Will my BTA ever split?

sooners

Member
I keep hearing stories of BTAs splitting--sometimes multiple times. I've had one for over 9 months. It's about 8 inches in diameter and has a nice pinkish color. My clown and I feed it regularly and it seems to be doing well but no split. I have it under 260 w PC. Is this normal?
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Your lighting may be on the weak side for it.
That said, splitting can be a bad thing. Anemones often split when they are stressed.
Be sure to use sponge prefilters on any powerhead in a tank with anemones.
 

grabbitt

Active Member
BTAs can get pretty big before they split off (mine was at 12 inches and never seperated). And that's not a bad thing, because journeyman said, splits are usually because the anemone is not happy (usually not getting enough light) in its current condition.
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Although I have a different theory on anemones and why they split. You can try to get yours to split if you want. It takes small feedings every day or every other day for 2 to 3 weeks. After the last feeding do a large water change 40% or so, it bump starts the splitting process.
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Although I have a different theory on anemones and why they split. You can try to get yours to split if you want. It takes small feedings every day or every other day for 2 to 3 weeks. After the last feeding do a large water change 40% or so, it bump starts the splitting process.
That doesn't sound like a different theory to me; it sounds like you are stressing it, hehe.
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
That doesn't sound like a different theory to me; it sounds like you are stressing it, hehe.

LOL well I dont doubt that...but apparently this has worked many times. Although I have not done it... (yet
)
 

saltn00b

Active Member
mine was close 16" diameter before i sold it, never split.
however most of the time it was lit by under powered VHOs.
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by Dawman
I wouldn`t be stressing an anemone so it will split .

Nor would I, however I dont believe that anemones split because they are stressed. But thats just my theory...
 

dogstar

Active Member
I beleive they will split if under enough stress. I also beleive they will slpit when healthy and they decide when the time is right. Mine seems to split on average every two years when it reachs a size of around 20+ inches....I wish it did not split because then I have to deal with removeing one or two when it happens.
Dont really understand how feeding and a water change would cause one to split because I do large water changes and it does not seem to cause mine to split....wondering where/who that data comes from ??
 

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by Dogstar
I beleive they will split if under enough stress. I also beleive they will slpit when healthy and they decide when the time is right. Mine seems to split on average every two years when it reachs a size of around 20+ inches....I wish it did not split because then I have to deal with removeing one or two when it happens.
Dont really understand how feeding and a water change would cause one to split because I do large water changes and it does not seem to cause mine to split....wondering where/who that data comes from ??
Its an online FAQ about all types of anemones, information was taken from "Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones" by Fauntin and Allen.
Specifically: "BTAs are also known to split when stressed, and the most
successful way to get a BTA to split via stress is to feed it heavily for several weeks, then do a large water change in your tank."
I dont condone this method however its been proven to work according to the article.
 

perfectdark

Active Member
That was one of the refrences given at the end of the FAQ. I specifically found the FAQ on ************. IMO one of if not the best resource for anything and everything salt water and more.
Please do not post the names of competitor sites, or sites that advertise competitors. 1Journeyman
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Its an online FAQ about all types of anemones, information was taken from "Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones" by Fauntin and Allen.
Specifically: "BTAs are also known to split when stressed, and the most
successful way to get a BTA to split via stress is to feed it heavily for several weeks, then do a large water change in your tank."
I dont condone this method however its been proven to work according to the article.
As I suspected... stress related.
While I like BTAs for aquariums as they can be maricultured easier than other anemones, I'm not sure stressing the heck out of a critter is particularly ethical.
 

perfectdark

Active Member

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
That was one of the refrences given at the end of the FAQ. I specifically found the FAQ on ************. IMO one of if not the best resource for anything and everything salt water and more.
Please do not post the names of competitor sites, or sites that advertise competitors. 1Journeyman

Sorry... my bad..
 

rod buehle

Member

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
That was one of the refrences given at the end of the FAQ. I specifically found the FAQ on ************. IMO one of if not the best resource for anything and everything salt water and more.
Please do not post the names of competitor sites, or sites that advertise competitors. 1Journeyman

I can somewhat see why you would not want ************ site/link posted here, but I still have to say.. Arent these boards all about sharing information to better the hobby? I also find it kind of amusing that ************ has a whole thread tittled "Picasso clowns @ Saltwaterfish.com. and they allow the whole thread and its tittle to stay in place
 

perfectdark

Active Member
It wasnt -- that I posted... However IMO your correct. The source ended up taking me there but where I started was somewhere else. That was the site I listed here.
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rod Buehle
I can somewhat see why you would not want ************ site/link posted here, but I still have to say.. Arent these boards all about sharing information to better the hobby? I also find it kind of amusing that ************ has a whole thread tittled "Picasso clowns @ Saltwaterfish.com. and they allow the whole thread and its tittle to stay in place

SWF is kind enough to provide this great resource. Out of respect for their business we do not allow competitor links or advertising sites.
SWF pays to advertise on other sites and they may allow links. That in no way affects links being posted here.
Plenty of information can be posted here without posting links.
 
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