My BTA keeps splitting!!! And I don't think I like it!

sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
I have had the BTA for 3+ months. Bought it from a LFS for a great price (sometimes I need to think why such a good price). He said that someone brought it into his store because his clowns were loving it to much and it kept splitting. But he said it was fine good and healthy.
So about 3 or 4 weeks in my tank (29g 250W MH) he split. I was a little concerned but decided to give it some time and see what happened. The other BTA moved slowly to a different spot on the rocks and was kind of hidding but would open up during the day.
Well last week I noticed that the second one split again. And I think that the original is about to split. That would give me 4 BTA's in the same (small) tank. I spoke to the LFS and they said that they take trade ins. But all 4 are on my biggest/ coolest rock.
So the questions I have are:
1.) How do I get the BTA's off the rock to take back at least 3 to the LFS?? I heard about the credit card trick but I am unsure of exactly how to do it.
2.) Should I just take them all back to the LFS? I do not want to keep it if it is going to split every few months.
3.) Is this a good thing and I should be happy that I have a steady trade in source?
4.) Why is it splitting so much? I have good water quality. Just tested on last night
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
PH 8.4
SG 1.025
Calicum 420
KH 8
Temp. 80
Let me know what you think.
Thanks.
 
ibew41

ibew41

Active Member
do you have pics of the anemones in your tank to see the flow or how you have the lighting?
 
F

frakes

Guest
well when a BTA splits... it is normally good. but it is normally becuase they are "happy" but if it becomes a big problem, give them to the fish store and get a store credit
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
The reason bubble tips split include........
Too many water changes or not enough.
Light changes or old bulbs.
Too much or not enough feeding.
Injury.
Anything sound familiar?
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3359980
The reason bubble tips split include........
Too many water changes or not enough.
Light changes or old bulbs.
Too much or not enough feeding.
Injury.
Anything sound familiar?
Well, IDK if there is any one thing. I upgraded lights in December so that may be it. Feeding is consistant, and I do W/C every two weeks. Is a W/C every two weeks too much ( I would not think so)? The new light fixture I have is one of the Chinese low rent ones, the bulbs are no good at all. But I wanted to get at least a few months out of them before I replace. I will start looking into what I will replace with in a few more months.
How bad is it to have three BTA's in one tank? Should I just keep an eye on them? Or, should I really look to take some of them back to the LFS?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Hmmmmmm.....................1=3 in three months.
So does 3=9 in another three months?
IDK
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by IBEW41 http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3359924
do you have pics of the anemones in your tank to see the flow or how you have the lighting?
Flow has been an issue for me. I moved a lot of rock around this weekend and repositioned powerheads and HOB skimmer and filter. But I don't think that flow has been a problem for the BTA's... They have not moved from the first day the orignal one went in the tank, after splitting the new one just kinda moves over a bit. We will see how the new positioning goes with the flow and see if it helps.
Good news is I think I found a good setup for the powerheads, I was blowing sand around in some areas and had MAJOR dead spots in others. Fingers crossed!!!
 
D

dertotschlager

Guest
TO get the Anenome of the rock. all it requires is gentle prodding and massaging from where it is connected to the rock half way up the stalk. It is the safest way. It may take a while though. I've done it and it always works. Hermit crabs do it to anenomes. watch a video of them doing it to get a better idea :)
One possible reason for them constantly splitting is that they love it in your tank.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by dertotschlager http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3361295
TO get the Anenome of the rock. all it requires is gentle prodding and massaging from where it is connected to the rock half way up the stalk. It is the safest way. It may take a while though. I've done it and it always works. Hermit crabs do it to anenomes. watch a video of them doing it to get a better idea :)
One possible reason for them constantly splitting is that they love it in your tank.
Thanks for the reply,
I am starting to think that them loving it might be the case. I thought that the orig BTA was splitting again when I started this post, but now after some time he is not splitting he is just growing like mad. One of my clowns started to host all three of the BTA's and she has never seemed happier. I will keep an eye on them and if they seem crowded or unhappy I will try your trick.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3359226
So the questions I have are:
1.) How do I get the BTA's off the rock to take back at least 3 to the LFS?? I heard about the credit card trick but I am unsure of exactly how to do it.
2.) Should I just take them all back to the LFS? I do not want to keep it if it is going to split every few months.
3.) Is this a good thing and I should be happy that I have a steady trade in source?
4.) Why is it splitting so much? I have good water quality. Just tested on last night
LOL, Finally another michigander with the same problem I've had for years. From one original BTA I've had nearly 50 in my 90 gallon for way to long. LFS had plenty from me and I didn't like to ship them. No matter how badly I neglected the tank or how great the water quality was they simply would not die and would not stop splitting. I have literally had to pluck them out like my cheato and just drop them in a bucket to be tossed out. I think we might have a BTA from the same family. I never had a problem with them stinging each other, however I with a mixed reef the situation was becoming problematic. I still have about 8 in the tank and am thinking of just tossing them all out and getting a rose BTA.
Many ways to remove them, waiting for them to attach to glass and razor/credit card them off, Ice in a zip lock bag held at the base, gently pry them off the rock as suggested, using a power head to encourage them to move off the favorite rock.
Taking them to the LFS if you can use that as a source of income/trade is up to you, but with me it only lasted so long with my LFS.
Should you be happy? Well for me I was at first, water quality great, lighting was awesome, felt like I'd done something right and all was well, but after years of it, it became a drag. For me it's time to move on from way too many anemones and the constant removal.
My suggestion. Decide how many is too many. One or two fine, but anymore and get them out as soon as you can don't wait till its a nightmare and one goes after your powerhead or down an overflow. Having gone threw several shredding themselves in powerheads.....well it's not something I'd recommend, but you should be prepared for it...just in case.
Several reasons for splitting but it looks like someone covered that.
Your tank you call the shots, Good luck
Thomas
 
