Whats happening with BTA?

[Ryan Kindle]

Shrunk down and dark think brown stuff in mouth. Mouth opened.

 

[KJ]

@reef lover

 

[AndrewB]

My guess is

a) food - its "pooping"
b) expelling zooxanthelle

Or I have no idea. Strange creatures

 

[reef lover]

Info on tank? Current parameters lighting how old is the system?

 

[Ryan Kindle]

Tanks 6 months. Aquasky led light, parameters unknown. Have a guy that comes every 2 weeks to clean. BTA has looked good last few days, but did rearrange some rocks today.

 

[Ryan Kindle]

BTA been in tank 2 weekish now

 

[theKoolAidMan]

POOP. Anemones don't have an anus. They expel waste through their mouth. Most will do this on their own from time to time, but if you notice them doing it often (weekly for example) they're likely getting too much solid food. No need to target feed a BTA in most cases. It'll get all the energy it needs from light and whatever food it happens to catch on its own.

 

[Ryan Kindle]

I was told by my LFS to feed it a silverside (if i spelled right) once a week. Ive read that thats not really needed. Should I stop?

 

[theKoolAidMan]

I was told by my LFS to feed it a silverside (if i spelled right) once a week. Ive read that thats not really needed. Should I stop?

It's absolutely not needed. BTAs do not need to be target fed. It will get what it needs from your lighting and any stray food that you feed the fish that it can catch. Many people feel that overfeeding a BTA is actually detrimental.

*I'll add that there may be some people who target feed their BTA and will disagree with me, but the leading anecdotal evidence in the hobby is that is unnecessary and maybe even bad.

 

[AndrewB]

I was told by my LFS to feed it a silverside (if i spelled right) once a week. Ive read that thats not really needed. Should I stop?

I personally would not feed silver sides. My fish get mysis a couple times a week and I know a few find their way into the anemones. Good lighting is the majority of their nutrition. IME

I'll add that in the past I lost an anemone I was target feeding once every other week. Silversides. I have no proof that is what caused its decline but after reading much more on the topic and keeping successfully some other anemones I don't target them anymore.

 

[Ryan Kindle]

I personally would not feed silver sides. My fish get mysis a couple times a week and I know a few find their way into the anemones. Good lighting is the majority of their nutrition. IME

I'll add that in the past I lost an anemone I was target feeding once every other week. Silversides. I have no proof that is what caused its decline but after reading much more on the topic and keeping successfully some other anemones I don't target them anymore.

Good to know, i feed frozen brineshrimp once a day and sure it gets some of those

 

[theKoolAidMan]

It's absolutely not needed. BTAs do not need to be target fed. It will get what it needs from your lighting and any stray food that you feed the fish that it can catch. Many people feel that overfeeding a BTA is actually detrimental.

Good to know, i feed frozen brineshrimp once a day and sure it gets some of those

Same. I used to target feed mysis and brine to my BTAs but they would poop every dang week and that's when I did a bit of research. Since I've stopped they poop much, much, much less often, have grown a ton, and even split. I had one healthy BTA, now I have two!

 

[Ryan Kindle]

Same. I used to target feed mysis and brine to my BTAs but they would poop every dang week and that's when I did a bit of research. Since I've stopped they poop much, much, much less often, have grown a ton, and even split. I had one healthy BTA, now I have two!

Normal for him to look so....pooped after pooping?

 

[theKoolAidMan]

Normal for him to look so....pooped after pooping?

Yup. Mine would look like someone popped a balloon. Would take a few hours to come back. If it's not back tomorrow it could have been more than pooping as someone suggested it expelling it zooxanthelae, but I doubt it.

 

[reef lover]

I wouldnt feed silversides too hard to digest...if u must feed use smaller food like mysis.
Can u test ur parameters or get the last reading that was done?
Hows he look today?

 

[Ryan Kindle]

Well, it looks super happy today! Thanks everyone

 

[reef lover]

Great!

 

[stevef22]

It's absolutely not needed. BTAs do not need to be target fed. It will get what it needs from your lighting and any stray food that you feed the fish that it can catch. Many people feel that overfeeding a BTA is actually detrimental.

*I'll add that there may be some people who target feed their BTA and will disagree with me, but the leading anecdotal evidence in the hobby is that is unnecessary and maybe even bad.

I would just let them get what they can from your normal tank feedings (pellets, mysis, etc) without spot feeding also