How fast do RBTA's grow?

[Amazon4]

About 2 months ago we adopted a baby RBTA from another reefer. It was very small when we brought it home - maybe the size of a nickle at the top.

We have it housed in a short clear glass with some rubble and netting over the top so it won't wander.

We've had to feed it tiny mysis so it could take in the food. So we were spot feeding it every day with a pipette.

In the past two weeks or so it's been eagerly taking in full size PE mysis.

It's has grown a fair amount. It's about 1.5" across and the "foot" is about as thick as my (fat) finger (while the bta is extended). So I think we're doing OK with it.

Since this is our first experience with a BTA, I was wondering if it sounded like it's growing as it should - and how long it takes for one to be large enough to be put in our other tank with our clowns? (hoping they choose to host it)

I guess I'm just looking for input as to whether we're caring properly for this little guy.

Thanks!

 

[timrandlerv10]

i'm assuming that glass is in a larger tank? what kind of lighting does it have?

i know when i got my nem (although larger but not as healthy) i was completely oriented on the food we were feeding, but when we put him under good lights, his recovery seemed to accelerate.

if you can, maybe you can work on diversifying the food source...we bought a bag of natural seafood mix at the local korean specialty store, and then blended it. We blended two mixes, chunks for the nem and bite-sized for the fish. you might be able to blend significantly small enough pieces that he gets variety every day.

i skipped all the water quality questions...i'm sure somebody else will chime in on that after we hear if its just in a glass!

 

[Amazon4]

LOL, sorry...it's in our 46 under 250MH 14K phoenix.

Water chem is fine:
0 ammonia
2 nitrate (trying to get to 0)
SG 1.026 (refractometer)
alk 8
calc 400
mag 1300

We also alternate fish goo (from a club meeting) for the fish. Haven't tried to feed it that yet. Its all meaty bits (mysis, shrimp, scollops, clam, silversides, cyclopeez) but with garlic and a bit of broccoli. Is that OK? Or is the veggie matter not good for a nem?

Thanks!

 

[timrandlerv10]

i think that sounds great--your water is better than mine

out of curiousity, does he have good color? could he climb out of the glass if he wanted too?

if he could leave but isnt, and his color is good, and his mouth is closed, then you have hit the big three (imHo).

does the glass keep him from getting fish goo from the tank? my nem gets a bunch of junk just from it landing on him--especially on my dirty overfeeding days. ( more )

idk about the veggies, but i'm thinking it doesnt matter. not a guess, but only partially educated.

if the netting is dark, then i'm thinking the netting is protecting him from your 250w sun, which may be a little bright in a 46 for a guy that young.

why not let him wander? he'll self regulate that way (on light levels).

 

[Amazon4]

At first he hid a bit under the rubble, but then came out within a few days. So he seems OK with the lighting he's getting.

It's is not yet the typical rose color. He was very light pink when we got him. He's now dark pink with some tentacles getting that nice rose color.

I bet he could get out of the glass by either climbing or detaching and letting some randon current take him out. The glass is like a wide juice glass and he almost reaches the mesh now.

FYI - the 46 he's in is 24" tall. The par on the sand is 120. So I don't think it's too intense. His temporary home is about 8" off the bottom.

We plan to move this guy to our 30 which has two young true percs. But he needs to get bigger, and the 30 is only about 3 months old. So I wanted to keep him out of trouble in the 46 for a while. Neither tank is nem-proof. We plan on modifying the koralia in the 30 so he can't get sucked in. We would hate to see him get pulled through a power head after working so hard to nurse him along!

 

[timrandlerv10]

no pics?

would really like to see one of when you first got him...

 

[Amazon4]

That would have been a smart thing to do. But sadly, no pic.

I should take a pic of him now where he's still so little. Be nice to have to really see the progress going forward.