Switch Tanks with my RBTA?

[C-Reefer]

Hello, I got a Rainbow BTA about 2 months ago now. It went into my 20 long mixed reef, and settled down, but I can't ever see it as its back behind my torch, and kind of wedged in a rock. The 20 llong is around 10 months old. I have a JBJ nanocube 24 that I setup about 2 months ago. It is very lightly stocked with 1 tailspot blenny, and its been keeping birdsnest, acans, and zoas happy (all frags from the 20). the 20 long has arctic revive t247, and the JBJ has a MarsAua black box.

The JBJ nanocube is going to be an anenome and euphyllia dominated. I did have a Green BTA in there, but it got sucked into the powerhead. It was extended and happy for a few days before it got sucked in. I won't make that mistake again. Covers on all powerheads. The RBTA is still fairly small, only 3-4" fully extended. Its happy in the 20 long, but I can't see it, and would love to have it settle down and become a centerpeiec in the JBJ.

Water parameters are stable, 2-3 ppm nitrate, a fuge, ATO, ect. Parameters match the 20 long. I would love to move it over, but I'm worried about it being in too young of a tank. The JBJ has some coralline growing, and all the frags are happy and stay happy, never closed. I feed the nem 2-3 times a week with marine cuisine, krill, mysis, and once every two weeks or so a small chunk of silverside. Do you think it will survive and thrive in the JBJ? Or is it too risky? Is the 6 month rule just for lesss experienced keepers? Like I said, the GBTA was very happy until it got shredded.

@Amoo I know you're the nem guy, whats your thoughts?

 

[James M]

Beautiful nem but I wouldn’t add it

 

[Amoo]

I too would give it more time, both for you to get more familiar with the nem and keeping one, along with you getting more familiar with that new tank and seeing how it responds to different things.

The reality is though, even in the new tank, it's going to settle where it wants, unless you can figure out the exact conditions it likes and try to match those to the spot you want it. BTAs are super fickle about the smallest differences in flow/lighting...etc.

 

[C-Reefer]

I too would give it more time, both for you to get more familiar with the nem and keeping one, along with you getting more familiar with that new tank and seeing how it responds to different things.

The reality is though, even in the new tank, it's going to settle where it wants, unless you can figure out the exact conditions it likes and try to match those to the spot you want it. BTAs are super fickle about the smallest differences in flow/lighting...etc.

I guess I will leave it where it is for a few months more. I just felt like since the green was so happy, he'd be happy too. I hate having such a beautiful nem but not being able to see it.

The thing is, in the JBJ, anywhere it picks will be fine, as there's two viewing angles, both side and front, and I can move flow around so it doesn't settle in the very back.

 

[Amoo]

Don't get me wrong, if you want to move it and build in around where it eventually places itself, that's not a terrible idea and it's a calculated risk only you can make the decision on taking.

Just keep in mind that like I said BTAs can be super sensitive to the smallest changes. You place a torch 12" away, but it slowly grows and changes the water movement around the nems area and as a result it moves...etc.

BTAs are great first nems because they are hardy, they are just so dang sensitive to any change.

So I'm not saying DON'T. I'm saying strongly think about the pros and cons and go from there. You could possibly just move the torch for the time being so you can see it in your 20?

 

[cromag27]

there is no “rule” with nems that is any different from most other livestock. make sure water parameters are stable in the new tank you’ll be fine. like other have said, it will still wander where it wants to.

 

[C-Reefer]

Don't get me wrong, if you want to move it and build in around where it eventually places itself, that's not a terrible idea and it's a calculated risk only you can make the decision on taking.

Just keep in mind that like I said BTAs can be super sensitive to the smallest changes. You place a torch 12" away, but it slowly grows and changes the water movement around the nems area and as a result it moves...etc.

BTAs are great first nems because they are hardy, they are just so dang sensitive to any change.

So I'm not saying DON'T. I'm saying strongly think about the pros and cons and go from there. You could possibly just move the torch for the time being so you can see it in your 20?

It's going to be mainly nem dominated, the euphyllia will just be extras. On their own rocks, ect.

Do you think there's much of a risk in moving it to the newer tank? How risky do you think it is?

there is no “rule” with nems that is any different from most other livestock. make sure water parameters are stable in the new tank you’ll be fine. like other have said, it will still wander where it wants to.

Water params are stable. I feel like since the birdsnest and acans are growing and happy, it should be OK.

 

[Amoo]

With a 2 month old tank you possibly still have an uglies stage or two to get through and keeping a Nem happy and healthy in that kind of environment is difficult. Very similar to what happened to the BRS ULM Acro tank. All of the parameters were stable and spot on, but the corals just didn't make it mainly because of all the other things still going on in a "new" tank.

The good news is, if it starts doing poorly you can move it back to the 20 and hope it recovers, but you're really going to have to get used to watching it like a hawk and trying to read the body language of how it opens and responds on a daily basis.

 

[C-Reefer]

With a 2 month old tank you possibly still have an uglies stage or two to get through and keeping a Nem happy and healthy in that kind of environment is difficult. Very similar to what happened to the BRS ULM Acro tank. All of the parameters were stable and spot on, but the corals just didn't make it mainly because of all the other things still going on in a "new" tank.

The good news is, if it starts doing poorly you can move it back to the 20 and hope it recovers, but you're really going to have to get used to watching it like a hawk and trying to read the body language of how it opens and responds on a daily basis.

The uglies are finishing up, I've gone through the diatoms, there was some bad film algae and that's gone, and now there was a bad hair algae outbreak but its going away. I may go ahead and seed the tank with some pods, and just wait another month or so to let it settle down more. It's doing good in the 20, no point in not having a months worth of patience. I'll treat myself to some new fish that I can watch lol.

 

[cromag27]

turn the rock around in the meantime.

 

[davocean]

If you used established rock that would typically help speed things up, but 2mo is kind of rushing it IMO.
Most tanks go through more than one funky period, often around even 9mo later you may see or have some issues, but regular WC's w/ same param numbers, alk mainly may help.