Lta / Bta ?

[Marcelostank]

<a href="http://s280.photobucket.com/albums/kk169/marcelostank/?action=view&current=IMG_0331.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk169/marcelostank/IMG_0331.jpg" border="0" alt="LTA or BTA"></a>
<a href="http://s280.photobucket.com/albums/kk169/marcelostank/?action=view&current=IMG_0329.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk169/marcelostank/IMG_0329.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

So a while back I threw up a question as to whether this was a LTA or BTA. I was told it was an Entacmaea quadricolor. However I've never seen it's bubble tips. I have seen it with a few bubble's at it's mouth, but nothing like the pictures online.

I've had these for almost 8 months, and started with 1-medium and 2-small. I now have 1-large, 5-medium, and 1-small. I tried moving one of them to the other side of the tank next to my percs (hoping they'd host,) but no luck!! All that happened was they started splitting on both sides of the tank!

1) is this truly an Entacmaea quadricolor?
2) I'd like to trade some of these but can't for the life of me get them to detach. I've tried rubbing their feet, no luck... using a scalpel that came with my frag kit, no luck... willed them to detach, no luck... said mean things to them, no luck... pointed PH's at them, no luck!!! What can I do?!?
3) why do they keep splitting? a fellow reefer told me they must be happy with my paramaters, so they reproduce! hmmmm... sounds a little fishy...



Temp: 80-82*
SG: 1.022
PH: 8.0
Alk: 8dhk
Amm: 0
Trite: 0
Trate: 0
Phos: 0.1
Mag: 1400
Cal: 525

I think my mag/cal are both a little high... but that's probably because i went a little heavy on the additives last night...

And before anyone mentions it... I see the aptasia... i had killed it all months ago, but think i got a small hitchhiker from a mushroom frag i got...
I got some peppermint shrimp (2) but haven't seen them since the day i put them in... I'm guessing they were mislabeled and not real peppermint

Any thoughts/comments?

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

These are with out a doubt E. Quadricolor anemones. A lot of them don't have bubble tips. If they are splitting too often, it could mean stress...your SG is low it should be at 1.025 or 1.026. Increase this slowly by doing top offs with salt water. How often do you do water changes? Peppermint shrimp can also be a problem too as they also like to munch on btas.

 

[Marcelostank]

i'll try topping off with SW. the peppermints are MIA but I'll keep an eye out for them... I try to do a water change every 2-3 weeks, but the last two months have been extremely difficult with my wife's last month of pregnancy and my new little girl! It'll just take a little getting used to the new schedule... and trying to remember to take care of my tank... it's so easy to forget when you have a beautiful bundle of joy consuming almost all of your time!

 

[Marcelostank]

just rechecked SG... 1.024... i must have checked near my ATO unit just after it added water... although YES it still is a little low...

 

[ZoaFan08]

Wait, Peppermint shrimp eat bubble tips?

 

[stagefright13]

Never had a problem with Peps eating anemone's. They just catch flake food with their antennae.

I may be totally wrong but LTA's can have a large trunk like yours. Never seen a bta with a long foot like that... Like I said I am no expert but they look like LTA's to me.

And pointing a Koralia 3 directly at one should make it float off after 5 minutes. At least it does for mine.

But you said they split?

 

[jtreefdweller]

This is certainly a E. Quadricolor and not a LTA. I have 10 BTA in total 2 of which are RBTA. They split due to stress not good water quality, though it isn't really a bad thing. My RBTA look just like that with the long stack and no bubbles.
Here is a picture of my RBTA same as yours just rose.

 

[Reef Newb11]

I have gotten one to detach by cooling the water near its foot using some ice cubes...dont put the ice directly onto their foot though.

 

[Marcelostank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13587883#post13587883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reef Newb11
I have gotten one to detach by cooling the water near its foot using some ice cubes...dont put the ice directly onto their foot though.

So should I make RO/DI ice cubes?

Sounds a little fancy for my blood!

 

[Reef Newb11]

No. just put the ice cubes in a zip lock bag and dont let the ice water into the tank...not very fancy.

 

[jtreefdweller]

You can also use a credit card. It works but not 100%.