How to care for bta?

cjphi14 · Jun 10, 2021

I recently purchased a Bta after doing a lot of research to see if they were compatable with my fish, however apart from the basics, like light and water parameters, what does a bta need. Are there any specific foods it needs, supplements? Basically anything that isn't really obvious, I want to do this right the first time as my tank is finally old enough to house a bta. Attached is a picture of my specific anemone. Thanks in advance reefers!

jgirardnrg · Jun 10, 2021

It doesn't need to be fed, it'll get all it needs from the lights and filtering from the water column when you feed your fish. Having said that, I do feed mine once a week. I go down to the supermarket and buy live clams and stick them in my freezer. I break the shell once frozen and I slice off a thing piece with a razor blade and feed it to my nems with tongs. Don't put it directly on the mouth... just touch the clam to the tentacles and let it go. Your nem will do the rest.

Jekyl · Jun 10, 2021

What ever it catches on its own is enough food. Target feeding can promote growth and splitting. I wouldn't target feed more than once or twice a week if you go that route. Never force it either. If hungry the tentacles will grab what ever you're offering. Give it a couple weeks to acclimate before trying.

TriggersAmuck · Jun 10, 2021

The one caveat to preferring to *not* feed anemones is when they are bleached and don't have adequate zooxanthellae to synthesize energy from your wonderful reef lighting. Then you want to make sure to periodically feed them (once every two weeks at least perhaps) until they regrow that zooxanthellae and can survive purely on photosynthesis. Your picture above shows that there may be some minor bleaching, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to supplement with food for awhile, but not too frequently.

cjphi14 · Jun 10, 2021

Thanks for the replies, I think I am going to feed it once or twice a week and see how it likes that amount, and then adjust it based on how it responds to the feeding... It seems like most people target feed them.

cjphi14 · Jun 10, 2021

TriggersAmuck said:
The one caveat to preferring to *not* feed anemones is when they are bleached and don't have adequate zooxanthellae to synthesize energy from your wonderful reef lighting. Then you want to make sure to periodically feed them (once every two weeks at least perhaps) until they regrow that zooxanthellae and can survive purely on photosynthesis. Your picture above shows that there may be some minor bleaching, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to supplement with food for awhile, but not too frequently.

You said there was bleaching on it, would you mind telling me where just so I can be on top of it in the future. I don't want it to go unnoticed because I thought it was totally fine.

BostonReefer300 · Jun 10, 2021

I'd be very mindful of both flow and light level right from the start because it can be very hard to move an anemone once you place it in your DT. Recommendations for light and flow are all over the place for almost everything in this hobby and nems are definitely no exception. Most seem to say moderate to medium-high flow. However, that was not true for my happy BTAs and LTAs---they all seem to much prefer low-medium flow. Regarding light, most seem to say medium-high lighting. Again, my nems beg to differ and seem to prefer moderate lighting (~125-150 PAR). I put my nems in spots where they only have to move short distances over rock (no sand) to find almost any combo of flow/light. I have five nems now. Three are very happy and never moved very far. Two seem very unhappy after they settled on spots that I think have terrible light and flow---but they won't move, so I don't know what to do other than worry about them.

Jekyl · Jun 10, 2021

BostonReefer300 said:
I'd be very mindful of both flow and light level right from the start because it can be very hard to move an anemone once you place it in your DT. Recommendations for light and flow are all over the place for almost everything in this hobby and nems are definitely no exception. Most seem to say moderate to medium-high flow. However, that was not true for my happy BTAs and LTAs---they all seem to much prefer low-medium flow. Regarding light, most seem to say medium-high lighting. Again, my nems beg to differ and seem to prefer moderate lighting (~125-150 PAR). I put my nems in spots where they only have to move short distances over rock (no sand) to find almost any combo of flow/light. I have five nems now. Three are very happy and never moved very far. Two seem very unhappy after they settled on spots that I think have terrible light and flow---but they won't move, so I don't know what to do other than worry about them.

Keeping your hands off them is usually the best route. Only exception is if you think there's infection and need to treat. They will move to where they want to be.

b breef · Jan 30, 2022

jgirardnrg said:
It doesn't need to be fed, it'll get all it needs from the lights and filtering from the water column when you feed your fish. Having said that, I do feed mine once a week. I go down to the supermarket and buy live clams and stick them in my freezer. I break the shell once frozen and I slice off a thing piece with a razor blade and feed it to my nems with tongs. Don't put it directly on the mouth... just touch the clam to the tentacles and let it go. Your nem will do the rest.

Do you thaw it at all?
thanks