How is this new BTA doing? (pix) & clown question

[trukgirl]

I wanted an anemone that was on the easier side of care for my first ever nem, so I chose a regular green BTA. I purchased him fri, he was the largest and healthiest looking BTA this LFS had. (they had 3 plus a couple of roses) To me so far he is doing ok. But I thought I would ask here since obviously I have no experience here.

1. The first night we placed him he hunkered down and held on. He was however getting directly blasted by a koralia 750, and by morning he had creeped down the back side of the rockwork. Hubby and I dislodged his foot sat afternoon and placed him in an area of good, indirect flow at the end of the tank. He latched on right away and has seemed satisfied with his new placement. Last night while I was at work, hubby fed the fish some frozen Formula One. The normal area we feed them is right near the Nem. He latched on to some of the food, and devoured it! So he called me and I told him to try some of the silversides we feed the starfish in our small tank. He held 2 for him and he took them and ate them as well! There is now however some white stuff coming out of his mouth. Maybe this is waste from the silversides? (they are whitish) All my water params are where they should be, and I have 4x39w t5 aquaticlife fixture. (He is halfway in the height of the tank) 65g.

2. So the clownfish pair I have is tank raised Ocellaris. I know they are not naturally hosts for the BTA, but I have hopes that maybe they will host it. I have had them since May and they were teeny tiny babies when I got them. The female tends to "host" the area between the back wall of the tank and the overflow box. I moved my mag cleaner as close to it as possible and its made her uncomfortable to be there, and she has been roaming around the tank a lot more, and hanging out at the same end of the tank as the Nem.
Anyways....my ? here is, in my 65g, if by the end of several months they end up not hosting the Nem, would it be possible to have a single or pair of another type in the same tank, such as Clarkii? There was a Clarkii hosting this Nem at the LFS, Clarkiis naturally host BTAs, and I actually really like Clarkiis.

I am not the best photog, but here are pix

After first placement

In new area, taken today

(this one with flash)

 

[trukgirl]

I forgot to add... we have added several soft corals since the end of Oct, and they have never attempted to host any of them in the slightest. (kenya tree, palys, zoas, pulsing xenia, added a small patch of star poyps and 2 small mushrooms the same day as the nem.)

Pics of my Oc's for fun

Cute pic of one of the Oc's and my purple firefish

 

[prior20]

I also have tank raised ocellaris and had a green BTA until I upgraded my tank. I never had any luck with the ocellaris hosting anything in my tanks maybe that will change as time goes on. I noticed your from the same area as well. Which LFS do you go to?

 

[garygb]

The GBTA looks healthy, although the spot it's in isn't the kind of place they like to attach permanently. They prefer their pedal disk to be attached inside a cave/hole/crevice in the liverock. Until it finds a place like that and stays there, you should make sure the powerhead intakes are covered with some kind of screen or sponge. As far as ocellaris being hosted by a BTA, it happens, but they are never found together in nature. I think the best way to increase the odds of clowns being hosted is to put natural symbiotes together. In the case of BTAs that would be clarkii, tomato, cinnamon, and of course, maroons (to name a few of the commonly found species in the trade).

 

[atreis]

BTA looks reasonably happy, although with that sort of column extension I wonder if it's getting enough light. Looks to me like it's straining to get more.

In my previous tank I had a GBTA that hosted a pair of tank-bred Ocellaris. It happens, more readily with ones that aren't wild caught.

 

[masterqaz]

As said before me, the extension is a bit weird, specially because of the placement of the foot. Its more normal to see that kind of extension when the foot is place under a rock in a cave where the anemone actually needs to extend that far to get to light.

what are you running lighting wise?

looking healthy otherwise.

 

[trukgirl]

As said before me, the extension is a bit weird, specially because of the placement of the foot. Its more normal to see that kind of extension when the foot is place under a rock in a cave where the anemone actually needs to extend that far to get to light.

what are you running lighting wise?

looking healthy otherwise.

His foot is actually in a hole, you couldn't really see it because it was covering the hole before, but he has slipped his foot mostly into this hole today.

I don't know if you can tell from the pix or not but there ARE higher rocks...if he was straining for light wouldn't he move up to that rock he's leaning on? Weird creatures these are, LOL! His foot is in that hole and he is stretched out and leaning over on a rock thats at least 3 inches higher. I will take some new pix when the lights come on today.

I stated in my original post the tank is a 65g, and I have a HO 4x39w t5 Aquaticlife fixture, 2 actinic, 2 daylight. It is 10 mos old, and has the bulbs that came with it in it. Should I switch to some different kind of bulbs when I replace??

 

[trukgirl]

In my previous tank I had a GBTA that hosted a pair of tank-bred Ocellaris. It happens, more readily with ones that aren't wild caught.

Really?? Oh, this does give me hope
Nice avatar btw...

 

[trukgirl]

... you should make sure the powerhead intakes are covered with some kind of screen or sponge. ...

Thanks, I'll get that taken care of!

... As far as ocellaris being hosted by a BTA, it happens, but they are never found together in nature. I think the best way to increase the odds of clowns being hosted is to put natural symbiotes together. In the case of BTAs that would be clarkii, tomato, cinnamon, and of course, maroons (to name a few of the commonly found species in the trade).

I stated in my original post, I know the Oc's aren't found in BTAs in nature, which is why I asked the question.....

If per chance the Oc Clowns don't take to the BTA in the next couple of months, is it possible to have another single or pair of clowns in a 65g, such as Clarkii or Cinnamon??

There was a small Clarkii hosting my BTA at the store, I felt bad taking his buddy, but the owner put him in a connected tank with another BTA.

 

[trukgirl]

.... I noticed your from the same area as well. Which LFS do you go to?

