So I bought a green BTA a couple of months ago. It started to move around and it finally picked a spot. About 2 weeks ago it started to move again and has picked a spot under a rock. I can't even see it anymore and it is not getting any light. Sometimes I can see part of it and it is closed up like a ball. My concern is if it doesn't move into some light or where I can feed it isn't just going to die? I'm worried if it does die what it is going to do to the rest of my livestock. Any suggestions?
Concered about my BTA
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Zero Nitrates
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It might be splitting
DAPG8GT
Active Member
The worst thing with bta's is they move, and most of the time it's right where you don't want them to be and there isn't really any way to control it. They will go where they want to go.
With that said it knows where it needs to be and it could be various things causing it to deflate/ball up etc. Only thing you can really do is make sure you have the correct lighting and water parameters/flow for it and wait. There is tons threads on medicating nems ( Def look into it and see about your situation) but it's more common with carpets I believe.
Don't do anything drastic if it's been in there for a few months and HEALTHY I would try to think if anything has changed in your parameters, equipment, lighting, routine etc..
Could it be that your tank is not up to the task of keeping a nem over the long haul? Slow demise could be a myriad of things from improper lighting to newish tanks getting loaded up with nutrients over time , salinity, Alk,yada yada (you get the picture) .
If you notice it starting to look really bad, not inflating at all and discharging/breaking apart Def remove him and toss it.Depending on tank size it can either decimate the entire tank overnight or cause some other forms of bad news with a large nutrient surge and or coral/fish death.
And contrary to what a lot of people post constantly feeding anemones is not a natural process and causes stress. Feeding a bit is OK but spread it out. I read threads where people are feeding daily/weekly large pieces of shrimp or silver sides to roses/bta's and wonder why they aren't happy and constantly move..FWIW I have a few Sunburst and rainbow Bta's that I never directly feed ( 10+ years for some) and they are all fat and happy..
With that said it knows where it needs to be and it could be various things causing it to deflate/ball up etc. Only thing you can really do is make sure you have the correct lighting and water parameters/flow for it and wait. There is tons threads on medicating nems ( Def look into it and see about your situation) but it's more common with carpets I believe.
Don't do anything drastic if it's been in there for a few months and HEALTHY I would try to think if anything has changed in your parameters, equipment, lighting, routine etc..
Could it be that your tank is not up to the task of keeping a nem over the long haul? Slow demise could be a myriad of things from improper lighting to newish tanks getting loaded up with nutrients over time , salinity, Alk,yada yada (you get the picture) .
If you notice it starting to look really bad, not inflating at all and discharging/breaking apart Def remove him and toss it.Depending on tank size it can either decimate the entire tank overnight or cause some other forms of bad news with a large nutrient surge and or coral/fish death.
And contrary to what a lot of people post constantly feeding anemones is not a natural process and causes stress. Feeding a bit is OK but spread it out. I read threads where people are feeding daily/weekly large pieces of shrimp or silver sides to roses/bta's and wonder why they aren't happy and constantly move..FWIW I have a few Sunburst and rainbow Bta's that I never directly feed ( 10+ years for some) and they are all fat and happy..
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Thanks for the suggestions. I currently have two other BTAs and they are both happy along with all my other coral. I know they move around but usually when it would move into a place like that it would come out after a couple of days. This time it's been hiding for about 2 weeks. My first BTA hasn't moved from where I originally placed it 7 months ago and it split and the other half has barely moved. This green BTA has been moving since I got it.
I typically only feed them brine or mysis shrimp about once a week when I feed it to my fish and I don't give it much. The other times I only feed my fish pellets.
I guess my question is how long can a BTA be in hiding like that until it starts to be a concern? Unless I tear all my rocks apart I can't get a good view of it.
I typically only feed them brine or mysis shrimp about once a week when I feed it to my fish and I don't give it much. The other times I only feed my fish pellets.
I guess my question is how long can a BTA be in hiding like that until it starts to be a concern? Unless I tear all my rocks apart I can't get a good view of it.
AlexG
Valuable Member
From my experience with BTAs sometimes they will dumb things like go under a rock or on the side of a rock out of the light. I have had multiple BTAs in a tank and some will never move while other will go under a rock and start to bleach. I would suggest moving the rock with the BTA back to being in the light. It might be a good idea to turn the lighting down to give the anemone a chance to acclimate. If you cant get the rock moved without tearing the tank apart I would consider using a power head to give it an excessive amount a flow so it moves. As for feeding I am an advocate of feeding some larger meals about once a week but it is not necessary to ensure they are healthy. If the anemone is healthy and wants the meal it will accept it quickly. If the anemone is not interested then take the meal away. If there are clown fish hosting the anemone it will be likely that they will feed the anemone on their own. I would also check the water parameters to make sure there are not any unknown water quality issues.
GoVols
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Please leave it alone for a long while.
BTA's have minds of there own. If you mess with it, it will cause stress.
I've seen more BTA loses due to the reefer trying to make the BTA do what the reefer wants and not letting them do their thing.
I have a 4 year old BTA and a 1 year old. Never fed them anything directly. I see so many people shove silver sides in them and many times a BTA will rot from the inside out because it can't expel all the silver side waste.
Good lighting takes care of their needs with fish food organics in the water column.
I do feed my reef every other day with Red Sea "Reef Energy" and I'm sure the anemones absorbs it up.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
IME it'll find light if it needs too-- often a hiding BTA is a splitting BTA as already mentioned.
