RBTA care requirements?

[REEF-DADDY]

I found a nice RBTA locally. I've never gave one much thought, until now. My tank is a very high flow, bare bottom sps tank but I've been slowly moving more towards. Water quality is perfect, and I run 250 MH with a PAR of 100. Does this sound like the kind of tank an RBTA would like? What are the care requirements for these?

 

[REEF-DADDY]

?

 

[Weatherman]

My three BTAs chose locations in my 180 with the brightest light and the strongest flow. PAR around 150 for two hours, followed by PAR around 300 for four hours, followed by PAR around 150 for another two hours (theyââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve all parked between pairs of 250-watt PFO Minis so they get light from one or both at various times throughout the day). Flow is driven by three 6100 Tunze Streams, on a multicontroller in ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œsequential modeââ"šÂ¬Ã‚. Peak flow is over 10,000 gph (including the 1000 gph sump return pump).


I feed them a few chunks of silverside or krill twice a week.

I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t think youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll have any problems with BTAs in a bare-bottom, high flow and brightly lit tank. Just provide them with plenty of secure crevices in the rocks where they can plant their foot.


BTW, I hope your PAR is greater than 100. Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s pretty dim light for metal halide. Even in the bottom, far corners of my 180, the PAR runs about 200.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7187994#post7187994 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Weatherman



BTW, I hope your PAR is greater than 100. Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s pretty dim light for metal halide. Even in the bottom, far corners of my 180, the PAR runs about 200.

You know, I've always wanted to measure it. I am going by the stats from sanjays site. I am running 250w 10k reeflux bulbs on elec ballasts in lumenarcs, with actinic vhos, so it should be decent. Thanks for the info! Steve

 

[Weatherman]

Ah. I see what you mean.

I have 250-watt DE 10,000K Ushios, which measured 84 PPFD, according to Sanjayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s test. However, when it comes to what my anemone sees, efficiency of the reflector, distance from the bulb, water clarity and cleanliness of the glass shield on the pendant are the critical factors.

Fortunately, if anemones donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t like where you put them, they will move around to find a spot they ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œlikeââ"šÂ¬Ã‚.

 

[TOURKID]

was going to say the same. recommendeed putting in an anemone before alot of coral, just because theyll move about till they find theyre perfect spot

i woke up one morning and she was sitting on my star mat
Ive also wittnessed her run over my geogonian, it bounced right back up tho lol

 

[Weatherman]

That is the biggest risk with anemones.

I hate to say it, but when you put an anemone in a tank full of coral, you really should consider all the coral to be expendable.

 

[TOURKID]

but... anemones are AWSOME

 

[Weatherman]

Especially if you have a pair of spawning clownfish to go with them.

BTAs and Tomatoes are a great combo.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7188292#post7188292 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Weatherman
That is the biggest risk with anemones.

I hate to say it, but when you put an anemone in a tank full of coral, you really should consider all the coral to be expendable.

Thats the reason i've never grabbed on before, I'ver got 18 square feet of real estate and I just know the rbta will end up on my prize coral or behind something. However, I think I am going to give it a shot. I am trying to think like and anemone and I have a good spot picked out.

be the anemone.....be the anemone......be the anemone

 

[Weatherman]

Hereââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s a trick I found to keep a BTA happy (and stationary):

Try to find a large rock with deep hole or crevice, maybe 3ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ in diameter. Place the rock so the crevice is on the side (rather than the top), facing the front of the tank (or some orientation where the crevice is easily seen). Also, place the rock so it gets light from more than one of your metal halides. If possible have the flow around the rock be random or periodically shift directions. Anemones like it when their tentacles get waved back and forth.

Place anemone in tank and make sure its foot grabs on as close to the hole or crevice as possible. Almost guarantees the anemone with dive into the hole, and stay put. The anemone may hide for a few days as it gets used to metal halide light, but it wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t be long before it looks like this:

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Well I've got my rock,and a spot picked out. I am picking up the rbta tomorrow. I do have a couple questions:

How long before it should attach, should I be holding it in place until it does?

Should I turn down flow until it attaches?

Any other ideas or help would be great!

Thanks Steve

 

[Weatherman]

I turned off my Tunze Streams when I took my anemones out of their bags.

I only had to hold the bottom of their foot up to the rock surface for a few seconds before they grabbed on. Within about 15 minutes they had a firm grasp and I was able to turn the Tunze Streams back on.

What youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll probably find is that your anemone will hide in its little hole for a while unless you are very lucky to have a lfs which keeps anemones under metal-halide light. Donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t worry; it will start peaking out more and more as it gets used to the bright light. Try to give it one or two little pieces of krill or silverside (about Ã"šÃ‚¼Ã¢â"šÂ¬Ã‚ to 1/3ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚) once or twice a week. If itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s healthy, the food will stick to the tentacles and it will eat it pretty rapidly. You shouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have to turn off any of the flow at feeding time, but itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s a good idea to feed your fish (and any inquisitive cleaner shrimp) first.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

WM thats a quick turn around time! Thanks for the advice, I'll post results/pics later tonight after its in!

 

[dantodd]

I was lucky and got the rock my BTA was attached to when I bought him. Then I just added the rock to my display so that it created a nice crevice and the anemone's foot was already in the shade. He came out almost immediately.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Here is Christina and the RBTA(the fish was named by a nice little girl) I was happy to see that the RBTA was already on a rock. The clown did not seem happy with the extreme angle I had the RBTA on so I've now got it laid flatter, although it does not stand out as much. The clown is still not hosting so I may put the RBTA back on the angle tomorrow. Thanks for you help, so far this is working out very well!

 

[N_Sarno]

awesome! Let me know how it goes.. I have a pretty highly stocked tank and am scared to get an anemone because they walk around but I realllllllly want a RBTA

 

[Sparkss]

I have a heavily stocked tank also, with alot of high dollar SPS. the wife really wants an RBTA for our clowns, I will most likely get her one, but to be honest, if it even gets near any of my LEs, that anenome is toast.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

I think if you guys find one thats attached and follow the advice of WM you'll be all set. Finding one local is key too. At least thats my story until I get home. After what this thing did to my hand last night the sps will be toast before you even realize whats going on. Stung me good it did!

 

[Weatherman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7286594#post7286594 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
Here is Christina and the RBTA(the fish was named by a nice little girl) I was happy to see that the RBTA was already on a rock. The clown did not seem happy with the extreme angle I had the RBTA on so I've now got it laid flatter, although it does not stand out as much. The clown is still not hosting so I may put the RBTA back on the angle tomorrow.

What kind of clownfish do you have?