BTA Addition and Questions

[Vanphyre]

Hopefully some experts will be able to answer your questions. All I can do is tell you what I have heard, I am still very new with them. Someone please correct any of these statement is they are wrong, they came from my LFS expert.

Feeding: I was told once a week is plenty as they will get some of the food from your fish feedings also. You will know if it's not getting enough food when it becomes very pale and sickly looking. Hope to never see that condition! As to how to feed it i'm still learning. Right now I rinse off the frozen food to take the bite and fats off of it, and hand feed the anenome. I just hold it near its mouth area until it clings to a majority of the frozen food. (some of it floats out into the open water). I'm thinking about trying the Turkey Baster method instead, so I don't have to stick my whole arm in the tank. heh.

As for Carpet vs. BTA I'm not sure. I know that different types of clowns will pair with different types of Anenomes, and even that is not gauranteed. Carpets are a bit more money, although I personally liked the looks of my BTA over the Carpet. Matter of preference here. I got lucky and my clowns paired with it the day after I brought it home.

Looks like you have your water conditions right for the job. And make sure you have at least 3w/gallon, I think more is better. Mine has finally adapted to my lights, so you might want to acclimate him as mentioned above so you do not shock him.

Wish I had the tank size for the Hippo Tang, they are beautiful creatures! Good luck on what you decide, let us know!

[AMANIQU77]

Thanks. My tank is way to small for this little fella. After a few months, I know I will have to donate it for something more adequate for a 55G 4ft tank.

I've heard that anemones are not reef friendly or what not. Any takers?

Originally Posted by Vanphyre

Update! The Anenome has done a complete 180 on its expanding. It is now fully open when the lights are on and closed up more during the nighttime. I think you guys hit it head on with the light acclimation thing. Here are a couple pics, let me know what you think! Now if only I could get rid of that algae..... hehe.

Good news. Lighting would seem to be the ticket. Actually it has not so much adjusted to the intensity as it has moved away from the light source. If you look at the pics posted so far, the anemone has continually moved to the bottom area of the tank. The deeper in the tank it goes, the less light penetration there is. Once it finds a spot to it's liking, it will hopefully settle in just fine.

Cheers
Steve

Originally Posted by AMANIQU77

I am thinking between BTA or Carpet anemone. Any advice?

Your tank is much better suited for a BTA than a carpet. Aside from that, the clown you have's natural host is a BTA. A carpet in a 55 gal with corals and active swimmers is not a wise idea.

Cheers
Steve

[AMANIQU77]

Thanks. I am very close to acquiring a BTA right now. I am just worried whether or not the BTA may kill all of my coral specimen.

I wonder, Steve, if you can give me an idea whether or not one or many of these specimen will most likely not co-exist with a BTA.

Bubble Coral
Hammer
Blue Mushroom
Green Striped Mushroom
Green Hairy mushroom
yellow polyp colony
green star polyp colony
combination of zoos and polyps on a rock
Another hairy mushroom
Xenia
Finger leather
Kenya Tree

My maroon is never leaving the quickfilter of my Aquaclear powerhead. He's been there all the time. He'd play follow-the-leader with my tang during the day. Then most of the time stays stationary by the powerhead.

Also, I have heard of other bubble coral owners who suddenly had a clown host it and killed the bubble coral. I don't want to give my little maroon the idea.

thanks a lot.

Originally Posted by AMANIQU77

I wonder, Steve, if you can give me an idea whether or not one or many of these specimen will most likely not co-exist with a BTA.

Bubble Coral
Hammer
Blue Mushroom
Green Striped Mushroom
Green Hairy mushroom
yellow polyp colony
green star polyp colony
combination of zoos and polyps on a rock
Another hairy mushroom
Xenia
Finger leather
Kenya Tree

None of these will co exist in any "safe" sense. Anemones for the most part are not reef animals like corals. They are commonly found just outside the areas of reef on slopes/flats/lagoons. If coral density is high, anemones should not be considered at all. Even with a low amount of coral density, an anemone addition is at best risky. The best advice I can give you is setting up a species specific biotope.

Also, I have heard of other bubble coral owners who suddenly had a clown host it and killed the bubble coral. I don't want to give my little maroon the idea.

The main concern is the size of the host vs the size of the fish. Maroons can be very aggressive in their "play" within the anemone causing tears and lacerasions. The smaller the anemone, the more likely there will be damage. There is no way to ensure this won't happen. The best you can do is minimize the potential by aquiring a host large enough to the relative size of the fish. Although a carpet may be large enough, it is not a natural host to Premnas biaculeatus and there is a significant chance it may be consumed by the host or at the very least severely stung.

Cheers
Steve

[Vanphyre]

Updated pick of anenome, he is half under a rock now in the back. :/ grrr. hehe.

Any concerns to this? One thing I'm worried about is half of him is Upside down and the other half is attached to the backside of the rock. Also concerned if the rock ever shifts and crushes him. Maybe nothing to worry about, but wanted an opinion.

Thanks!

You'll be the best judge on the rock stability but if the anemone is in no immedaite danger, don't worry about it. They will commonly perch in places where they can peer out and retract to get whatever light they need for the day and then withdrawl when they've had enough.

Just be sure the water quality/chemistry is good and stable, the rest is up to the anemone.

Cheers
Steve