Feeding a new BTA

drewwCh · Jan 13, 2021

Hey guys!

So i got an RBTA 4 days ago, acllimated him for about an hour and then put him in the tank. He moved overnight and the next day he found his spot and hasn't moved since. He looks settled in and I was wondering if I cpuld feed him now. Paramaters are all pretty stable with
Alk swinging between 8.7 to 9
Calcium at 490-500
Nitrates around 25 ppm
Phos - I don't have a test kit
Ph = 7.8 (quite low but hasn't changed in months)
Salinity = 1.025

That's the BTA an hour before peak light. He extends probably another inch when fully open.

Red_Beard · Jan 13, 2021

Beautiful nem! I think it would be fine to feed it. I dont think it a good idea to gut load it right now but a little food would be fine. I fed mine the day after adding it.

drewwCh · Jan 13, 2021

Red_Beard said:
Beautiful nem! I think it would be fine to feed it. I dont think it a good idea to gut load it right now but a little food would be fine. I fed mine the day after adding it.

Thanks! Will try feeding it a tiny piecw of shrimp later

PicassoClown04 · Jan 14, 2021

Here’s a link to me feeding a baby RBTA on YouTube. I do this to make them bubbly so they can be bubbled when someone buys them

Real time speed.

pic of the nem after 2 weeks daily feeding

Feeding RBTA Video

drewwCh · Jan 14, 2021

footgal said:
Here’s a link to me feeding a baby RBTA on YouTube. I do this to make them bubbly so they can be bubbled when someone buys them Real time speed.

pic of the nem after 2 weeks daily feeding

Feeding RBTA Video

Beautiful nem!

FangsAndGames · Jan 14, 2021

They WILL eat anything. I’ve had success with whole silversides, cut up silversides, mysis, brine, and cut up shrimp. My sunburst nems are super happy.

PicassoClown04 · Jan 14, 2021

drewwCh said:
Beautiful nem!

Thanks! Yours is quite spectacular! I don’t see many BTA that get that big and still retain the bubbles like that, it’s quite impressive!

Bajie · Jan 14, 2021

How large are the pieces you are feeding daily?
I have an RBTA which has stayed in the same spot for two weeks since i added to tank
Fed a a small piece of prawn today followed by another small piece 30mins later
Looking at the anemone, it has not spat the food out and is still in situ, albeit hidden more into the rock slightly.
I want the anemone to grow, but i was thinking of feeding every other day to facilitate this.
I am thinking a small piece every day will be better and less stressful

PicassoClown04 · Jan 14, 2021

Bajie said:
How large are the pieces you are feeding daily?
I have an RBTA which has stayed in the same spot for two weeks since i added to tank
Fed a a small piece of prawn today followed by another small piece 30mins later
Looking at the anemone, it has not spat the food out and is still in situ, albeit hidden more into the rock slightly.
I want the anemone to grow, but i was thinking of feeding every other day to facilitate this.
I am thinking a small piece every day will be better and less stressful

Yes, small pieces are better. Corals and anemones can choke if the pieces are too big so be careful! Feeding 5 small pieces at the same time is the same as 1 really big piece so they can still choke if you do that. If the pieces are too big, they might also have issues passing waste (they get constipated) so small pieces are definitely the way to go!

Bajie · Jan 14, 2021

@footgal Thanks for advice

Dark_Knightt · Jan 14, 2021

Thats a beautiful nem! Shame mine died (Doctor Tims Waste Away happened). I would feed it every maybe week, or even 3 days. Took a little syringe, sucked up some mysis, spot fed it a small bit. They eat so much faster than corals!

drewwCh · Jan 14, 2021

Dark_Knightt said:
Thats a beautiful nem! Shame mine died (Doctor Tims Waste Away happened). I would feed it every maybe week, or even 3 days. Took a little syringe, sucked up some mysis, spot fed it a small bit. They eat so much faster than corals!

Thank you! I'm sorry yours died. Yeah I saw mine eat the piece of shrimp in just seconds!