Cali Kid Corals

BTA placement and care?

Bolicks

Supporting Member
Hey everyone,

Curious to hear people's experiences and advice for keeping BTAs in a small-ish system (30gal) - I'd like to distract my clowns from the torch they're guesting to death, and it seems like an BTA would do (plus they're cool).

Main questions: Where (flow and light wise) would the RBTA do best?
How far can their tentacles extend?

What's the best way to keep them from moving? (outside of consistent flow and light). Is there a movement trend (i.e. around the bottom, or vertically?)

Many guides recommend 6 mo. to 1 yr. old systems - Why is this? Nutrient parameters, some other thing that needs to emerge before creating a good habitat?

Lastly (and this one is kind of dodgy) - Experiences with anemone cups? Can anemones actually do well in these, or is it a gimmick? Will it just detach and float to where it prefers?

Appreciate any advice! I know this must be a frequently asked question, but online sources seem to conflict quite a bit.

FTS for potential spots to keep this anemone - I'm thinking about creating some rock cracks in the bottom left corner for the BTA (where the Duncan and Ricordea currently are).

fts_nem.jpeg
 
Hey everyone,

Curious to hear people's experiences and advice for keeping BTAs in a small-ish system (30gal) - I'd like to distract my clowns from the torch they're guesting to death, and it seems like an BTA would do (plus they're cool).

Main questions: Where (flow and light wise) would the RBTA do best?
How far can their tentacles extend?

What's the best way to keep them from moving? (outside of consistent flow and light). Is there a movement trend (i.e. around the bottom, or vertically?)

Many guides recommend 6 mo. to 1 yr. old systems - Why is this? Nutrient parameters, some other thing that needs to emerge before creating a good habitat?

Lastly (and this one is kind of dodgy) - Experiences with anemone cups? Can anemones actually do well in these, or is it a gimmick? Will it just detach and float to where it prefers?

Appreciate any advice! I know this must be a frequently asked question, but online sources seem to conflict quite a bit.

FTS for potential spots to keep this anemone - I'm thinking about creating some rock cracks in the bottom left corner for the BTA (where the Duncan and Ricordea currently are).

View attachment 25664
In order from your questions and comments:

1) No way to be sure that the clowns will ever move from the torch to the BTA, In time they may, but remember that BTA's are not a natural host for most of the clown varieties we normally keep.

2) Tentacle length can be dependent on so many things - size, flow, light, etc. A very healthy and happy BTA can commonly extend 8" or so, but many healthy BTAs will spend their lives with much shorter tentacles. Anemones are assholes and no one knows why they do what they do. :)

3) They do not like direct flow on them. They do like medium flow especially if it's back-and forth, etc.

4) BTA's, like all Nems, get most of their nutrition from light and need quality light. If it's too harsh they will move away, and if it's not enough they will move toward it. I have always found that as long as your not a quality light they will stay put (for the most part) in a spot below 350 par but above 200.

5) Never a guarantee they won't move. As noted they are assholes, but if you have stable parameters, good light, and good flow they tens to stick to one place.

6) The reason for waiting till your tank is established around a year is simply stability. A stable Nem requires a stable system, and I don't care how well your cycle has gone, or how well your parameters test week after week the tank isn't really stable till around the year mark. Something magical happens somewhere around that year mark with every tank I've ever started. Almost overnight it simply settles in and it's a noticeable effect. Water is clearer, issues on the sand go away, the rocks are nicely purpled, and the tank takes less cleaning especially on the glass, rocks, and sand.

Can you do a Nem in a younger tank? Sure -- but it can be more problematic. Nems NEED a stable environment.

7) Nem cups make me laugh. Nems are assholes.
 
Btw -- and I can't be sure of this since the pic of your tank is under all blues -- but it doesn't look like your tank is ready yet.
Greatly appreciate the in depth advice. Wasn't planning on adding ASAP - mostly planning on where to glue my existing corals, then add a nem in ~6 months (~1 yr. mark).

