Questions about BTA's (lighting)

[Clownboy]

I have the Aquapod 24G with Two 32W Dual SunPaq Lights. My LFS tells me that I have enough lighting to keep a BTA. Infact he has one in a Nano cube. Please help me with info.

[cheeks69]

IMO I don't think you do, although some people have had success keeping them in lower light I don't recommend it. I would discourage keeping any Anemone in a Nano because with such a small volume of water it can be a real challenge to maintain proper water parameters and they NEED a stable mature tank to do well long term. Another problem will be is that in such a small tank you wouldn't be able to keep much of anything else especially as it becomes larger it would damage or kill other corals. Just my opinion

[forestal]

I agree with Robert...

my general rule is unless the tank has been setup and stable for at least 6 months, no anemone's allowed...
I have a 36 gallon species tank for my BTA and clones but one bta can easily fill a small tank and will duke it out with corals...
the lighting is possibly enough in a shallow tank...pc's do not have the power to penetrate very far and will lose effectiveness in a standard tank

[dobejazz]

I was also told by a LFS that an anenome would be fine in my nano cube against all advice I did not return it and tried to give it a shot. It took almost a year but it did die it just kept shrinking I found out too late that the reason it was getting smaller was that it was consuming itself. My clown was upset for a day and now hosts in my Xenia happy as can be.

[Travis]

Good advice here... sorry, clownboy, you probably don't have the appropriate setup to keep anemones.

Try a torch coral instead- they look a LOT like anemones.

[addict]

I think it was liveaquaria.com or somewhere that also sold fake latex anemones... their tentacles all waved around too just like the real thing. They're a cinch to keep too... just pull them out and wash the algae off occassionally.

Like everybody's said, you'll want a bit more light (and tank longevity) before you try a BTA... that being said, for a first anemone you can't go wrong with a BTA... they're pretty much bulletproof (given the right conditions).

[gussy]

I might have incoming....

As I have a small BTA in a 12G cube...8 months.

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally Posted by gussy

I have a small BTA in a 12G cube...8 months.

Certainly the exception and not the rule, congrats on your success gussy. I agree with the majority here, not for beginners for sure!

[forestal]

one otherimportant note on care ofanemonae in general. Make sure you feed them regularly. light altho needed, is not enoug

[tcarola154]

Originally Posted by addict

I think it was liveaquaria.com or somewhere that also sold fake latex anemones... their tentacles all waved around too just like the real thing. They're a cinch to keep too... just pull them out and wash the algae off occassionally.

Will clowns actually host in these?

[BoomerD]

Originally Posted by forestal

one otherimportant note on care ofanemonae in general. Make sure you feed them regularly. light altho needed, is not enoug

Gotta disagree here. Lighting is the most important way for the amenones to feed. yes, supplemental feeding is needed periodically, but not much. I've kept BTA's for almost 20 yrs, and while I feed them a bit, (small bits of dinner shrimp, chopped to about 1/4" cubes) especially if I'm trying to make them grow and split, in a well-light system, they need little additional feeding other than what they can glean from the tank.
From Bob Fenner's WWM:
"Underfeed, underfeed, don't feed! Underfeed, underfeed, don't feed! Most losses in captive systems are the result of over-feeding. How many more times do I feel I need to write this? Bunches! Some anemones have been kept for YEARS without any intentional external feeding. Know your stock! Many anemones (especially larger species) are detritivorous (a polite term meaning they eat poop), planktivorous, and largely chemoautotrophic/photosynthesizing species/individuals that hobbyists try to over-stuff with meaty/prepared foods. My bid for largest cause of loss of anemones is the consequences (lack of oxygen, hydrogen and other sulfide production...) from over-feeding. Cut it out! Within normal temperatures and other conditions, most can and do do well on weekly feedings. If you're going on vacation, leave them alone.

For almost all varieties kept, an occasional (weekly or so) perfusion (wash?) of live brine shrimp, prepared mash of frozen or dried food, or frappe' (as in with your blender) of "fresh" marine food meant for human consumption (shellfish, shrimp, langouste, not-so-oily fish) with or without supplementation. Temporarily turn off your particulate filters and squirt the food onto their tentacular surface."

[addict]

Will clowns actually host in these?

Well, my pair of ocellaris clowns have hosted a powerhead, a mag-float scraper, a pink tree coral and a goniopora, so I don't think it would be out of the realm of possibility for them to host a fake anemone.

[Witfull]

ummm Dave,,,clowns,,,they are the hostee not hoster,,,,if you want technical mumbo jumbo~

[forestal]

Boomer, thanks for the quote... i guess i was generalizing for anemonae, but i always thought they needed to be fed... My condylactis definetly seems to neeed more than btas...my BTA's don't seem to need to feed...
so if you think underfeeding is better i will adjust my regimen (i have been feeding small chunks of puree seafood 1x/week and mysis the clowns don't get 3x week)

[BoomerD]

Don't misundeerstand, like all animals, they need food, and if your light is not as intense as they need, feeding can be a way to keep them going, but most prefer good lighting, with only occasional target feeding. Condy's are the same. They need very intense light, but can be kept with less, if you feed them. Carpets and a few others NEED the intensity of MH lighting, even with feeding, and won't thrive without the light. I've kept BTA's with VHO's for years, but they just do better under MH.