BTA in an inaccessible location

BHenderson79 · 01-07-2008, 10:55 AM

I recently picked up a nice looking bubble tip and placed it in my tank as a home for my clownfish. I have a lot of live rock in the tank and expected the BTA to wander a bit when I put it in, but what I did not expect was that it would choose a spot in between two rocks and largely underneath a third rock and then stay put. It's almost completely sheltered from the light and almost impossible for me to see and even more impossible to reach it for feeding.

Yesterday I reversed the direction of my powerheads to change the flow patterns in the tank in hopes that it might bring it out. If that doesn't work, does anyone have any suggestions short of rearranging a ton of rockwork? I'd like to be able to reach it for feeding.

Oh, one other question - I was able to "hand" feed it (with a plastic gripper claw) a couple times before it ran away, and that was a problem too. I would hand some zooplankton to it and it would start to grab it with its tentacles, but then my cleaner shrimp would come over and just ravenously steal the food from it. I had to sit there with the claw, shooing them away the whole time which is a gigantic pain!

Dentoid · 01-07-2008, 11:00 AM

Welcome! You have to let anemones do what they want. They can shrink down and fit into cracks and crevices that you think they would never fit into. It's probably still acclimating to your tank. It will find its spot. Don't worry about feeding it. When it's needs energy, it will make its way to the light.

BHenderson79 · 01-07-2008, 11:02 AM

Ok, thanks. Will I ever need to worry about feeding it? Most sites I've read have recommended it.

It's been in that spot for about a week now, so who knows.

Dentoid · 01-07-2008, 11:05 AM

You'll get mixed answers about feeding it. IMO, they have a mouth, they have a mechanism for catching food, so they were meant to eat. You can feed it when it comes out and is open up. Try small pieces of krill, shrimp, scallop or silverside.

kyle1284 · 01-07-2008, 11:06 AM

i got a GBTA from a freind and he never fed it and seemingly that resulted it to bleaching out and ever since i got it i feed it a silver side a day and is starting to color up nicly and its been about a month and a half... it just up to u if u see neg effects from not feeding it just start! hope he comes out!

lcstorc · 01-07-2008, 11:14 AM

Let it come out on it's own. Trying to force an anemone to do anything is a recepie for disaster. They just don't like it.
When it moves to a more accessible place try feeding it something too large for the shrimp like a piece of krill or silversides. Most people seem to recommend feeding twice a week but I have read anything from never to daily. My clowns feed my RBTA Mysis daily but I supplement that about once a week with larger food.

Witfull · 01-07-2008, 11:16 AM

D) all of the above~

BHenderson79 · 01-07-2008, 11:17 AM

Ok, thanks - I will try that. I am still wary about the cleaner shrimp though - I have seen them greedily grab pieces of food way too large for them to eat and just take it off somewhere and nibble at it for a while.

Witfull · 01-07-2008, 11:20 AM

kill the shrimp~ damn crab cousins~

goldenmean · 01-07-2008, 11:21 AM

Then give the shrimp a big piece of food. That will keep him occupied and then you can feed the anemone

Dentoid · 01-07-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witfull

kill the shrimp~ damn crab cousins~

DrHank · 01-07-2008, 12:50 PM

Gosh Wit, is there anything that you do like?!

Witfull · 01-07-2008, 12:54 PM

yeah,,,anything with butter...children need some pepper~

01-07-2008, 10:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	BTA in an inaccessible location I recently picked up a nice looking bubble tip and placed it in my tank as a home for my clownfish. I have a lot of live rock in the tank and expected the BTA to wander a bit when I put it in, but what I did not expect was that it would choose a spot in between two rocks and largely underneath a third rock and then stay put. It's almost completely sheltered from the light and almost impossible for me to see and even more impossible to reach it for feeding. Yesterday I reversed the direction of my powerheads to change the flow patterns in the tank in hopes that it might bring it out. If that doesn't work, does anyone have any suggestions short of rearranging a ton of rockwork? I'd like to be able to reach it for feeding. Oh, one other question - I was able to "hand" feed it (with a plastic gripper claw) a couple times before it ran away, and that was a problem too. I would hand some zooplankton to it and it would start to grab it with its tentacles, but then my cleaner shrimp would come over and just ravenously steal the food from it. I had to sit there with the claw, shooing them away the whole time which is a gigantic pain!

01-07-2008, 11:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Welcome! You have to let anemones do what they want. They can shrink down and fit into cracks and crevices that you think they would never fit into. It's probably still acclimating to your tank. It will find its spot. Don't worry about feeding it. When it's needs energy, it will make its way to the light. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-07-2008, 11:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Ok, thanks. Will I ever need to worry about feeding it? Most sites I've read have recommended it. It's been in that spot for about a week now, so who knows.

01-07-2008, 11:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location You'll get mixed answers about feeding it. IMO, they have a mouth, they have a mechanism for catching food, so they were meant to eat. You can feed it when it comes out and is open up. Try small pieces of krill, shrimp, scallop or silverside. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-07-2008, 11:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
kyle1284 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 919 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location i got a GBTA from a freind and he never fed it and seemingly that resulted it to bleaching out and ever since i got it i feed it a silver side a day and is starting to color up nicly and its been about a month and a half... it just up to u if u see neg effects from not feeding it just start! hope he comes out! __________________ KYLE 75 Gal 110 Lbs Live Rock 40 Lbs of live sand Equiptment:48 Inch 4x54 T-5 true blue and 10000k lights, 2 fuvual 305 Canister Filters Mis. Mushrooms, Fan Worms, hammer coral, frog spawn, candy cane, A TON OF TRUMPET CORAL!! orange plating monti, some kind of branching monti, pom pom xeina, all kinds of zoos BRIGHT GREEN star polyps, xeina, neon green toadstool, 3 damn damsles, a foxface and a blue tang. November 1...The begining! http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../random045.jpg November 8,2008 http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ristina034.jpg My 75 GALLON BAR TOP REEF TANK! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...n-bar-top.html

01-07-2008, 11:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,412 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Let it come out on it's own. Trying to force an anemone to do anything is a recepie for disaster. They just don't like it. When it moves to a more accessible place try feeding it something too large for the shrimp like a piece of krill or silversides. Most people seem to recommend feeding twice a week but I have read anything from never to daily. My clowns feed my RBTA Mysis daily but I supplement that about once a week with larger food. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

01-07-2008, 11:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Ok, thanks - I will try that. I am still wary about the cleaner shrimp though - I have seen them greedily grab pieces of food way too large for them to eat and just take it off somewhere and nibble at it for a while.

01-07-2008, 11:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,062 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Then give the shrimp a big piece of food. That will keep him occupied and then you can feed the anemone __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

01-07-2008, 12:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,251 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: BTA in an inaccessible location Gosh Wit, is there anything that you do like?! __________________ Jim Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html Dr Hank's 155 Bowfront:http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-bowfront.html

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