Need Some Clown & RBTA Help

[cham]

Since I set up my reef I have always been looking forward to getting a RBTA and mating a set of percs that will host in the RBTA.

I have the RBTA, I have sucessfuly mated two percs. My only issue? My RBTA is a crack head. I have a cave set up in my tank and the RBTA will only hang out in there upside down.

The clowns were patient in looking for a home, but after a few weeks they have started hosting my xenia . Much to the dismay of me and my xenia.

Question is can I do anything about it? My water params are in check, tank is 6 months old and I have a condy and tube that are perfectly happy and have never moved in my tank so Im not sure how to make the retarted RBTA happy. I've covered up my actinic bulbs and helped place its foot in every crack and crevace in my tank. He will stay put as long as my overhead lights are on and will close up shop and start floating at night till it finds that freaking dark cave to hang upside down in.

I think a bat mated with an RBTA and I got the offspring.

I have a cycled 28 gallon hospital tank I could stick the clowns and RTBA in, should I do that?

I love my clowns, in two weeks I have both of them literally eating out of my hand.

Any help would be very welcome.

 

[cham]

bump

 

[Nikon_Guy]

No guarantees that it will work, but you may try pointing a power-head into the cave that the anemone has taken up residence. If it doesn’t like the increased waterflow it may move.

Make sure you provide a suitable home for it in the location you want it. A large rock with a hole in it that it can completely bury and hide its foot worked wonders for me.

 

[mobert]

Try feeding the BTA small pieces of food so that it think that it is in a good food catching spot. Also, try not to handle it as that will stress it. It could be hiding to recover from stress. It should come out on its own. When you moved it was it already loose? If it is attached to a rock and you must move it, move the whole rock. Most of my BTAs like to attach the feet under an overhang and reach up to the light.

 

[ClownNut]

dont try to change the water movement. otherwise ur RBTA might moving around ur tank at night. it might kill some corals. but the worse thing is if it losen itself and ur PH might kill it. if that happen at night. next day u might have tank of "milk".

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8267645#post8267645 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mobert
Try feeding the BTA small pieces of food so that it think that it is in a good food catching spot. Also, try not to handle it as that will stress it. It could be hiding to recover from stress. It should come out on its own. When you moved it was it already loose? If it is attached to a rock and you must move it, move the whole rock. Most of my BTAs like to attach the feet under an overhang and reach up to the light.

I've only moved him twice and it was while he was free floating. Strangely he has ran into every coral in my tank but didnt sting any of them. None of the corals reacted and none of them died or had any reaction. Does that mean anything?

He took food the first week but anytime I put food in his tentacles he reacts by retracting and pulling away from the food. I havent gotten any food in him for 3 weeks or so.

I just took these pics, you can see him in the cave on the pic where I had the flash on.

What do you guys think, wait till he comes out? He is getting smaller, I know he's hungry.

 

[mobert]

Is he still sticky? Try different foods. I've been feeding Cyclop-eeze lately. Plankton size food might be easier to eat. Sounds like he's getting weak. He doesn't look attached. If not, you can gently blow him out with a turkey baster, you can lift him back up on the rock. You might make a crevice/hole that he can sit in and reduce the flow until he attaches.

 

[ClownNut]

BTA like high flow high light. but not direct flow. if u can pick a spot that give both condition u have more chance it will stay where u wanted it to be

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8268076#post8268076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mobert
Is he still sticky? Try different foods. I've been feeding Cyclop-eeze lately. Plankton size food might be easier to eat. Sounds like he's getting weak. He doesn't look attached. If not, you can gently blow him out with a turkey baster, you can lift him back up on the rock. You might make a crevice/hole that he can sit in and reduce the flow until he attaches.

I dont think he is sticky and he is not attached. I tried silversides and krill. Havent tried cyclopeeze, mine is frozen. Just stick a chunck in there or melt it and blow them into his grasp?

 

[mobert]

I usually melt mine outside of the tank, rinse it with tank or RO water, drain, add tank water, suck up with turkey baster and feed. I have a lot of anemones and animals that I target feed and have been trying to get my nitrates down. Hence the rinsing.

 

[mobert]

When you feed silversides and krill, it it the same temperature as the tank? You might chop it up real fine for easier eating.

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8268159#post8268159 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mobert
I usually melt mine outside of the tank, rinse it with tank or RO water, drain, add tank water, suck up with turkey baster and feed. I have a lot of anemones and animals that I target feed and have been trying to get my nitrates down. Hence the rinsing.

Thanks for you imput!! I will try that today.

If anyone else has any suggestions, please speak up. Im up for trying most anything.

Will keep you updated.

 

[cham]

I can get him to sit still up to the point where my main lights cut off. Something happens when my lights cut off and he starts swimming.

Any helpful hints on keeping a guy put?

 

[Reef NuTTZ]

Just a thought,

Do you have a fuge under your tank? If so, check to see if the fuge light is drawing the RBTA in that cave when your main lights turn off. It seems as if hes pointing towards the rear of the tank.

Huy

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8269617#post8269617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reef NuTTZ
Just a thought,

Do you have a fuge under your tank? If so, check to see if the fuge light is drawing the RBTA in that cave when your main lights turn off. It seems as if hes pointing towards the rear of the tank.

Huy

Yes I do and yes he is. I blocked it with a piece of acrylic that still has the paper on it.

How did you know that? Are RBTA's famous for this? What makes them do that?

 

[Reef NuTTZ]

lol i screwed up here

 

[Reef NuTTZ]

Cham,

I got that thought from what you posted and from one of the cave pictures where I can see through to the other side. I have heard that anemones some times would crawl to the back of a tank or hide there when the main lights go off and the only source of light is coming from the fuge.

Why? Naturaly anemones love lights so I guess it was just trying to suck up as much as possible lol.

Huy

 

[ClownNut]

when u feed the anemone, u should feed them mysis or something about the same size. how often in the ocean a silversides will flow down to the anemone as a whole? when u feed them a big *** shrimp or silversides they do eat it. but no benfit for them. either they spit it out at night. or just stay inside of the anemone. once u have couple big food inside thirebody it have to expend, so u think they are growing big... so i recommended to feed the anemone small food.

 

[cham]

MOBERT, REEF NUTTZ & CLOWN NUT!!!!!!

CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!!

This by no means gets me out of the woods, I still need that dingle berry to attach to the rock. But its the best news I've had on the subject yet. Maybe he will feel more comfortable with a clown in it now. Although you can see the RBTA is clearly not excited about the idea right now. He pulls his tenticals in whenever the clown touches any of them.

Just wanted to share with you guys.

You can see her taking a gentle nibble in this pic.

Cross your fingers that this guy sticks on this rock for me!

 

[mobert]

At least it looks happy. BTW, on those AGA megaflows, I stuck a piece of 1/2" hose along the slot in the top so that the megaflow only draws the top funkiest water and not suck water in those slots in the middle and bottom. Also, hopefully the highest rock is not leaning against the back of the tank. It is best if it is freestanding in the middle of your tank so that the anemone does crawl up the back wall of your tank.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it attaches. Good luck. Picture looks great!