Do you guys regret owning a BTA?

Jacky Siu · Jun 13, 2019

Currently have a somewhat empty 125 gallon tank. Probs a total like 7 small sized corals.

My local lfs has a few rainbow BTA but im worried if its worth the effort to deal with it splitting too much and moving too much

ppatches24 · Jun 13, 2019

Jacky Siu said:
Currently have a somewhat empty 125 gallon tank. Probs a total like 7 small sized corals.

My local lfs has a few rainbow BTA but im worried if its worth the effort to deal with it splitting too much and moving too much

What....? Ok I don't regret it but do I every time I go to sleep I wonder if it will get angry and move and get sucked into a power head regret then yes. But it's my favorite thing in my tank and the reason I wanted a tank. They are so pretty to watch. And fun to feed. And eat h them move. And the colors are super pretty. I do regret spending 180 on my first one. I wish I would have started with one that was like 40 or 80 bucks just so it was less stressful lol.

Salty Lemon · Jun 13, 2019

It all depends on a few things.

How long have you had your tank set up? Anemones need a tank at least six months old (some say a year) to be able to survive. If they die while in your tank or get sucked into a power-head or something when they are weak, they can go toxic and kill everything you have. So age of your tank is important for anemone health.
Lighting. It needs to be good.
Eventually, do you live in a metropolitan area or close to an lfs who will take the extras that split off of your hands? They should be willing to trade rainbows for store credit. If you life in the middle of nowhere -- it might be harder to give the extras away.

Jet915 · Jun 13, 2019

50/50 for me. I love them because seeing my clowns host them is really cool. The bad is one of them "escaped" its island and is now hanging out with my sps......and it just split.

madweazl · Jun 13, 2019

Splitting often happens after feeding larger meals to the anemones. Our RBTA split once in two years (after a generous feeding) and our GBTA didnt split in the year we had it (about 11" in diameter) but I never fed it. If you can get them in early and let them choose a spot before adding other corals, you can usually mitigate them wandering about.

Daniel@R2R · Jun 13, 2019

Cool discussion! I added a poll.

Sierra_Bravo · Jun 13, 2019

I had a Sherman and it was apparent early on that I'd have to dedicate a lot of space for it to grow, which limited the amount of acros I could have. For me, acros > nems, and because of that I ultimately sold it for additional real estate for sticks.

Nicholas Dushynsky · Jun 13, 2019

I had one in 45 gallon tank with loads of other corals in it it would go for a wander and walk all over other corals, then split and walk back to where it was. So this time I went with a dedicated evo 13 with the standard plumbing and pump so no extra powerheads in the tank to chop it up. I have had to mod the overflow with some finer mesh so it doesn't get sucked in (again). Also I've had to drill some safety high level water holes in case the new walked over the overflow, blocking it off the tank level would rise and flood and pump the rear chamber empty (not again).

Would I have one in my main tank again, probably not. I just wish the clowns would get in there been 8 months now grrr

timrocks311 · Jun 13, 2019

Jacky Siu said:
im worried if its worth the effort to deal with it splitting too much and moving too much

This is my problem with them. I bought a BTA for my clowns to host. That part it cool. However, I was hoping it would find a spot up top, stay there and get big. It has kind of stayed put, but it's split several times. I now have 5 and already gave away 3 to the LFS. I wish they would get bigger, but they just keep splitting. Also, one moved across the tank, landed on my Jack-o-Lantern Lepto and stung the crap out of it. The Lepto is in bad shape but hopefully it will recover.

I hate to get rid of all of them now because the clowns love 'em. If I could go back I'd forget the BTA and just let the clowns host a hammer or something.

Jacky Siu · Jun 13, 2019

Salty Lemon said:
It all depends on a few things.

How long have you had your tank set up? Anemones need a tank at least six months old (some say a year) to be able to survive. If they die while in your tank or get sucked into a power-head or something when they are weak, they can go toxic and kill everything you have. So age of your tank is important for anemone health.

Lighting. It needs to be good.

Eventually, do you live in a metropolitan area or close to an lfs who will take the extras that split off of your hands? They should be willing to trade rainbows for store credit. If you life in the middle of nowhere -- it might be harder to give the extras away.

