Do you guys regret owning a BTA?

[DarthSimon]

Beautiful system my friend. I for one keep corals in my children's 180's (since I no longer keep multiple tanks in my home...getting too old...arg) and keep this dedicated for my BTA's.

To remove them safely I place the LR on a bucket with some saltwater in it...use a couple of pieces of wood or PVC and the BTA's will generally release and drop into the bucket within ~30 minutes. I do this as to cause no damage to the foot, nor any tearing.

If its 2 or 3 on a small piece of LR, I give the whole enchilada to the person I am giving to and they get a piece of pest free rock with pods and mini brittle starfish as well. I enjoy playing if forward.

Here's a pic from a friend I gave 3 to about 3 weeks ago in a couple of his tanks...one for his Maroon...and the other two for his main DT. He got a piece of LR and simply had to set it in place.

So what I can do it remove all the rocks that have the BTA's on them. So what are you saying, put the rocks in bucks dry and they will fall off eventually?? And put some pvc on bottom of buckets??

 

[hdsoftail1065]

So what I can do it remove all the rocks that have the BTA's on them. So what are you saying, put the rocks in bucks dry and they will fall off eventually?? And put some pvc on bottom of buckets??

You will be suspending the LR over the bucket of water it will stretch and drop. I have suspended some for hours before they decided to drop.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Another trick people talk about is rubbing ice on the foot, this has never worked for me. I have also used a syringe and gently belated the foot as it is suspended, this seems to work pretty well.

 

[DarthSimon]

I just took out 75% of my live rock and moved them all to another tank. I managed to move all my acros and corals down to my new frag tank in basement temporarily. Same water FYI....

Sad day for my reef tank. These RBTA’s are beautiful, but they were about 75 percent of the way to totally taking over my tank. I counted about 30 plus on the rocks.

 

[JeepTj]

only real time I cringe is when they split, and start floating around... I started with 1.. now 5.. interesting to watch with the clowns and the anemone crabs, but also keeps the peace between the 2 ocellaris clowns and my 2 true percs in the tank :O

 

[Jekyl]

After a few weeks my BTA has moved itself under a rock. Still opening up for most of the time but not as much. Rest of the time looks like its swallowing itself. Keeping a close eye but I'm worried it won't make it.

 

[Admann]

After a few weeks my BTA has moved itself under a rock. Still opening up for most of the time but not as much. Rest of the time looks like its swallowing itself. Keeping a close eye but I'm worried it won't make it.

One of the babies from my RBTA did the same thing for about a week but then showed up on the rock nestled against some xenia, pretty as the Momma

 

[Rabidwolf]

Moved 3 BTAs into my new tank yesterday and woke up to 4!

Also turns out that the one that split maybe getting ready to spawn.

Is this an issue or will it just become supplementary coral feed?
My Urchins spawned all the time in my old tank and I never had any spikes.

 

[Butuz]

Anyone know if the foam mp40 guards stop the nems crawling over the top of them?
Just about to release 3 BTAs and 3 mini maxi nems into my new tank and contemplating turning the mp40 off for a while

Dont recommend the form. Pain in the #$%, as it quickly gets clogged and chokes water flow. It will actually cause more problems, not just as a food trap/decay, but with the flow chocking, you will incentivize nems to keep moving. I recommend a 3d printed guard, tons of those on ebay. Getting rid of the foam guard wad the best thing I have done. 3d printed guards are a way to go.

 

[Butuz]

Anyone know if the foam mp40 guards stop the nems crawling over the top of them?
Just about to release 3 BTAs and 3 mini maxi nems into my new tank and contemplating turning the mp40 off for a while

Here is the link btw:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3D-printed...=292983748872c8c576972d9d4e66a74481e288ee9a7b

 

[Rabidwolf]

Here is the link btw:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3D-printed-Ecotech-Vortech-MP-SERIES-anemone-guard-ABS-MP10-MP40-MP60/292983748872?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item4437313908:m:mFIj6jd2xRYovHZ-65SLIyw&enc=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&checksum=292983748872c8c576972d9d4e66a74481e288ee9a7b

Thanks but I'm UK. Found some online now

 

[Twocorns]

Nems are awesome, but I'll never have one in my reef tank. They always walked over spa and melted them. One day I'll have a nem only tank though.

