What to look for when buying BTA? Not sure if I should buy it?

cirionrc · 08/05/2010, 04:20 PM

When buying a BTA, what do I look for? The one I see is fully attached to a big piece of rock and the lfs guy said he just uses his nail and gently peels it off the rock. Should I get one with the rock? Does it matter? It is half closed, but fully attached. It has a clarkii hosting with it. What else to I look for?

Sitarangi · 08/05/2010, 04:33 PM

You want the anemone to have a strong 'stick' when touched. That means the nematocysts are healthy and the anemone has acclimated well. Be sure that its fully opened up and the tentacles are round. The base should be slowly massaged off and not pried. Ask for the store's water parameters; pH and and dKH are important as anemones are 95+% water and its is crucial that it the animal is acclimated slowly into your tank. It is perfectly normal and expected for the anemone to hide when introduced.

Also IME, the amount of food is the factor on how big it grows. I feed my RBTA 1-2 fish a day and it is nearly 2' wide fully open. I bought it the size of a quarter not even 9 months ago.

kingfisher62 · 08/05/2010, 04:46 PM

Anemones will move where ever they want so , buying the rock will not mean it will stay on it.
cirionrc, What type of lighting do you have?
I looked at your profile and it looked like you have a FOWLR tank and no corals so I was wondering because nems do need some pretty strong lighting. If You do have the proper lighting and corals , be aware that these guys do move and sting corals on their way!

cirionrc · 08/05/2010, 04:51 PM

Oh Sorry, dang. That is still there? Last time I used this site was years ago. No I have a 90 gallon with 80 lbs. live rock. 3 48" T5 HO. Only corals that I have is a blue xenia, 1 colony of button polyps, 1 colony green star polyps. I have a condy, but he is going to lfs when get the bta. Or is that not enough lighting. I have 2 big mountains of live rock, almost to the very top. Don't know if that would matter.

kingfisher62 · 08/05/2010, 05:03 PM

Personally I never kept anemones ( not including aiptasia) so I am not an expert . Your lighting might not be enough, IMO, but I could be wrong!

kingfisher62 · 08/05/2010, 05:04 PM

BTW, I know what you mean . I need to update my profile also!

Sitarangi · 08/05/2010, 05:26 PM

ya your tank will be fine for a BTA. I kept a condy and BTA together in my big tank. One day, my condy decided to go for a walk and wipe out several montis and zoos. Left in a bucket with a 'free' sign at my LFS. Gave it to a guy with a triggerfish FOWLR

cloak · 08/05/2010, 05:30 PM

Check these out.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/in...a/anemones.htm

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anempt2.htm

08/05/2010, 04:20 PM	#1
cirionrc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 175	What to look for when buying BTA? Not sure if I should buy it? When buying a BTA, what do I look for? The one I see is fully attached to a big piece of rock and the lfs guy said he just uses his nail and gently peels it off the rock. Should I get one with the rock? Does it matter? It is half closed, but fully attached. It has a clarkii hosting with it. What else to I look for?

08/05/2010, 04:46 PM	#3
kingfisher62 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: massachusetts Posts: 4,972	Anemones will move where ever they want so , buying the rock will not mean it will stay on it. cirionrc, What type of lighting do you have? I looked at your profile and it looked like you have a FOWLR tank and no corals so I was wondering because nems do need some pretty strong lighting. If You do have the proper lighting and corals , be aware that these guys do move and sting corals on their way! __________________ 55g Tank - 216W T5's Foxface, tomato clown, yellow tailed damsel, Starrie Blennie, LPS and softies 29G Biocube- 120W LED's 2 percular clown, Six line Wrasse , LPS and softies Current Tank Info: 55 gl. Reef tank ,29g biocube Reef

08/05/2010, 05:03 PM	#5
kingfisher62 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: massachusetts Posts: 4,972	Personally I never kept anemones ( not including aiptasia) so I am not an expert . Your lighting might not be enough, IMO, but I could be wrong! __________________ 55g Tank - 216W T5's Foxface, tomato clown, yellow tailed damsel, Starrie Blennie, LPS and softies 29G Biocube- 120W LED's 2 percular clown, Six line Wrasse , LPS and softies Current Tank Info: 55 gl. Reef tank ,29g biocube Reef

08/05/2010, 05:04 PM	#6
kingfisher62 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: massachusetts Posts: 4,972	BTW, I know what you mean . I need to update my profile also! __________________ 55g Tank - 216W T5's Foxface, tomato clown, yellow tailed damsel, Starrie Blennie, LPS and softies 29G Biocube- 120W LED's 2 percular clown, Six line Wrasse , LPS and softies Current Tank Info: 55 gl. Reef tank ,29g biocube Reef

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08/05/2010, 04:33 PM	#2
Sitarangi Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 588	You want the anemone to have a strong 'stick' when touched. That means the nematocysts are healthy and the anemone has acclimated well. Be sure that its fully opened up and the tentacles are round. The base should be slowly massaged off and not pried. Ask for the store's water parameters; pH and and dKH are important as anemones are 95+% water and its is crucial that it the animal is acclimated slowly into your tank. It is perfectly normal and expected for the anemone to hide when introduced. Also IME, the amount of food is the factor on how big it grows. I feed my RBTA 1-2 fish a day and it is nearly 2' wide fully open. I bought it the size of a quarter not even 9 months ago.

08/05/2010, 04:51 PM	#4
cirionrc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 175	Oh Sorry, dang. That is still there? Last time I used this site was years ago. No I have a 90 gallon with 80 lbs. live rock. 3 48" T5 HO. Only corals that I have is a blue xenia, 1 colony of button polyps, 1 colony green star polyps. I have a condy, but he is going to lfs when get the bta. Or is that not enough lighting. I have 2 big mountains of live rock, almost to the very top. Don't know if that would matter.

08/05/2010, 05:26 PM	#7
Sitarangi Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 588	ya your tank will be fine for a BTA. I kept a condy and BTA together in my big tank. One day, my condy decided to go for a walk and wipe out several montis and zoos. Left in a bucket with a 'free' sign at my LFS. Gave it to a guy with a triggerfish FOWLR

08/05/2010, 05:30 PM	#8
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Check these out. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/in...a/anemones.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anempt2.htm