BTA Observations After First Adding

[divecj5]

Although I've been reefing for the better part of 12 years now, I've just now taken the leap into keeping anemones. My Reefer 170 is going to be a BTA only tank with some acans on the sand bed. I added 2 aquacultured BTAs I got from a local reefer about a month ago and added another aquacultured BTA this past Friday and I've made a few observations that I was curious if others have experienced.

I run an ATI 4-bulb T5 fixture (x1 ATI Coral+, x2 ATI Actinic, x1 ATI Blue+) with x2 MP10s (both running around 30-40% in Lagoon). All of the BTAs that I bought/traded for came from tanks with LEDs (various brands). When adding the BTAs to the tank, I added them to the bottom of my rock work to allow them to move up as they acclimate and/or need more light. Here are my observations:

• First 24hrs - Open and plump
• Next 24-48hrs - Movement to caves and other nooks and crannies and semi-withdrawn
• Next 4-6 days - Movement to more open rockwork, ie more light exposure. Open and plump for the first several hours the lights are on and then shrunken by the end of the photo period.
  • Reduced photoperiod from 8hr to 6hrs
• Next 4-6 days - Open, fully expanded, and although there is some movement around the rockwork, seem happy and plump

As you'll note above, I reduced my photo period by 2-3 hrs to see if that had an effect on how open, expanded, and plump the anemone looked and it did. I just added another aquacultured BTA this past Friday and I'm experiencing the same thing (plump the first 24 hrs, shrunken for the last several days by lights out, etc) so I've reduced my photo period again.

Just wondering if others have experienced the same after adding a BTA. Like I said, I'm used to acclimating SPS, zoas, and other softies to lighting but I assumed the more light the better (in most cases) for BTAs but I'm noticing otherwise. I know these ATI fixtures can throw off some serious PAR but trying to tease out whether the BTAs are getting used to the increased output, just getting used to the tank (parameters, flows), or something else.

If nothing else, I've learned that BTAs (and anemones in general) are some interesting (and finicky) blobs of water

Anyone else experience the same and if so, how long did it take your BTAs to fully acclimate? The ones I added 3-4 weeks ago now are nice and happy.

-Adam

 

[EmdeReef]

Although I've been reefing for the better part of 12 years now, I've just now taken the leap into keeping anemones. My Reefer 170 is going to be a BTA only tank with some acans on the sand bed. I added 2 aquacultured BTAs I got from a local reefer about a month ago and added another aquacultured BTA this past Friday and I've made a few observations that I was curious if others have experienced.

I run an ATI 4-bulb T5 fixture (x1 ATI Coral+, x2 ATI Actinic, x1 ATI Blue+) with x2 MP10s (both running around 30-40% in Lagoon). All of the BTAs that I bought/traded for came from tanks with LEDs (various brands). When adding the BTAs to the tank, I added them to the bottom of my rock work to allow them to move up as they acclimate and/or need more light. Here are my observations:

• First 24hrs - Open and plump
• Next 24-48hrs - Movement to caves and other nooks and crannies and semi-withdrawn
• Next 4-6 days - Movement to more open rockwork, ie more light exposure. Open and plump for the first several hours the lights are on and then shrunken by the end of the photo period.
  • Reduced photoperiod from 8hr to 6hrs
• Next 4-6 days - Open, fully expanded, and although there is some movement around the rockwork, seem happy and plump

As you'll note above, I reduced my photo period by 2-3 hrs to see if that had an effect on how open, expanded, and plump the anemone looked and it did. I just added another aquacultured BTA this past Friday and I'm experiencing the same thing (plump the first 24 hrs, shrunken for the last several days by lights out, etc) so I've reduced my photo period again.

Just wondering if others have experienced the same after adding a BTA. Like I said, I'm used to acclimating SPS, zoas, and other softies to lighting but I assumed the more light the better (in most cases) for BTAs but I'm noticing otherwise. I know these ATI fixtures can throw off some serious PAR but trying to tease out whether the BTAs are getting used to the increased output, just getting used to the tank (parameters, flows), or something else.

If nothing else, I've learned that BTAs (and anemones in general) are some interesting (and finicky) blobs of water

Anyone else experience the same and if so, how long did it take your BTAs to fully acclimate? The ones I added 3-4 weeks ago now are nice and happy.

-Adam

Congrats on your tank!
Sounds like perfectly normal behavior for the first 2+ weeks. They need time to acclimate and then find the perfect spot. Sometimes they'll randomly move. As long as they're not wandering around constantly, remain attached, and open and close with the lights (may not track your photo-period perfectly) everything is fine.

 

[divecj5]

Congrats on your tank!
Sounds like perfectly normal behavior for the first 2+ weeks. They need time to acclimate and then find the perfect spot. Sometimes they'll randomly move. As long as they're not wandering around constantly, remain attached, and open and close with the lights (may not track your photo-period perfectly) everything is fine.

Thanks for the quick reply and confirmation that this is normal behavior. I assumed it was since the first 2 (now 3 since one split) that have been in the tank for ~3 weeks are nice and plump where the newly added one is still acclimating.

Really love keeping BTAs. My two clowns (below) have finally started exploring the one that is the largest. Such an amazing symbiosis to see in our little slices of the reef.

 

[Lance M.]

Sounds normal.

I have a 4x bulb TEK light (Old), with HEP ballasts (1x ATI Aquablue Special, 2x Blue+, 1x Actinic) on a 40B. Its similar set up to your tank. Im getting ~200 PAR under the light about midway in the tank.
My 5 bta's have positioned themselves in 150-180 PAR level areas.

Did you get it locally? I'm in GC.

 

[divecj5]

Sounds normal.

I have a 4x bulb TEK light (Old), with HEP ballasts (1x ATI Aquablue Special, 2x Blue+, 1x Actinic) on a 40B. Its similar set up to your tank. Im getting ~200 PAR under the light about midway in the tank.
My 5 bta's have positioned themselves in 150-180 PAR level areas.

Did you get it locally? I'm in GC.

Thanks, Lance. Glad to hear you’ve observed the same thing with your nems under your TEK light. I got the first 2 (now 3) locally and the other one from a reefer in Virginia.

 

[Lance M.]

Thanks, Lance. Glad to hear you’ve observed the same thing with your nems under your TEK light. I got the first 2 (now 3) locally and the other one from a reefer in Virginia.

Tideline or Joe's? I have one aquacultured rbta from Joe's that is now three. One gbta I am having trouble with but it is making a come back from Tideline. Chris did have two aquacultured rbta's last time I was at the store. Then I have two others from LiveAquaria.

 

[divecj5]

Tideline or Joe's? I have one aquacultured rbta from Joe's that is now three. One gbta I am having trouble with but it is making a come back from Tideline. Chris did have two aquacultured rbta's last time I was at the store. Then I have two others from LiveAquaria.

Didn’t realize you were local! Shoot me a PM. I got mine from a local in North Charleston so neither Joey nor Chris.