Bubble tips multiplying and now moving - advice sought.

justonwo · Nov 8, 2015

I have a spot in the tank that, a few months ago, was home to 3 rather large BTAs. In the last few month, 3 became 5 and now one of them is on the move, presumably because it was being crowded out?

At any rate, I'm afraid the moving anemone will kill my acropora frags. Should I try to remove this anemone? I'm not sure I want to devote much more space to anemones. And I REALLY don't want to have any of my corals damaged.

Should I let this BTA roam or move him out?

saltyphish · Nov 8, 2015

Depends if you want to risk any future coral loss. Bta are unpredictable as they can and will roam at will. While on the move any coral I the way is at risk.

leadman997 · Nov 8, 2015

I personally just let him roam, he will find his best spot

scardall · Nov 8, 2015

Choose your priority or do damage control. I chose to sell/trade my BTA's. Here's some of them. Have Fun (they love water movement)

redfishbluefish · Nov 8, 2015

So you now have five BTA's!!! You don't mention the size of your tank, but I think you have a nice little profit coming in selling some of these BTA's They can be damaging to corals when they start to roam.

justonwo · Nov 9, 2015

It's a 90 gallon tank. They are starting to take up quite a bit of space!

justonwo · Nov 9, 2015

Ok, I successfully removed one of them but couldn't get the other one. I tried the ice method and the power head method. I could get part of the foot to detach, but the poor little guy ripped when I tried to pry him off. Now that I botched that one, I tried to remove as much of the anemone as I could. I think I got most of the dead anemone. Should I expect a big ammonia spike anyway?

scardall · Nov 9, 2015

if it is less than half of the foot he might recover with a little TLC. good luck

justonwo · Nov 9, 2015

I'm less concerned about the BTA recovering - in fact, I really need to have it out - and more concerned about an ammonia spike. I think I got most of the remains out, and my tank should be mature enough to handle the load of decaying flesh.

scardall · Nov 9, 2015

Amoquel is a dechlorinator and an ammonia detoxifyer. Just check to see if this will detox in saltwater. Because Ammo chips will detox ammonia BUT only in freshwater.