I suppose the real question is - how likely are clowns to kill the host torch! I guess time will tell.
 
Greatly appreciate the in depth advice. Wasn't planning on adding ASAP - mostly planning on where to glue my existing corals, then add a nem in ~6 months (~1 yr. mark).

I suppose the real question is - how likely are clowns to kill the host torch! I guess time will tell

Again -- you'll never know for sure a Nem will stay, but if you leave a spot that has a good, deep place for the Nem to secure its foot in or between rocks you'll have the best luck.

How big are the clowns, and are they actually nestling into it, or just hanging mostly above it and next to it at night?
 
If there is anything I learned from having all kinds of nems, is that it will move where it wants to move. You can't make it stay at a spot or predict where it will go.

If you want a BTA and want clowns to use it as a host (NOT HOST IT!), the get a species that uses BTAs as its host in nature. Namely Maroons, Tomatos, Clarkiis. Spotcintus I'm not sure on. Perculas and Ocellaris are naturally found in H.magnifica, H.crispa and S. gigantea.
 
I have several in a smallish 65 gal system. If you want to try one (or two) they're yours. Started with one -- now have 3 or 4. I'm ready to part ways with the three extra ones I have. I have a PIF for them in my BARCard.

Started with one which was quiet for a long while and then started splitting. The've gone where there is regular flow. One is in a high light zone. Others are in lower light areas. Guess it's wherever they want to be. Deferring to @Bruce Spiegelman above on specifics.

I was able to get get my clowns to host in one by: 1) buying captive bred clowns (they were 1/2" at most at the time) and were already hosting in one at the store and 2) introducing them into the tank through a tube. They went right in and never left. Now they bounce from nem to nem depending on their mood. Or when the bigger female has had enough of the smaller male. (That's how my wife explains it.)

Here's what they look like and where they're currently situated:

nems-1 squist 202104.png
nems-2 squist 202104.png
nems-3 squist 202104.png
nems-4 squist 202104.png
 
Again -- you'll never know for sure a Nem will stay, but if you leave a spot that has a good, deep place for the Nem to secure its foot in or between rocks you'll have the best luck.

How big are the clowns, and are they actually nestling into it, or just hanging mostly above it and next to it at night?
For sure - just trying to think of the "best" spot

Female is ~2", male is 1" (approx.)

Video of the clowns in the torch:
 
I have several in a smallish 65 gal system. If you want to try one (or two) they're yours. Started with one -- now have 3 or 4. I'm ready to part ways with the three extra ones I have. I have a PIF for them in my BARCard.

Started with one which was quiet for a long while and then started splitting. The've gone where there is regular flow. One is in a high light zone. Others are in lower light areas. Guess it's wherever they want to be. Deferring to @Bruce Spiegelman above on specifics.

I was able to get get my clowns to host in one by: 1) buying captive bred clowns (they were 1/2" at most at the time) and were already hosting in one at the store and 2) introducing them into the tank through a tube. They went right in and never left. Now they bounce from nem to nem depending on their mood. Or when the bigger female has had enough of the smaller male. (That's how my wife explains it.)

Here's what they look like and where they're currently situated:

View attachment 25667 View attachment 25668 View attachment 25669 View attachment 25670
Thank you for your generous offer Squist. Would love take you up on it when 1) My cyano clears, and 2) I install my auto-water change system, and it is working consistently. Hopefully in a couple of months, if they're still available! Put myself on the list, but feel free to get it to someone else if they're ready.
Love the hosting explanation - seems to be the same trend here ;)
 
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My clownfish ignored my nem for a while, until it seemed to hit a decent size, then hosted in it.
Now they never move.

Yes, Nems move. And split. And move again.

They love my really rough rock, but I have had one happily stick itself to the front glass and stay there.
They seem to like low light (relative to corals)
They seem to like indirect flow, especially if chaotic.

Mine were short tentacled with large bubbles for a year or so.
Not they are long tentacled with tiny bubbles.
So I think that may be age based, but really no idea.
 
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