How best to "Introduce" BTA to tank?

Any special tips on handling, acclimating and introducing a BTA to a tank?

While it appears here that it will eventually go to where it "feels" best...is there a risk to other inverts/life as it "wanders" about...

Can it be "directed" to a likely spot?

Am really shooting in the dark here...have never even seen a BTA on the "loose" before...do they "crawl" around like a starfish...or "flutter about" waving tentacles... :

May sound like silly questions...but am very interested in moving in a BTA after getting my initial corals (softies) established...

Am "clueless..."

THX

OmarD

 

First, if your tank isn't fully matured and stable with perfect parameters and MH lighting, at least one year, I would suggest holding off. These animals only last an average of 2 - 3 years in captivity, but live tens of years in the wild. This is a matter of good animal husbandry.

Second, I would find a tank raised BTA to start with for obvious conservation reasons.

Third, I woul place it in my tank before I placed my other corals. It will move around the tank until it finds a place that is suitable, don't help it! Keep it out of harms way from all power head or pump intakes and get it on a regular feeding schedule. After two months in your tank, you will understand its tendancies and locatibn preference and then you can add corals to avoid the BTA. Be advised that if tank conditions change, the motile BTA may move and sting corals in the process.

After the BTA is well established, adding a clown fish for it to host can be very beneficial. A clown fish can actually kill a BTA if it is not fully acclimated to the tank due to the additional stress. Waiting on this is a good suggestion for that reason.

HTH

 

Good advise craig I use sponge prefilters on all my power heads! What's a good species of clown for a BTA? I have a percula but I suspect it might be an ocelaris <--(spelling) :.
He dosen't touch my BTA or my LTA? I would see him hosting algea patches on the sand but no anemones! Maybe he's messed in the head I bought him at petco before I boycotted them!
Thanks for any help!

 

I have to chime in and say I completely agree with Craig. When they wander, you have to babysit a lot if you already have corals in your tank. In addition, if your tank isn't ready for it and it dies, you better have make-up water already available because you will need a waterchange in a hurry.

David, I have a false perc that likes toadstools, green star polyps, and torch corals and not anemone's. It might be just the way Corky (the clown) is or it might be because it is captive bred. I don't know.

 

@Craig, David, "inwall.."

Thanks for input...

You have me reexamining thoughts for BTA "introduction"...

Seems to me that if a Aneneome is a "must" for my tank...I had better try getting one in and settled before adding any corals or fish that the Anenome may eventually "host"...

Was not the "sequence" I had planned on - but sounds, based on the input above, this is the way to go or best way to "try"...

Given a relatively newly cycled tank will be a risky environment, which "type" would be best choice for optimized chance for "survivablity" of an anenome capable of hosting a pair of Maroon Clowns which I plan on getting in near future..would size make a difference? (besides being "tank raised&quot..or any other questions I should ask on-line seller?..LFS not an option..

Am not tied to it being a BTA...

I think it was Matt who mentioned he had good luck with Marine Depot...my only on-line purchases so far have been with "Jeff's exotic fish" - whom I have been very happy with...

Thoughts?

OmarD

 

[quote author=omard link=board=Inverts;num=1067414234;start=0#4 date=10/29/03 at 21:10:53]I think it was Matt who mentioned he had good luck with Marine Depot[/quote]

Wasn't me I think it was Craig or Karla.




Omar from what I know I would have to agree with what everyone has said above. Great stuff.
[smiley=thumbs_up.gif]

On the looser end you could cut corners - less time, PC lamps and pull it off if you know what you are doing. 6 months is actually what I hear more than waiting a year.

But it's more of a risk. Craig's advice is solid and I love the stuff about letting it move around.

[smiley=smokin.gif]

 

OK...you all have talked me out of it...

Am probably just not ready yet for such a "demanding" creature. Not worth the risk to the animal or my tank.

Will reconsider some time down the road. - once both "tank" and I have "matured" a bit.

For now will shop around for a couple of nice looking leathers that the clowns may take to.

Thanks for input from all.

Rgds,

OmarD

 

Omard,

I commend your sensibilities and patience, difficult to do, but you will be well served in the future.

David,

I have a captive bred Maroon Cown that is a Petco refugee and while it took him about a month to host my BTA, he hosts just about anything in the tank now.  Probalbly not the captive breeding thing and only time will tell.  Keep us posted!

 

I would like to chime in here. For new people to the reef world I would rather see them add a plate coral to the tank rather than an Aneneome it doesn't move around isn't as fragile and looks close to a lta. The trick to remember about a plate coral is it needs to have sand underneath it to protect the membrane on the bottom side.
Thanks for listening (actually reading!)

 

I have add my 2nd temp at a BTA, first one died with everythin else in my aquarium (Except my Maroons) when the heater malfunctioned and i can home to 120F tank. My mated pair of Maroons are in lust with the addition and the BTA has doubled in size in one month. I am using 380W PC for lighting and i feed it twice a week with Salcon. AS my first one, course the BTA perfers the back of the tank were you can not see it from my furniture.