My tank has been setup now for a year now and the lights im running are dual xr30 t5 hybrids.
I could ask my local lfs to see if he would take any extra splits.

mta_morrow · Jun 13, 2019

I love all my nems and with the decision to have them in my tank comes the risks.

I currently have 2 softball sized RBTA’s, 1 H. Magnifica, 1 LTA, and 3 rock flowers.

In my last 30 gallon, I had a RBTA, and 2 mini maxi’s.

In the past 4 years, only 1 mini maxi ever moved. So I’m not in tune with nem issues.

With that 1 exception, they all stayed where I wanted them to be.

I planned for the appropriate conditions and rock work / substrate in advance and it has worked for me.

Part of me feels the whole “nem thru the powerhead” is exaggerated.

I know it has happened and I feel bad for those it happened to, but my gut says it happens like 1 out of every 1000 nems.

@mdbannister

This could make for a good daily poll!

How many nems have you owned
Ever have one go through a powerhead
Never had one
Etc

To the OP, that wasn’t meant to hijack your thread, and it will be a good thread!

Mike

mta_morrow · Jun 13, 2019

mdbannister said:
Cool discussion! I added a poll.

Well.......I guess I was typing while you was adding a poll!

#EXCELLENTMINDS

Eackone · Jun 13, 2019

I have a love hate relationship with anemones in general.

I started in the hobby, like many others, wanting a cute pair of clown hosting a BBTA. Little did I know it would constantly move until it decided to shrivel up die under a rock while I was in vacation... First tank crash ensued.

After overcoming my frustration, I show up to the LFS for a new, prettier BBTA. I was then swayed into getting an LTA as I was told it wouldn't move as much and would leave my rockwork for corals..
I friggin' loved the look of that thing, so it was SO frustrating to me that it just never anchored down into my sandbed. I ended up returning it after a few months before it perished in my tank.

I went on telling myself no more anemones... Since then my clowns have taken up to host my torches going as far as killing some of them because they are too rough on em..

All that to say, you just can't win...

demonspeedn · Jun 13, 2019

I like mine, but it's huge, Probably 28" Dia. and it never moves.
It split for the 2nd time in 6 years a few weeks ago, then spawned a week later , making my 220g super cloudy. I'm hoping I don't have 10,000 babies on the way

JonoB · Jun 13, 2019

I think I would love mine more if it was as healthy as could be. I went away for a vacation and came back to it not doing so great. Now I'm just constantly worried about it and having to give it special care and feedings, and it doesn't even look that great. I'm hoping to get it back to it's former glory, and then I would change my answer...

Epic Aquaculture · Jun 13, 2019

I love my Rainbow BTA's and especially my Colorado Sunburst BTA, but I have them in dedicated tanks for the specific reasons that you mentioned. I originally had my Rainbow BTA in my DT with all of my SPS, and she stayed in one place the whole time. The problem was she kept splitting, and the clones would get close to my SPS and started stinging them. I started with 1 and now have 6 after having sold 2 of them.

Softhammer · Jun 13, 2019

I added one a few years back. Split into 6. Now I can’t get the remaining 2 out. SOBs are stinging the crap out of high end acros. I’ve nuked them with everything I can think of and they keep coming back. Those and a hitch hiker zoanthid colony that’s split into probably 2,000 polyps are the bane of my existence!

Millopolis · Jun 13, 2019

Softhammer said:
I added one a few years back. Split into 6. Now I can’t get the remaining 2 out. SOBs are stinging the crap out of high end acros. I’ve nuked them with everything I can think of and they keep coming back. Those and a hitch hiker zoanthid colony that’s split into probably 2,000 polyps are the bane of my existence!

Haha these are good problems

Softhammer · Jun 13, 2019

Not when it monster trucks a 100$ Acro frag!

gonzo620 · Jun 13, 2019

I love my anemone! It was one of my first additions went in with the clean up crew right after the cycle. He’s spit 5 times since 2013. Moved into a larger aquarium about 3 years ago. Went through a tunze 6105 powerhead and still doing well. Mine doesn’t wander stays put and when it split a piece always stays where it was. I always grab the other half right away when it’s on the move.