I have a huge BTA that has been located in the far left of my tank for a decade, anchored on the side of a rock safely away from my corals. It has never wandered. Until now.
I recently installed 4 Aqua Illuminations LED units above my 120 gallon tank, and the BTA became so enamored of and attracted to the new lighting that it decided to wander. I must add that at the same time as the lighting installation, I removed an oversupply of live rock that was interfering with water flow, so that greatly assisted in providing a pathway for the anemone's mobility.
I tried putting eggcrate in its way and stuffing escape routes with rocks. Nothing seemed to work. It wouldn't listen to me, no matter how loud I screamed at it.
Here's what did work: a combination of the carrot and the stick.
I aimed a Maxijet 1200 at it, offering the suggestion to the BTA that this was not an area that it would like to rest in.
I turned off the LED units above the area of the tank it seemed to want to investigate, removing some of the enticement.
I offered it the enticement of superior lighting near its original home crevice. First is that I left the LED unit above its corner on at 100% full blast for the entire day. I also taped three TrueLumen LED light strips on the outside of the glass, aimed directly at its crevice. I went to sleep with the overhead LED light and the side light strips on full-blast.
When I woke up in the morning, I went to check. The BTA was comfortably ensconced back in its original crevice.
Chalk up one for the Anemone Whisperer.
I recently installed 4 Aqua Illuminations LED units above my 120 gallon tank, and the BTA became so enamored of and attracted to the new lighting that it decided to wander. I must add that at the same time as the lighting installation, I removed an oversupply of live rock that was interfering with water flow, so that greatly assisted in providing a pathway for the anemone's mobility.
I tried putting eggcrate in its way and stuffing escape routes with rocks. Nothing seemed to work. It wouldn't listen to me, no matter how loud I screamed at it.
Here's what did work: a combination of the carrot and the stick.
I aimed a Maxijet 1200 at it, offering the suggestion to the BTA that this was not an area that it would like to rest in.
I turned off the LED units above the area of the tank it seemed to want to investigate, removing some of the enticement.
I offered it the enticement of superior lighting near its original home crevice. First is that I left the LED unit above its corner on at 100% full blast for the entire day. I also taped three TrueLumen LED light strips on the outside of the glass, aimed directly at its crevice. I went to sleep with the overhead LED light and the side light strips on full-blast.
When I woke up in the morning, I went to check. The BTA was comfortably ensconced back in its original crevice.
Chalk up one for the Anemone Whisperer.
