BTA won't stop moving

Sonam · Mar 30, 2015

Hi All,

Our BTA has been on the move for about a month now. It may rest for a few days in one spot but then moves again. It is causing some stress for the corals it comes near.

Any suggestions on how to encourage it to settle down?

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It is currently on the floor of the tank (90 gallon) but spent many months near to top before it began its wandering.

Has anyone else encountered this behavior? Is there something we are doing wrong?

Sonam · Mar 30, 2015

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Jimbo662 · Mar 30, 2015

Ah...the joys of BTA parenthood. Mine too has been on the move almost a month. The last one I had took about 2 months to find its perfect spot.

Sonam · Mar 30, 2015

Thank you for the reply. It's good to hear this isn't too abnormal.

Jimbo662 · Mar 31, 2015

It's more like the norm.

Z06-Hec · Mar 31, 2015

i have 7, the most mine move are a few inches back and forth. they never leave their islands.
I think it may have to be with your flow. My flow does not hit them directly at all. it flows by them where when they want they extend closer into the flow and retract away from it. I've noticed that when i move any of the power heads closer and its getting more flow the retract more and get tiny and stringy etc...

mrjlopez731 · Apr 1, 2015

This has worked for me and I hope it can for you also. Find a nice size rock and make a hole that's deep but not all the way to the other side, if it does break then plug it back up with that clay for the rocks. Make it big enough for the bass of the bubble tip to fit nicely into that hole. Once the bottom locks on into place it should stay there. Hey give it a try, if it works for me, it may work for you to.

mike007 · Apr 1, 2015

They will move until they have there happy spot mine ended up in the back of tank ugh.

Libimagana · Apr 2, 2015

Everyone's nems are different I guess I had a porcelain crab as well my nem wasn't happy till I took out the crab

LatinKing · Apr 2, 2015

Through the years I've had numerous Anemones move. They all move for different reason, like flow as one member here mention. Lighting is a big factor, as well as the quality of the water. Last thing we don't want is them parking themselves next to or on top of one of your most expensive chalice. In all of my tanks my nems find there home within a day, and usually stay put always. I love anemones!

Trex · Apr 2, 2015

It isn't finding the proper conditions, so it is moving to try to find them...

What size tank?
What lights do you have?
What are your current water parameters -- with numbers please.
What do you have for flow?
How long has your tank been set up?
Are you using RO/DI water, if so, what is the TDS?
What other inverts do you have in the tank?
What fish do you have in the tank?

malira · Apr 2, 2015

mrjlopez731 said:
This has worked for me and I hope it can for you also. Find a nice size rock and make a hole that's deep but not all the way to the other side, if it does break then plug it back up with that clay for the rocks. Make it big enough for the bass of the bubble tip to fit nicely into that hole. Once the bottom locks on into place it should stay there. Hey give it a try, if it works for me, it may work for you to.

My son's did much of the same thing. His move into the mouth of a small cave and has been happy ever since.

Sonam · Apr 6, 2015

Thanks to everyone for the input. It is still moving around. Wondering if the crabs aren't the issue. We had two crabs - because the anemone previously had split and we had two of them. But we sold one of the anemones because they weren't able to get comfortable without competing. But both crabs ended up on our original anemone and it's been on the move ever since.
Libimagana, how did you remove the crabs? They seem really strong and I don't want to hurt the anemone.
Thank you!

Sonam · Apr 8, 2015

So far the anemone has stayed in one place for two days - going on three. But it looks like it may move again.
The two porcelain crabs may be annoying it. Does anyone know how to remove these crabs? It's easy to get ahold of them but they dig into the anemone and I don't want to pull too hard fearing it could harm the soft flesh of the nem.

Libimagana · Apr 9, 2015

Sonam i genttly chace them away with a small net even if you chased them wile in the nem the nem would not get hurt it just be patience it might take a wile

Cjsanders757 · Apr 9, 2015

Try and bait them out the men could be annoyed by the crabs.

Sonam · Apr 24, 2015

Thanks to all for the advice. We removed one of the two crabs and our BTA stopped roaming and has been happy ever since. Here it is after a meal of clams: