BTA mating or fighting?

[missi]

I have a new 20g tank that I ultimately want to be a reef tank. I have 2 bta and one Pink Tip Haitian Anemone with an anemone crab. I also have 2 percs and 1Tang along with 2 cleaner shrimp and several snails. One of my bta's moves a good bit at night and this morning both of the bta's were together. At first I could only see one of them but once the light came on they kind of "deflated" and I could see that the other one was right next to the other. Is this a sign that they're mating or possibly fighting? Could any of my fish be terrorizing them? Also, my Pink Tip has stayed on one rock but over the last few days it has gone into the cave of the rock and now has come through the other side of the rock which is at the back of the tank facing down towards the sand. Do I turn the rock over so that it gets more light, or do I just leave it alone and let it make it's own mind up as to where it resides?

 

[hagfish]

First, that is way too many anemone's for such a small tank. One BTA alone can grow to almost half the size of a 20 gallon tank. The pink tip haitian can grow to the size of the hole tank. The haitian and BTA will most likely find each other at some point and one will likely be killed by the other. Haitians walk a lot IME (BTA's do a little too if they can't find a spot they like) and they will sting everything they touch. I would keep at most one BTA in that tank.
I read your other thread about the LFS possibly pulling one over on you. How long has this tank been set up? These anemone's are moderately difficult creatures to keep alive and are not typically suggested in a newly setup tank. There's too much instability in new tanks. If one of those anemone's dies, you could have major problems with the whole tank.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by hagfish
First, that is way too many anemone's for such a small tank. One BTA alone can grow to almost half the size of a 20 gallon tank. The pink tip haitian can grow to the size of the hole tank. The haitian and BTA will most likely find each other at some point and one will likely be killed by the other. Haitians walk a lot IME (BTA's do a little too if they can't find a spot they like) and they will sting everything they touch. I would keep at most one BTA in that tank.
I read your other thread about the LFS possibly pulling one over on you. How long has this tank been set up? These anemone's are moderately difficult creatures to keep alive and are not typically suggested in a newly setup tank. There's too much instability in new tanks. If one of those anemone's dies, you could have major problems with the whole tank.

Agreed. Also, my bta moves all over the place and stings things. Two types of anemones in one tank may wage chemical warfare on each other and one will die.

 

[missi]

Originally Posted by hagfish
First, that is way too many anemone's for such a small tank. One BTA alone can grow to almost half the size of a 20 gallon tank. The pink tip haitian can grow to the size of the hole tank. The haitian and BTA will most likely find each other at some point and one will likely be killed by the other. Haitians walk a lot IME (BTA's do a little too if they can't find a spot they like) and they will sting everything they touch. I would keep at most one BTA in that tank.
I read your other thread about the LFS possibly pulling one over on you. How long has this tank been set up? These anemone's are moderately difficult creatures to keep alive and are not typically suggested in a newly setup tank. There's too much instability in new tanks. If one of those anemone's dies, you could have major problems with the whole tank.
You really seem to know what you're talking about! I really appreciate you sharing your advise with me

The tank is about 3 weeks old. I had my skimmer running the first 2 1/2 weeks but turned it off this weekend. I don't mean to be so hard on the LFS and I do believe in personal accountability, but I would have expected for them to be straight up with me because I relied on them to be honest with me, knowing it was a new tank. Now, with the anemone's; I have a 7g tank on my desk at work (I am very passionate about tropical tanks) would you suggest that I move the BTA to that tank (it only has 2 pieces of LR and 2 perculas)?
Thanks again!

 

[missi]

Originally Posted by alyssia

Agreed. Also, my bta moves all over the place and stings things. Two types of anemones in one tank may wage chemical warfare on each other and one will die.
:cheer: Thanks a bunch! Do you think they will get along with the Perculas? My shrimp seem to be a little pesty so I don't know if the bta will sting them. Which Anemone would you think will be teh best tank mate?
Thanks!

 

[joojoo]

by the way, BTAs don't "mate" they reproduce by asexual splitting reproduction

 

[hagfish]

Originally Posted by Missi
You really seem to know what you're talking about! I really appreciate you sharing your advise with me

The tank is about 3 weeks old. I had my skimmer running the first 2 1/2 weeks but turned it off this weekend. I don't mean to be so hard on the LFS and I do believe in personal accountability, but I would have expected for them to be straight up with me because I relied on them to be honest with me, knowing it was a new tank. Now, with the anemone's; I have a 7g tank on my desk at work (I am very passionate about tropical tanks) would you suggest that I move the BTA to that tank (it only has 2 pieces of LR and 2 perculas)?
Thanks again!
Are you saying 3 weeks old after the cycle? If your tank hasn't cycled yet, you should get pretty much everything out of there and trade it back or sell it or something until it is done cycling.
The 7 gallon is probably too small for one of the BTA's. My suggestion is to just take it back or try to find someone to trade with or sell it to. Where are you located anyway?
Did they tell you anything about the kind of lights those anemone's need? What kind do you have now?
As for the LFS, almost everybody has had some kind of problem with them. I think a lot of it is too high of expectations honestly. It's best for us to go into the LFS having already studied what we want and try to know as much or more about the fish or whatever than the people working there do. We shouldn't assume that the person we are talking to really knows that much about the item you are buying for many reasons. Even if they are experienced, that doesn't mean they have experience with the item you are buying. Since most LFS jobs aren't going to pay that well you're going to get a lot of people with minimal experience anyway. My suggestion is that if you do see something you want, but you don't know much about it leave it alone and research it at home. You can find most of what you need on the net or on this board.

 

[viper_930]

Originally Posted by joojoo
by the way, BTAs don't "mate" they reproduce by asexual splitting reproduction
Or by sexual reproduction - by releasing sperm and egg gametes into the water.

 

[zanoshanox]

...Did you say that you've got a tang in a 20 gl tank??

 

[joojoo]

Originally Posted by ViPeR_930
Or by sexual reproduction - by releasing sperm and egg gametes into the water.
o, i thought that was only carpets

 

[missi]

Originally Posted by zanoshanox
...Did you say that you've got a tang in a 20 gl tank??
Yeah. I've learned my lesson and today I'm calling another LFS to talk to them about trading it in. I've done a lot of research and thanks to the posters here, now I think I know better.
Thanks again! :joy: