Question about my (non-splitting) RBTA

[Craig Lambert]

I've had a beautiful and large RBTA in my tank for14 months now. It is about the size of a dinner plate, and seems very happy. It moved about 6-8" during the first 24 hours in the tank and has never moved since. his foot is ankored in a cave created by the confluence of 4 rocks, and he spreads out across the opening of the cave. I feed him silversides once per week, and he gets scraps of fish food a few times a week when I feed. I have a pair of True Perculas who have hosted to the RBTA for over a year as well.

This RBTA has never split. I am absolutely fine with that since I have a tank containing SPS, and LPS corals. Is there a particular type of RBTA that never splits? Is the likelyhood of splitting decreasing considering the length of time he's been in the tank?

TIA

 

[bigdaddyadam]

to my knowledge there are varieties of BTA's that are colonial, meaning they split quite often in the wild and form large areas of BTA's on the reef

other than that, splitting is usually a reaction to some kind of stress or stimulus, such as change in light or flow, too high or low of some parameter, large temp or pH shift, or stress from too little food

in my experience my BTA has always split after a water change in which the water temps were too far apart, I think the sudden dip in temp caused the splits...not that i would recommend doing it on purpose

 

[illcssd]

Craig,
Since you are in portland, can i ask where you recieved the rose when you bought it?
What you have is a solitary type rose, in the wild they are generally found alone hosting a pair of maroon clowns. Ime; these roses reach almost 24" or bigger in diameter before they split, then one moves far away from the other. At saltwater fanta-seas they have one of these Tongan roses in they're 125 display tank. It will split, and has, but only once it gets absolutely gigantic. The mother colony and all other splits from it have done the same thing.
fwiw
austin

 

[Craig Lambert]

Thanks guys.

Austin,

I purchased the RBTA from the "Divers Den" on LiveAquaria in March of '06. As i said he is the size of a dinner plate, but has not grown any larger over the past year. He seems happy and content with lighting, flow, and a silverside per week. Thanks for the information.