BTA decided to latch in Xenia patch...

[eschaton]

Hello all,

I just got a rose BTA today. It initially attached in what I thought was the perfect space. However, it's since decided to migrate into the largest xenia patch in the entire tank.

You can just barely see a few of the tentacles peeking out of the patch.

I know that in the longer run the BTA will kill a lot of the xenia. That's fine - Xenia grows well in my tank, and although this was a handsome isolated patch, new patches will form elsewhere. However, I'm wondering if the degree to which the BTA has decided to be obscured by the Xenia might hurt it prior to this?

 

[Jon Fishman]

If it didn’t like it there, it would move

 

[MnFish1]

Im not sure there is any way to 'know' which one will win the eventual war. I agree with Jon - leave it where it is....

 

[rkpetersen]

It's possible the BTA just wants less light to start out.
When it wants more light, it'll just inflate and extend upward.
The anemone will definitely start killing off the xenia around it when it's happy and expanded.
I haven't seen a coral yet that can survive being touched repeatedly by a BTA.

 

[Labora]

You could fondle it with your fingers to see if its foot is firmly attached. Might be able to get lucky if it didn't hook on anything and scoop it out? But if its hooked on rock id just forget about it.

 

[MnFish1]

You could fondle it with your fingers to see if its foot is firmly attached. Might be able to get lucky if it didn't hook on anything and scoop it out? But if its hooked on rock id just forget about it.

I could make a family unfriendly joke here - but I will pass

 

[Jon Fishman]

You could fondle it with your fingers to see if its foot is firmly attached. Might be able to get lucky if it didn't hook on anything and scoop it out? But if its hooked on rock id just forget about it.

Good idea. Fondle with your fingers, and see if you get lucky.

 

[MnFish1]

If it didn’t like it there, it would move

I assume you are a knowledgeable about anemones - (I am not particularly) - my concern with them 'moving' - is they often get sucked into 'something'. I have read about people putting them in a glass or some kind of area until they get to a place 'they like' - any suggestions?

 

[Jon Fishman]

I assume you are a knowledgeable about anemones - (I am not particularly) - my concern with them 'moving' - is they often get sucked into 'something'. I have read about people putting them in a glass or some kind of area until they get to a place 'they like' - any suggestions?

I keep them in between rocks, and towards the front...... I just risk it..... If you put them in something, they still have to move, otherwise you have a glass or cup or jar etc in your tank forever!

I have a new Gig coming tomorrow..... I’m gonna surround it with a few big rocks and cross my fingers

 

[SMSREEF]

If it does stay there and do well it will look really good, the red longer tentacles will really stand out in that sea of pink.

To the nem owners, would you trim the Xenia back to give it more light and flow?

 

[ScubaFish802]

If it does stay there and do well it will look really good, the red longer tentacles will really stand out in that sea of pink.

To the nem owners, would you trim the Xenia back to give it more light and flow?

I would give it a week minimum before I cut or moved anything. My luck I would clear a nice circle and it would move by the next morning

 

[chizerbunoi]

I have a new Gig coming tomorrow..... I’m gonna surround it with a few big rocks and cross my fingers

I highly recommend that you put it into quarantine with full daily WC to monitor its condition. And keep meds on hand incase you need to treat it. Ultimately your call.

 

[Labora]

Good idea. Fondle with your fingers, and see if you get lucky.

Naughty!

 

[bam123]

My huge bta's are always touching my xenia. BTA's win. Xenia moves away. No issues. I'd leave it alone.

 

[bam123]

I would give it a week minimum before I cut or moved anything. My luck I would clear a nice circle and it would move by the next morning

Def would not trim xenia. Xenia like zoas and palys often have nasty toxins. THe only thing I'd do is add carbon to your tank.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Def would not trim xenia. Xenia like zoas and palys often have nasty toxins. THe only thing I'd do is add carbon to your tank.

I don't keep any in my tank, at least not yet, for this reason

 

[Jon Fishman]

I highly recommend that you put it into quarantine with full daily WC to monitor its condition. And keep meds on hand incase you need to treat it. Ultimately your call.

My lights don’t come on until night (I try to make the chiller work less during the summer and will switch back soon) but it arrived at 9:15am via FedeX from @galactic_coral and not only was it rather open and happy looking in the bag, it was attached firmly to a small rock they sent..... I figured that was a pretty good sign too.

I had to leave 15 minutes after it arrived, and my girlfriend slowly added water to it over 2-3 hours, and placed it in a spot in the tank I showed her. Came home from work, still looks great, even better actually in the tank. Excited to see how it does after the lights come on.

In unrelated news, I got a Midnight clown to pair with my Flurry that lost it’s mate about a year ago (a month after I got them it jumped from my nano) and after some aggression by the Flurry, it took 4-5 hours and both clowns now remain in the same BTA, and seem like they are already best of friends.

Hopefully as the Gig grows they leave the BTA to take care of it, but we will see. If not, I may wait a year or 2 and rehome the two clowns and get a dozen or so small clowns and start a little harem

 

[chizerbunoi]

Ah since it came from galactic coral the owner is a stand up guy and I heard he treats them with cipro already. You should be in a better situation than if it came from a distributor. Best of luck.