BTAs and splitting

[rdanamorton]

i purchased three btas on a LR about six weeks ago, also a tomato clown that lives with them. after a 20% water change sunday i woke up monday to find one of the larger btas walking around the back side of their rock. tues. morning it had split. one rwemained on the rock, the other is still on the move. last nite he was on the back glass, then let lose during the night. early this morning i found him 3/4 in my overflow box with just a smidge stuck in the box teeth holding him in the tank. i pulled him out, he landed upside down on a rock. later this morning he was right side up apparently none the worse but still on the move. the other half is still back on the original rock, with his tomato clown stuck to him like glue.

i was surprized the floater got pulled into the overflow box, the pull is not too strong, guess i'll have to put some sort of screen/guard up. also when is it a good ideaq to start trying to feed them again? by reading i here it is helpful to do another water change to help them heal faster.

here are a few picts.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/117627BigBTA_andy.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/117627btasplt2.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/117627btasplt1.jpg

[SVXH6]

they look very hungry....

[rdanamorton]

they generally eat silversides, with formula one pieces now and then, two of the original three had eaten a few pieces of silversides this past weekend, one was apparently not hugry....i think it may have been the one that split. they have never been interested in mysids?

my lights a pcs 192 watts. when i first got the nems i was using a borrowed smaller pc. then the tentacles were really long, and color not as dark. i've wondered if the brighter lights were responisble for the shorter tentacles and usu. darker color. i liked the longer tentacle look, not really sure which is healthier.

you can click on my gallery to see a few other picts.

[SVXH6]

i would offer different foods.. scallops, silversides, krill, squid, clam, mysis.. with my anemones i like to vary there diet.. usually short stubby tentacles is associated with hunger.. they are dark but they should have longer tentacles.. good luck ith the split.. try doing a water change to help the anemones, then try to feed in a week or so..

[rdanamorton]

thanks, been meaning to try scallops, used to feed them years ago when i had another tank w/anenomes.

and will do the water change, possibly tonite.

i had no idea that BTAs were so sensitive to water quality, any particular parameter that is especially problematic? my nitrogens run close to but not at zeros.

[redvipe2010]

Agree with everyone, that guy is very hungry!

[rdanamorton]

i tried to feed formula 1 to both btas that did not split last nite, neither was interested. both have eaten it before , though i don't think it's their favorite. will try a few silversides tonite. also did a 10 % water change.

the btas that split are really moving alot. for a litttle while they got back touching each other, then moved apart again.

this was my water chem last night: nh4~ .25, no2 ~ .2, no3 ~ 10, pH 8.2, s. grav. 1.023.

before the water change. not great i know but if it a "problem"?

[TOURKID]

your gallery picture says 30 gal @ 30 days.. but you already have anemones in it.. did you cycle the tank? are they splitting due to stress?

[rdanamorton]

thanks for commenting, i notice you are asking a few questions re your new bta and maroon. i was hoping nemo might have an opinion re my situation or non situation ...? i have a tomato clown hosted w/my btas. he seems ok w/them but really never moves away and constantly rubs into them. now he has 4 to choose from, but he usu. return to his fav. i also purchased a domino damsel and was pleased/surprised to see him go to one of the btas in about a day or so. it's a small domino, nickel to quarter size, very gentle w/nems and soo cute.

my tank is now almost 60 days (btas split this week). i started w/20 lbs LR ,40 lbs live sand, then added 10 lbs LR more with the three btas attached. i have a W/D filter and the chemistry started good and stayed good w/no real bad time as in a traditional cycle, my lfs said it would work fine, just add fish slowly. i currently have just 4 fish the clown is the largest at ~ 3". i have a heathy cleaning crew ~ 6 -10 blue leg hermits, and that many snails. a peppermint and cleaner shrimp. i did just add a few cavularia clove polyps i wonder about them, the blue leg hemits are frequently in them eating something.

anyway just recently the water chem declined a bit, then the nem split and still is wandering about. my two other btas did eat a bit of silverside tonite though and look better.

so i think i'm throught he cycling phase....i do want to improve my water, am contemplating a skimmer, and want to remove my bio-balls and convert the w/d into a refugium. i'm not sure what to do first though, $$ is an issue.