RBTA behavior

[flamethis]

Hey guys, I recently added an RBTA to my tank, and I'm confused about it's behaviour. When the lights are on it looks very happy, bulbs inflated and sitting in the corner.
As soon as the lights go out, the tips deflate and extend, the disc is 2 or 3 times as large and it seems to loosen its grip on the rock?

I'm only a couple nights in, maybe I'm just being paranoid?

Params

-Temp 78
-Salinity 1.026
-Ph 8 to 8.10 in the day, 7.75 at night (running light on the sump opposite to display tank and using Kalk in the ATO to try to steady the ph.)
-Ammonia 0
-Nitrite 0
-Nitrate 10
-Phos .25
-Ca 360
-Alk 9 dkh

 

[Big Dave PDX]

It may not be 100% happy where it is in the tank so it may move - either in the middle of the night or during the lights on period.

Couple of things - how big is your tank and how long has it been set up? What kind of lights do you have? Is it in a high/low flow area? Any other nems in your tank?

Let us know...

 

[flamethis]

I'll be totally honest the tank is young, about 2 months. Lighting is LED 150w dimmable running around 80%. Tank is 34G(24x24x12). Nem when looking happy is about 4-5"

Flow is indirect, from 2 koralia 425's in the back corners, the nem is in the front corner. No other nems.

I agree that it's not 100% happy, tonight it appears to be staying where it was but it is certainly moving as its foot is slowly creeping around on the rock. What confuses me is that it seems to have no issues when lights are on. And it did eat today (mysis and brine mix),


Thanks

 

[BNS77]

I'm curious about this also. I recently added a GBTA to mine and it was happy it moved to a location and has stayed there. However as flamethis stated mine has done the same thing the only difference mine has done both. Been inflated during the day and looking great, then when the lights go out it looks like its on its way to death. Last night it looked that way and I fully expected to awake this morning and get it out and do a water change, However, it's fully inflated and at least 6-8 in diameter and looks great. Its in a 125g tank and it's in a moderate flow area and hasn't in several days. In certain stores I've seen the same thing when its deflated anad bout 3" small and the employees have said it will probably die. I'm totally perplexed by this and would love an explanation as to why this is going on. Thanks a lot.

 

[Big Dave PDX]

Every nem can be a little different from tank to tank. My BTAs shrink down some when my lights go out. Some nights they're totally gone from their spot, pulled back into their hole in the rock. Some nights they're half way inflated.

What both of you are explaining seems pretty normal to me. Give them some more time to settle in and adjust. They may be happy where they are, but still adjusting. If the store you bought them from had much different water quality (ie Salinty, Alk, etc) it may take a few more days to totally adjust. If the mouth is gaping open and it looks flat during the day, then you can worry. But until then, be patient - remember, nothing good happens fast in our reef tanks! HTH

-Dave

 

[flamethis]

Thanks Dave! I didn't have my powerheads anemone proofed last night so I shut them down and let the nem settle. I got up today and it seems to have found a nice holey area of rock. I turned the powerheads on one at a time slowly and it seems to be happy. Today I'll Nem proof the koralias, and then I can stop worrying and just leave it be.

 

[BNS77]

Also Thanks Dave! One other ?, I've read in different forums, and everyone has an opinion, but what is the best to feed them if at all. Is it best to let the clowns do it? Some have said Silversides and some are totally against it. Other said deveined shrimp from the grocery store. Just needing the best advise. Thanks guys!

 

[Ebisan]

I used to target feed them (with tongs) sectioned or whole silversides depending on the bta size. I've only fed mine with silversides with no problems and have read the threads warning about feeding them silversides. Used to feed them every other day but they got huge fast and caused water quality issues. If I start feeding them again, I will probably try shrimp.

 

[Big Dave PDX]

Maybe it's a rarity, but I've never fed silversides to anything - nems, eels, fish, etc. No real reason, i just never did. I'll go to the supermarket and buy some scallops, shrimp, salmon, clams, chop it up and freeze it. I'll usually add some Selcon or garlic. Feed that to my fish among other store bought foods such as pellets and cyclopeze. I target feed my nems maybe once a month. Seems to work really good for me and my nems are healthy. My original RBTA (or clones from that) have put out close to 30 clones over about 3 years. They get to about 8" and split. It's weird, some BTAs get huge before they split (or don't split) and some split at smaller sizes. The guy I got mine original from said it did the same in his tank too. Not sure if it's the original collection location, tank parameters, combo of both, etc. So many factors can go into it - like why do some bubble and some don't??? I have clones on the same rock right next to each other - one usually has bubbles, the other almost never! LOL

 

[Big Dave PDX]

Oh ya, about target feeding... when I do target feed, I'll take a chunk of scallop (usually) and just go around the tank handing a piece to all the nems. Occasionally I'll use shrimp or a chunk of fish. If you didn't know, always use raw seafood!! Besides that, they get what the fish miss or whatever the clowns feed them. HTH

 

[flamethis]

Good info, being in Atlantic canada I can get scallops and raw seafoods now problem, where silversides seem hard to find here.

 

[flamethis]

Just an update, the Nem found it's place in the tank. Not where I would have liked but if its happy I can deal with it.

It set up shop in the back corner (wall on both sides) under the overflow of the tank so I can't really see it without tilting my head around and squeezing it between the tank and wall. But it's got a good hold with its foot so that is good enough for me!