Keeping BTA at bay

[bluemon]

As a ten year old tank, I didn’t plan my aquascape too far into the future, and my tank goes through stages.

For a while I had some BTAs on the top rocks of the scape; recently, I decided to reclaim some of that space for some Acros, so I need something to keep the BTAs from extending too much into the Acro area.

I tried some frags of the big colony of Hammers I had, and they were pretty decent for a while and I saw some tissue recession on the hammer.

Is there something that can handle the stings of the anemones while also being not too horrible on SPS? (Or at the very least, will not extend like the BTAs do)

I was going to try some rhodactis I had on hand that seem to do well in between, but wanted to know if any others tried anything like this. Attached is a picture from a couple months back with the hammers still doing decently. The BTAs are in the top left

the BTAs don’t move too much unless it gets crowded in that top rocks there, as there are around 6-9 there at any time.

I do try to take away the rogue ones that try to test their luck, but just want some physical boundaries that isn’t removing that rock entirely.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Can't help but beautiful tank.

I also have a never ending supply of BTA and luckily everything plays nice. Only time anything gets stung is if a coral falls on one. I even had a BTA living inside my 40+head hammer colony for a couple weeks. was definetly worried about my hammer but never stung it. i decided to point a power head at it to get the BTA to move on.

 

[bluemon]

Can't help but beautiful tank.

I also have a never ending supply of BTA and luckily everything plays nice. Only time anything gets stung is if a coral falls on one. I even had a BTA living inside my 40+head hammer colony for a couple weeks. was definetly worried about my hammer but never stung it. i decided to point a power head at it to get the BTA to move on.

That isn’t a bad idea, to keep a powerhead pointed against its path to other coral.

Just worried that will inevitably end up feeding them food and having them split even more

 

[PPBlimpy]

I have only bought three BTA since since i put up my first tank18 months ago. I now have over 50 in my system and know I have sold/giving away another 20+

I love them.. I actually may pull my corals out and set up a 30G reef tank and let the BTA overrun my 300G. i do feed them. and they split when i do water changes, or change flow characteristics, or the lighting setting, or probably on a full moon, or when i look at them. lol

 

[Hairyteeth]

Did you say control
A BTA ……

 

[bluemon]

Did you say control
A BTA ……

I have accepted the fact that they will do whatever they want, but mine don't move from that area of the tank unless they create new babies and they want to leave the nest. Seem to like it there with the clownfish giving them food and with a lot of light there.

Just want them to not be too adventurous in inflating towards other coral

 

[Hairyteeth]

Mine were not nice to my corals, they slowly took down each one