BTAs are the same only difference
is their color variation i have kept greens and reds they are require the same care

as to the nem killing corals idk what types but i think they can, a nem i had killed one of my trumpet coral. i knew since i set up my tank that i was going to go for a nem so i rock scaped an island away from my corals my nem actually stayed on the island facing forward

 

[ReneeF]

Yep, make sure the foot isn't damaged and the mouth is closed tight. If you can get them from the store with its foot attached to a rock you might have luck that it won't move as much. It's also less stressful for the nem. There's an excellent link for karens rose anemones somewhere that has a ton of great info.

Your parameters look great and it sounds like your tank is mature enough. You should post a picture when you get him.

 

[tylr9m482]

Hey guys I went to the LFS this morning and found a nem that I liked so I'll be giving this a shot!

They showed me the foot and mouth, no red flags, so I brought him home for $37 after a 25% off live stock easter sale! ($50 before discount). I am not sure if it is a green BTA or a RBTA. They called it a RBTA but its color is something I haven't seen too many times. It is a very light/clear green with bright pink tips. I will post a picture once he settles in. They didn't have any with rocks, they were all in a tank with just a sand bed but he looked to be the healthiest and most colorful of the bunch. It is about 2inches right now but for the price and the awesome colors I couldn't pass it up!

 

[alb_56]

Dont panic if it shrivels up and spits out some brown stuff. Mine have all done this and looked they were one foot in the grave but then the next day they looked perfect. IMO this is the nem readjusting its algae to better match your aquarium lights and water chemistry.

 

[MachPilot]

Six months is fine. As long as your lighting is strong, (water stable) place it on a rock, preferably one with a nice hole, and leave him alone.

 

[alb_56]

And dont be to upset if it moves around.

Warning though, I turn all my power heads off for at least 24 hours when mine start to move. I have had a GBTA go for a swim and got shredded. If this accidentally happens use some new carbon, do a water change (about 20 %), get the skimmer wet skimming, and keep your fingers crossed nothing else gets damaged by it. Its unfortunate that some times our pets pass away untimely, Id rather you know what to do before hand instead of panicking in the off chance it happens.

 

[tylr9m482]

And dont be to upset if it moves around.

Warning though, I turn all my power heads off for at least 24 hours when mine start to move. I have had a GBTA go for a swim and got shredded. If this accidentally happens use some new carbon, do a water change (about 20 %), get the skimmer wet skimming, and keep your fingers crossed nothing else gets damaged by it. Its unfortunate that some times our pets pass away untimely, Id rather you know what to do before hand instead of panicking in the off chance it happens.

Thank you for that advice. I have heard about this being an issue so I currently have my MP10 off right now. I was going to turn it back on in about an hour but sounds like I'll wait a bit longer. I'm off today and tomorrow so I will be spending alot of time with my eyes on him so we shouldnt get into too much trouble!

 

[alb_56]

Mine have always taken longer then an hour to settle, sometimes they will move again after the first few weeks also. The most fool proof way to prevent shredding seems to be putting a stocking or cover over the power heads. Mine usually only move the twice so I have never covered mine, probably not a bad precaution to take though.

 

[tylr9m482]

Since I put it down its moved preety close to a small colony of zoas. Its about an inch away, does it pose any threat of killing the zoas? Aside from it deciding to walk on top of them and staying there? lol

 

[alb_56]

Mine have never killed anything at all, and they are all within reach of zoas. Im sure there are some BTAs that have killed coral before. I think its like anything else, some just have a bad attitude and some are happy.

 

[tylr9m482]

Looks like he is crawling back in between two rocks at the moment but here is a picture you you can see the color I was trying to describe. Sorry if the quality is bad, I took it with my iPhone.

 

[tylr9m482]

I know it was mentioned not to get concerned if the nem shrivels up but I have been noticing this each night for the past few days. It has been in the same spot and seems happy while the lights are on but in the morning before the lights go back on it looks to be very small and shriveled up. Is this normal?

 

[Reefvet]

.. in the morning before the lights go back on it looks to be very small and shriveled up. Is this normal?

Absolutely normal behavior.

Don't worry about what it's next to as long as it doesn't go walking around at night it's not going to be an issue. It sounds like yours has found a spot and staying put.

 

[Reefvet]

Mine have never killed anything at all, and they are all within reach of zoas. Im sure there are some BTAs that have killed coral before. I think its like anything else, some just have a bad attitude and some are happy.

Hard for a creature that doesn't have a brain to have an attitude. :eek2:

Anemones will only kill something they walk over or stay on top of when first introduced to a tank, or when flow in the tank changes, and they're looking for a comfortable spot.

 

[tylr9m482]

Thanks for the quick response Reefvet. I wasn't too concerned but it never hurts to just ask!