Newbie considering a BTA - a few questions...

kyley

kyley

Active Member
Hi All,
Can some of you anemone experts clarify a few questions for me about BTAs? I have a 65 gallon Red Sea Max and just got my first fish - an ocellaris clown fish (may consider a second). My tank is about 6 weeks old and has had CUC in it for a couple weeks+ (I also have a couple zoanthids).
1. I thought it would be best to get an anemone now, before I have many corals added (so it can hopefully settle in one spot and I can plan the coral around it). Is this good thinking? Or does my tank really need to be more mature?

2. I'd read they can get 2' in diameter - that would be too big for my tank! But they usually stay smaller in captivity, right? How big can I expect one to get? Is it true that feeding in 1x / week or less will be sufficient and keep it from growing too large?

3. I want to have a lot of coral in my tank, but am concerned about a BTA moving around and stinging other corals. How quickly might it settle in one spot? How likely is it to move around afterwards?

4. BTAs are most likely to settle in on rockwork, correct? Could they settle in the sand if a rock helps to hold them in a corner of the tank (corner placement would be ideal). Or am I just going to have to deal with wherever it decides to settle in?

5. A compatibility check! How likely are these fish and inverts to harm a BTA and vice versa? I don't have most of them yet (only 1 fish)...
- Firefish
- Midas Blenny
- Diamond Watchman Goby or Orange Stripe Prawn Goby (I read some gobies are problematic?)
- McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
- Green Clown Goby (might not get)
- Royal Gramma Basslet
- Blue Spot Jawfish
- Flame Hawkfish
Inverts:
- Peppermint, Skunk Cleaner, and Fire (Blood) Shrimp (have 1 of each)
- Red Serpent Star
- Emerald Crab

6. I have a few bristleworms in my tank - are they likely to harm a BTA? Would clowns see this and eat the worms?

7. How far away do most corals need to be from the anemone? Is an anemone likely to kill, or simply irritate a coral and prevent its growth?

Thanks in advance for your help,
--Kyle
 
Clownfish518

Clownfish518

Razorback
PREMIUM
kyley said:
Hi All,
Can some of you anemone experts clarify a few questions for me about BTAs? I have a 65 gallon Red Sea Max and just got my first fish - an ocellaris clown fish (may consider a second). My tank is about 6 weeks old and has had CUC in it for a couple weeks+ (I also have a couple zoanthids).


Thanks in advance for your help,
--Kyle
Click to expand...

1. I thought it would be best to get an anemone now, before I have many corals added (so it can hopefully settle in one spot and I can plan the coral around it). Is this good thinking? Or does my tank really need to be more mature?

Anemones wander, especially when first introduced to a tank. They can plow through corals and sting, but they do it in slow motion. Anemones do not like changes to your tank, so adding them last is a good idea too. IMO, I like to keep tanks specifically for anemones, though you can be successful in a more community environment. The tank needs to be much closer to a year old before adding a nem. Needs to be very stable.

2. I'd read they can get 2' in diameter - that would be too big for my tank! But they usually stay smaller in captivity, right? How big can I expect one to get? Is it true that feeding in 1x / week or less will be sufficient and keep it from growing too large?

The anemone will grow as large as it will. If you cut down its food too much, it may wander to look for a better ground. The largest BTA I have had was 15" in diameter for its oral disc, the tentacles went a bit further. If you get a clone, chances are it will stay smaller than that, they tend to be smaller. But will clone themselves at around 7-8"

3. I want to have a lot of coral in my tank, but am concerned about a BTA moving around and stinging other corals. How quickly might it settle in one spot? How likely is it to move around afterwards?

As long as it is happy, BTAs are among the least likely to wander of the host anemone species

4. BTAs are most likely to settle in on rockwork, correct? Could they settle in the sand if a rock helps to hold them in a corner of the tank (corner placement would be ideal). Or am I just going to have to deal with wherever it decides to settle in?

BTAs do not settle on the sand. They like their foot protected by rock, or to hang upside down in a cave and poke out. Anemones will settle where they want to. If you have a happy healthy anemone, build your reef around where it settled and count your blessings. Be aware that anything that changes the water flow around it may trigger it to wander. The flip side is you may be able to coax it to move by pointing a powerhead towards it, but not at it. Which also brings up that all powerhead intakes need to be covered because they can suck an anemone right in

5. A compatibility check! How likely are these fish and inverts to harm a BTA and vice versa? I don't have most of them yet (only 1 fish)...
- Firefish
- Midas Blenny
- Diamond Watchman Goby or Orange Stripe Prawn Goby (I read some gobies are problematic?)
- McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
- Green Clown Goby (might not get)
- Royal Gramma Basslet
- Blue Spot Jawfish
- Flame Hawkfish

That's a lot of fish. Anemones need pristine water conditions. Some gobies and the BSJ may be problematic as they may be caught and become lunch for the anemone. Not the anemones fault - these fish (and tangs) don't always have the sense to steer clear.
Inverts:

- Peppermint, Skunk Cleaner, and Fire (Blood) Shrimp (have 1 of each)
- Red Serpent Star
- Emerald Crab

BTAs eat fish and shrimps in the wild. Most fish have enough sense. An odd shrimp may go missing. Peppermints may go after the anemones meals, which may stress the anemone, or they may end up as lunch

I had a zealous nassarius snail eaten by a BTA once. He liked the silverside I fed the anemone, and crawled right into the oral disc to get a piece, and did not know when to let go

6. I have a few bristleworms in my tank - are they likely to harm a BTA? Would clowns see this and eat the worms?

I haven't seen them bother a BTA

7. How far away do most corals need to be from the anemone? Is an anemone likely to kill, or simply irritate a coral and prevent its growth?

If they make contact, the anemone will sting
 
kyley

kyley

Active Member
Thank you very much for all the advice. I think that's enough to convince me to wait quite awhile - and then evaluate whether my tank is right for one (and whether I want to risk the coral and fish)... Thanks again,
--Kyle
 
RC226

RC226

New Member
I made the mistake of adding a green BTA to my tank after only a month. It lasted 3 days before it died. Realizing my ignorance and lack of patience was what killed that beautiful animal made me sick. On top of that, even though I got it out immediately, it left my water quality rapidly declining as it...well, seem to almost disolve. It took me almost two weeks to get the tank conditions stabalized and numerous water changes. Don't make my mistake, make certain you and your tank are ready.
 
sambrinar

sambrinar

Well-Known Member
exellent advice you have gotten!! also be aware if the nem dies it could possibly nuke the whole tank...

I had a GBTA get caught in a nano korolia, just barely, I freed it... that was a Thursday, on Friday it looked terrible upside down in the sand. My tank is at my office and so I set up a HT (hospital tank) and transferred some tank water to the HT, moved the nem over and by Sat the HT water was WHITE!!! may have taken out my 75 gal tank... TG for good advice
 
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