I live in Granite City, so I used to go to Nemo's before they had their fire. Such a shame, it was a GREAT store and the best, knowlegeable, helpful people! Aquatic Treasures in Collinsville is nice, but they are VERY high on corals. Fish are mostly reasonable though. I have been to Beldts, ehhh they are not that great, and every time I've been there I always get a person that knows nothing about saltwater. I got the BTA, some snails, 2 mushrooms, and star polyps from Saltwater Island... its a long drive for me but WELL worth it... the guy that runs it is nice and helpful like they were at Nemos, and his prices on corals are GREAT!

Also planning on joining SEASL but haven't got around to it yet, lol.

 

[bradleym]

I live in Granite City, so I used to go to Nemo's before they had their fire. Such a shame, it was a GREAT store and the best, knowlegeable, helpful people! Aquatic Treasures in Collinsville is nice, but they are VERY high on corals. Fish are mostly reasonable though. I have been to Beldts, ehhh they are not that great, and every time I've been there I always get a person that knows nothing about saltwater. I got the BTA, some snails, 2 mushrooms, and star polyps from Saltwater Island... its a long drive for me but WELL worth it... the guy that runs it is nice and helpful like they were at Nemos, and his prices on corals are GREAT!

Also planning on joining SEASL but haven't got around to it yet, lol.

First off, howdy! Also in the STL area, and I'm in SEASL already. Just an FYI, you can come to any and all events without signing up, but glad to hear you want to join too!

Also, you won't hafta worry about Beldt's anymore but you may want to check out Marine Solutions once they move to the new location.

To answer your question earlier, you would be playing a very dangerous game having 2 pairs of clowns in the same 65g tank, even if they were different types.

Also, the clowns may not try out the nem for several months, then just suddenly decide they love it. I have a pair that fell for BTAs the day I got them but ignored a Heteractis Crispa anemone for 3 months before suddenly moving in. HTH

 

[bues0022]

If per chance the Oc Clowns don't take to the BTA in the next couple of months, is it possible to have another single or pair of clowns in a 65g, such as Clarkii or Cinnamon??

I definitely wouldn't risk it in that small of a tank. Paired clownfish can become quite territorial towards other clownfish, and Clarkii's can be pretty aggressive.

Have some patience. Sometimes it can take a clownfish awhile to locate it's host. I personally haven't seen any difference between captive-bred and wild-caught in their affinity towards a host - but some will say otherwise. Wait it out a bit longer and see what happens. (that's what I would do at least, FWIW)

 

[trukgirl]

bues022 & bradleym, thanks for the answers. Not the one I was hoping for (lol!), but thanks! I've been waiting and waiting and waiting since May for an anemone... I guess I just don't want to wait another 6 mos and them not take to it, KWIM? I've been super patient making this whole aquarium, I just want to see them nestling down in it so bad instead of "sleeping" behind the overflow and in the bottom back corner!

.... Also, you won't hafta worry about Beldt's anymore but you may want to check out Marine Solutions once they move to the new location.

What's going on with Beldts? They going out of business?

 

[trukgirl]

New pics from today...if he's not happy here wouldn't he be moving?

Actinics only

Daylight + Actinic

see his foot going into that hole?

still "leaning" on the other rock

 

[bradleym]

Hmm. It looks pretty healthy to me. As with everything, just be patient. If the nem doesn't move or shrink up or anything you should be ok.

As for Beldt's, not closing - closed. Right before Christmas.

 

[trukgirl]

Hmm. It looks pretty healthy to me. As with everything, just be patient. If the nem doesn't move or shrink up or anything you should be ok. ...

Ok!!

... As for Beldt's, not closing - closed. Right before Christmas.

Ohhhh!! I had no idea... every single time I went there I had pretty crappy customer service, and I'm not a picky, critical person. I'm pretty easy to please. That never made me feel good about that place. The only time I went there after the first time was to get Turbo snails because Nemo's never had any. (They only had narcissus and margarita) I REALLY like Saltwater Island even though its a drive for me.

 

[atreis]

Really?? Oh, this does give me hope
Nice avatar btw...

Just give it time, and hopefully they'll decide they like it. They haven't yet in my current tank, but the Anemone is only a month and a half old. In my previous tank it took about 6 months.

Likewise on the Avatar!
:spin1:

 

[SwampyBill]

It's all a crapshoot on if/when clowns with go into an anemone. Over the years I've seen it take anywhere from minutes to 6 months for nem to host the clown. My current pair of b/w occi's took 6 mos. to dive into their sebae, yet when I added a LTA to the mix awhile back, the male was in it in 30 min. Be patient & good luck!

+1 on what bues0022 said--I would only keep one pair of clownfish per tank.

 

[Ethan_W]

Anyways....my ? here is, in my 65g, if by the end of several months they end up not hosting the Nem, would it be possible to have a single or pair of another type in the same tank, such as Clarkii? There was a Clarkii hosting this Nem at the LFS, Clarkiis naturally host BTAs, and I actually really like Clarkiis.

this is a no no. never add more than 2 clownfish of the same species to any tank. more often than not there will be a lot of aggression between different species. or you may have 2 females in the tank trying to kill each other. or a pair trying to kill off any other males or juveniles in the tank.

there are very rare occasions where people have had a little luck trying to mix or house more than 2. most of the time it is only short term though, until the clowns begin to reach sexual maturity

either remove the current 2 ocellaris or hope for the best

 

[trukgirl]

... either remove the current 2 ocellaris or hope for the best

Ehhh.... if these are my only choices, then my BTA will just have to live without a host. I've had them since last May (since they were teeny tiny babies maybe 3/4 in long?) and they were the first marine fish I got other than Damsels. Kinda attached!

I never looked in to having more than 2 clowns, so I had no idea if that would work or not. Thanks for the advice everyone.

Trying to be patient, LOL!!!