RTBA lost its BTs

[bourbeaue]

I have had a large (12" diameter) RBTA for about a year now. It is host to a breeding pair of oscellaris clowns. It seems healthy, however for the last 6-9 months its "arms" have been quite elongated and stretched.

It used to look like this:

Now the it is all stretched out and I can see its mouth in the center. I have tried feeding it a lot for a few weeks thinking that it was not getting enough nutrition causing it to stretch out to hunt.

My overdriven T5 lighting is good as I grow SPS with success.

Any ideas why my RBTA is so stretched out ?

Thanks

E

 

[CaliReefer12]

as rbta's and most bubble tips grow they tend to lose their bubble tips as they get bigger. I had a GBTA with very bubbly tips that grew to about 9" and now has very long tentacles now with no bubbles. Its a good sign, it means your rbta is healthy and growing.

 

[NirvanaFan]

Nobody really knows why BTAs tend to lose their bubbles in captivity. Loss of bubbliness doesn't indicate bad health.

 

[dalston]

Many people have theory's on why this happens in captivity but there is no real evidence supporting them. It is one of natures unanswered questions but as stated above doesn't indicate any sign that the nem is unhappy

 

[bourbeaue]

Strange having a bubble tip without bubble tips... I wish we knew more about what would make them return. Anyone else willing to attempt a guess ?

 

[PRDubois]

Try lower light.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Back when I had BTAs, I tried the following --- never got the bubble tips back.

Low light --- 6*65 PC ( over a 75 )
High light 2*250 MH ( over a 75 )
High flow/Low flow
Feeding often/barely feeding.
With clowns/without clowns.

 

[Nanz]

My RBTA has formed the bubble appearance a couple times and its only at night when the lights are out. I dont know why but mine has split twice and now I have 3, hehe.

 

[bourbeaue]

We have sent men on the moon decades ago. Can't someone explain why the bubbles disappear in captivity ???

 

[Nanz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14489401#post14489401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bourbeaue
We have sent men on the moon decades ago. Can't someone explain why the bubbles disappear in captivity ???

Its proably the BORG's fault, hehe.

 

[jubjub]

my old RBTA had bubbletips for 1 day..then blaam were gone.... then again esp after mine got really big (about 15" across) there were no bubbles ever

 

[bourbeaue]

So that's it ? Mistery ? Hey you scientists out there! Biologists, chemists and the other ists. I will award the King Anemonist award to anyone who can come up with a scientifically reasonnable answer to the question we have been tossing up for too long now:

- Why is it that Bubble Tip Anemones lose their Bubble Tips in captivity ?

Let the games begin !

 

[azcummins]

Mine go back and forth. A couple of days of bubbles, a couple of days of long tentacles. Who knows...as long as it is staying put and eating, its happy!

 

[hamiltonguy]

As a possible future marine biologist (in 1st yr btw), from all the readings I've done (in/outside uni) there are just some things about nature we don't, can't and possibly never understand. I personally think that's for the best.

As far as nems go, I couldn't help ya. I'll be getting my first one ever tomorrow if it's still at the store.

 

[bourbeaue]

So we have interesting points of view, but I am not crowning anyone yet...

Still looking for a scientific answer to the question :

- Why is it that Bubble Tip Anemones lose their Bubble tips in captivity?