BTA Concern

Joe Fish

Joe Fish

Superstar Fish
#1
Apr 21, 2006
2,126
1
0
Penn State
josy.isa-geek.com
#1
I fed my bta for the first time today. I fed it mysis. I went down a little bit ago to take a look at it and it's all sucked in like a frogspawn head would look like. It has been about 4 hours since I fed it. What does this mean?

 

Last edited:
C

CoolWaters

Superstar Fish
#2
Dec 10, 2006
1,028
1
0
Milpitas
#2
i heard if they ball up for more then 3 hours then this can be a problem. it can be your lighting isnt good enough or flow.

but most of the time its your water. ammonia/nitrite/nitrite lvls?

they need other things like iodine too.
 

Joe Fish

Joe Fish

Superstar Fish
#3
Apr 21, 2006
2,126
1
0
Penn State
josy.isa-geek.com
#3
I know my light is good enough and I have more than enough flow. Water params are all in check except for a ALK issue. It was at 10 and for some stupid reason I cannot give I buffered the alk. This raised it to 15. I did a 5 gallon water change and it dropped to 14. I just checked it this AM and it's opened back up. Hopefully it'll be ok.
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#4
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#4
An anemone often deflates just like that to rid themselves of waste etc. They will then re-inflate and look fine. This is perfectly normal. Now if it were to deflate and stay shrivelled for a number of days and did show signs of shrinkage etc then I would suggest that you have a problem. Another sign of an unhappy anemone is one that is constantly on the move. In that respect I would suggest that you cover your powerhead intakes and any other areas that could cause suction with plastice canvas mesh so you don't come home to find your anemone shredded as that is a real mess to clean up
 

Joe Fish

Joe Fish

Superstar Fish
#5
Apr 21, 2006
2,126
1
0
Penn State
josy.isa-geek.com
#5
It hasn't moved too much. Maybe about an inch in the past week. I do have covers on my powerheads so I'm good there. I noticed my clowns doing something to it I thought they were nipping at it, but they aren't. Almost like picking sand grains off of it or something.
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#6
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#6
clowns will suck at it....they do that to my frogspawn all the time.....I think there is a coating or something that they like.....if they are paying attention to it they will host it probably
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#8
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#8
Maroon clowns naturally host in BTa's so I would think that if the bta is very young and small it could very easily become beaten up by an overly aggressive fish hosting it. My advice would be to ensure that the host anemone be allowed to grow to a large size before introducing it to the clown, especially an aggressive maroon. Even percs and ocellaris are known to be overly aggressive when hosting. Mine host a frogspawn and the candycane and the clowns are constantly rubbing against them, I am sure this behaviour would be detrimental to a very small young anemone.
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#12
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#12
I usually thaw one out in a bit of tank water then I wiggle it in the tentacles until the nem grabs a hold of it and closes around it....the nem will then guide it into it's mouth. If you have a small one you may just give it a half of one about twice a week....
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#15
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#15
Now that is really funny......that is exactly what they are like.....especially when they start moving into a place where you can't see or feed them.......and won't move out
 

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