 

[Michael Stetz]

It was really cool and fun too feed but it shriveled up and disappeared. I haven't seen it in years.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

I chosed mixed emotions and here is why. Actually funny this poll popped up because i was gonna make a forum post about it.

I have two. A Rainbow BTA and an Acid Wash BTA.

The RBTA is fantastic. Has stayed where i put it for over a year. Is colorful and is growing. It doesn't develop full bubbles which is annoying but oh well.

The acid wash on the other hand is an butt hole. Wont quit moving even from spots it puts itself in. And has now as of this morning put himself at the very bottom of my tank underneath the rocks and away from any kind of light.....

Super frustrating.... it is loosing tentacle length as well which tells me it isn’t getting enough food.
Here is a picture of the acid wash right when i purchased it

 

[Captain Quint]

So what I can do it remove all the rocks that have the BTA's on them. So what are you saying, put the rocks in bucks dry and they will fall off eventually?? And put some pvc on bottom of buckets??

Sorry. I don't think I was clear.

I use a salt bucket with either some water from the tank or new saltwater in the bucket. I put the pieces of wood board or PVC atop the bucket and place the piece of LR with the BTA(s) facing down toward the water in the bucket.

I use the 2 pieces of whatever on top to old the LR in place so it does not fall in the bucket or if the rock is bigger than the opening the rock does not rest on the lip of the bucket.

It would be a heck of a long time to do with different rocks at different times.

Hope that was a bit clearer.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

Sorry. I don't think I was clear.

I use a salt bucket with either some water from the tank or new saltwater in the bucket. I put the pieces of wood board or PVC atop the bucket and place the piece of LR with the BTA(s) facing down toward the water in the bucket.

I use the 2 pieces of whatever on top to old the LR in place so it does not fall in the bucket or if the rock is bigger than the opening the rock does not rest on the lip of the bucket.

It would be a heck of a long time to do with different rocks at different times.

Hope that was a bit clearer.

This is the only way ive been able to get bta’s of rocks when their foot is 3 inches inside a crevice. If you can safely peel em off this will work.

I would add to have their tentacles barely touching the water and as it detaches slowly move the rock its on higher to keep the tentacles barely touching the water.

 

[DarthSimon]

Guys!
I want to thank you for your advice!!!!! It worked like a charm. I took every single RBTA out of my display attached to a rock.
Let’s them fall off into a bucket worked. Took 30-60 minutes and they all came off rocks. A few I had to nudge off, but nothing terrible.

Unfortunately it was a sad day for my reef. It was a mature SPS and LPS tank of 2 plus years.

Some good news though, I had 32 RBTA’s....
I took them to my LFS in Cherry hill and traded them in. He gave me a handsome credit so I loaded up on some nice corals. Nice colony of Duncan’s, Few Blastos, Open Brain Trachy, Acan colonies and few others.

Here is some before and after:

After taking out all the RBTA:

And Today after loading up:

Nothing is really open yet on new stuff, so we’ll see.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

Nice what lights are you using?

 

[DarthSimon]

3 Radion XR15 Pros Gen 4.

 

[Alex Costa]

Guys!
I want to thank you for your advice!!!!! It worked like a charm. I took every single RBTA out of my display attached to a rock.
Let’s them fall off into a bucket worked. Took 30-60 minutes and they all came off rocks. A few I had to nudge off, but nothing terrible.

Unfortunately it was a sad day for my reef. It was a mature SPS and LPS tank of 2 plus years.

Some good news though, I had 32 RBTA’s....
I took them to my LFS in Cherry hill and traded them in. He gave me a handsome credit so I loaded up on some nice corals. Nice colony of Duncan’s, Few Blastos, Open Brain Trachy, Acan colonies and few others.

Nothing is really open yet on new stuff, so we’ll see.

Now, instead of a "single note" tank, you have one with a variety of colors and forms.
I like it best.
Congrats!