BTA Stung Torches

[Joe.D]

I had an area with 3 torches in a little garden. My BTA decided to move into the area. 2 of my torches have since receded - I’m assuming they were stung by the BTA.

I’ve moved those 2 away from the BTA, but now they are higher up in tank where they are getting more light and flow. Would I be better off moving down low in the tank in a lower flow area to help them recover? Anything else to help them recover?

If move them lower - would it be ok if they were near GSP?

 

[bensoo00]

If your torches were doing well in that spot and the BTA has been moved, I would just leave them there, try and move the anemone, and see if any abnormalities appear on the torches. If they don't look too damaged then I think they should be fine, but a moving anemone might be a sign of water parameter changes unless you just introduced it. Or he could just be bored and decide to go for a walk, who knows? If the anemone was on the torches for a long time and they were getting stung constantly, I'd probably look towards coral meds if there is visible damage, but otherwise they probably just receded their polyps because something got close to it. If you don't want to move the anemone, maybe try moving the torches to a spot that is in a similar condition. Also, if you move it close to the GSP, the torch could sting the GSP.

 

[Joe.D]

BTA was put into the tank in May and moved to this location in July. It’s been there since. I probably waited too long to do something, these 2 haven’t looked good for a week or so. In retrospect, I lost a Duncan a couple of months ago and it was similar. Polyps receded and never opened again. At the time, I was thinking parameters, but am now convinced it’s the BTA as parameters have been pretty stable.

I moved the torches to the lower position. If they sting the GSP, I won’t be too bummed. I have plenty of GSP.

if I decided to move the BTA, what’s the best way to do that so I don’t get stung and I don’t damage the BTA?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[bensoo00]

BTA was put into the tank in May and moved to this location in July. It’s been there since. I probably waited too long to do something, these 2 haven’t looked good for a week or so. In retrospect, I lost a Duncan a couple of months ago and it was similar. Polyps receded and never opened again. At the time, I was thinking parameters, but am now convinced it’s the BTA as parameters have been pretty stable.

I moved the torches to the lower position. If they sting the GSP, I won’t be too bummed. I have plenty of GSP.

if I decided to move the BTA, what’s the best way to do that so I don’t get stung and I don’t damage the BTA?

Thanks for the feedback!

The BTA sting isn’t really that potent to our hands and I’ve never had trouble picking them up. I would recommend wearing gloves in case you are secretly unknowingly allergic to them, which would pose a really big problem (hence why someone was watching me the first time I barehanded them). You can put a lot of flow on them and they will fly off or I’ve heard massaging the foot, or using a credit card to coerce it off a surface works. I’ve only ever used the flow method because I don’t want to risk damaging the foot, but others could have success with the other methods. If it wasn’t parameters, sometimes anemones just walk around for fun, but if your Duncan never opened again, either it was stung to death or I’d make sure you have the necessary parameters levels of calcium, alkalinity, and the other good stuff.