Feeding a BTA???

dea_mt

Member
I got a BTA about 2 days ago. I have 2 perculas but they haven't 'discovered' the anemone yet. Do I need to spot feed this thing or do any special feeding? Please respond, I need help!!!
 

cl0wnfish

Member
Typically it will snag some food from the water column that you feed your fish. I also give mine a little peice of squid or shrimp (about the size of a pea) once a week for extra nutrition. Strong lights is the best food for one in the long run. How much lighiting do you have?
As for your clowns, they may never take to it. Most captive bred clowns (most you find in stores now) don't take to anemones. My percs have been in with my RBTA for over a year and have not paid one bit of attention to it.
 

dea_mt

Member
thanks...as for lighting i have plenty...i have a coralife aqualight deluxe: 2 64w pc 50/50s and 2 64w pc true blue actinics. i also have the BTA at like the very top of my pile of LR almost directly underneath my 50/50 and i think he's gonna stay in the spot he's in. he roamed there and now he looks pretty comfie!
 

snipe

Active Member
That isnt what you would call "plenty". You would need more light "metal halides". the reason he is at the top is becuase there isnot enough light at the bottom of the tank.
 

cl0wnfish

Member
Originally Posted by DEA_MT
thanks...as for lighting i have plenty...i have a coralife aqualight deluxe: 2 64w pc 50/50s and 2 64w pc true blue actinics. i also have the BTA at like the very top of my pile of LR almost directly underneath my 50/50 and i think he's gonna stay in the spot he's in. he roamed there and now he looks pretty comfie!
That is not enough lighting. Teh actinics really don't add much more than aesthetic value (make it look blue) and the photosynthetic bacteria living in the anemones don't use much of that spectrum. The 50/50's only add a little of the useable spectrum. You need 4-5 watts per gallon of lighting of 10,000K or higher for anemones.
They may seem fine now and will seem fine for perhaps a few weeks/months, but they will be slowly dying and eating themselves to survive. They most likely will bleach out slowly before they die.
I would strongly advise to upgrade your lighting. In the meantime, replace the actinics with 10,000K bulbs (leave the 50/50's) to help things out.
 

dea_mt

Member
alright i guess i'll move the BTA to my new 12g nanocube deluxe when i get it...that should have plenty of lighting for it! :D
 

snipe

Active Member
How mutch light will it have? A 12 gallon is kinda small for an anemone at that. Most ppl say only keep them in 20 gallon or larger "because they get so big".
 
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