Cali Kid Corals

Anemone Problem

Natterjak

Natterjak

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So, my 3+ year old GBTA is starting to get ginormous again, and it's to the point where I'm starting to get concerned that it may soon be able to reach out and touch someone...like one of my SPS. It's probably only split twice in the time I've had it, so I have no idea when/if it will split again.

So I'll probably soon have a dilemma, unless it splits before it gets much bigger. Do I find a new home for the BTA and the clowns (not my favorite option, as I'm pretty attached to them), or set up a new FOWLR (+anemone)? :D Or do I move my other corals further away? A new tank is probably a long shot unless I can find a great deal, hehe.
 
If you're up to it, you can also try cutting it manually. You'll have to keep it separately from the clowns as it heals though.
 
My BTA is one of the greenish peachy ones which I believe stays a little smaller than RBTA's (so I've been told) but not sure which kind you have. I've only had mine for 7 months but I don't think it'll ever split and I think there is something to why I think that. I happened to have coaxed mine into a rock with a 2-3 inch hole in it and with it's foot snuggly tucked into the safe hole in the rock it hasn't moved a muscle.... or what ever squishy stuff is inside :) Unfortunately I can't say for sure that my BTA wouldn't have out grown the rock by now or not but I like the theory. If you could somehow create the same situation yours may become content? I don't know, my theory is just based on chance and not science so who knows.
 
Not that hard actually. I've done it numerous times with maxi-mini and mini 'nems, never w/a BTA of any sort though.

Here's a link to someone w/experiences on cutting a BTA:

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=28920

Here's a youtube video on the process. I would definitely use something sharper than what was used (e.g. surgical scalpels).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOXZEWIAYEY
 
It's a green BTA, probably just like yours. It's pretty darn content, hasn't moved since it last split months ago. The problem is that it's about the size of a dinner plate now, so its reach is getting longer and longer. :)

I think my ideal solution would be to set up a new tank just for the clowns and the GBTA, but obviously that would be an expensive solution.
 
Took the guy forever to cut through that 'nem. He definitely needs a sharper blade.

It takes two cuts w/the scalpels that I use. One for each side of the foot.
 
[quote author=Natterjak link=topic=3145.msg34442#msg34442 date=1203535562]
It's a green BTA, probably just like yours. It's pretty darn content, hasn't moved since it last split months ago. The problem is that it's about the size of a dinner plate now, so its reach is getting longer and longer. :)

I think my ideal solution would be to set up a new tank just for the clowns and the GBTA, but obviously that would be an expensive solution.
[/quote]

I thought the G stood for Ginormous :) Well I'd like to think you could coax it into a smaller space but I'm thinking a 20g-30g may be your best bet but if you could find something to fit it in it'd be worth a try?
 
For now, I would just move corals away to a safe spot.

OR, you can try and force him to move by selectively guiding him by shading a portion of his area? Just a crazy idea.
 
How about forcing it to split? People say that if it's stressed, it will split. Feed it alot then stop feeding it, do big water change or you can try this. Put it in a bucket with a little water, just enough to keep it kinda wet. Leave it there for 1/2 hour then put it back in the tank. I done this before but not on purpose. I was trying to remove it from the rock :). It split after that.
 
What are you feeding it? I would feed mine either really meaty foods i.e pe mysis, regular mysis, or spectrum pellets it would grow. I also feed a bubble coral and it doesn't just get bigger the stupid sweeper tentacles just slowly digest/melt everything in it's path
 
I don't directly feed it, but the clownfish always make sure that it gets chunks of food from when I feed the fish (homemade mix). This one was only about 3" big after the last split half a year ago (the big half got sucked into the closed loop intake :().

Right now it's probably in the best spot it could possibly be (I've basically arranged all my corals around it) - which of course is also prime real estate in the tank. :p

I guess I'll probably just move stuff away as it encroaches - then eventually I may have to remove it to a different tank. Even if I can get it to split now, it's going to end up being a problem again in 6 months. Would a 28g be big enough for a nem and two clowns?
 
Based on the standards listed for them it'd be tight but in my 46g my clown doesn't leave his corner, heck I could stick them in a 5 gallon bucket and they wouldn't care :)

I always thought that clowns feeding the anemone was a myth? Mybe it's not getting enough food so it's trying to reach your corals? :)
 
Mine definitely feed it - the female is especially diligent about it. Any larger chunks she can grab she brings over to the BTA and spits it into the tentacles. I think it also gets some of whatever residual food floats down to it.

How are carpet anemones? I know they're much tougher to keep and more aggressive - do they move a lot on their own? If I could isolate an anemone in a corner somewhere, it wouldn't be as big a concern. With the BTA, I know if I try to move it, it'll just move around until it finds a spot it prefers.
 
That's what mine did and it found a spot in the back of one of my first zoa colony's and was keeping them closed up so I had to move it. Once I stuck it in the rock with the whole it felt safe enough to not move around even though I put it a little lower on the other side of the tank.
 
Bonnie,
I have a 50ish ga corner pentagon acrylic that I plan to use for a tank switch in a month or so. After that you could have it. As of now, it only has PC lighting. LMK if you want to investigate the idea.

PS the mean greens are doing great! Thanks again
 
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