Sunburst BTA

[reef.geek]

So yesterday I introduced a Sunburst Bubble Tip Anemone (first nem) into my Tank, The cool part it immediately attached itself to a rock .

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• I turned off my wavemaker because I’ve read too many horror stories of wandering nems getting shredded . Right now, the only flow is from the return nozzle.
• Parameters are stable. Fish & coral are doing well.

My big questions:

1. Is it safe for the rest of my tank (fish + corals) to leave the wavemaker off for a few days while the nem settles?
2. Once it’s attached firmly, how soon would you turn the wavemaker back on (with guards of course)?

Lighting setup: AquaMedic Cube 40 (no fancy app, just manual control).

• From what I’ve gathered, Sunburst BTAs like strong, blue-heavy light.
• I was thinking ~70% intensity, leaning heavy on the blues (70–80%) and whites around 20–30%.
• Does that sound right, or should I go more/less intense to start?

Also if you’ve kept Sunburst BTAs before, do you:

• Feed them regularly (mysis/shrimp) or just let them thrive off the light & water column?
• Dose iodine or just rely on water changes?

 

[reef.geek]

So yesterday I introduced a Sunburst Bubble Tip Anemone (first nem) into my Tank, The cool part it immediately attached itself to a rock .

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• I turned off my wavemaker because I’ve read too many horror stories of wandering nems getting shredded . Right now, the only flow is from the return nozzle.
• Parameters are stable. Fish & coral are doing well.

My big questions:

1. Is it safe for the rest of my tank (fish + corals) to leave the wavemaker off for a few days while the nem settles?
2. Once it’s attached firmly, how soon would you turn the wavemaker back on (with guards of course)?

Lighting setup: AquaMedic Cube 40 (no fancy app, just manual control).

• From what I’ve gathered, Sunburst BTAs like strong, blue-heavy light.
• I was thinking ~70% intensity, leaning heavy on the blues (70–80%) and whites around 20–30%.
• Does that sound right, or should I go more/less intense to start?

Also if you’ve kept Sunburst BTAs before, do you:

• Feed them regularly (mysis/shrimp) or just let them thrive off the light & water column?
• Dose iodine or just rely on water changes?

 

[BonnieB]

I’m on the fence about how long to keep the Wavemaker off and I believe it entirely depends on what is in your tank. For example, if you have SPS and they are dominant then lack of flow and/or light for that long could be deadly. Your nem will go where it will go, even if it takes root, and 6 months down the road it may move. So I would put a guard on the powerhead(s) and give it a day with less light and flow. If it seems settled, then turn you should turn lights & flow back the way they were so you don’t stress your other corals. If you are going to change either of these, do it very slowly so everyone can come along safely in the process!

 

[Ocellaris123]

That looks like a rainbow bta.

I used to feed my sunbursts weekly with pe mysis but they grow too large so i stopped feeding as much, they take up a third of my 40

 

[winxp_man]

All BTA’s. The left side and above RBTA’s. The middle Sherman BTA , and the right side bottom is a Colorado SB BTA. Yours seems like a RBTA.

More BTA’s a green in the mix of RBTA’s.

And a shot of Nem mountain as a whole! Haha.

 

[bluemon]

I wouldn’t leave my wavemaker off.

I would make a makeshift nem guard to put around it.



No need to feed BTAs

 

[Ocellaris123]

All BTA’s. The left side and above RBTA’s. The middle Sherman BTA , and the right side bottom is a Colorado SB BTA. Yours seems like a RBTA.

More BTA’s a green in the mix of RBTA’s.

And a shot of Nem mountain as a whole! Haha.

No issues mixing morphs?

 

[winxp_man]

No issues mixing morphs?

None so far. There is another green on the back side doing good to. The only issues I have are from two others.... A green and sherman that, like a dummy, I had in a newer tank and they almost died. I cant seem to get them to revive. I will have to feed them mysis. Or they might be too far gone sadly. They puff up but they move around a lot. These others have stayed where I put them pretty much for about 4 months now.

 

[dvgyfresh]

IMO, wave maker need only be off for 5 minutes they attach quickly , yours also looks like a rainbow BTA (all the right side nems)

 

[Ocellaris123]

Yeah i only leave my wave makers off for 20 minutes max, they attach quickly, nems guards are a must

 

[painter1982]

In my experience if you leave the wave maker off and then on later, the anemone will just move again. This is due to it finding the spot it likes then the spot changes. You have to have a guard on no matter what anyways. Turning off flow can reduce o2 level in the water too. Best bet is once it attaches, which sounds like it did right away, is to go back to normal flow. The idea is to have the tank settings for all inhabitants and not cater to one. If you adjust for one the rest may suffer.

 

[painter1982]

One other thing, don’t dose anything you can’t test for. Water changes should suffice. Not sure about your particular light.

