GBTA info

[splateee]

Hello,

The wife and i just purchased a Green BTA. I placed it on the bottom of the sand bed and currently it is moving around the tank at the top on the glass. From the research i have done i know they will travel around until they find a happy place. I am not sure why it is at the top though? For lighting i am running 2 x 175w 14k metal halides on a 65 gallon tank. Is this normal to go to the top? My other question is should i worry about the corals in the tank being stung? We have a Torch, Frog Spawn, Hammers and mushrooms. Also there are two ocellaris clowns and they have left it alone so far.

Thank you

 

[IdahoCindy]

Are your powerheads covered? You don't want the BTA to get sucked up into one. I would be nervous having one floating about. I've been successful by gently holding them to a spot that looks promising. They will grab hold. Later, he will inch the foot along until he finds the "perfect" spot for him. Just my very small amount of experience.

 

[splateee]

Are your powerheads covered? You don't want the BTA to get sucked up into one. I would be nervous having one floating about. I've been successful by gently holding them to a spot that looks promising. They will grab hold. Later, he will inch the foot along until he finds the "perfect" spot for him. Just my very small amount of experience.

I have 2 Maxi jets and they both have the screens on the intakes. Right now the lights just went out and it is on the back glass and it is stretched out hanging down now. If it lets loose and floats around the tank and comes in contact with one of the LPS corals will they be ok or suffer from a bumping? This is the first time keeping an anemone.

Thank you

 

[Bpb]

Wanting to piggyback on this. Interested in getting a RBTA and have alot of the same questions myself

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

Bubble tip anemones like to have their foot tucked into a hole in a rock so that they feel safe. If you have rock with a hole or depression in it where he can tuck his foot, he'll probably stay there. Bubble tip anemones aren't sand dwelling anemones.

It sounds like you have enough lighting, so I'd really try to place him on a decent looking spot on your rockwork. They don't like powerheads blasting on them, but they can tolerate quite a bit of indirect flow.

As for your other corals, as long as he's not up against them stinging them for weeks, a touch or two shouldn't do any lasting damage.

 

[splateee]

Thanks for the help and info everyone. Right now lights have not come on yet. It is still currently on the back glass towards the top where it has stayed all night. I figure it will continue to move when lights come back on. All the info i have read say to let it find its own spot and to not touch and move it around. So for now i will patiently wait for it to find a home LOL.

Thank you

 

[erinangele]

Mine did that. It moved from the rock it came on to the top of the glass in the back. I just turned off the power head (right in time actually), and let it be. The next day it had found itself a nice spot in the rock work. All my corals are fine.

 

[splateee]

Ok quick update....

for the last 3 days the anemone has been on the glass towards the top corner of the tank. It has been fully expanded and has had the bubble tips. The other day when we fed the tank a piece of shrimp landed on it and it ate it. This morning i went to check on it and it is still in the same spot but it is all shrunken looking. The tentacles are all sucked it and it is like the size of a maybe a half dollar. When it was fully expanded it was around 4 to 5 inches. Should i be going into "panic" mode?

Thank you

 

[LittleBeard]

They shrink from time to time often expelling waste.

I wouldn't worry about it if it's only for a day.

 

[splateee]

After the lights came back on it was all normal again. I guess it was just expelling waste. I guess i was just over worrying.

 

[bjledbetter]

depending on the size of the food it ate it may have been purging itself of un eaten food. also like others have said they do sometimes expelled all their water and look really bad. but its usually just them cleaning themselves out. I know the feeling I freak out every time my ritteri deflates


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[splateee]

Quick update,

The anemone is still on the glass at the top of the tank about 3 inches below the water line. Yesterday morning it looked good. In the afternoon it was all shrunken and had brown stringy looking stuff coming out again. Right before lights out it was back to normal size again.

The anemone has been in the tank for 6 days now and it has not moved since first placing in the tank. Just wondering how long it may stay at the top on the glass? For lighting we have 2 x 175 watt 14k metal halides. I would think that this would be plenty? If need be i have 2 x 250 metal halides that are not being used and i could swap them, just need some new bulbs though.

Thank you

 

[Rippinfrags]

You have plenty of light. I would try changing the direction of your flow and see if that will get your gbta to move off of the glass. My guess is that your flow is the strongest at the top of your tank/where your anemone is currently at. You may need to add additional flow to your tank. Hope this helps.

 

[splateee]

You have plenty of light. I would try changing the direction of your flow and see if that will get your gbta to move off of the glass. My guess is that your flow is the strongest at the top of your tank/where your anemone is currently at. You may need to add additional flow to your tank. Hope this helps.

That makes sense about the flow. I will see about adding another power head.

Thank you

 

[splateee]

update time...

It has been 12 days since putting the anemone in the tank. I originally placed it on the sand bed and it moved to the glass. It has been right at the top of the tank and has been shrinking and then going back to full size. I have been leaving it alone allowing it to adjust. How long do they normally take to adjust? Also it being right at the top of the tank it has kept me from doing a water change because the water drop would leave it exposed.

Thank you

 

[Bpb]

I highly doubt exposing it for the amount of time a water change takes would harm it. People have posted instructional videos of manually splitting rbta out of water with a razor blade. Don't make it an hour long water change obviously. Additionally, perhaps the open air would encourage it to let go and seek its resting spot elsewhere

 

[Edzo]

I had a similar issue a few months back with a Rainbow, it moved constantly. It sadly ended up in a power head that I forgot to recover after cleaning the wetside. Anyway how stocked is your tank? I have a Ton of coral and think that may have attributed to his wanderlust. It was one of the few animals I lost and it still bums me out. Anyway I would be curious to see a photo of your tank to see the setup? Looking to gain a little insight here.

 

[mikem101]

IMO I would take him off of the glass move him to spot on the rock with light and hold him there till he grabs on and moves about that way. In my tank the one BTA i had landed under a rock and stayed there till i pulled him out and put him on a rock and stayed there till it was time for him to find a new home. Usually if you place him where you want him (where his foot can grab on) he wont venture far from that area!

 

[aydemir]

Bubble tip anemones like to have their foot tucked into a hole in a rock so that they feel safe.

Not calling you out, but from my experience with my old bta (given away) it can stick to the wall if it desires, to either get more light or flow - in my case I'm sure it was light. Under optimal conditions I'm sure it will eventually root in the rock, if you want to force it to grab a rock you can gently pry the foot off the wall, and then place the nem where you want it. After holding it for a minute or two it should be stuck there, and it will move till it is comfortable.