Where to buy BTA?

[Kal]

Hello,

A LFS here in Houston sold me a beautiful scarlet red anemone a few months ago, telling me my clown fish didn't care what type of anemone was in the tank and they would host this non BTA. That is the opposite of everything I've read but the nem is beautiful and I have a big tank so I'm happy either way. Of course, clowns don't even know the nem exists.

My questions are these:
1) what site do you guys recommend for BTA's? I'd like a red or other less common colorb butcan't find them anywhere. I'm also afraid that they will arrive with torn feet.

2) Is what the LFS told me true? His reasoning was that we as hobbyists have essentially turned anecdotal evidence into fact. This was FJW for anyone familiar with the city, which is typically a super awesome place hence my willingness to believe him.

The attached pic is the nem I was sold. Again, I like it alot so this isn't a witch hunt on the LFS. I know enough to know this was potentially going to happen.

Bonus question! What is the square coral behind my anemone called? Freaking live this guy and he's growing but I have no idea what it is.

Thanks!

 

[Big G]

Calling @Amoo

 

[Amoo]

1. I don't deal in a ton of BTAs, but AquaSD usually has some nice ones. If you want a rare one, you're going to have to get them from people off of the market place.

2. I'd tell you the same thing if I was trying to sell you a Nem. No actually I wouldn't because it would be dishonest, but my point stands that it doesn't surprise me something like that was said. I've yet to encounter any situation on these forums or in real life where a natural host was added and it wasn't hosting the clowns within the first 5 days, but usually the first 48 hours. I've also encountered a TON of posts of people who have had Occys and Percs for over a year along with BTAs and no hosting. SO either everybody is lying or it's not a myth.

Bonus Question: lol me answering an SPS question

 

[ThunderGoose]

Pretty sure that SPS is a Cyphastrea meteor shower but I'm not an expert by any means.

As @Amoo said, check for natural hosts for the fastest and most reliable pairing. My ocellaris clowns took a while to decide my BTA was OK (several weeks) but now they're always hanging with her. YMMV.

As far as where to get one - do you have a local reefing group? BTAs will split pretty frequently and reefers often have them up for sale on my local forum. Plus one of my LRS will take them for store credit and they usually have the orange (red) ones.