 

[reef.geek]

I’m on the fence about how long to keep the Wavemaker off and I believe it entirely depends on what is in your tank. For example, if you have SPS and they are dominant then lack of flow and/or light for that long could be deadly. Your nem will go where it will go, even if it takes root, and 6 months down the road it may move. So I would put a guard on the powerhead(s) and give it a day with less light and flow. If it seems settled, then turn you should turn lights & flow back the way they were so you don’t stress your other corals. If you are going to change either of these, do it very slowly so everyone can come along safely in the process!

All BTA’s. The left side and above RBTA’s. The middle Sherman BTA , and the right side bottom is a Colorado SB BTA. Yours seems like a RBTA.

More BTA’s a green in the mix of RBTA’s.

And a shot of Nem mountain as a whole! Haha.

You’re right it is!

My Nem has settled in the same day, i noticed my hermit hanging around it a lot and it seems to be stressing the Nem.
Is this concerning?

 

[BonnieB]

I’m on the fence about how long to keep the Wavemaker off and I believe it entirely depends on what is in your tank. For example, if you have SPS and they are dominant then lack of flow and/or light for that long could be deadly. Your nem will go where it will go, even if it takes root, and 6 months down the road it may move. So I would put a guard on the powerhead(s) and give it a day with less light and flow. If it seems settled, then turn you should turn lights & flow back the way they were so you don’t stress your other corals. If you are going to change either of these, do it very slowly so everyone can come along safely in the process!

All BTA’s. The left side and above RBTA’s. The middle Sherman BTA , and the right side bottom is a Colorado SB BTA. Yours seems like a RBTA.

More BTA’s a green in the mix of RBTA’s.

And a shot of Nem mountain as a whole! Haha.

You’re right it is!

My Nem has settled in the same day, i noticed my hermit hanging around it a lot and it seems to be stressing the Nem.
Is this concerning?

Generally no because they tend to move on. If there is something wrong with the nem however, I’ve seen crabs and shrimp pick on them. But that is usually only when they are dying already. Just keep an eye on it and if you are concerned, move the hermit and see if it goes back again. That would be a sign to see what’s going on with the nem.

 

[winxp_man]

You’re right it is!

My Nem has settled in the same day, i noticed my hermit hanging around it a lot and it seems to be stressing the Nem.
Is this concerning?

A hermit will not stress nems, no CUC will stress nems, unless as stated above it’s dying. CUC only pick on dead things. I would know being my tank seems to have a million bristle worms and at least 15 hermits, along side 5-7 nasaris snails, and a few assassin snails. Changes in parameters will be what ticks them off all the time. So check parameters on a regular, and dose required traces to keep for corals. If you have any. I had a tank I didn’t do WC in for months, nems where as happy as can be. But not the corals. So I dose for alk, and calci just enough to keep things stable.

Old tank had 27 nems at one point. 7 RBTA’s, one CSB, and the rest where GBTA’s. Everything was good. Until I did the tank swap. The greens didn’t make it sadly. I feel they are the most sensible to changes, and RBTA’s are very durable but split fast in changes. The Sherman and the CSB both seem durable and will take a lot it seems to get them to split.

 

[reef.geek]

Generally no because they tend to move on. If there is something wrong with the nem however, I’ve seen crabs and shrimp pick on them. But that is usually only when they are dying already. Just keep an eye on it and if you are concerned, move the hermit and see if it goes back again. That would be a sign to see what’s going on with the nem.

The Nem itself is doing good i tried spot feeding it which went well, just so the clownfish get closer to. I kept an eye on the hermit and it’s not eating the Nem. It’s just poking the Nem with it’s shell which causes the Nem to close.

 

[reef.geek]

A hermit will not stress nems, no CUC will stress nems, unless as stated above it’s dying. CUC only pick on dead things. I would know being my tank seems to have a million bristle worms and at least 15 hermits, along side 5-7 nasaris snails, and a few assassin snails. Changes in parameters will be what ticks them off all the time. So check parameters on a regular, and dose required traces to keep for corals. If you have any. I had a tank I didn’t do WC in for months, nems where as happy as can be. But not the corals. So I dose for alk, and calci just enough to keep things stable.

Old tank had 27 nems at one point. 7 RBTA’s, one CSB, and the rest where GBTA’s. Everything was good. Until I did the tank swap. The greens didn’t make it sadly. I feel they are the most sensible to changes, and RBTA’s are very durable but split fast in changes. The Sherman and the CSB both seem durable and will take a lot it seems to get them to split.

My parameters are stable and have been for a very long time, what i meant by the hermit is stressing my Nem is that it’s been hanging around the Nem and poking it with it’s shell. Which causes the Nem to close. I have been watching it for a while and the hermit isn’t eating from it just poking it.