Weird RBTA **Pic**

[cham]

I bought an RBTA and for 6 or 7 months it wandered my tank and wouldn't sit still longer than 24 hours. After that long I got tired of it and bought another one and intended to remove the first one.

At the same time I installed MH lighting and it turns out its what the first roaming RBTA was looking for. He settled down and 6 months later hasn't moved an inch.

Whats wierd is, they both settled down in the same spot and throughout the day their tentacles stay in constant contact with each other. I've also seen with my own eyes both of their tentacles brush against some of my SPS frags and xenia with no damage to them at all.

They aren't stinging anything they come in contact with. Except when I put some mysis shrimp in there. Then they go nuts, they stick right to the arms and get pulled into the mouths quickly. They also don't like silversides, krill, squid, octopus or all the other fresh stuff I grind up and feed my fish.

Strange eh?

 

[cschweitzer]

Actually, it's more common than you think. BTA's especially have one of the weaker stinging cells(nematocysts). They move around a lot. When they settle, they usually have very little reason to sting their neighbors. I had mine in between three leathers touching on all sides and never did any permanent damage. In fact, my fear of permanent damage made me end up killing one of my leathers(tried to move it...didn't work out well). It also sat on top of a zoanthid patch for months without hurting them. Actually, when it moved a couple inches, the ones that were under his based started reopening...almost like a state of suspended animation...all that being said, sometimes they will sting and they have the ability to still pack a whallop. They can take down a whole colony overnight when prompted(usually because of our own actions)...I love BTA's.

 

[lifesworksataol]

wow your freaking tank is awesome - i love how you setup the rocks - it looks like the ocean! i might have to copy when i move into a bigger tank - not moving the rocks around in my 90 ever again

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9608020#post9608020 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lifesworksataol
wow your freaking tank is awesome - i love how you setup the rocks - it looks like the ocean! i might have to copy when i move into a bigger tank - not moving the rocks around in my 90 ever again

Thanks!

I owe the rock work to my wife, I gave the ideas but she put them in action.

The only reason I have not upgraded is 100% because I don't ever want to screw with aquascaping again. The only part of this hobby that I truely hate.

The rest I can thank Marcye for, she is why my tank is the way it is.

 

[InLimbo87]

BTA's usually do not move around a lot. As can be seen with Cham's story, when they are given the proper lighting and flow they usually move very infrequently (if at all). Many people with MH lighting and mature tanks say that their BTA has never moved. I bought one about a month ago and it hasn't moved from the rock it was attached to yet.

 

[InLimbo87]

Tank looks great btw Cham. You're one of the lucky ones that got a peaceful anenome. I'm sure there are plenty of people cursing you right now.

 

[mfp4073]

I moved one into my reef tank and he settled down in the middle of a mushroom patch. They dont seem to even notice.

 

[cham]

Interesting. I always thought of RBTA's as sting factories. Like a condi.

 

[mfp4073]

Yeah, if you talk to anyone I have talked with about my perspective on this hobby, you will learn that I am a firm believer in not believing what everyone holds as an accepted belief just because everyone believes it!

 

[Stoney Mahony]

I have a GBTA that keeps splitting and stinging everything in its path. The original has never moved but the new ones just keep spreading out. Pretty soon it's gonna be an anenome only tank!