Evening Callanetics

martin.a · 2026-10-27T21:28:04-0400

After dark, spotlighted from top with white and royal blue torches.

Decamicron Labs · 2026-10-27T21:40:06-0400

Careful, these things are magnetic to powerheads and overflows!

martin.a · 2026-10-27T21:45:17-0400

Decamicron Labs said:
Careful, these things are magnetic to powerheads and overflows!

Yes, I know. And this BTA learnt it the hard way. This nem is restless, it keeps moving in the tank almost each night. Only pauses to recover after more dramatic experiences. My powerheads now have 3d printed nem life-saving covers.

martin.a · 2026-10-27T22:04:17-0400

One more:

This was a stretch!

And another one, not-so as a photo, but a good doco why I called this one BTA 'Idiotica':

martin.a · 2026-10-27T22:08:21-0400

As far as I know, this is a wild collected specimen from a relatively deep water, and it simply can't find a spot for itself in this artificial environment. I have another 'classic' tank-grown BTA in another tank, and that one is a totally different experience.

Decamicron Labs · 2026-10-27T22:13:05-0400

martin.a said:
As far as I know, this is a wild collected specimen from a relatively deep water, and it simply can't find a spot for itself in this artificial environment. I have another 'classic' tank-grown BTA in another tank, and that one is a totally different experience.

Haha, they really each have their own personalities. Its the same for the ones I kept before, some will stay put, but others will go on a daily pilgrimage. Yours is a large one. Has it split before?

martin.a · 2026-10-27T22:22:34-0400

Decamicron Labs said:
Haha, they really each have their own personalities. Its the same for the ones I kept before, some will stay put, but others will go on a daily pilgrimage. Yours is a large one. Has it split before?

It is the largest BTA I ever seen in captivity or nature. It never split in my tank, meaning never in captivity.
I mean, as a single specimen, not a 'colony'.

56longroof · 2026-10-27T22:30:28-0400

martin.a said:
It is the largest BTA I ever seen in captivity or nature. It never split in my tank, meaning never in captivity.
I mean, as a single specimen, not a 'colony'.

How big is it? I had one the size of a dinner plate. Unfortunately my light malfunctioned and it started splitting like crazy while I was waiting for parts to come in.

martin.a · 2026-10-27T22:36:47-0400

Wow! I don't think this one is that large. It mostly keeps its oral disk somehow folded. I would approximate its diameter to ~25cm/10".
Edit: BTW, due to a dino-war I am too doing mad things to the lighting, flow, and such. The nem is clearly unimpressed. But stays in one piece so far.