How do I mix aquacultured and wild BTAs

[James M]

I currently have a Sherman BTAs and I came across a really nice green bta. I found out that it isn’t aquacultured.
Would running carbon be enough to house them together ?

 

[James M]

Anyone ?

 

[D-Nak]

I don't think anyone has answered yet because it's a hotly debated topic. There are quite a few issues to consider:

At what point is an anemone considered aquacultured? Is it the number of times it has split, either on its own or because it has been manually propagated/cut? Is it a particular time frame in captivity? Days? Months? Years?

Do you believe in allelopathy? Do BTAs possess chemicals that they emit/expel to potentially kill other BTAs? If so, how do they target other BTAs? Why doesn't it affect clones? How far do the chemicals travel? How quickly do they dissipate?

Do wild BTAs have harmful bacteria or ailments that they can pass on to established BTAs? Can the infections be treated with antibiotics, such as Ciprofloxacin?

At this point, the safest thing to do is not to mix BTAs. At the same time, if you don't believe in allelopathy, then it should be perfectly fine to mix all BTAs together (after to quarantine period of any new anemones--wild or aquacultured--to ensure that they aren't sick).

 

[C_AWOL]

From personal experience, as long as the anemone in question is in good health (responsive, healthy foot, not bleached, etc) there is minimal risk mixing different same species anemones together in a tank.

If you're concerned then the use of carbon should help with the potential allelopathy that could occur.

Attached some of my old nems that I had together before I shut down the tank for family reasons