cipher43

cipher43

Member
Hey Thomas if you like you could send me one and i will pay for the S&H to get it here. I would love to have one that liked to split cause we have had the same one now for 3 years and its gotten huge but thats all. Here is a pic of mine. On topic tho how many anemones can you have in a tank. I have a 30 gallon right now but am planning on getting a 75 gal in the next few months.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3360522
Hmmmmmm.....................1=3 in three months.
So does 3=9 in another three months?
IDK
Well Spanko you were close.
I now have a dozen BTA in my tank. They are all very small but the splitting just kept going. I don't think I am comfortable anymore with this. I will be contacting my LFS and see if they want to take any off my hands.
I will have to post a pic later tonight. They all stay on the same rock and really have not moved too much at all. They do look super cool but IDK if this is just asking for trouble. Sux that its my favorite rock in the tank. Maybe I should just set up a BTA tank? I will see what the guy at the store says first. Lol.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Thomas,
I am so sorry. I never saw this post. That is crazy that you had almost 50!!!!! WOW. I think that I will see if the LFS will take them for a bit, But I can see it getting real old real quick. So think I will eventually just get rid of them all and do a different one. You might be right about them being from the same family!! Lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas712 http:///forum/thread/383794/my-bta-keeps-splitting-and-i-don-t-think-i-like-it#post_3362563
LOL, Finally another michigander with the same problem I've had for years. From one original BTA I've had nearly 50 in my 90 gallon for way to long. LFS had plenty from me and I didn't like to ship them. No matter how badly I neglected the tank or how great the water quality was they simply would not die and would not stop splitting. I have literally had to pluck them out like my cheato and just drop them in a bucket to be tossed out. I think we might have a BTA from the same family. I never had a problem with them stinging each other, however I with a mixed reef the situation was becoming problematic. I still have about 8 in the tank and am thinking of just tossing them all out and getting a rose BTA.
Many ways to remove them, waiting for them to attach to glass and razor/credit card them off, Ice in a zip lock bag held at the base, gently pry them off the rock as suggested, using a power head to encourage them to move off the favorite rock.
Taking them to the LFS if you can use that as a source of income/trade is up to you, but with me it only lasted so long with my LFS.
Should you be happy? Well for me I was at first, water quality great, lighting was awesome, felt like I'd done something right and all was well, but after years of it, it became a drag. For me it's time to move on from way too many anemones and the constant removal.
My suggestion. Decide how many is too many. One or two fine, but anymore and get them out as soon as you can don't wait till its a nightmare and one goes after your powerhead or down an overflow. Having gone threw several shredding themselves in powerheads.....well it's not something I'd recommend, but you should be prepared for it...just in case.
Several reasons for splitting but it looks like someone covered that.
Your tank you call the shots, Good luck
Thomas
 
C

coral guy

Guest
i went to the shedd aquarium and they had over 12 fully grown rbtas in a 30 gal tank man if you have luck with btas man i wish i could have couple more of them every time theres a sale at my lfs over 14 rbtas are sold there is a local breeder in tinley and came in to the lfs with over 12 rbtas in 2 5 gallon bucket i asked how big his tank is and he said it was 300 but he has given over 60 away cause the grow like weeds in tank
 
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